Yasmine’s birth story – by Christina

By the time Yasmine emerged on the first day of spring, she and I had been working on it for about five days, and we’d had a colourful journey involving walks in the park, cake with friends in a pub, nearly two days of belly dancing, showering and resting in a midwifery led unit, and a final sprint in the labour ward, culminating in a forceps delivery with me on my back, numb from the waist down and surrounded by people in scrubs.

That last step contrasted sharply with what I had hoped for – to do all the physical work myself, to feel everything, and to avoid drugs and other interventions. But shortly after Yasmine was born I was saying that I would do it all again in a flash. Three months on I feel just as positive.

I put my happy experience down to the preparation I did using mindful hypnobirthing and belly dancing techniques; the invaluable conversations with Guin, my main source of wisdom on hypnobirthing and positive birth, and with Sarah, a doula; the attitudes of the staff at the John Radcliffe; and the efforts of my birthing partner, Matteo, who worked very hard to help ensure that my birthing preferences were respected, despite not understanding the reasons for some of my choices. I never felt pressured into doing anything, and when it became clear that interventions might be wise, everyone continued to show respect for me and my choices. I felt I could trust the people surrounding me in scrubs, and that we were working as a team through those final pushes and pulls.

I’m sure there are many reasons why bonding with Yasmine has been effortless for me, but I do know that if I hadn’t prepared as I had, or had the support and respect of the people around me, I may well have felt nervous and disappointed about some aspects of the birth, and, importantly, Yasmine and I might not have been able to breastfeed as quickly and successfully as we did that morning and continue to do.

From Becky

The day finally came and we flourished! It has been a hard few weeks though on the run up to the birth! After the positive birth movement meeting at your home I set about getting my ‘head game’ in shape and rereading sections from Hypnobirthing, Ina May, Sarah Buckley and others. I really felt like I was getting a handle on things by that week and felt ready and positive about what I wanted for the labour and birth.

Unfortunately it was now my body that wasn’t playing ball- the days and then weeks were passing! At the end of the 40th week, midwife was beginning to make murmurings of inductions and I (reluctantly) agreed to be evaluated for one at the JR on Friday 21st (41+6). I really didn’t want to be induced, so on Tuesday I had a stretch and sweep, booked acupuncture and shiatsu for Wednesday and another stretch and sweep on Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, I was beginning to feel wave like period pains coming at 20 min intervals on a long walk around Blenheim grounds. The hospital called while we were on the walk to confirm my appointment for Friday and then based on my symptoms, agreed to push it back to Saturday 22nd to induce if I didn’t go into labour naturally before then.

That night by enormous blessing, the labour did start properly! Went to bed early but was woken by the first strong contraction about midnight. Less than an hour later Ian was sticking the TENS electrodes to my back and we both quietly slipped downstairs leaving the sleeping Ella in our bed. We lit candles, made tea, put some soft jazz on and Ian fed me bananas and dates while I laboured through the night. Every new contraction, I would go to another sunset on another beach or sip my margarita under a different palm tree on a different island…. 🙂 This went on until about 2am when we called Spires to pre warn them that I would likely be coming in later, and though my contractions were 5-5.5 mins apart, I was coping using my Hypnobirthing methods and was able to breathe well through each one. My bowels were starting to clear with gusto by this point with a few contractions over the toilet!

Ella woke up at 3am and I had my mother sleep with her in our bed and went back downstairs. When it got light in the early hours and with an hour of slide lying rest on the sofa, the contractions grew further apart to 6-8 mins and were mildly less uncomfortable but I needed the rest and was grateful to have an hour or so dozing (as I am sure Ian did too!).

Morning came and with Ella awake, my mom took over her breakfast needs and Ian and I took a stroll up and down my garden in laps. I would inhale the lilac in bloom at the bottom of the yard and then moan though another contraction holding Ian before resuming walking. Contractions were back to 5 min intervals and I took myself upstairs to call Spires to let them know I was coming in. I now felt increasing rectal pressure, wasn’t breathing as well through the contractions and knew this was the time to go. We left at 9:15am.

On being buzzed in at Spires the midwife greeted us and I had a whopper of a contraction that was like none previous to it. I felt I had arrived, I felt safe and was ready to abandon myself to birth the baby. Very quickly we were brought to a room for the paperwork and vital tests and then brought to a birthing room. From there I soon began to bear down to push her out. It all happened very quickly and with barely time to get the hang of what I needed to do to make the gas and air have some kind of analgesic effect for me. Our little girl was born less than an hour after arriving at the JR and with no need for any intervention or examination of any kind. Just simple, undisturbed, raw and beautiful. Just as I hoped it would be.

The Hypnobirthing refresher course alongside the accompanying book and Positive Birth Movement meeting prepared me very well this time. I was capable and in control of my birth from first contraction to first latch! Thank you so much, Guin, for all your support. May many women get to experience (and enjoy!) positive and undisturbed birth through this method and through your teachings.

I just wanted to let you know that our lovely daughter arrived safe and sound last Tuesday. I had a natural birth after a spontaneous labour – no inductions – hooray! I did need to have my placenta manually removed in theatre afterwards but even that was fine. I found the hypnobirthing techniques really helpful in managing the last few weeks of pregnancy and the early stage of labour. I may have panicked a little when the second stage was quicker than expected and needed a swift dash to the Spires! But again the techniques helped once we were at the Spires and the BRAINS checklist was really useful in making an informed choice about interventions for placenta removal.

Our doula was brilliant and we were both so pleased to have her on our ‘team’. Thanks for talking through the benefits of doulas with us!

Thanks also for your support at the positive birth sessions I attended and at the hypnobirthing course. I really feel these made a difference to our experience and we are really enjoying our time with our lovely baby and her big sister.

Ava’s birth story – by Nina

I didn’t find labour too bad at all. I kept waiting for it to become unbearable but it never did and I believe that it is all because of the Hypnobirthing class.

It was 14 hours in total, 10 I did with nothing but oils and 10 to 1 affirmations and the last four I used Gas and Air, continued playing the Mp3 clips, 10 to 1 affirmations and oils. My contractions were regular from the start at 7 mins and 50 secs for each one. Waters broke at 0.50 am and got to JR at 8am. I was 10cm dilated by 1pm (and this is the only time I was examined), she was in a bit of a funny position but thankfully moved.

I believe it was all about being in the right mindset, and the bit that helped me the most, especially in the pushing and crowning phase was saying to myself, focus on the now, you’re okay, and I was okay and breathing into my hand to bear down.
I also found myself making that mooing sound, which made me chuckle inside.

I unfortunately had to have stitches for a 2nd degree tear, as Ava came out with her hand on the side of her face. She weighed a healthy 7.5 lbs. And I have sprained my Coccyx bone, all of this has been more painful than the delivery itself.

Thank you so much! We are forever in your debt!