I have had one of the most truly amazing experiences in my life.
Due to the traumatic delivery of my first baby with forceps being used, spending days in the hospital and having excruciating pain down below due to tearing, I was determined to have a more positive experience the second time around. We used hypnobirthing and made this possible. It increased my and my husband’s knowledge of the whole birthing process and it made us aware that we actually had choices!
My baby’s due date was on the 5th of November. On that exact morning, I woke up at 7am thinking I’d wet the bed while my husband was getting himself ready for work and getting my son ready for school. I called the birth centre about the constant trickle of liquid and they told me to call back in half an hour. In the meantime, we both walked my son to school and I was feeling great - no surges or discomfort at all which made me believe that nothing was going to happen today. I had a long to-do list anyway!
An hour later I called the hospital and they advised me to go in to determine if my waters had broken but to take my hospital bag just in case.
When we arrived, the midwife inspected me and confirmed that my waters had broken so sat us down and had a chat about inducing baby if he weren’t to arrive within 48 hours. My husband and I both didn’t like the idea of that. However, she told us that she wouldn’t send us home straight away due to the fact that this was our second baby and that things could move quickly all of a sudden. She gave us some tips on how to get things moving: go up and down the stairs and go on a brisk walk but not like a “pregnant lady walk” so off we went.
After a 4km walk, I started to feel surges so started using the Freya app. We hung out at a bench and I leaned over a lamp post for about 30 minutes, breathing through the surges in the sun. About an hour in, the surges were getting stronger, so strong that they made me emotional and brought me to tears. That’s when we knew it was time to go back to the hospital.
Once we were back in the birthing centre, the surges were extremely strong so the midwife started filling up the pool while my husband counted breaths with me. I then slipped into the pool feeling a great deal of relief and also excitement as this meant I was getting closer to meeting my baby boy. The surges became each time stronger so I was advised to push...experiencing what they call the “ring of fire”! Forty-five minutes later, I was advised to get out of the pool as the baby was getting a little distressed but I was so determined to have my baby in the pool and I asked them to give me one more chance. With my goal in sight, I went for it and gave it all of my positive energy and strength and pushed my little baby boy out! I couldn’t believe what I had achieved! I was euphoric and just kept saying that I couldn’t believe that I had done it! I had such a strong feeling of success and a feeling that I could do anything - I felt so powerful!
I snuggled with my baby in the pool and fed him straight away. It was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever experienced. I then got out of the pool and delivered the placenta and was on the bed 10 minutes later snuggling with my husband and our new bundle of love, baby Marco.
The midwives were wonderful and respected our birth plan completely, paying attention to every detail. My husband was amazing also in supporting me, being my guide and being my voice during the whole process. We went into this delivery so much more knowledgeable than the first time around. I wish I’d known even half the things I knew this time. Hypnobirthing supplied us with everything we needed to know to have a peaceful and positive birth. I am normally a very anxious person but I was prepared this time! I still get emotional thinking about one of the most amazing days of my life and if I ever have the feeling that I can’t do something, I just think back to that day and feel empowered again!
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