“Before completing my Simply Natal relaxation course I genuinely knew nothing about birth other than the horror stories my mum and others had told me. I thought you went into hospital, you did what you were told and then you came out with your baby. Sheryl showed me that there was more to it than that, I had choices and I had techniques I could use to stay calm and in control. This was my birth and I felt so empowered to be able to make informed choices about what I wanted based on research I'd done.
When creating my birth plan I originally wanted a water birth, when I found out I was to be induced I was told this might not be an option so I tried to make my birth plan more flexible with things I wanted ideally and things I really wanted no matter what. Following the relaxation course I did with Simply Natal and the online PBC course I did (due to Covid-19).
I knew more than anything I wanted to be in control and be given choices to make and time to make them. I was happy to be flexible if I needed to be for mine and baby’s sake, but I wanted to be in control. I wanted to work slowly through the 'pain relief ladder' only moving to the next form of pain relief if I really needed to. I really didn't want to have a C-section or episiotomy unless baby was in danger and I had to have it. I made a plan for these options if they were to happen too (gentle C-section).
The main things I wanted more than anything else were - skin to skin, delayed cord clamping and dad to cut the cord. Anything else was a bonus. I went to hospital for 10.30am on Weds 3rd June to be induced. When the midwife examined me, she gave me a sweep (my 3rd that week - that I had made an informed decision about) and told me we didn't need to be induced as I was dilated enough to just have my waters broken.
We just needed to wait for a bed in the delivery suite then we'd go through. At 13.50 I was sat reading a magazine in the hospital bed on the induction ward and as I changed position my waters broke naturally on their own. At 3pm I had another examination as my surges had started and we're getting in quite intense quite quickly. I was using the breathing techniques to breathe in for 4 and out for 8 during a surge. I was 2cm so wasn't classed as established labour so was left again.
I continued to concentrate on my breathing and must have gone to the toilet to empty my bowels, what felt like a million times with surges happening in there I thought I'd give birth in the toilet! I kept repeating my positive affirmations to myself and used the Freya app on my phone to listen to positive affirmations and guided meditation to keep me calm and in control and to track my surges as my hubby wasn't allowed up yet he was in the cafe downstairs waiting for the 'established labour' call.
It was so hard without him. I was unable to change the atmosphere around me (I had a suitcase full of candles, a speaker, snacks, etc for all of my senses) as the surges were getting more intense quite quickly. So I decided to concentrate on what I could do - I got the birthing ball and began trying to breathe through the surges in upright positions using the Upright Forward Open mantra and loosen my hips to ease my comfort. By 4pm the surges were coming thick and fast I rang the bell to tell the midwife and they dismissed me saying you just need to breathe through it; we're waiting on a bed for you.
I continued to breathe, breathe, breathe, pace, wiggle my hips, kneel on the floor and keep as active as possible. By 17.20 I was mooing like a cow, I was breathing and breathing and making noises to try and ease my comfort levels but I'd gone from surges every 10/15 minutes to 5 minutes to just long intense surges with no middle relax bit in-between. A midwife who was with a different patient came through and announced that we needed to move and for me to call my hubby. I had one last really intense surge before walking through to my labour room.
Once there I had another examination and was 8cm. I was then on my back on the bed and the stirrups were put up and it was time to start pushing (I ideally wanted to be in another position but actually everything was moving fast and this was working well for me). I had gas and air to help me and this really helped me concentrate on my breathing 'in for 4 out for 8'. My husband held my hand, stroked my head and supported me as much as he could and having him there instantly relaxed me even more. At 18.52 baby Theo was born, we had instant skin to skin on my belly (he had a short cord), my husband cut the cord after it had gone white with delayed cord clamping and we were able to then breastfeed straight after the cord was cut.
Although not the situation I had originally planned, the birth was as near to what I wanted as possible and I got my 3 must haves!”
Thank you Laura for sharing your story with us. You certainly had some challenges that you embraced wonderfully. Taking control, and making informed choices is perhaps even more important when things aren’t going in the ideal direction for us. I’m so pleased you had identified your ‘must haves’ so you could protect those things.
I will be taking a break over August from teaching full courses, so if you want to get as prepared as possible for your August, September or October birth then join the July Hypnobirthing Antenatal Course or if the Pregnancy Relaxation & Mindset Preparation course sounds like your thing you can book your place here.
If you are due imminently then there is still time to influence your birth positively, book your Positive Birth Action Call here.
