Birth story - Alexandra and baby Lily

NB - I use contraction as opposed to surge as I have no negative connotations with the word.

It has taken me a long time to write this down, but I was keen to share it, as I had SUCH a positive birth and I know I took a great deal from reading other positive birth stories while I was pregnant.

I first looked into hypnobirthing a couple of years ago when I was pregnant with my little boy. At first I was sceptical, but the more I learned about it the more it seemed to make sense, so I purchased the digital pack and my husband and I watched the videos together. I was never fearful of birth, but the pack made me actively look forward to it! I particularly enjoyed the science bit, as I felt it gave me a greater insight into what my body would soon be going through. Fast forward a few months and I went into spontaneous labour at 40+4 weeks and after a 9hr labour, gave birth to my little boy in the pool at our local hospital. It was a truly wonderful experience and I was hugely grateful for all I’d learnt from the digital pack. I particularly remember repeating the affirmation ‘I inhale peace and exhale tension’ to myself every time I had a contraction! 

A year later, I found out I was expecting again and I knew I wanted to practice hypno birthing again. My first labour had been everything I’d wanted (not too long, water birth, no interventions, limited pain relief) so I was hoping to replicate it second time around. Once again I downloaded the digital pack and my husband and I watched the videos together before we went to bed. I was even more excited for birth (something my friends and family couldn’t get their heads around) after the positive experience I’d had first time, but I was slightly concerned that my ‘perfect’ first labour could work against me this time. I worried that if things didn’t go exactly as they did last time, that I’d panic and lose my way. In reality, it was the opposite! 

On Monday 17th February (40+4) I woke at 5am with some tightenings that I thought could be the start of labour, although I wasn’t certain. I lay in bed for about 15 minutes and as they seemed to be coming fairly regularly I started using the FREYA app to track them. That showed they were coming every 5-6 minutes, but as they weren’t too painful I still wasn’t certain if it was true labour or just braxton hicks. I woke my husband and told him what was happening - he suggested calling my parents to come and get our little boy, but it felt too soon so I told him to hold off - and then got in the shower (I’d convinced myself I needed to wash my hair 🙄). While I was in the shower my contractions became more intense and although I wasn’t timing them, I could tell there was less time between them now. I got out of the shower and told my husband to call my parents. 

I sat on the edge of the bed and started using Freya to time my contractions again - the app was incredible (it hadn’t been developed when I had my first little boy) and really helped me to get in the zone during each contraction. Having the affirmations playing in between contractions also helped me to stay calm and relaxed. From this point on, my contractions were every two minutes or less and the app was telling me I was in established labour. My husband fitted my TENS machine and as soon as my parents arrived we left for the hospital. When I arrived I remember everyone saying how well I was doing as I was able to chat normally while I wasn’t having a contraction and just sat quietly breathing and listening to Freya when I was. I felt amazing, but I also wasn’t confident I was that far along, as although I was having regular contractions, at this point (7.30am) I had only been in labour for a couple of hours. 15 minutes later the midwife examined me for the first time and to my amazement told me I was already 10cm and ready to go through to the delivery suite. I was astounded that I’d managed to get this far with just breathing and the TENS machine! 

Sadly, as they had recorded a slight dip in the baby’s heart rate during one of my contractions they wouldn’t allow me in the pool, which I was disappointed about, but nowhere near as disappointed as I thought I’d have been if you’d told me a week earlier that I wouldn’t be having the same birth as my first. I felt powerful and in control despite the differences and was happily wheeled into a birthing room to be monitored. Initially, I was laid down, with the head of the bed on it’s highest setting as I was determined to remain upright as much as possible. However, after half an hour I was still feeling no urge to push and my husband suggested I try another position, as he knew ideally I didn’t want to be laid down - his confidence in pushing for this amazed me and made me realise that he had been paying attention when we were watching the PBC videos! The midwife agreed to attach a clip to the baby’s head to monitor it’s heart rate so I could be more mobile and I immediately got onto my knees and leaned over the headrest. This made SUCH a difference and I instantly began feeling the need to push. I had stopped using Freya when I arrived at the hospital but I was still using my TENS machine at this point and some gas and air. 

Half an hour later, after just three and a half hours of active labour, our little girl, Lily Joy, was born calmly and quietly and was passed through my legs for some skin to skin and delayed cord clamping. 

I cannot thank the Positive Birth Company enough, not only for giving me the tools to have a great labour first time round, but for giving me the strength to do the same again, even when the circumstances were so different. I felt empowered by the experience and I’m even jealous of others going through it now - which none of my friends can understand. I recommend hypnobirthing to everyone, it’s a game changer! 

P.S the selfie of my and my husband was taken just 12 minutes before Lily was born! I never thought I’d be smiling for photos at this stage in the game 😂