Valerie’s story
I’ve just got a minute to write to you so thought I’d give you the details about how the birth went.
First let me say that it was amazing!!, and much better than anything I could have hoped for!
I was 6 days overdue and just had my fifth or sixth (?) sweep on the Sunday morning, and felt a bit sore after.
My husband, daughter and I went to the pub and ordered some food around 12.15pm when I started having contractions – I had two episodes of false labour so didn’t think it was the real deal. But 10 mins later they got stronger and regular (already 2 min apart!) so we decided to be safe and cancel the food and head home.
10 minutes later at home and there was no doubt it was happening. We got one of my friend nearby to come and look after my daughter while the in-laws were on their way. Between surges I was fine and during I managed to breathe and visualise them and wait until they went. I was calm and in control and ready to do this.
At the hospital at 1.15pm i was having strong surges still every 2 minutes. The midwife examined me and told me I was 3cm. At that point I thought I would be more so I got ready for a longer labour and was ok about it because I had my breathing techniques and knew baby was on the way. I asked the midwife to get a private room to be able to set up and relax and told her it could still be quick so she started running the bath just in case. I asked for some Paracetamol which they gave me, but didn’t ask for nothing else.
In the room, we closed the blinds, put some relaxing music and I was coping well during the surges. I ended up playing music and not the Hypnobirthing tracks because surges were so close and strong that I couldn’t have focused on words and needed more of a background music. I won’t lie, the surges did hurt but I felt I could cope with it and was totally in control as I knew they would end and they were bringing my baby closer.
The midwifes were lovely and very considerate, calm and completely understood my wishes. They left me alone with my husband who was great in his role as support, feeding me, giving me drink, setting up the music and reminding me to breathe after every surge. He held my hand between surges, but during I wanted to be left alone.
After 30 minutes I thought I might need a bit more help to get through the surges so I called the midwife to help me set up my tens machine from my bag. I told her though that I already felt some pressure in the bottom, so she examined me and told me that I was already 6 cm, so no time for the tens machine, and straight into the pool.
I got into the pool and felt some of the strongest surges so far but the water helped me cope. Then only after being in the water for a couple of minutes I felt a strong urge to push. The midwifes had left the room again by then and this is the only moment I had a little panic because I thought I was still 6cm and thought I shouldn’t push, so I told my husband to call the midwife and by the time they got into the room the head was coming out!
I got from 6 to 10 cm in 2 minutes!
The midwifes were really relaxed, and seeing them relaxed relaxed me and made me think it was ok to let the push happened. The midwifes were really considerate saying “surges” and “breathing down baby” as requested on my birth plan. At that point, my body was doing the work and only in a couple of pushes the baby was out!
And then he was here, born only 45 min after arriving at the hospital! It was magical, just like in those videos we watched. The room was still dark with relaxing music and I was comfortable in the pool with the baby in my arms. My husband was so happy and impressed it was so relaxing and not stressful and the midwife both were quite moved and told me they are not usually moved like this anymore. She told me also it was the quickest labour she ever seen!
I now have a lovely, relaxed, chilled baby and I’m completely in love. And my husband is being great and supportive and couldn’t believe how positive and relaxed the birth was. He is so proud of me! Out of this I feel so strong and proud and I feel if I can do this, I can do anything.
What you taught me has given me strength because I know now I can cope with anything if I put my mind to it. Even now with the sleep depravation it helps because I have decided not to let it get to me. I have listened to the tracks a lot leading to birth and they helped me cope as well with the frustration of not knowing when the baby was coming.
I’m so so glad I took this course and feel it will give me techniques to help me all my life for everything and feel every woman should have it. I’m aware though that I’m extremely lucky to have quick labour as it is easier to cope with the surges when you know they won’t last long. Thank so much for your support Polly!”
