BIRTH STORIES
During our classes I encourage clients to immerse themselves in all things positive birth. This includes stories, imagery, videos, discussions, online content etc.
The more you immerse yourself in positive birth, the more your subconscious mind will accept this and reduce any negative beliefs around birth.
Henry
Henry James Wilson: born Tuesday 28th April 2020 at 10:20am, 7lbs 6ozs. He was born on the labour ward of Frimley Park Hospital.
“Birth is as safe as life gets” Harriette Hartigan
This was my first pregnancy, I was nervous and scared about childbirth - how would I cope, would the
pain be too much, what if it didn’t go to plan? We booked on to a hypnobirthing group course with
two other couples. We loved learning all about what my body would be doing, what we could do
to remain calm and how to set up our calm birthing environment. This made us both feel so
prepared and ready to face birth as a team.
On Sunday I started getting some minor period pain cramps, that went away until the next day.
The sensations started ramping up on Monday evening we called the triage line to tell them I
was in labour. We decided to try and get some rest and call back when things progressed more.
I woke Sam up at around 1am when contractions were ramping up and feeling more intense.
He ran me a bath with some lovely candles, where I spent the next couple of hours. We practiced our
breathing techniques learned during hyonobirthing and I was inhaling some essential oils to help with the sensations. We decided it was time to go hospital when I was having roughly 3 surges in 10 minutes. As Sam gathered the final bits for our hospital bag I was still feeling super calm, rocking away on my birthing ball with the TENS machine and breathing through my surges. Sam had set up loads of candles in the lounge and put the blinds down, so it felt like our calm, relaxing little labour haven.
We arrived at Frimley at 5:30am, the hospital was so quiet, I don’t even remember seeing one person as we made our way up (although maybe that was just my hypnobirthing bubble I was in, blocking everything out!) The Mulberry Birth Centre was closed at the time due to Covid, but the labour ward rooms were lovely and exactly how I imagined them to be in the birth centre, nice and dark, relaxing and unmedical.
I got into the pool at around 7am while the midwife Sarah read through our birth plan. She mostly left us to it, I barely noticed she was there. Every now and then she checked baby’s heartbeat and had a little look underwater with the mirror. I remember her saying how calm I was and how great I was doing.
I was completely in my hypnobirthing zone, using the gas and air, eyes closed, swaying from side to side, imagining my happy place.
Visualising my favourite affirmation really helped: 'each surge brings you closer to meeting your baby’. The pool made me feel completely in control and weightless, I worked through each surge with my breathing exercises and the gas and air. Sam was incredible at keeping me focused on my breathing, giving me words of motivation, passing me water and feeding me haribo.
At one point I felt a huge surge of intensity, I felt down and I popped my waters myself! The transition phase came shortly after, an overwhelming feeling of my body taking over and pushing (the fetal ejection reflex). After a short while and some intense surges and pushing, Sarah looked underwater and saw the head coming. It was such a surreal experience just waiting for the body to be born and everything then seemed to happen so quickly. After one final surge out came our beautiful baby into the water - with Sam shouting “it’s a boy!" Sam and I completely broke down in tears, sobbing at the immense relief and happiness we both felt. I did it, I birthed a baby! I was sooooo happy and felt so incredible having given birth in the water, just like we’d hoped!
We did optimal cord clamping and Sam cut the cord. After a while I got out of the pool, and lay on the bed next to the pool to deliver the placenta. After Henry was born we soaked up the golden hour, started feeding, lots of skin to skin and newborn snuggles, some crying (from all 3 of us) and some stitches too. When I was taken to the post-natal ward I remember just lying on the bed looking at Henry and thinking what do I do now?! Is someone going to come along and tell me how to look after my baby? We had one night in hospital to get some help with feeding, and then Sam picked us up the next afternoon and we were reunited as a family of 3. Homeward bound to settle into our newborn bubble!
Maisie
Maisie Isabelle Wilson: born Tuesday 9th August 2022 at 4:44am, weighing 8lbs exactly. She was born at home in the water.
After a very relaxing weekend and productive Monday finishing off my to-do list, I had a lovely bath in
the evening with some clary sage oil. I got out of the bath and went to the toilet, only to discover I’d
lost my mucus plug! Knowing this meant labour could still be a few days away, I went to bed,
falling straight to sleep, thinking nothing would really be starting soon.
At around 1am I woke to go to the toilet, and started to feel minor cramps. Over the next hour,
I realised this wasn’t a trial run and things were really happening as I was having to concentrate
on my breathing a little more each time the sensation came. At around 2am I woke Sam, and
excitedly told him I was in labour, and to get the pool pumped up downstairs!
I ran a bath and called the Lavender home birth team around 2:30. I had a good chat with Chloe and
she advised me to call back when surges were more regular or became less manageable.
My mum came to pick up Henry (who was fast asleep upstairs) at around 2:45. As soon as he was gone, I was able to properly relax.
I got into the bath and things ramped up really quickly, and before long there wasn't much gap in between each surge.
At 3:20 I called Chloe back to update her, and asked her to come over. Shortly after this I got out of the bath; I didn’t like being upstairs on my own while the surges were getting more intense, as Sam was still downstairs getting everything set up.
Chloe arrived at around 4am, and by that point I was well on my way! She helped Sam put the TENS machine on to help with the sensations - this really gave me something to focus on and the little boost button was fab when a surge ramped up! I kept focussing on my breathing throughout each one, which really helped focus my mind and energy. In for 4, out for 8 really helped me stay calm and get through each surge.
Shortly after Chloe arrived I agreed to a vaginal examination, I lay on the sofa on my side and she confirmed I was 8cm dilated and this baby was eager to come out soon! At that moment my waters suddenly broke, and I felt a huge gush all over the sofa (luckily we’d covered it with shower curtains, bed mats and towels so it was safe!)
I got into the pool at 4:15 and almost instantly my body started pushing. I used the gas and air which really helped work through each surge and pushing sensation. With each surge and push, I could feel baby’s head moving down and eventually out. Once the head was out I put my hand underwater and I could feel a whole head of lovely hair; feeling this and knowing how close we were to meeting our baby was so exciting!
With a few more pushes baby GIRL was born at 4:44 into the water; I reached down and pulled her onto my chest - I had done it, I had birthed our daughter in our living room just like we’d hoped. The feeling of relief and accomplishment was amazing, Sam and I were both crying as we realised our new baby was here. I stayed in the pool for around 15 minutes while the cord continued to pulse and she got all of her lovely blood from the placenta, with Sam cutting it once it turned white.
I felt like absolute superwoman, and just couldn’t get my head around how quickly it had all happened - only a couple of hours ago I was getting a few feelings and woken Sam up, now I was lying on the sofa in our front room with a gorgeous little girl on my chest after the most perfect birth!
Chloe stayed for around an hour after this, we all had a cup of tea and some biscuits while she wrote up her notes. Chloe was so friendly and warm, and left us to birth quietly in our own little bubble. She gave me encouragement when I needed it but mainly let me get on with it and listen to what my body told me to do. Chloe left around 7am and then it was just the three of us - me, Sam and Maisie to enjoy lots of skin to skin and try and get our heads around this quick new addition!
Watch this space for more Hypnatal babies arriving soon!