This is the birth story of my class members--Kate & Aaron, who took a group class in January.
Our birth story
12:00 am Sunday March 9th, I woke with some cramping and back pain, but nothing that wasn’t normal to me because it had happened the past few nights. After laying in bed for a few minutes, the sensations continued to come strong and stronger. I decided that I would try a warm shower before calling Aaron home from work.
The shower relieved a lot of what I was feeling, but I was pretty sure this was the real deal. Lying down was the most uncomfortable position for me so I decided to go for a walk around my neighborhood. After walking for a short half hour, I wanted to go home with sensations of having to go to the bathroom! I sat on the toilet on and off for about an hour bringing us to 2:30 am. My surges were consistent and coming on strong. We both thought there is no way that I’m ready to go to the UCSD birth center and I kept saying to Aaron I don’t want to get there and only be 2 cm, so we continued to do what we were doing. I then decided to try the birthing ball. It worked for about 10 minutes until I stood up and my water broke. At this time we knew we needed to get ready to go.
When I arrived, 3:30 am, all I could think about was finding a toilet to sit on! Once we were in the delivery room, my midwife came and said, “Oh, you're just in the beginning of labor. There’s no need to check you just yet. Why don’t you hang out and let me know when you are feeling lots of pressure,” which I already was and had been for the past hour! I told her, “No, I really think you should check me. I’m further along then you think.” When she checked I was already 9 cm! Everyone around was in disbelief. I was so in control and calm that no one believed that I was already 9 cm dilated. In a matter of an hour, I was pushing and within 25 minutes, Noah Patrick was born! 5:37 am he weighed 7.8 pounds and was 19 inches long! We are both loving being parents and are enjoying every minute with out little man!
Carol, thanks so much for teaching such an awesome class! It was the best thing I could have done for my baby and myself. I will recommend your class to everyone!
Thanks,
Kate, Aaron, and Noah
Thanks for allowing me to share your birth story! Congratulations again & enjoy your babymoon!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label gentle birth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gentle birth. Show all posts
Monday, May 4, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A homebirth HypnoBirthing story
Here is a homebirth HypnoBirthing story from another practitioner:
Dear Rose,
I love you so much! You were born 6 weeks ago on a Friday. My water broke right into the toilet at around 1 am Friday morning when I got up to pee. I knew immediately what had happened and was filled with joy, excitement and a little bit of nervousness- although not much. We let the midwife, Ellen, know and then I got back into bed while Daddy cleaned the house and started the long slow process of filling the tub in the yoga studio. I was having very mild and well spaced surges that, in addition to my excitement, kept me from sleeping. It was a lovely time- I listened to the playlist we had made a few weeks prior- all my favorite feel-good hippie music.
At 4ish Daddy got back into bed and read and stroked me and timed my surges. It was so romantic- quiet and dark and wondrous with the thought of your imminent arrival. At 7 or so, we got up and I had a bowl of cereal since I knew it might be my last chance to eat. I spent the next two and a half hours sweeping the floors and doing the last bit of tidying up. Kevin laughed at me and called me a good peasant woman when I would pause and lean on the broom for support when a surge rolled through my body. It didn't hurt.
At around 9:30 Daddy and I got back into bed and I did some relaxation techniques. At noon, the surges became stronger and closer together and then at 12:30 they really became powerful. It was very intense and I became completely focused and knew you wouldn't be long in coming.
Ellen, our midwife, came at 2 in the afternoon and felt my cervix. I was eight and a half centimeters dilated and she said I could get in the tub and start pushing if I liked. Twenty minutes, later I did just that. At first I knelt facing the edge of the tub, and after a little while Ellen had me turn around and tuck my chin and tailbone to help you slide under my pubic bone more easily. Kevin held me from behind in his loving supportive arms. I also needed my legs held so I wouldn't sink in between surges, so mom and dad, your Gramma and Grandpa, each held a foot! Grandpa was a little overwhelmed at first - he was getting more of an experience than he had bargained for! He soon let his fears subside however, and sank into the moment.
I started pushing in the tub while everyone smiled and encouraged me. When you were easing your way down the birth canal, you got the hiccoughs! Ellen said- "Really? You're going to get the hiccoughs NOW???" We all laughed. And then your head popped out! I reached down and pulled you out myself, out through the warm water and up, up into my arms! I drew you in close and gazed in awe down at your beautiful tiny little being and everyone had tears of happiness and wonder streaming down their cheeks. It was a moment forever crystallized in my mind.
