Birth story - Kirsten and baby Jasmine

This is a long one so I have split it into sections 😂. Hypnobirthing was crucial during each ‘section’. I also want anyone who has a breech baby to know that they can have the most beautiful birth!

In search of a Hypnobirthing course....

Giving birth is something that I have always been curious about and throughout my pregnancy I luckily didn’t worry too much about it. I had heard about hypnobirthing  and researched  courses in my area. However, they were expensive and as you will gather from the rest of my story I didn’t really feel up to going on any type of course that required me to leave the house! 🙈I found the Positive Birthing Company through googling and purchased it about week 20 I think (pregnancy seems like such a blur now!). I loved it from the first clip and my husband and I watched the rest of the content together to prepare. 

Pregnancy

Pregnancy was hard. More difficult than I ever expected it to be. For the first 3 months I felt fine however, after this I suffered from regular migraines sometimes up to 5 a week which affected my vision each time due to the aura. I ended up off sick very early on from work and found it difficult to have any sort of social life due to just feeling so terrible. 

In addition to this my wonderful Dad was diagnosed with Motor Neurones Disease  2 days after my first scan. To say I was devastated is an understatement.We were told, at best he had 2 years to live.

I mention these two elements of my pregnancy because the Hypnobirthing was absolutely crucial in supporting me to remain calm throughout. As so many people have said many of the techniques are ‘life skills’, not just to be used in labour.

The final few weeks of pregnancy

At around 36 weeks my husband and I made a visit to the MAU as I felt reduced movements. Baby’s heartbeat was found straight away and after an hour or so of monitoring it was confirmed that baby was fine.  Whilst examining my bump, I joked that the ‘bottom’ the midwife had felt near my ribs felt like a ‘head’. The midwife checked again (closing her eyes this time!) and informed us that our baby may be breech. An obstetrician then scanned and confirmed that our little one was in fact breech. We were then provided with lots of information including the ‘risks‘ of giving birth vaginally to a breech baby versus the risks of a planned caesarean. I was also offered an External Cephalic Version where a trained doctor would attempt to turn the baby to move it into the ‘correct’ position- this procedure also carried risks to the baby and myself. 

This is where we used BRAIN. I spoke to several wonderful midwifes and consultants, some spoke positively about the process of giving birth vaginally to a breech baby others advised against this and encouraged a planned c-section. All the professional were wonderful and provided us with the information we needed rather than being judgmental about what the right thing to do. We had total informed decision making.

My husband and I decided that we would go ahead with the ECV. I had read that the procedure would be painful. The experienced consultant and midwife put me at ease straight away. The consultant had a very unique way of attempting to turn the baby which involved sitting on the bed straddling me! I listened  to and used the Hypnobirthing up breathing to calm myself whilst waiting on the bed for the consultant and whilst having the procedure. I must say it wasn’t painful just uncomfortable. I found it quite amazing being able to feel the baby being moved around.

The consultant attempted the procedure and suddenly jumped off the bed ‘nope that baby isn’t moving’. My wonderful, unique baby had decided to seat her bottom right in my pelvis and was comfortable there. We tried a whole range of strategies to attempt to turn the baby ( including spending a great deal of time lying upside down, use of ice packs and hot water bottles and even some Chinese medicine) but with each failed strategy I slowly started to accept that I was going to have a breech baby. With the help of Hypnobirthing I let go of the dream of having a water birth and accepted that maybe my baby was in this position for a reason.

Back to the drawing board using BRAIN to decide whether to have a planned C-Section or let things proceed naturally. Together as a team, my husband and I decided we would let things proceed naturally knowing that there was a roughly 40% that the labour would end in a c-section. My instincts were telling me to give my baby a chance to start the labour and I am so glad I did.........

The labour

Unfortunately my Dad passed away 3 weeks before my due date. I was unbelievably gutted.My family lived 300 miles away so I used the breathing techniques and positive affirmations in the car when travelling to sort funeral arrangements and attend the funeral. It was all incredibly overwhelming. I began to become apprehensive of where I was going to give birth, again the breathing techniques were crucial. The funeral was on Friday 30th August and at this point I was nearly 39 weeks pregnant. The Sunday after the funeral we travelled the 300 miles  back home. We stopped off at a service station to get something to eat and I felt extremely dizzy. It was a weird sensation that I had never experienced and looking back I believe this was my body starting labour. Once home we went to bed, however, I woke at around 2am and felt period pains. I was certain I was in the early stages of labour. I left the hubby asleep and used the Freya app to time the surges. I attempted to sleep as much as I could and had a mild show when I went to the toilet. 

