Samuel’s Positive Birth Story
Sally’s positive induction story using Hypnobirthing
Sally and her Husband came to me following a recommendation from one of her colleagues. She'd had a previous induction which wasn't a great experience for her and this time round she wanted to feel empowered, confident and more supported by her care providers in her choices. She was terrified at the thought of another induction but armed with knowledge, tools and a supportive birth partner, she ultimately chose induction and faced her fear head on, with confidence. She bossed it!
Choosing Induction for a Positive Outcome
As my due date flew past, I met with my midwife and discussed the various induction options available. I was disappointed at the prospect of being induced but decided with my husband that the risks from going too far over were more significant to us than achieving the “perfect natural birth”. I had a wobble and spoke to Claire, who reminded me of everything we had learned, and how to face an induction with a positive outlook. I was in tears, but she turned my mind set round and got me back on track.
At my pre-induction scan they discovered there was a reduced amount of amniotic fluid and wanted to get me started straight away 2 days ahead of my appointment, which was a bit of a surprise, but we took it in our stride and viewed it as one step closer to meeting our baby.
Taking Control of the Induction Process
The consultant advised they would break my waters first, but I was determined to give my body a good shot at starting by itself without anything being too rushed. I requested the balloon catheter, a fairly new technique of induction that is hormone free and acts to soften and shorten the cervix. This stayed in for 24 hours and I felt proud that we had taken control of the induction and also claimed an extra day back!
During the 24 hours I woke up in hospital feeling very deflated. I had made a pin board with my positive affirmations on, scan pictures and some reminders of visualisations and happy thoughts, and a whole lot of glitter. I looked at it and decided I could either cry or face the day positively. I listened to the Core of Protection mp3 and positive affirmations and by the time my husband came back in I was buzzing and ready for whatever came next.
In all honesty, the catheter made me feel like a patient, and I didn’t enjoy that. I knew it was helping me, but I found it hard to walk and sit comfortably and I felt slightly inhibited. Once it was removed, I felt like I had reclaimed my body and felt in a great position. I didn’t know for sure, but I concluded my cervix had been well prepared and was ready to spring open. Facing every stage with a positive outlook was key.
Dancing Through the Challenges
I used the next few hours to really try and get the oxytocin pumping. I listened to some of my favourite songs and danced around in my bay, hoping the baby bouncing on my cervix would also help!! I watched videos of my 3 year old and really dug deep into how much joy he had brought me.
Within a few hours we were taken to the labour ward. I had reservations about being on the labour ward as I really didn’t want to “hospitalise” the birth, but when I walked in, I couldn’t have been happier. The midwife greeted me with a huge warm excited smile, the lights were dim, there were LED candles across the windowsill, and they even had an essential oils diffuser. It was pretty much exactly the environment I had planned, and it felt perfect. Anna had read my birth plan and discussed it with me, confirming I didn’t want any pain relief offered – I would ask for it. She broke my waters at midnight, with a huge encouraging smile that my cervix was a fantastic 2-3cm dilated and very short and soft. Ready to go.
I found it very hot in the room, so we cracked open the window. I sat on the birthing ball next to the breeze, listening to woodland sounds on my headphones, with one hand on my husband’s knee. I breathed through all the surges and reminded myself throughout that I was strong, surges are a part of me, and they were welcomed. As they got stronger and more regular, I heard my husband let the midwife know they were easily 3 in 10 if not more frequent. I hadn’t been keeping track, but this was an encouraging thing to hear.
As the surges got more powerful, I tried a few positions but was feeling very nauseous and struggled to get in a position that was comfortable enough to focus. I lay down for a short stint to get some rest, but found the surges slowed down. I found myself on all fours leaning against the back of the bed (or mostly with my head pressed into it!!) which allowed me to really tune in to my breathing and relax through the surges. I reminded myself of my Core of Protection, that I was safe and everything that was happening was completely natural. I thought about the women before me who had experienced this, and how proud I would be after. I even had friends’ voices in my head, cheering me on!
Trusting The Process And Welcoming Our Boy
The midwife never examined me, and I had no idea how it was all progressing. I found myself sliding into a panic that it was too much, and I couldn’t do it anymore, but recognised this as likely being Transition. I asked her if she thought it was happening soon, and she replied “You tell me - how does it feel? Listen to your body and what it’s asking of you”. Her confidence in me made me feel so proud and confident that it was going well, and it would be very soon.
Soon after I found myself pushing and at 03:29am my son was born. He was passed to me through my legs, and I could not believe he was here, and I had done it. I have never felt prouder of us as a team. My husband, my baby, my midwife and I had all worked seamlessly together to achieve the perfect positive birth. I have happy cried many times since.
I practised like crazy!
I practised like crazy!
Completing Hypnobirthing classes with Claire really set me up for what was a realistic expectation and how to manage the various hurdles I may have faced. She taught me to accept things that were out of our control, feel empowered about the things that were, and ultimately approach the entire birthing with a positive outlook. I practised like crazy, am still using some of the techniques now, and expect I will for a long time to come!
- Sally: Group Hypnobirthing Course