“I breathed through my contractions, listening to my midwife and staying calm throughout.”
“I felt completely in control of what was happening”
“I don’t think I/we would have managed the whole process quite so well if we hadn’t come to Hypnobirthing.”
“Hi Jenie, Thomas arrived on 23rd Jan at 1029 weighing in at 8lb 5.5ozs.
Here’s what happened!
On Wednesday 0430 I began contracting and decided I needed paracetamol. Went back to bed, and downloaded the Freya App at 0600 to time contractions.
They were 15-30 mins apart, they increased and decreased in frequency throughout the day, but I knew something was progressing. I went to my midwife apt at 13:45 and the receptionist asked me if I was ok as I looked in pain and suggested I could be in labour.
The midwives told me they’d “probably see me later” and didn’t even offer to see how far dilated I was. I continued to contract but the let me go home and carry on. Chris came home from work, and I continued to contract with increased frequency. We had already set the birthing pool up, but my contractions still weren’t frequent enough to suggest I was in active labour. So I had a bath and ate chocolate!
By 21:30 I couldn’t manage the pain any longer, so I called the midwife and asked for them to come. They initially told me to just potter around until they heard me breathe through a contraction and then begin to cry
Midwife arrived and checked me over 4cm dilated and bulging membranes. Cervix paper thin.
Blood pressure was through the roof so I had no choice – I had to go in to hospital (by ambulance)
Straight to Delivery Suite where I remained 4cm, checked again at 04:00 – 4cm still!
I was so Exhausted that I decided to have diamorphine to give me a chance to rest/sleep (I asked all the questions and made the decision) before we progressed any further.
Fast forward to the next morning where I was told they wanted to move me from delivery suite to mat unit as I wasn’t progressing.
I’d started to feel sick and need the loo. As we left the room to go to the Mat Unit I went to be sick and it felt as though my world was about to fall out, I dashed for the loo while being told “do not push” I managed to make it, and as I sat down and put my hand underneath me my waters came out and burst in to my hand.
Needless to say I wasn’t moved to Mat Unit, I was examined and I was 10cm. This was 09:00, my “labour 3” playlist was put on, and I stayed there until the birthing pool was ready.
I got in the pool and after about 45 mins and 3/4 pushes Thomas was born. I had gas and air while in the pool, nothing else.
I breathed through my contractions, listening to my midwife and staying calm throughout. I felt completely in control of what was happening and came out with only a graze down below!!
I don’t think I/we would have managed the whole process quite so well if we hadn’t come to Hypnobirthing.
We were able to get the birth we wanted (except the home part but I felt ok with that in the circs) no stress, no unnecessary intervention a peaceful entrance in to the world for Thomas.”