HypnoBirthing - antenatal classes for a natural, safe and calm birth

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),

"Felix Indiana was born on Monday 8th June 2009 at 04.25 following a very smooth and speedy labour.
My membranes released Sunday evening at 20.30 after I had been practicing my relaxation exercises. I'd been in the bath for some time listening to my tropical waves music and visualising being on the beach in St Lucia. There were no obvious signs that labour was imminent but as soon as I got out of the bath my membranes released. Strangely Greg had always thought labour would start on the 7th June as it was a full moon and he was right.

My surges didn't start straight away so we were advised to visit the Conquest Hospital for a routine check. My surges started at 21.30 and everything was going very well with my breathing exercises. We left the hospital at 23..30 with the intention of going home to rest before heading to Crowborough. When we got home my surges were 7 - 9 minutes apart but within 30 minutes of being at home my surges suddenly increased to being 3 minutes apart.

I felt really in tune with my body and let Greg know that I thought things were progressing quickly. We phoned Crowborough and they advised we head back to the Conquest for an examination but I'm pretty sure they thought we had a long way to go yet and would be heading home again.
We arrived back at the Conquest at 01:30. My surges were very strong but I used the deep breathing exercises and found them all manageable. After some monitoring the midwife was very surprised to find I was fully dilated so was ready to use birth breathing. Once we'd got the go ahead to start birth breathing I felt much better as I felt I could start the whole birthing process. I used birth breathing successfully but the midwife did request that I gave some pushes to aid getting the baby's head to turn the corner. Within 45 minutes of using birth breathing and some pushing Felix Indiana Duke was born at 04:25 perfectly healthy and weighing 7 lbs 7 ounces.

Although we never made it to Crowborough the birth was everything I had dreamed of. The midwife at the Conquest was very supportive of our wishes and made the whole experience relaxing and as natural as possible. I didn't have any pain relief so felt like I was in complete control at all times. We didn't really have time to do any light tough massage but we used the breathing exercises throughout the whole labour. Greg was really fantastic at reminding me about relaxing my jaw and helping me with my breathing.

Felix is a very contented baby and I truly believe this is because he had a smooth birth free of intervention and stress. He sleeps and feeds well so we couldn't ask for anymore. The midwives at the hospital were all amazed at how quick and easy my labour was for a first time mum and our midwife Tracy who was present at the labour said it was her favourite birth so far which was truly lovely to hear.

I didn't require any stiches which was fantastic and was probably down to me being relaxed and having practised perineal massage. I felt great after the delivery and still feel on a high now.

Thank you so much Rue for your guidance and support. Hypnobirthing made my pregnancy and labour a truly enjoyable experience and I will be recommending it to all pregnant women that I meet. It's nice to be able to tell people that labour can be an enjoyable experience if you let go and don't fear it.

Thank you again.

-All the midwives we had dealings with were truly surprised at how our labour progressed and genuinely seemed supportive of hypnobirthing which is a great sign. Hopefully more of them will mention hypnobirthing during antenatal classes.
I hope you have lots more candidates for your courses and we will of course be spreading the word.
Maybe you'll see us for a refresher lesson when we have a 2nd!!!!"

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"When I woke up at 6am I was having small surges 5min apart and these increased during the day. we

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.
Thankyou for all your help and support. Olivia is a very calm, and relaxed baby. I know that without hypnobirthing I would have had a much tougher time.

thank you again,
Katka&olivia&david
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"[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

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Dear Rue and Sue,

Hope you are both well? Right, before yet another day passes without me having done my testimonial/birth story as promised, here goes........

Sunday 14th September was our second and final Hypnobirthing class with Rue and Sue. I felt a little 'strange' in the morning and by the time we got to the class at 10:00 I joked that I thought I might be in labour. I started to feel a few more twinges as the morning progressed and it was getting more hard to focus on the exercises we were practising. By lunch time I felt quite uncomfortable and was gripping the chair in the restaurant my husband and I had chosen to go to. We made the decision not to proceed with the rest of the session so dropped in to see Rue and Sue to let them know - my husband said their faces were a picture! I guess it isn't every day that someone attending their classes gets to put what they have learnt into practice so quickly!

Anyway, we went home and, what were now obviously contractions, came and went throughout the rest of the day and night without any real patterns. I went to bed listening to the DVD and practising my breathing and visualisation techniques. At 05:00 I heard and felt a loud 'pop' and decided to call the hospital as I was quite sure my waters had broken. I woke my husband, had a shower and fed the cat, whilst he packed some things in a bag for himself. It is only about a 10 minute drive to the hospital and I had several contractions on the way, pausing to have yet another in the cark park whilst hanging on to the car door!

It was confirmed that my waters had broken and, when the midwifery staff changed over at 06:30, my new midwife advised us that I was already 9 cm dilated. I think both my husband and I were quite shocked! To cut a long story short my daughter was born using forceps at 10:33 in theatre as she had begun to show signs of distress. It turns out she was presenting back to back, so if she hadn't been I believe my delivery time would have been very quick indeed. Having said that I was still pleased with how quick it was and I didn't have any pain relief. I have to put it down to the breating, relaxation and visualisation techniques I learnt from the Hypnobirthing class.

When a friend of mine who had attended the classes prior to the birth of her baby told me that she was 9cm dilated when she was examined, I thought she must be a 'one-off' and that would never happen to me. However it did! By practising the techniques I had learnt it meant that I was able to stay at home as long as I possibly could, which was important to me. I would recommend the classes to anyone but it is important that you go with an open mind. Not all the exercises might be your 'cuppa' but I challenge anyone out there to not be curious!

Very best wishes,

Donna, Phil and Halle xx

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"I found the combination of the breathing techniques and listening to the CD really powerful in coping with my contractions."

Delia R - Brighton

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"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

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“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

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" 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, London

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"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, London

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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

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