I woke at 3.30am on the 18/8 to tightenings and the loss of my mucus plug “bloody show”, I sat on my medicine ball and started to try different positions to help during the early stages. Tightenings continued throughout the day, but surges were irregular, coming every 15mins, 7mins, 10mins, so I decided to try and have a sleep in preparation for birth. I was able to sleep for 30mins before waking to more intense pressure and tightenings, Karl suggested we go for a walk, so he helped put my tens machine on and off we went for a slow 30 min walk around our estate. When we returned home around 3.30pm surges had become a lot more regular and coming every 7mins, so I got into the shower and we listened to our birth affirmations.
I felt calm and excited knowing we would be meeting our baby soon. After hopping out of the shower I sat on the toilet to help with progression and Karl sat behind me doing some light touch massage, I moved into many different positions during this time in my labour, including heading out in the car with Karl to pick our old kids up from school.
Around 7.30pm I felt a change in my body and told Karl it was time to head to the hospital, so we called the midwife and started preparing to leave. During the car ride I focused on staying in my bubble of comfort and practicing affirmations for myself.
We arrived at the hospital around 8.15pm, my midwife had started running the bath for me, so while we waited for the bath to fill Karl set up the birth space and I focused on staying relaxed and blocking out the noises of the hospital environment. I agreed to a Vaginal Examination and was told I was around 5cm or more and my waters were bulging.
9.30pm I got into the bath (amazing pain relief being fully submerged in the water) I laid in the bath and tried to give my body a rest in preparation for birth, before hoping onto my knees to help baby descend. (During transition) there were definitely times that I felt tired and like I couldn’t do it anymore, Karl grounded me and read our affirmations which helped me come back to my positive head space, so at 10.30pm I asked for some gas to help with my intense tightenings and pressure, (it also helped me focus on my breathing).
Around 10.50pm my body began to bear down and my waters released. My surges started coming a lot stronger and I knew it wouldn’t be long before baby was here. My midwife checked babies heart rate after the release around 11.05pm and said I needed to get out of the bath because baby’s heart rate had dropped, so I turned my body to get out but I could feel baby coming, I said “I can’t get out baby is coming”.
My body took over and began to bear down, and baby’s head was born at 11.07pm. I moved into the corner of the bath and waited for my next surge, I began to besr down again with my next surge, and at 11.08pm baby was born
-ITS A BOY!!
Baby and I had some bonding time/skin to skin in the bath before exiting to sit and deliver the placenta which came at 11.18pm. We continued bonding with baby together out on the bed and were able to leave for home at 3am 19/8 (4hours after baby’s birth)
Our birth is one we will never forget for being so relaxing and calm - Hypnobirthing helped us gain the tools and knowledge for a calm and positive birth. We can’t thank Jess enough for her teachings!
Mama: Hermione
Hypnobirthing Australia practitioner: Mother Moon Hypnobirthing