HypnoBirthing® UK

[Elaine]

Thought I would share my birth story as although it wasn't at all what I had planned it was still a positive experience for me and my husband. I was hoping to have a home birth as I have an aversion to hospitals and didn't see why a normal pregnancy and labour should require any medical intervention. So when my waters broke at 33 weeks my birth plan went out the window! As I didn't go into labour I was discharged from hospital after 2 days and I then had a week of being monitored, antibiotics, checking my temperature 4 times daily and hoping that I wouldn't have to have a C section or be induced.
In the end I went unknowingly into labour a week later. I felt a mild crampy feeling in my stomach but thought they were braxton hicks contractions. I only went to hospital when I saw some pinkish discharge. I was using the slow breathing anyway just as practice. When I got to the hospital I was a bit vague about how far apart the tightenings were: we hadn't been timing them as they were so mild and I felt they weren't regular anyway. They were talking about transfering me to another hospital as the SCBU was full but when they examined me I was already 4cm dilated (so I got to stay which was a relief!)
And so on with the labour... From my visions of me labouring at home with soft lighting, relaxing music and my husband massaging me, I went into the most clinical room imaginable: bright lights, stark and with trolleys and medical equipment everywhere. The midwife was with me all the time and I had to be monitored constantly which meant 2 elastic straps over my stomach to listen to the baby's heart rate and measure my contractions. It is very difficult to do slow breathing, visualising a balloon filling, when you are resisting 2 elastic straps and a midwife desperately pushing the monitor against your stomach because it isn't picking up the HR. Despite this I stuck with my slow breathing and sleep breathing which I had been practising for the last 4 weeks (since my course). I had brought my Ipod and speakers which had my birth music downloaded on it and I was able to adopt the positions I had practised such as all-4s.
By using the techniques I was able to block out all the comings and goings in the room; the doctors were obviously keeping an eye on the progress of the labour. I also managed to ignore the venflon that was put in the back of my hand to administer antibiotics for the infection risk.
When I went into the second stage I changed my breathing automatically and I don't think the midwife realised how far along I was.
I gave birth at 0430 in the morning after arriving at the hopital at about 2330 that night. The only bit which I was slightly disappointed with was when my baby was crowning. The midwife told me to push even though I wanted to carry on breathing her down. As they were concerned that she was getting distressed, I did as I was asked and pushed her out quickly which meant that unfortunately I did tear (ow!) and I have to tell you that that was painfull! But the rest of the labour I would describe as intense and physical but I didn't require pain relief and in fact didn't actually think of it.
I think that despite the circumstances of my baby's birth my labour went very smoothly and the midwives were really impressed by how well it went. Despite being 34 weeks my baby came out with a high apgar score and I was able to hold her for a short while before she went down to SCBU.
I couldn't have managed it without the hypnobirthing course as it gave me the knowledge to know what my body was trying to do and the relaxation and visualisations to let it do it.
My baby is now 10 days old, she is still on SCBU and doing well. Hopefully she will be home in another 10 days.
I hope this is a positive story which will allay any fears about whether hypnobirthing is useful in special circumstances.

[mia]

Hi Elaine,
Congratulations! What a heart warming story. You sound so calm given what you have been through/are going through. Maybe you are still listening to the calming music.
I bet you can't wait to have her home with you, and get those cuddles in!
Take care of yourself,
Mia