I have had a little flurry of 2nd hypnobirths in the last couple of weeks.
I feel so honoured to be able to stay connected with my clients as their families grow.
Claire’s first birth was awesome but at the last minute “excluded” her from the Birth Centre for subsequent births.
It is a shame that the Birth Centre has this policy (see info on PPH the end of this blog) but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
“Sitting here snuggling little Will and thought it was a good time to share my birth story!
This is long but I want to share it with you…
We were so lucky to have connected with you for the birth of our first little man.
Hypnobirthing Australia™ gave us the education and confidence we needed to understand our birth and what we wanted and how to get there…and we were blessed to have a beautiful natural calm birth at the birthing centre.
Unfortunately as birth sometimes does things didn’t go all to plan and I had a postpartum bleed which meant I wasn’t able to go back to the birth centre to birth my number 2!
Back to square one and facing the prospect of an ob and private hospital which I didn’t want!
You guided us towards a private midwife and when I thought birth couldn’t get better this experience was next level!
Through the whole pregnancy, we got to build a relationship with our amazing midwife and share our visions based on our last birth experience and everything we had learnt from you from the first birth sessions.
I got back into my meditations and affirmations from about halfway into the pregnancy and into some amazing pregnancy yoga.
We were expecting our little Bub early like baby 1 but this little man had a different idea.
Well engaged at 38 weeks and that about when pre-labour started for me… I would get cramping most nights all night or if I had a cramp-free night they came through the day.
I just had total trust in my body and baby … one of the most powerful teachings of hypnobirthing…So while they were irritating and Bub was heavy as he was so low, we managed.
It was a roller coaster of emotions for a few weeks as I would flip between getting excited things might be happening then getting disappointed then getting excited to meet bubs then just enjoying one on one time with my toddler.
Continuing the meditations and affirmations and yoga during this time, the continuous support of my midwife and our check-in chat with you were amazing to support the emotional journey I was on in that late stage.
I did a few fear releases at 40.5 weeks… I decided to have a sweep because I trusted my midwife, knew what I wanted and was confident that it would not do anything my body wasn’t ready for.
I think deep down I also knew the last few weeks my body had been working hard and things were already on there way… I was well dilated already 5-6 cm.
I did some bushwalking but nothing really progressed that day and by the end of the day I was a bit disappointed.
So I had a nice clary sage bath, listened to my birth music, stared at the affirmations on my wall and did another Fear Release.
That night I had a heavy restful sleep… best sleep since I was about 20 weeks pregnant!
Next morning I woke up to find a bit of plug going and had some more intense cramping … In my gut, deep down, I knew it was today!
We went for a family bushwalk, quality time together in nature …
Around 9:30 am the cramping turned to contractions although very mild and very ‘low’. They were the strongest yet.
By the time we got back home they were even stronger but still 15-20 Mins apart and inconsistent.
Before the walk, based on my gut instinct I invited my sister up for a coffee as it was her day off and texted my midwife a heads up.
I had a cuppa with my sister and after about an hour we decided she would take my toddler with her just in case.
After a long snuggle with my big boy, I knew it was going to be today now.
It was about noon and I hopped in the shower after they left ..put on some candles, my clary sage and my birth music and rocked on my fit ball staring at the affirmation images on my wall and visualised and breathed …I was in the zone.
Things intensified …we were at 3-5 mins apart but they were still mild and manageable on my own with breathing.
I texted an update to my midwife that there would be a baby today…But I still had no idea how long this would be.
The surges and the way they felt and were progressing were so different to our first baby… I thought I would be like this for maybe a whole day.
My midwife was heading up to the area to be nearby. …. it was about 1 pm
About 1:15 pm I called the hubby upstairs for some refreshments and the next surge was stronger and they were only a few minutes apart … I needed hubby’s help to get through with some nice pressure on the lower back and breathing.
We called my midwife and decided she would come to our place.
About 1:30 or 2:00 pm (no idea really) my midwife arrived and started setting up.
I was 60/40 on birthing at home or hospital (to be decide on the day) but in that moment I never even thought of hospital and I wasn’t going anywhere… I knew things were fine and I was where I was meant to be.
Back in the shower, because I love the water, they were intensifying and I needed hubby’s help to get through, but there was lots of nice rest and quite a few laughs in between.
It wasn’t long before I went ‘quiet’ in my zone and I knew we were close.
I wanted to get out of the shower and set up in front of my balcony doors with the breeze blowing, looking at trees and with the sun on my face.
I breathed through and could feel every movement bubs made…all the twists and turns… it was more intense not being in the water (was in the bath at this stage with Bub 1) but incredible … I wanted to feel it.
The body took over and I had the intense urge to push but it wasn’t forced, it was just breathing and moving while the body did its thing.
I said to my husband during my rest “It’s ok, I’m ok, I can feel Bubs will be here very soon”…
I rested on him in a big embrace for the next two surges and I knew that the next one would be Bubs.
He massaged my back and just held me tight and it was all the reassurance I needed… to feel his strength.
A look out the window and a breath of fresh air and the warm sun and I reached down as I could feel Bubs crowning …Incredible to feel that.
We guided Bubs out very slowly through breath with my midwife’s guidance and I felt the head come earthside with the next surge… It was exhilarating and I felt amazing…I knew I had done it.
Hubby caught Bubs as he entered the world and I could see him catch Bubs and then see Bubs as soon as he came out.
I took a moment to pause and breathe and take it all in as Hubby held him and I stared and recovered and brought him to my chest… where he stayed … Somewhere around 3/4 pm I think.
I felt amazing .. Strong … On top of the world and so in love with my baby and hubby and thankful to my team … No tear… No bleed… Incredible .. Surreal… At home… Perfect and right.
Post birth at home was just unbelievable.
Our toddler came home that night and we were able to introduce him to his little brother in his own home and we were all there together as one family immediately… I think it has helped his transition to big brother.
My midwife continues to support every day and is available around the clock and knows us and our family and me and is focused on my recovery and my baby and our family…It is amazing.
There is no way my birthing journey would have led me here without you Pip and hypnobirthing…But more so what and how you have provided support for us so thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
Claire.
*Here is an article on Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) which is worth a read if your birth options have changed due to a previous PPH.