Right after you were born, the electricity went out. We filled the bedroom with candles while you were getting weighed. It was so romantic. You nursed while everyone ate cheese with fig jam and sipped Spanish wine by twinkling candlelight.
Love, Mommy
Great story, and how nice of the power company to choose just the right time to have a blackout :)
Diane Sternbach, CT, HBCE
HypnoBirthing (r)
HypnoBirthng (r) Fertility Program
Interactive Imagery Guide (sm)
EFT
Thanks for sharing that beautiful birth story, Diane!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Dear Rose,
I love you so much! You were born 6 weeks ago on a Friday. My water broke right into the toilet at around 1 am Friday morning when I got up to pee. I knew immediately what had happened and was filled with joy, excitement and a little bit of nervousness- although not much. We let the midwife, Ellen, know and then I got back into bed while Daddy cleaned the house and started the long slow process of filling the tub in the yoga studio. I was having very mild and well spaced surges that, in addition to my excitement, kept me from sleeping. It was a lovely time- I listened to the playlist we had made a few weeks prior- all my favorite feel-good hippie music.
At 4ish Daddy got back into bed and read and stroked me and timed my surges. It was so romantic- quiet and dark and wondrous with the thought of your imminent arrival. At 7 or so, we got up and I had a bowl of cereal since I knew it might be my last chance to eat. I spent the next two and a half hours sweeping the floors and doing the last bit of tidying up. Kevin laughed at me and called me a good peasant woman when I would pause and lean on the broom for support when a surge rolled through my body. It didn't hurt.
At around 9:30 Daddy and I got back into bed and I did some relaxation techniques. At noon, the surges became stronger and closer together and then at 12:30 they really became powerful. It was very intense and I became completely focused and knew you wouldn't be long in coming.
Ellen, our midwife, came at 2 in the afternoon and felt my cervix. I was eight and a half centimeters dilated and she said I could get in the tub and start pushing if I liked. Twenty minutes, later I did just that. At first I knelt facing the edge of the tub, and after a little while Ellen had me turn around and tuck my chin and tailbone to help you slide under my pubic bone more easily. Kevin held me from behind in his loving supportive arms. I also needed my legs held so I wouldn't sink in between surges, so mom and dad, your Gramma and Grandpa, each held a foot! Grandpa was a little overwhelmed at first - he was getting more of an experience than he had bargained for! He soon let his fears subside however, and sank into the moment.
I started pushing in the tub while everyone smiled and encouraged me. When you were easing your way down the birth canal, you got the hiccoughs! Ellen said- "Really? You're going to get the hiccoughs NOW???" We all laughed. And then your head popped out! I reached down and pulled you out myself, out through the warm water and up, up into my arms! I drew you in close and gazed in awe down at your beautiful tiny little being and everyone had tears of happiness and wonder streaming down their cheeks. It was a moment forever crystallized in my mind.
Right after you were born, the electricity went out. We filled the bedroom with candles while you were getting weighed. It was so romantic. You nursed while everyone ate cheese with fig jam and sipped Spanish wine by twinkling candlelight.
Love, Mommy
Great story, and how nice of the power company to choose just the right time to have a blackout :)
Diane Sternbach, CT, HBCE
HypnoBirthing (r)
HypnoBirthng (r) Fertility Program
Interactive Imagery Guide (sm)
EFT
Thanks for sharing that beautiful birth story, Diane!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A beautiful birth
Here is a beautiful video of one couple's home waterbirth experience...enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niJ6F2p9Ql8
"Pregnancy and homebirth/water birth experience of our daughter olive. Music by ben harper. Birth should be an empowering experience - this is just one small snippet of what her birth was like for me. I felt powerful, present, connected to all women before me, truly doing what God made my body to do. Special thanks and praise for our midwife Kathy Mitchell who rocks!!"
For more information about the benefits of a homebirth please go to gentlebirth.org or mothering.com
For more information about the benefits of a waterbirth visit waterbirth.org.
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://www.awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niJ6F2p9Ql8
"Pregnancy and homebirth/water birth experience of our daughter olive. Music by ben harper. Birth should be an empowering experience - this is just one small snippet of what her birth was like for me. I felt powerful, present, connected to all women before me, truly doing what God made my body to do. Special thanks and praise for our midwife Kathy Mitchell who rocks!!"
For more information about the benefits of a homebirth please go to gentlebirth.org or mothering.com
For more information about the benefits of a waterbirth visit waterbirth.org.
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://www.awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A wonderful HypnoBirth story
I received permission to share a fellow HypnoBirthing practitioner's former class members' birth story with you. Here it is:
This is from one of my couples that switched to Brooklyn Birthing Center at the end of their 8th month. She was waiting on the approval from her insurance company and kept on top on it, bugging them until she got the answer she wanted. I still remember being in the supermarket when she called to tell me it was approved. Permission was granted to share this story.
