Our Yorkshire Farm star Amanda Owen has opened up about having her eigth child, Clementime, at home while Clive slept instead of calling an ambulance
Amanda Owen has opened up about a huge baby decision(Image: ITV/YORKSHIRESHEPHERDESS)
Amanda Owen has confessed she “couldn’t be arsed” to make the journey to hospital when she decided to deliver her eighth child at home.
The Yorkshire Shepherdess, who shares nine children with former husband Clive Owen, found herself nearly 70 miles from the nearest hospital when daughter Clementine was ready to make her entrance into the world.
Having previously delivered babies in a lay-by and at home beside the fireplace, Amanda opted for another home birth. She recalls having just “a few cushions, a rug and a terrier” on hand, quipping that the dog proved to be the “best birth partner ever”.
During an appearance on the White Wine Question Time podcast with Kate Thornton, Amanda revealed: “I put my hand down, when I felt there was a head coming, I knew it was all systems go.”
Kate highlighted that Amanda was aware there was a “chance she wouldn’t make it” to the nearest hospital in time. Amanda elaborated: “It was becoming a bit of a thing, I was frequenting all of the lay-bys of the North East, the hospital would get further and further away.
View 3 Images
(Image: Amanda Owen/Instagram)
“When it came to filling out the birth certificate afterwards, it’d say place of birth and I’d literally be looking at the AA roadmap.”
The Our Yorkshire Farm star explains that working alongside nature has taught her that a flawless birth “doesn’t happen” and that you remain “out of control”.
She clarified: “It’s not about posturing and saying I’m sort of new age and not wanting any intervention or anything, it’s literally the fact that I could not be arsed.
“I could not be bothered to set off the whole thing of ring the labour ward, ring for an ambulance, paramedics turn up. I just wanted to go back to bed.”
Amanda went on to disclose she initially struggled to locate scissors to cut the newborn’s umbilical cord. This led her to “creep” upstairs to where Clive was sleeping and inform him of what had occurred.
View 3 Images
Raven, Clemmy, Reuben, Edith, Sidney, Amanda, Annas, Violet, Miles, Nancy, Clive(Image: Channel 4)
She describes Clementine’s arrival as “the most wonderful thing” and says it was “perfect”. Clive, however, was “surprised” to learn that his then-wife had delivered downstairs at their family home.
This wasn’t Amanda’s only unconventional birthing experience. Her first child was a planned home delivery at the farm during the height of the foot and mouth outbreak.
Amanda, however, says it “all went wrong” and she required hospital transport for an emergency caesarean, with doctors cautioning she might face difficulties with natural deliveries going forward. She quips that son Reuben, though, “fell out after a Chinese takeaway” and weighed 7lb less than daughter Raven.
In other revelations, Amanda has discussed her separation from Clive. She admits she “shut down” following the conclusion of her relationship with the 71-year-old.
She told the Daily Mail: “Physical and mental health are intertwined and anxiety, depression, paranoia, agoraphobia and an eating disorder were all smooshed into one.”
Her difficulties were exacerbated when malicious trolls started commenting on her weight loss and hurling insults. Despite a turbulent divorce, Amanda stated that there is “no tension” between her and Clive, as they continue to co-parent amicably and jointly own the farm.
In addition to Raven, 24, Reuben, 22, and Clemmy, 10, Amanda and Clive are also parents to Miles, 19, Edith, 17, Violet, 15, Sidney, 14, Annas, 12, and nine-year-old Nancy.
