The Positive Hypnobirth of Margot…
I absolutely loved reading Bridget’s birth story of her first birth. She used her hypnobirthing skills beautifully and had excellent support from the team around her including her male midwife. This is a wonderful birth story to read if you are planning a midwife led birth. Over to Bridget…
Hello, I’m back in the Hypnobirthing & Positive Birth Group as I’m pregnant with my second! My babies will be 16 months apart.
I thought I’d share my first birth story with those who are interested.
Birth bullet points:
Non medicated
Hospital/birth centre
Male midwife
Tens machine, yoga ball, gas and air
All fours KICO position (knees in, calves out).
12 hours labour, 50 minutes active.
3rd trimester preparation: raspberry leaf tea, dates, coconut milk, sitting on yoga ball daily, did the Online Hypnobirthing Course with Better Birth Stories with my husband.
On the Sunday husband and I went for a drive, I started feeling a tingle on and off. As the next few days passed that tingle kept happening but a bit stronger each time. On Wednesday morning at about 9:30-10ish the intensity of the tingle ramped up. I started timing them from 10:30.
My in-laws were due to land at 11:30 with the pram and car seat, my husband came home and I didn’t tell him that I had a sneaky suspicion. He went back to work after dropping off the in-laws. By 2pm I said I needed to have a nap. The moment I closed the door to my bedroom the intensity ramped up again and I started using an app to track my contractions and focus on deep breathing.
3.30pm and my husband arrived home, I sent him a screenshot of the contractions. Spent a few hours standing with the yoga ball on my bed swaying before getting the tens machine (and cancelling dinner at the Indian restaurant!)
I hopped in the shower at about 6:30pm which slowed the time between contractions down but increased the intensity. At this point they were happening every 7-10minutes. Husband called the midwife who told him “first time mum, wait at home longer, take a paracetamol and call back in an hour if I don’t feel baby move”. Called back 45min later saying we are coming in without question.
On arrival, with hindsight, I transitioned in the hallway. I was sobbing and crying and didn’t know why. I was so overcome with emotion, husband banging on the door to get let in.
Midwife put the monitor on me and left to continue shift handover. 20min later another midwife came in (a male midwife, he was brilliant) he checked the monitor and said my contractions weren’t as strong as what he would expect to be ready yet but asked to check my cervix to be sure after seeing me have a contraction. I was 8cm. He read my birth plan top to bottom and followed it to the letter.
I asked for a bath, he said not a problem, got through to the delivery room, husband started running a bath, took the gas and air in with him for prep, I had a massive contraction and remember being furious he wasn’t there with the gas and air!
Once again the midwife asked to check my cervix as I contracted, I was at 9cm whilst contracting. He said he would be back to check on me in an hour and to relax. Dimmed the lights and walked to the door. As I got off the bed I said my water broke. He said no they are still intact, before he finished that sentence my waters hit the floor and I had the most intense urge to push. Needless to say he did not get to leave the room.
After a bit of convincing I was up on the bed with the top part elevated, I was on all fours in knees in calves out position. I breathed deep (I also yelled in a way that can only be described as primal) my midwife coached me through telling me how to use the yell to push effectively helping to relax as I did (more mmmmmmms and oooooooo rather than aaaaaahhh).
I felt myself go inward and between contractions I couldn’t tell you were I was but I was relaxed and almost asleep. 50minutes later my husband is telling me we have a baby girl. (The midwife had to remind him that’s what he was supposed to do as it was on the birth plan and we didn’t know what we were having) I had a slight tear but nothing worth stitching. My forearms were exhausted, my throat was raw and I was shaking from the adrenaline as I was handed my perfect 8.02lb baby Margot. (And an untouched, now cold, bath!)
My regrets?: staring at my sleeping baby all night instead of sleeping myself. I had plenty of staring time the next night when she didn’t sleep!
Want to learn hypnobirthing with us?
Don’t forget that we have a full Online Antenatal Hypnobirthing Class that you can follow in your own time anywhere around the world. It is only £39/$49.
The Online Hypnobirthing Course
We also teach antenatal hypnobirthing classes in London in person with our One Day Group Hypnobirthing Class.
In-person Antental Hypnobirthing Group Class
If you’d rather prepare for your labour and birth solo with Melanie you can do so in the privacy of your own home in person if you live in London or via the Zoom platform wherever you are around the globe.
Private Antenatal Hypnobirthing Classes