December 29th, 2007
This was a normal day, much like any other Saturday, with the exception that I was now officially 2 days past my due date and very anxious, but lo and behold, I started to feel something at 11:30 am. I was very excited; this is the day we’ve been waiting for! I called my midwife and let her know that surges had begun, but it was the very beginning stage, and told her that I would keep her abreast about the situation. It was at that point that I decided to have a talk with my little girl, it was a major day for football, me being a Patriots fan and my husband being a Giants fan we were gearing up for the last game of the regular season. I told her that she could come before the game or after but not during.The surges were coming every 5-10 minutes and lasting about 30-45 seconds.
I went out did some light shopping for some snacks to bring to the birthing center and came back home. The intensity of the surges started to increase as well, but with all the excitement of the football game I didn’t really notice it much. After the game (the Patriots won that one) around 11:30 pm the surges really kicked it up a notch! I spoke again with my midwife who informed me that she was ending her on-call shift and that Yulia would be on.
At that point my wonderful hubby Michael began giving me my prompts, and I went into a deep relaxation. He walked me through each surge and I allowed our Hawaiian music CD to bring me to another place, free of any pain. At 3am I called the midwife and told her that I wanted to come in to be checked out, the surges were very strong at that point, and I wanted to know what progress had been made. After being checked out I was 3 cm dilated and 100% effaced, but the baby’s head was still floating, so we were definitely having a baby today but just not now!
We went back home and I took several showers, went through more exercises and relaxed. Around 8 am I started to get dry heaves,(interesting to me b/c I went the whole pregnancy without any morning sickness) and we called Yulia at that time and she said that was good (later we came to find out that I was in the transition stage) and that she would call us around 10AM. At 10 I went into yet another shower,and spoke to the Yulia again gave her another update and she told us to meet her at the Birthing Center at 12pm.
By this point I was exhausted and wanted this baby out. I remember telling my husband that if we went to the birthing center and I didn’t hear what I wanted to hear, I was going to check myself into the hospital and get drugs, because I was worn out! My hubby knowing how bad I wanted to have a natural birth gave me some very encouraging words and told me that although the ultimate decision was mine, he believed in me and knew that I had more fight in me.
When we arrived at the birthing center I was 7 cm dilated and the baby’s head was engaged, the midwife could even feel the curls on her head! So we were told to walk around the block for an hour, which we did and when we came back I was 9 cm dilated! I was very excited at this point and I got a second wind of energy. I went into the birthing room and started to go deep into relaxation and I don’t really remember how long I was in there but then my waters released around 3 pm, and then things really started to pick up!!!!
The assistants then filled the birthing tub and I got in. Ahhhh that was heavenly!! I brought our cd player in there and listened to ocean waves, and just drifted into my own world, I just let go and let my body and the baby do what they had to do. I suddenly had the urge to bear down – so I knew it was time to go into my birth breathing. The midwife was called and it was time!!! It took 3 big birth breaths, and I pushed a little on the last one and Michaela Marie was here. I received the baby and she looked up right at me, the emotions that came over me are indescribable!
I was told it took at total of 10 minutes for her to emerge into the world from the time I started my birth breaths! It was finally over and I made it, no screaming, no bright lights, no rough handling of the baby – everything was perfect just how we envisioned it. Thank God I found Hypnobirthing and Debi Tracy, because I don’t think I would have been able to make it without Hypnobirthing and my hubby being an amazing birth companion.
Sincerely Jonelle & Michaela
Debi Tracy Hypno Mom of two
NGH Certified Consulting Hypnotist
HypnoFertility®
HypnoBirthing®
Pediatrics
http://www.onebirthatatime.com/
Touch of Health Wellness Center
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
This is from one of my couples that switched to Brooklyn Birthing Center at the end of their 8th month. She was waiting on the approval from her insurance company and kept on top on it, bugging them until she got the answer she wanted. I still remember being in the supermarket when she called to tell me it was approved. Permission was granted to share this story.
December 29th, 2007
This was a normal day, much like any other Saturday, with the exception that I was now officially 2 days past my due date and very anxious, but lo and behold, I started to feel something at 11:30 am. I was very excited; this is the day we’ve been waiting for! I called my midwife and let her know that surges had begun, but it was the very beginning stage, and told her that I would keep her abreast about the situation. It was at that point that I decided to have a talk with my little girl, it was a major day for football, me being a Patriots fan and my husband being a Giants fan we were gearing up for the last game of the regular season. I told her that she could come before the game or after but not during.The surges were coming every 5-10 minutes and lasting about 30-45 seconds.
