Birth story - Charlotte and baby Leo

Our beautiful baby boy (big surprise for us as we were expecting a baby girl!) was born on 27th September. The positive birth company and all I learned about hypnobirthing made my birth such a positive experience. I had used the techniques I learnt with my first baby and I was truly excited to experience birth again.

I was sent to triage on Friday as my community midwife suspected my waters had begun to break. After a quick test it was confirmed that they had! I went back home, hoping that things would begin, otherwise I would be induced on Sunday. We went for a long walk on Saturday and kept busy looking after our 1 year old!

By Sunday morning not much had changed but I kept positive as we made our way to the hospital, excited that we would soon meet our baby. I had to go to the maternity ward on my own because of Covid restrictions. After being examined in preparation for the induction the midwife said she had some good news, I was already 3cm dilated and my waters were bulging! No induction was needed, I just had to wait for a room on the labour ward where they would break my water fully. Being alone on the maternity ward was challenging but I kept active, walking, bouncing on a ball and also listening to the meditations on the Freya app, as well as having regular chats with my partner who was in the car park!

After a few hours my partner was allowed to join me and we moved to the labour ward where they broke my water. Things really started to ramp up quickly after that. I used my up breathing through every surge and thought of my favourite affirmation often ‘my surges cannot be stronger than me because they are me’.

The surges started getting more intense and I started to get a real urge to push. I started to panic a little with the intensity of the feelings (Transition) and asked my partner to get the midwife. After a quick exam she told us I was fully dilated and baby was ready. She told me to ‘go with my body’; this was such a comforting thing to say and allowed me to get back in the zone! Kneeling over the bed, doing my down breathing and with some very gentle coaching by the midwife baby Leo was born after 4 ‘pushes’ at a very healthy 9lbs 12oz (my body is the perfect size to birth my baby). We had delayed cord clamping and over an hour of perfect skin to skin time. I was so proud of myself and felt elated by the experience I’d had!

The Positive Birth Company helped me so much to have a calm, focussed and positive birth. I can’t thank or recommend the Digital Pack enough!