Pacha’s Water Freebirth
Our beautiful son, Pacha, was freebirthed at home at dawn on Monday, the 23rd of June.
His birth was just perfect — I truly enjoyed it and loved every part of it.
We were already deep in winter, and I felt a strong connection to the shifting seasons and cycles of nature. The weather felt expansive, clear, and deeply aligned.
I had a strong feeling I wanted to celebrate the Winter Solstice by the fire on the beach at my favourite place, Tudibaring Beach, and invite my tribe.
That afternoon gathering was pure bliss — music, fire, whales in the distance, laughter, friends, and play. It deeply uplifted my soul and showed me the magic of the land and the people I am surrounded by.
The next day was sunny, and we went to Avoca Markets with our oldest son, Inti, enjoying sunshine, music, and ice cream. It felt simple, joyful, and full of life.
Later that day, I received a message about a didgeridoo sound bath as part of a friend’s art expo at a local art and yoga space in Copacabana.
That evening, after our son Inti fell asleep early, Joel and I watched a documentary on quantum physics and Andean cosmovision. During this time, Joel received inspiration for our son’s name — Pacha — which means Earth, world, and also time and space, like dimensions. It deeply resonated with both of us and stayed with us.
After the documentary, I went to the sound bath. The immersion was pure bliss — a deep vibration of love, connection, and belonging with this land, my baby, and my family. It felt beyond words, like a remembrance of being held by life itself.
In the quiet of the night, I began to feel subtle sensations in my body. I noticed my belly had fully dropped, and I felt a quiet knowing that something was beginning. I couldn’t sleep.
After an hour or two, I realised I was not going to rest, and I wondered how long I wanted this birth to be. Not long. So I woke Joel and asked him to light the fire. I went to the bathroom, and my mucus plug released around 11pm — I knew our baby was on his way.
My sensations came in waves, like electricity moving through my body.
I began preparing the space — building my altar with my crystal grid, vision board, candles, and sacred objects infused with love throughout my pregnancy.
Joel helped me prepare everything, and in between, I moved gently on my birth ball, staying present with each wave.
I then felt called to step outside onto the balcony. I lay on my birth ball under a clear winter sky, gazing at the Milky Way, feeling completely connected to everything around me.
During one of my surges, a massive shooting star crossed the sky. I cried with gratitude, overwhelmed by the beauty of life and the deep sense of being held.
I returned inside and stepped into the warm birth pool. I relaxed so deeply that I almost fell asleep. My surges slowed, and after some time I began to feel cold, so I got out of the pool and put on my robe, returning to my birth ball.
Time became fluid — moving both fast and slow. Between each surge, I returned to my breath, my intention, and a deep sense of trust, choosing to soften and surrender into the process.
Suddenly, I felt a powerful, unmistakable sensation. I knew the baby was coming soon.
I quickly removed my robe and stepped back into the birth pool. The sensations intensified, and for the first time, I felt completely powerless in the most sacred way — fully surrendered to God, Source, and the mystery of birth.
Joel noticed the shift and came to support me, reminding me how well I was doing.
In one wave, I felt my baby moving. And then, in the next, his head emerged. In full surrender, I brought him up from the water into my arms and onto my chest.
My baby boy was born — covered in vernix, perfect, and fully present.
Pure bliss filled the room.
I held him, breathing him in, completely in awe.
After some time, I realised my placenta still needed to be born. I stayed relaxed, holding my baby close as gentle surges continued.
After about 40 minutes, I decided to get out of the pool. At that moment, our almost 3-year-old son, Inti, woke up and came into the room just as the placenta was being born.
He arrived with wonder and exclaimed, “Wow! That’s a big placenta!” before gently coming to meet his baby brother.
He kept kissing baby Pacha on the head, again and again, and I felt like I was in absolute heaven witnessing their first meeting.
Joel gently cut the cord.
I stayed skin-to-skin with baby Pacha as we moved into bed together, where we rested in deep snuggles, softness, and love.
For the next days and weeks, we remained in a sacred postpartum bubble — full of rest, connection, rituals, gratitude, and the quiet integration of becoming a family of four.
On Monday, the 14th of July, when Pacha was three weeks old, we buried his placenta in our backyard and planted a small avocado tree over it — a beautiful gift that had arrived the day before.
I’m loving this postpartum bubble and staying present with all the downloads and integration it’s bringing.
Thank you for reading and witnessing me here. I am so, so grateful for the trust in myself, in my baby, and for the love of Spirit that supported us all along.
With love,
Ana-Flavia
I had the honour of speaking with my dear teacher, Katie, for her Reclaiming Birth Summit 2025.
In our conversation, I reflected on my journey through motherhood, emphasising presence, stillness, and intuitive parenting with my newborn and toddler. I shared how trusting my body and the universe during pregnancy led to a peaceful and empowered natural home birth. A fall during pregnancy deepened my connection with my unborn child and reminded me of the importance of self-trust over external validation.
My time in Peru inspired a spontaneous, nature-connected approach to life and birth, and I also spoke about setting boundaries with social media, especially during pregnancy, to preserve inner clarity. Katie and I reflected on the rewards of secure attachment and the ever-evolving journey of motherhood.