I went out did some light shopping for some snacks to bring to the birthing center and came back home. The intensity of the surges started to increase as well, but with all the excitement of the football game I didn’t really notice it much. After the game (the Patriots won that one) around 11:30 pm the surges really kicked it up a notch! I spoke again with my midwife who informed me that she was ending her on-call shift and that Yulia would be on.
At that point my wonderful hubby Michael began giving me my prompts, and I went into a deep relaxation. He walked me through each surge and I allowed our Hawaiian music CD to bring me to another place, free of any pain. At 3am I called the midwife and told her that I wanted to come in to be checked out, the surges were very strong at that point, and I wanted to know what progress had been made. After being checked out I was 3 cm dilated and 100% effaced, but the baby’s head was still floating, so we were definitely having a baby today but just not now!
We went back home and I took several showers, went through more exercises and relaxed. Around 8 am I started to get dry heaves,(interesting to me b/c I went the whole pregnancy without any morning sickness) and we called Yulia at that time and she said that was good (later we came to find out that I was in the transition stage) and that she would call us around 10AM. At 10 I went into yet another shower,and spoke to the Yulia again gave her another update and she told us to meet her at the Birthing Center at 12pm.
By this point I was exhausted and wanted this baby out. I remember telling my husband that if we went to the birthing center and I didn’t hear what I wanted to hear, I was going to check myself into the hospital and get drugs, because I was worn out! My hubby knowing how bad I wanted to have a natural birth gave me some very encouraging words and told me that although the ultimate decision was mine, he believed in me and knew that I had more fight in me.
When we arrived at the birthing center I was 7 cm dilated and the baby’s head was engaged, the midwife could even feel the curls on her head! So we were told to walk around the block for an hour, which we did and when we came back I was 9 cm dilated! I was very excited at this point and I got a second wind of energy. I went into the birthing room and started to go deep into relaxation and I don’t really remember how long I was in there but then my waters released around 3 pm, and then things really started to pick up!!!!
The assistants then filled the birthing tub and I got in. Ahhhh that was heavenly!! I brought our cd player in there and listened to ocean waves, and just drifted into my own world, I just let go and let my body and the baby do what they had to do. I suddenly had the urge to bear down – so I knew it was time to go into my birth breathing. The midwife was called and it was time!!! It took 3 big birth breaths, and I pushed a little on the last one and Michaela Marie was here. I received the baby and she looked up right at me, the emotions that came over me are indescribable!
I was told it took at total of 10 minutes for her to emerge into the world from the time I started my birth breaths! It was finally over and I made it, no screaming, no bright lights, no rough handling of the baby – everything was perfect just how we envisioned it. Thank God I found Hypnobirthing and Debi Tracy, because I don’t think I would have been able to make it without Hypnobirthing and my hubby being an amazing birth companion.
Sincerely Jonelle & Michaela
Debi Tracy Hypno Mom of two
NGH Certified Consulting Hypnotist
HypnoFertility®
HypnoBirthing®
Pediatrics
http://www.onebirthatatime.com/
Touch of Health Wellness Center
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Help save Waterbirth International
FWD: Help Save Waterbirth International!
The appeal for funds is on their homepage -www.waterbirth.org--------
Please help Barbara Harper keep waterbirth alive!
Waterbirth International may close doors.
Here is a note from Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International
Barbara Harper wrote:. I cannot yet imagine a world without the voice and work of WaterbirthInternational - we get calls and emails every day from women who need help convincing one hospital or another to let them labor or birth in water. If we die - a big part of the movement dies. Waterbirth has shown us all thatwomen know how to give birth and babies know how to be born. Waterbirth gave us "hands-off", sit back and let the baby out. I see waterbirth mentioned on Blogs every single day, not to mention Baby Story on the TV. I took Waterbirth International to ACOG two years in a row - and was the ONLY booth showing birth films to obstetricians and especially to student physicians. There were tears, laughter and outrage - just the thing to stirup those young crop of doctors. I am finally realizing a life's dream. But now I am faced with letting this dream go. Perhaps I have done enough. Perhaps it is time to quit.
