Birth story - Satnam and baby Akaal

I was 40+2 days and my midwife had been trying to book me in for a sweep, which I had declined after using my BRAIN. This is something I never thought I’d be able to do, go against the decision of a medical professional,  because I felt it wasn’t right for me. Instead I decided to live by one of my favourite affirmations “my baby will come when my baby is ready” and I trusted in my body taking control of that.

On February 27th 2019 at 1.30am I woke to go to the toilet and I noticed what looked like the show. I went back to bed and didn’t wake my husband (Bal) until i I started to feel extremely mild cramps. I woke Bal and said it’s happening!  He opened the Freya app and we started timing my surges. 

We called the hospital just to let them know and they said to come in if I felt I needed strong pain relief and apart from that to take paracetamol, which I did. 

The day continued with me breathing through each surge and my husband rubbing my lower back while constantly hitting the button on the app to track the surges. We watched movies and napped and took it nice and slow with my breathing being my main focus.

My biggest fear was getting to the birthing centre and being told to go back home so I had my room spray, yoga ball and Freya app all helping me relax.

At 7pm I decided to shower and we left for the hospital, at this point the surges were close together and consistent.

As I hobbled into the birthing centre I was told to wait in a room to be checked. This was it, I would find out if I could stay or not.

Having had consistent surges on the journey in, I was proud of how I felt things were progressing but then everything stopped. A midwife had come to check me who was rude and uninterested. She examined me in such forced that tears rolled down my face. At that point all I wanted to know was how dilated I was but she was arguing with me for struggling with the examination. I kept thinking, if I can’t get through this how on earth will I be able to birth my baby?! And panic set it. At this point my amazing birth partner (my husband) became the keeper of the cave! He looked at me and said I can stop this if you want? If it’s not what you want just say. He reminded me in that second that I could say no.

I found out I was 4cm dilated and she said I could stay! HOORAY! 

Bal then handed her our birthing plan and she said she would read it later if she had time!!!! 🥴 which wasn’t reassuring. 

She left the room without saying anything and Bal had to ask if I should change and what room we would be in etc..

For a first time this was scary, the thought of that woman birthing my baby, the thought of me being treated so harshly with poor communication. 

It was at this point Bal went out the room and used his BRAIN! He decided to save the cave and the woman wasn’t allowed in.

He got the midwife changed and we got moved into the most amazing birthing suite!

Our new midwife Charlotte was amazing she sat in front of us and read our birthing plan and then began to speak in a soft hushed tone which we had stated.

The next few hours went by with the Freya app playing and me breathing through each surge with Bal there each step of the way (he didn’t even leave to go to the loo!) I felt completely safe and in control and I had no fear. 

Our midwife popped in to check now again but I never noticed her as she was so discreet like we had asked in our plan. 

The time came when I felt I needed something stronger so I was given gas and air and went into the birthing pool. Unfortunately I didn’t feel comfortable in the pool and got back out and at the point my water broke! 

I hobbled to the bed and found my comfortable position, on my knees facing the head of the bed and I stayed like that while I entered the down stage. 

This is mostly a blur to me, it was so euphoric. I felt my baby moving down with each surge and I never pushed once! It was so so incredible, Charlotte was sat at the foot of the bed occasionally looking with her torch but I was completely unaware of her presence! I just had Bal in front of me and gas and air in one hand and that’s all I needed. I lost control of my breathing a bit during this stage so I just closed my eyes and concentrated on not pushing and my body did the work. 

At 3.20 I had a burning sensation and almost felt as if I just let go and heard Bal shout it’s a boy! 

I had immediate skin to skin as well as delayed cord clamping and I just couldn’t believe I was holding my baby. 

The question I dreaded asking was if I had tore and Charlotte quickly confirmed there was no damage! I later went on to realise how much of a achievement this really was by the reaction of each midwife I tell and it was all down to the hypnobirthing! 

I would never have had such a positive experience had I not had a supportive birthing partner who I trusted 100%.

He kept me on track with everything we had learnt from the digital pack and he made me feel like I could do anything! 

Looking back I was never once told how to do anything or when to do anything during labour, my midwife respected our wishes and allowed us to have a personal birth. Which is crazy to look back on and think we birthed Akaal all by ourselves with just Freya! 

My body was completely in control and it birthed my baby perfectly thanks to the positive birthing company.