Carla, Nick & Alana (October, 2009)
Just to let you know about the late (2 weeks 2 days over her guess date!) arrival of little miss Alana. Born 22.17 on 23rd October weighing 6lb 3.5oz. Just to remind you, we were planning a home water birth with an independent midwife - which is just what we had.
My active labour took only 6 hours with no pain relief. My midwife and the student who came to watch said they had never seen a birth like it. Nick was an amazing support - giving me affirmations, relaxation touches, massage and all I needed. He was amazed I breathed through all the surges and is so glad he was able to see his daughter born at home in such a wonderful, natural way. I really feel the hypnobirthing course and practice we did at home made this all the more possible. Had I not been able to stay positive about a 'late' baby and known I could cope with the whole birth process it may have been so different.
My surges started Wednesday night at midnight, one an hour until 8am, which I breathed through and slept in between. My midwife did a sweep the next day, due to the lateness of the little lady, and found I was 3-4 cm dilated and 50% effaced, so half way there! We checked on Alana's progress at hospital, as she was now over 42 weeks, and although the monitoring was fine they advised a scan the next day to check her fluid levels.
Early hours of Friday morning my surges resumed at about 1.30am, every 10 mins until 8.30am. I kind of slept in between and breathed through them, but felt a little disheartened when they stopped as I thought my baby would be along soon! Luckily my midwife came to do another sweep and found I was now 5-6cm dilated with Alana's head firmly in place and ready to go.
I went for my hospital scan, to be told her liquor levels were low, my waters should be broken and she was a huge baby (they said well over 9lbs!). I am glad I had been using relaxation and remained calm, as this was just more NHS scaremongering! My midwife attempted to break my waters several times but, as the membranes were so stretched over Alana's deeply engaged head, they did not break and she was born with a very scratched little head!
Instead my midwife advised me to go for a walk and keep upright/forward/open. My surges started in earnest straight after my walk, every few minutes for longer periods, I breathed through them, bounced on my birth ball, then hoovered and eventually got into my pool. When the more serious business of birthing my baby came it was a very different sensation, lots of pressure. I breathed/grunted/pushed, then the midwife said her heart rate was dropping and she had to come out NOW. I don't know where the last surge came from, but I stood up out of the pool and Alana was out in less than 2 minutes.
We sat together in the pool and I couldn't believe how precious she was. I was hoping to breast feed while we had our skin to skin, but as she had a tongue tie we haven't been able to manage it yet. My husband, Nick, was over the moon with her arrival and took her next while I thought about the placenta. I stayed in the pool, text my friends with her arrival, ate a yoghurt to regain my strength, did a visualisation then with one deep breath I birthed the placenta.
Many thanks for sending on the CD, I needed total silence for my birth in the end but baby Alana likes it very much! More importantly thanks for the course and the tools to make our home birth just what we wanted. I think our experience proves natural is the way to go.
Thanks again,
Carla, Nick and Alana
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Clare, Greg & Felix (St. Leonards, June 2009),
eventually went to the hospital at about 7pm as they were only about 2 minutes apart and very strong by then (we had been to the hospital earlier in the day to check all was well and went home to relax etc). The surges kept getting more intense and I used many of the techniques which we had learnt and been practising. Everything was going well but as it got later and later,when cervix was 10cm open, I really felt as though I needed something to help me cope so about 1.30am I had some gas and air which helped me over the last bit... I was already in the birthing pool. Olivia joined us at 2.35am and went straight up onto me and started feeding very soon.. So it nearly all went to plan and I am very happy that I only needed the minimum gas and air at the end.. Olivia is very big though 4.025kg or 8lb 14oz birth weight!!!Both midwives said that we did very well considering her size and mine.I also have a few stitches,but they said it could be much much worse."[the best aspects of the course were] that birth can be a possitive experience. Both Rue and Sue facilitated the material really well. They came accross with real warmth and gave great examples/stories to make it come to life. We both found it really relaxing."
Leslie & Richard TW
*****
Delia R - Brighton
*****
"John was fantastic as my birth partner and when the midwife came to our house I was already 7cm dilated; she sat in the hallway and basically let John and me get on with it. John helped me concentrate on my breathing and let my body relax. There was such a difference in feeling on the surges that I tensed up on ....... HypnoBirting gave me a really postive experience, so thank you for all your help"
Anna C. Brighton
*****
“I was most impressed with how comfortable Sue made both me and my partner feel from the moment we started our first session.
I am very thankful that I undertook the HypnoBirthing sessions as I had the birth I had hoped for with minimal effort on the day.”
Claire C - Hove
*****
" I can't imagine how anyone gives birth without it! HypnoBirthing kept me feeling calm and in control throughout labour. The contractions were no problem at all.
I knew what to do and what to think. It gave me a better understanding of the physical and psychological aspects of childbirth. It also gave me greater confidence in myself and in my partner to work as a team, as I knew that we had the tools to ensure a safe and calm birth.
This meant that I avoided the use of pain-killing chemicals. I believe in myself (mind and body) a lot more now, and feel that perhaps there's even more I can achieve if I only put my mind to it.
I would advise every mother-to-be and her partner to try HypnoBirthing even if they intend to use drugs.
Kerry Woodcock,
*****
"I've never felt so well prepared for anything in my life! I went into labour, totally fearless. HypnoBirthing was a huge, huge, huge help.
It was amazing and the birth would not have been half as fulfilling without it. I now have a new understanding of what my mind and body is capable of and know that childbirth can be a very, very positive experience. It was phenomenal. Even the midwife said: "I've never seen anyone deliver like that!"
I'm so pleased that I was able to have the birth I wanted, and do it my way. People have commented that they've never seen me looking so well. I have let go of a lot of anxieties and the baby is so relaxed too because my response is much calmer. I'm so pleased I found you. Thank you!"
Mary,
As a midwife, I feel it is unethical for me not to inform my clients of the benefits of HypnoBirthing.
I strongly support HypnoBirthing, having attended a workshop and supporting several women who have employed HypnoBirthing and shown immense coping strategies and strength.
HypnoBirthing is not only invaluable in increasing the likelihood of having a natural birth, but also supporting women through antenatal discomfort and when births do not go according to plan.
HypnoBirthing is also beneficial for birth partners, in particular fathers, as it provides them with a practical role during the labour and birth and enables them to remain calm, informed and in tune with the birth process.
Natalie, independent midwife