About 18 years ago, maybe it was longer, when Mothering Magazine was facing bankruptcy Peggy did a heartfelt plea asking their readers to consider ordering a Life-time subscription. I think the subscriptions were $1000 or$1200, I can't remember now. I do remember that I couldn't imagine not reading my Mothering. So, I bought two and gave one to my obstetrician'soffice. How can you help us stay open to take the next phone call? - to convince the next obstetrician to incorporate waterbirth into his/her practice- to work with the nurse midwives to install pools in their facilities? To educate an entire hospital on the benefits of allowing women freedom of movement in the water. How much is it worth to see waterbirth become the norm in the US,like it is in the UK? I think we only need a few more years to make that happen. Do women really want waterbirth to be an available choice in everyhospital? I think so. Can you help us by getting the word out on blogs and lists? I had to let go of all of the staff except one person to process orders. Miraculously, we made payroll today, but we can't hang on much longer. We need amiracle. If I need to call every single waterbirth parent personally, I will. I don't want 25 years of work to end over a measly $200,000. The work that we have done the last few years has been phenomenal. How God arranged for me to teach in hospitals and medical schools around the planet- Taiwan, Venezuela, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Holland, Portugal, China, Trinidad, Croatia - I'll never figure that out. I laugh out loud sometimes when I get up in front of an audience of physicians in a medical school overseas - who all want to hear about waterbirth and the incorporation of Gentle Birth practices and principles into their routines.
Think about what you can do and call me if you want to chat or if you have some great ideas on how we can quickly move into the black and keep waterbirth alive and thriving. We need your help. Barbara Harper needs your help. The waterbirth/gentlebirth movement needs your help.
Blessings,
Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCE Founder/Director
Waterbirth International
www.waterbirth.org
<http://www.waterbirth.org/>
503-673-0026 -office (out of US or in Portland)
800-641-2229 - toll free
503-710-7975 - cell phone
We LOVE helping women get into Hot Water!! And have been doing it for 24 years
The appeal for funds is on their homepage -www.waterbirth.org--------
Please help Barbara Harper keep waterbirth alive!
Waterbirth International may close doors.
Here is a note from Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International
Barbara Harper wrote:. I cannot yet imagine a world without the voice and work of WaterbirthInternational - we get calls and emails every day from women who need help convincing one hospital or another to let them labor or birth in water. If we die - a big part of the movement dies. Waterbirth has shown us all thatwomen know how to give birth and babies know how to be born. Waterbirth gave us "hands-off", sit back and let the baby out. I see waterbirth mentioned on Blogs every single day, not to mention Baby Story on the TV. I took Waterbirth International to ACOG two years in a row - and was the ONLY booth showing birth films to obstetricians and especially to student physicians. There were tears, laughter and outrage - just the thing to stirup those young crop of doctors. I am finally realizing a life's dream. But now I am faced with letting this dream go. Perhaps I have done enough. Perhaps it is time to quit.
About 18 years ago, maybe it was longer, when Mothering Magazine was facing bankruptcy Peggy did a heartfelt plea asking their readers to consider ordering a Life-time subscription. I think the subscriptions were $1000 or$1200, I can't remember now. I do remember that I couldn't imagine not reading my Mothering. So, I bought two and gave one to my obstetrician'soffice. How can you help us stay open to take the next phone call? - to convince the next obstetrician to incorporate waterbirth into his/her practice- to work with the nurse midwives to install pools in their facilities? To educate an entire hospital on the benefits of allowing women freedom of movement in the water. How much is it worth to see waterbirth become the norm in the US,like it is in the UK? I think we only need a few more years to make that happen. Do women really want waterbirth to be an available choice in everyhospital? I think so. Can you help us by getting the word out on blogs and lists? I had to let go of all of the staff except one person to process orders. Miraculously, we made payroll today, but we can't hang on much longer. We need amiracle. If I need to call every single waterbirth parent personally, I will. I don't want 25 years of work to end over a measly $200,000. The work that we have done the last few years has been phenomenal. How God arranged for me to teach in hospitals and medical schools around the planet- Taiwan, Venezuela, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Holland, Portugal, China, Trinidad, Croatia - I'll never figure that out. I laugh out loud sometimes when I get up in front of an audience of physicians in a medical school overseas - who all want to hear about waterbirth and the incorporation of Gentle Birth practices and principles into their routines.
Think about what you can do and call me if you want to chat or if you have some great ideas on how we can quickly move into the black and keep waterbirth alive and thriving. We need your help. Barbara Harper needs your help. The waterbirth/gentlebirth movement needs your help.
Blessings,
Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCE Founder/Director
Waterbirth International
www.waterbirth.org
<http://www.waterbirth.org/>
503-673-0026 -office (out of US or in Portland)
800-641-2229 - toll free
503-710-7975 - cell phone
We LOVE helping women get into Hot Water!! And have been doing it for 24 years
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