Birth Story – Joanne and Craig
I initially attended hypnobirthing when pregnant with my son Daniel but have since had another baby, my daughter Molly.
After attending hypnobirthing with my first pregnancy, I was really positive about the upcoming birth of my son and really wanted a hospital waterbirth (although I did have a worry after being told I had strep b). The day after my due date, my waters broke and I rang the hospital to let them know, as I had strep b they wanted me in straight away.
To make a long story short, the hospital didn’t feel that I was progressing with my labour quickly enough so wanted to put me on a drip, after declining on an hourly basis I finally relented and basically the labour then progressed too quickly and I ended up with an emergency c section. However, I must say that the techniques and the cd really helped me to remain calm throughout this full time and looking back at a photo I could see how calm I was immediately after the c section.
When I found out I was pregnant again I was determined to have the birth that I had originally wanted with Daniel which became a bit of a challenge but a successful one, as I was now a VBAC it is recommended that I should go onto continuous monitoring which is impossible to do in a birthing pool so I basically had to convince a consultant that I only wanted intermittent monitoring and accepted the risks which with some helpful info sent from Sandra I did manage to do this.
When the time came, I knew that it was starting but did still doubt myself. I drove myself to my scheduled 40 week appointment with the community midwife and she was unsure and booked me in for a stretch and sweep the following week. I pottered about the house, putting clothes away, doing little jobs and playing with my son as the surges got a little stronger.
By lunchtime I asked Craig to go and collect his Mum as we would be going into hospital later whilst I had a nap with my son. When I woke the surges had slowed but I rang the hospital anyway and I don’t think they believed me and told me to ring back later. I had a snack and soak in the bath (actually this was at the same time, don’t recommend eating toast in the bath) and then rang the hospital back and told them I was coming in, they asked me to go the the assessment unit (again didn’t believe me as I was so calm).
When I arrived there and had been checked out they told me I was 8cm and that I would be going to delivery. I told her to get the pool ready for me and she told me it wouldn’t happen because I was VBAC, we had a discussion re the fact it was already agreed and the response was that it was already in use (grrrr… liar!). When I got onto delivery I kicked up a bit of a fuss but was met by a really lovely team and experienced midwife who got the pool ready for me.
It felt amazing to get into the pool! After only a couple of hours and nothing but breathing, relaxing music and the water I was able to pick my daughter up out of the water and give her, her first ever cuddle and this is a memory that will last forever.
I was asked about 3rd stage and responded whichever is the quickest and easiest but before anything could happen I had a natural 3rd stage (about 20 mins about birth). Breast feeding with Molly was really natural and instant as was the bond.
Sandra taught me all the techniques used but more than that, the continued support throughout pregnancy and beyond and the forums she has set up with all the mums through her get togethers and facebook are more than you would expect. Not to mention how she helped with my husband who was a bit of a pessimist with regards to what he would refer to a mumbo jumbo or hippie stuff. The end result… 2 positive birth stories and a bunch of friends to turn to for advice about everything from breastfeeding to bedtimes.