“Hi Janet, Many apologies for the delay in writing to you. Been so hectic in recent weeks. We are all well here. Little Oliver is alert, happy, healthy and chilled. My mum keeps saying how peaceful he is and how it must be related to the hypnobirthing. Here is a testimony finally! I would like to start by saying a huge thank you to you Janet for supporting me and giving me the skills and the power to have an amazing birth.
I would like to share my birth story to highlight how Hypnobirthing had such a positive impact on my birth.
At around 2am my waters broke, as it was my first child I felt both excited and nervous, I rang the midwife who gave me directions of what to do next. After a couple more hours I went to the midwifery led unit, to see the midwife to confirm that I had started labour, I had! I went home and after another couple of hours I decided to call the midwives to come round to the house because I was having a home birth. Whilst we were waiting, my boyfriend was putting up the birthing pool in the next room.
My surges were quite intense but manageable. I got in the pool and it was quite amazing how different the surges felt. They felt less intense and lighter.
Just before the midwife swap at 10am and was asked if they could do a VE (Vaginal Examination) so that the next midwives had an idea of where I was up to. I agreed and asked if they could let my boyfriend know as I didn’t want to know.
The new midwives arrived. They didn’t keep asking me regarding taking my blood pressure, pulse or baby’s heartbeat because they knew my birth plan had said I preferred not to be interrupted during labour unless medically necessary.
During my surges I was applying the breathing techniques learned in the Hypnobirthing course and my boyfriend was great and reminding me to do this. I also reminded myself to relax my body when I had moments of tension. I starting pushing at around 12 midday and I could feel the difference in my body.
What came into mind at this point was Janet saying ‘trust your body’ which is hard to believe until you are in the moment. My body just took over, when my body told me to push, I pushed and in between times I kept hydrated.
At 3pm the baby’s head was born , after nearly 3 hours of pushing! The midwives suggested that I come out of the pool and to sit on the chair, so a quick position change did the trick ! Baby was out in one more push!
Welcome to the world baby Oliver !! Baby Oliver, was given to me for skin to skin time, he was so peaceful and looked very chilled.
When I reflect on the labour and birth, I remember being in a zone throughout. I could hear things going on around me and processing it but yet not responding or thinking too much, it was like I was looking in on my birth in a way. I was very vocal during labour but my heartbeat and pulse remained the same throughout the entire labour, as did baby’s heartbeat. I believe this is the result of Hypnobirthing.
I learned to trust my body, get into the zone and to apply the skills and knowledge from Hypnobirthing to get a drug free natural birth. I cannot thank Janet enough for not only the skills of Hypnobirthing but the knowledge surrounding labour and birth which was invaluable”