Birth Stories

'Even though all around me was quite chaotic I remained calm and fully focused on my breathing, kept my eyes closed and continued to breathe my baby out'

Sarah's Story

After doing the HypnoBirthing course with Wendy in Derby, we felt fully prepared for the birth of our baby. We planned for a pool birth and wanted to encapsulate the whole concept of HypnoBirthing and aim for a drug free and peaceful birth. However … when my due date came and went we started to worry that if the baby did not arrive before the 12th day we would inevitably be encouraged to go down the route of inducement.

The 12th day came and still no signs of our little one. I was then admitted to hospital to be induced. They inserted the gel at 10pm and I was told that it was unlikely anything would happen that evening/morning and that I would be seen again at 6am. I settled into bed around 11:30pm expecting my last night’s sleep of peace and quiet. Leigh had decided not to go back home and to stay in a hotel nearby.

 At 1:30am I awoke to pains in my back. I walked around my bed for half an hour wondering what was happening and eventually decided the best remedy for the pain was to have a hot bath. Whilst in the bath I experienced waves of pain in my abdomen, I presumed this was the start of labour but as I had been told it was unlikely anything would happen that night I dismissed it as Braxton Hicks (but of a stronger nature!). At 2:30am I got out of the bath and planned to go back to bed, however I had a strong urge to go to the toilet. Whilst in the toilet my waters broke but I had also passed blood. I decided that this must be it and let the on duty midwives know what had happened. The pains in my abdomen, which were in fact surges, were getting stronger and I had an overwhelming need to push. The midwife became concerned at the amount of blood I was losing and called the labour ward. I was wheeled down to the ward, stopping to call Leigh en route. On arrival I was passing more blood which really scared me. I was put up onto the bed and was offered gas and air but I didn’t have the patience or the desire to use it. By this point I had got myself in the zone, had closed my eyes, and was fully into my HypnoBirthing breathing, channelling all my energy into birthing my baby. Throughout all of this the midwives were monitoring the baby’s heartbeat as they were worried by my blood loss. By the time Leigh had arrived he thought I had been sedated as I was totally calm even though all around me was chaos.

I was told later on that they were concerned for the baby’s health due to my blood loss and at one point the baby’s heartbeat had dipped and they were preparing for an emergency caesarean. Even though all around me was quite chaotic I remained calm and fully focused on my breathing, kept my eyes closed and continued to breathe my baby out. On further examination I was found to be fully dilated; it was at this point the doctor then gave me an episiotomy and used the ventouse to deliver my baby quickly and safely.

Harry was born at 4:05am weighing 6lb 13oz. We were over the moon and I couldn’t believe how quick it had all happened and how little pain I felt. It was a good job Leigh had stayed at the local hotel or he may well have not been with me for the birth!!

Even though the birth wasn’t exactly what we had planned, on reflection it was relatively painless and was over with very quickly. I am 100% sure that the HypnoBirthing techniques made for a calm and natural birth and as a result Harry is a very chilled and content little baby.

I will definitely be going on a HypnoBirthing refresher course if (fingers crossed) there is a baby number 2 and would fully recommend it to any other mums to be.

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