Birth story - Sophie and baby Albert

I gave birth mid March just before the lockdown and have been wanting to share my experience but have only just had the chance to get it together. Hypnobirthing changed my whole attitude regarding labour and because of the digital course I ended up having a really wonderful birth which I’ll always be grateful for. Here is my experience. 

I purchased the digital hypnobirthing course after my cousin recommended it to me. We’d spoken about my feelings regarding labour and giving birth, and I felt willing to try anything that might help. I remember feeling like I just couldn’t imagine my body being able to do it. It seemed like something very alien that I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to do. After watching just a few videos I immediately felt so much more relaxed. My body and birthing seemed to make much more sense and although I still felt apprehensive, I actually started to feel excited.

I started really practising the breathing exercises on my due date (March 10th) and downloaded the Freya app in anticipation. I started to feel disappointed as each day passed and nothing happened. My husband Matt and I went for long walks. I ate a curry for lunch followed by ice cream! Then, on the evening of Friday 13th March, I started experiencing mild surges. I tracked my surges using the Freya app and they continued the whole night long, but were not too powerful. My husband massaged my back and I focused on up breathing throughout each surge. Being able to track them using the Freya app was so helpful, and at one point they were five minutes apart! To my disappointment they eventually subsided though, and we managed to get some sleep. It had been a really exciting night and Matt and I had chatted and cuddled in between the surges. In the morning I was really hopeful that things might start happening again so I suggested a long walk. My husband and I walked for about an hour and then came home. I felt so tired and had definitely overdone it. My legs were aching and I decided to have a little sleep, and then some lunch. I was so desperate for my labour to start that I ordered a birthing ball which my parents had gone to collect for me.

Around 4.30pm in the afternoon I had a bout of diarrhoea. Then my surges really started. They were extremely powerful and were already four minutes apart. I felt so strongly that I needed a poo and was glued to the toilet. My parents came back with the ball and my mum tried to help me off the toilet. I really did not want to move! Matt called the midwifery unit for me, they asked to speak to me but I couldn’t focus on anything other than the surges and the sensation of needing to poo. I made it to the phone but just couldn’t manage it and just wanted to start moving. Standing still felt impossible. The unit told my husband to bring me in. The surges were already getting closer together. I managed to get myself into the car although I felt like I just wanted to stay on the toilet, and started rocking from side to side as well as focusing on the up breathing. The surges were starting to feel overwhelming but focusing on my breath and moving from side to side really helped me. I started to feel something wet in my underwear which I assumed was my waters breaking, and I started feeling an overwhelming need to push. We got stuck in some traffic but finally made it to the unit.

When I got out of the car it became difficult to walk, I also remember noticing that I didn’t have my shoes on properly. I tried to sit on the toilet in our room in the unit but just couldn’t, and ended up collapsing on all fours. My lovely midwife Emma managed to get me onto the bed to examine me. To my surprise I was 9 and a half centimetres dilated but my waters hadn’t broken. The wet in my underwear was blood and the plug from my cervix. I’d planned on a water birth but there was no time now, so Emma gave me gas and air and placed a bean bag underneath me to hold onto, still on all fours on the bed. With each surge I started to push, which actually felt like a huge relief because my body was ready to. My husband and mum were there to spur me on and with each surge the gas and air really helped me to use my breath to push.

After what felt like a long time pushing, baby Albert was born at 8.13pm weighing 6lb 12 ounces. We’d already named him and I couldn’t believe he was finally here. I still can’t!

My labour was just under four hours long and we were elated to finally meet our boy. My waters were broken by the midwife mid surge and I felt really grateful that I was able to labour in the position I’d wanted to and at my own pace. I had a second degree tear and stitches that have now healed and after weeks of soreness are feeling so much better. There were many moments of self doubt and feeling overwhelmed by the surges but the breathing got me through, as well as the wonderful midwives and the support and encouragement of my lovely husband and mum.

I look back on the birth of Albert as a hugely positive and powerful experience thanks to the positive birth company and I really recommend the digital pack to anyone who is feeling anxious about birth. It is so informative, easy to use and set out in a really simple way. I’m also very grateful to have given birth just before lockdown and realise how lucky I am that I was able to have my husband and mum with me. I have huge admiration for all of the women due at this time. You can do this. Thank you so much!