My husband’s alarm went off  and I explained I didn’t think it was a good idea he went to work as I was sure we were going to meet our little one very soon- we were so excited!

I rang the MAU and as the baby was breech they asked me to visit just for a check up. They monitored the baby and confirmed that I was in the early stages of labour and told me to go home rest and keep hydrated and snack! I spent that day bouncing on a birthing ball, snuggling with my husband watching tv and pottering around the house whilst using breathing techniques for the surges.

Fast forward to Monday evening the contractions continued. We attempted to get some sleep. At around 2am Tuesday morning I had a bloody show however the color just didn’t seem ‘right’ as it was bright red ( excuse my brutal honesty). Cue the up breathing again as I contacted the MAU. They asked me to make a visit just to check. When I arrived I showed the midwife a photograph of the bloody show and she said I was right to have contact the MAU. After further monitoring all was fine and we returned home. 

My hubby ran me a bath and lit some candles and played some relaxing music, he stayed by my side whilst I had a little snooze. It really was magical. At around 7am my husband, who had been timing my concentrations informed me it was time we headed to the hospital.  The Freya app was wonderful in monitoring my contractions. At this point I decided to use a tens machine.

On the labour ward

We were shown to a room and set it up so it was dark with calming music and a scent of lavender. I spent the rest of the day using breathing techniques to get through each contraction, goofing about with my husband and walking around the hospital. On one walk I bumped into a specialist mental health midwife who I had been visiting weekly for support. She encouraged me to walk sideways down the stairs. Once I was back on the ward things really started to ramp up with the contractions. They were coming thick and fast. The midwife examined me and I was at 6cm. I was so proud of myself. I felt like I needed something more to support me through the contraction so opted for gas and air to take the edge off. The several midwifes who supported me throughout labour said how calm the room was and they actually enjoyed being with us.

Earlier on a consultant had advised me to have an epidural due to the baby being breech and as a precaution in case there were any issues during the second stage of labour.

With my husband, and using BRAIN, I decided to have the epidural. I spent the rest of the day on the bed breathing through each contraction.  Not ideal, but this was exactly the right choice for us. My husband was unbelievably supportive and kept me hydrated and calm. As the hours passed I went further into myself and continued to visualize each contractions as waves on a beach. During the earlier evening I began to get tired and questioned my husband about whether I would be able to get through the 2nd stage of labour. By this point I had not slept for 3 nights. However my husband calmed me and I carried on. By around 9pm I was becoming exhausted, I felt sick and was finding it difficult to eat and drink. Our midwife had now changed and asked to examine me. I accepted and she informed me that she was so sorry but I was still only 8cm. I replied she had absolutely no reason to say sorry and could she get me ready to go down to theatre for a C-section! 😂I knew this is what needed to happen and I was completely prepared, happy and calm about it. It was completely the right decision. 

In theatre

I was prepared for theatre and  used up breathing as the spinal was inserted. The theatre staff were absolutely amazing, cheerful and kept me so calm. They asked if we wanted music playing and we said yes! At 11.09pm our beautiful, healthy, baby girl made an appearance. I didn’t get skin on skin contact straight away but I wasn’t hugely bothered by this. Once the team had performed the necessary checks she was handed to my husband for her first skin on skin as the medication made my arms shake quite a bit. I cherished this moment-for me personally it didn’t matter that I didn’t get the first skin on skin with her. My husband, her father, is just as important to her as I am and I loved seeing father and daughter connect in those first couple of minutes and it brought tears to my eyes. As I was leaving theatre, the midwife placed our bundle of joy on my chest and it was hands down one of the best moments of my life-the joy, the relief, the happiness filled and surrounded me and my husband.

Back on the labour ward, she latched on straight away and breastfeeding has been a dream. Me and my little one are still going strong nearly 6 months later without any intervention. We were lucky enough that it just worked.

We stayed in hospital for 2 nights and I can honestly say I enjoyed the experience. I think this is mainly due to the fact I was so relaxed about the decisions I had made due to all the techniques I had learned. The care I received was outstanding. My husband was able to stay with me and on the second night we had a private room due to the difficult events prior to the birth.

Recovering for a C-section wasn’t the easiest, however, it made me rest and I had to sit and cuddle my baby- which is just what I needed after a turbulent few weeks. She has made the grief of my Dad passing so much easier! I know Dad would have been so proud.

I want to reassure those mums who end up having a ‘unique’ birth from what they expected that they can have a positive birth. Yes I had an epidural, no I didn’t get skin on skin straight away but it really didn’t matter. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed the birthing experience and would do it all over again exactly the same if I had to.  

Thank you so much to the Positive Birthing Company and also all the staff at West Suffolk Hospital!