Birth story - Claire and baby Quinn

I read the positive birth company’s hypnobirthing book and downloaded the Freya app prior to my labour. As since I was younger I have always had fears around giving birth & the unknown. 

I was very fortunate to have weekly massages via a hypnobirthing coach and felt very relaxed and excited for when I went into labour.

On Friday 11th October at 41 +5 I felt a sudden change in my stomach and I knew my surges had started, these felt completely manageable and my husband & I had a movie booked at the cinema - we still attended and during the movie I monitored my surges via the Freya app on silent - whilst focusing on the 4in and 8 out breathing. I managed the movie at around 5-6 surges an hour. When we got home we relaxed with our candles, log fire, classical music and Freya. It was magical & a beautiful moment I will cherish, we even managed to get some sleep. 

However, my labour & surges seemed to slow and the midwife requested I go into the hospital to be monitored - our baby was fine with a slightly sporadic heartbeat so they induced me via a pessary and suggested we may have a few days wait now for labour to restart. 

I was then on a ward with four other beds, I lost my zone slightly when I heard other noises and women in labour, but this is where the positive birth company saved me. My husband found my phone and put my earphones in my ears with classical on loud, he sprayed the curtains and area with lavender spray, I had a roll on he used for my wrists and he put my tens machine on adjusting for each surge via hand signals with me. We did not speak to one another for around 3 hours yet he knew exactly what to do because of the PBC.

When I was examined I was 1/2cm but during that examination I went to 1.5cm - within a few hours my labour had progressed so fast to 5cm and I was loosing my zone slightly - every time I seemed to loose the moment my husband refocused my breathing & helped to get me back on track quickly. I was taken through to delivery, during the trip from ward to delivery around 5 mins I had progressed another 3cm to 8cm and now my labour had progressed so fast that with each surge I increased another cm.

I was using gas and air at this point only & within 1hr I felt the urge to push, I was totally in the zone and ready to push I was even enjoying the labour with music of my wedding in the background. However my son’s heartbeat was dropping at this point and the midwife had to push the emergency button - there was a barrage of dr’s in the room at this point all working with me to push - however they had to intervene quickly within 4 mins via two methods episiotomy & ventouse. Our little boy Quinn Ronald Alan Lodge was then born at 9:47am on the 13th October with the cord around his neck and quickly required oxygen and treatment in NICU. 

However, throughout this moment I was completely calm due to my PBC breathing and techniques. 

Our beautiful boy spent 30hrs in NICU but he is completely fine and at home with us now. I could not have done my birth, or remained calm throughout and in the events after, had it not been for the positive birth company and my husband. I am excited to have another baby in the future as the PBC give you the internal power you need to overcome any fears and actually enjoy both pregnancy & labour!