HypnoBirthing® UK

[stevenme]

I was really looking forward to giving birth - I knew it wouldn't really be "painful", after having done the hypnobirthing course, and I wasn't scared.

My surges started on Saturday 30 July at about 6am. I had had Braxton Hicks loads of times, but this was different - I can't explain how, I just kind of knew I'd started labour. Surges kept coming, getting a bit stronger, and more frequent. I did Su Doku puzzles and watched tv at first. Then we did some relaxation scripts. By about 4pm, my surges were every 5 minutes, so we went to hospital. I was sent home again, being only 1cm dilated, but the midwife said I'd definitely started labour.

By about 9:30pm, my surges were about 2-3 minutes apart, and stronger. Back to the hospital. They left us waiting in the waiting room for ages - I think because they thought I still had ages as I wasn't screaming! Anyway, I was examined at 10:30pm, and I was 8cm dilated! I think everyone was quite shocked!

In the labour room, we played the relaxation music given to us by our HB teacher. I felt fine - the surges were quite uncomfortable, but bearable. I knelt down and rested on a big bean bag for ages. I was re-examined at 1:30am, by which time I was fully dilated, but my waters were still intact, and the baby's head was high. At 4:30am, my waters still hadn't broken, and the baby's head hadn't moved. I was still coping fine with no pain relief.

We were told that being fully dilated for so long without progress was unusual, and there was a risk of infection. The midwife advised breaking the waters. She was quite sorry about it, as she knew that's not really what we wanted to happen. But, in the medical circumstances it seemed the best option. So, pop went the waters, and the head came down a wee bit. But in the slightly wrong position. We were then advised that, to get the head to come down more and turn, I needed Syntocin. I was very against it at first, as our HB teacher had given us great warnings about this evil drug. However, it seemed that medical circumstances won again, and I had the drip. Surges then came thick and fast - it felt like they were just continuous. I was also pushing by this point - breathing down just wasn't working. I still had no pain relief, though.

The head came down a bit more, but was turning in the wrong direction. The consultant basically told me they had to get the baby out by forceps (if possible) or Cesarean section, as it wasn't going to come out naturally. This was very disappointing for me, having looked forward to a natural, pain-free birth, and the baby was not in any distress. However, into theatre I went.

Legs in stirrups, I was informed that the baby's head was too high for a forceps delivery, so a section it would be. I was even more disappointed. I had a spinal block, and Zara was delivered at 9:10am on Sunday 31 July, a healthy 8lb 9oz.

Despite my labour ending with a section, I felt it was well worth doing the hypnobirthing course. Going through the first stage of labour with no pain relief I felt was a great achievement. Also, Zara is a really content, laid back baby, and has slept through the night since 5.5 weeks! I am sure this is down to hypnobirthing.

[Danielle]

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. I wouldn't say it was a 'nearly' HypnoBirthing baby, to me HypnoBirthing isn't so much how the birth turns out but how calm and relaxed you feel during your pregnancy and your baby sounds like she benefited from it.

I tell people not to worry about how things eventually turn out, sometimes we have no control over these things and its pointless looking back and thinking if only... I spent ages trying to figure out how things would have ended up if I hadn't been induced, cause I sort of felt like a failure for having to be induced and eventually decided that I have a beautiful little boy and so long as he is healthy then that's all that matters. If I end up being induced again-I'm OK with that.

Congratulations
Danielle