Janine & Victor came to class at the very last minute of their pregnancy after Dr. Capetanakis recommended my classes to them. Their "due date" was July 26 & they joined my class series that started July 9th! They attended 3 classes before Janine went into labor. (We worked things out so they could get access to all of the materials & hypnosis sessions before they went into labor.) Here is their birth story:
Hi Carol!
We did, unfortunately, end up with a c-section. I was in labor for about twelve hours and our contractions were coming every two - four minutes so we decided to go to the hospital. When we got there they checked me and I was only dilated to two centimeters. I was in such severe pain - I knew I couldn't go another eight centimeters without medication, and Dr. Capetanakis (Dr. Cap) suggested that we either get the epidural, which he didn't think was the right thing to do since I was only two centimeters, or get a c-section. So we opted for the c-section. Once we got in the OR and Dr. Cap began the procedure, he saw that my uterus had ruptured so it's a good thing we opted for the c-section. I was definitely disappointed about making the decision to do the c-section but once I found out that my uterus had ruptured, I was just thankful that we decided to go that route and that the baby and I were all healthy in the end! So that's the story in a nutshell!
Despite the way our situation turned out, the HypnoBirthing class was worth every penny to me. Aside from teaching me how to get through the surges, the classes were great because they provided an opportunity for my husband and I to communicate about the birth of our baby. We never would have had many of the conversations that we had if we had not taken the class. I'm truly grateful that we took the class, so thank you for all of your help and guidance!
SEAN VINCENT
Born 08.02.2009
12:54 am
8 lbs 8 oz
20.5 inches
Sincerely,
Janine
Congratulations on your birth. I'm sorry your birth didn't end up being the natural birth you had hoped for, but am glad that you still got benefits out of taking my HypnoBirthing classes. Thanks for allowing me to share your story.
All my best--Carol
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
No such thing as "failing" at HypnoBirthing
I have spoken to a few doulas who attended some of my former class members' births as well as some moms after their births & I am hearing that some moms feel like they didn't "do it right" or somehow "failed at HypnoBirthing" because they had to make noise during their births.
PLEASE Moms!!!! Remember that I said that it is totally OKAY to make noise during your birth! You may have the ideal birth experience in your head where you are calm & silent, but sometimes you NEED to make noise & that's okay!
If you are noisy during sex, chances are you are going to be noisy during birth.
Sometimes, even when you're not noisy during sex, you'll need to make noise during birth because the power of the sensations. Not necessarily from discomfort or pain but just because there is a lot going on in your body & sometimes you just need to make some noise to help release it & help yourself relax.
My other point is that pain-free doesn't mean that you won't feel ANYthing...you will still feel some sort of sensation to some degree. Some moms feel little to no sensation & some moms feel more sensation to the point of feeling uncomfortable but not painful. Both are again, totally okay!
So, know that you will feel something during your birth & that you may need to make some noise. The videos we watched during class don't show the moms making much noise at all, but that doesn't mean it's not part of the norm of natural birth or HypnoBirthing.
PLEASE remember this! There is no "fail" when it comes to HypnoBirthing...whether you made more noise than you thought you would, you felt more sensation/discomfort than you thought you would, that you needed medication like an epidural or that you needed a c-section. You still had a HypnoBirth because you used the techniques to the best of your ability. Sometimes births take a different route than you plan. That doesn't mean you failed, it just means your birth went differently than you planned. You probably were able to stay much calmer than you would have without having your HypnoBirthing techniques, which means you got farther in your labor without medications than you would have with HypnoBirthing classes.
Know that you did the best you could & sometimes your baby & your birth still takes a different route and that you should be proud of the fact that you went into your birth as an informed, educated, empowered parent. You made educated decisions along the way due to the information you learned in your classes. That's an important thing to remember.
I hope that any of you who may think that you failed in someway are able to reframe your thinking & see that you still were able to have a wonderful HypnoBirth no matter how it turned out. It's totally normal to be sad or disappointed that your birth didn't turn out exactly like you envisioned. I don't want to discount anyone's valid feelings about their birth experience.
I really work to stress in my classes that you do need to visualize your birth exactly as you want it as much as possible to give your body & brain the picture of what it needs to do for your birth. AND I also stress that you need to be flexible with the fact that things may go a little (or a lot) astray but that you still have the tools to do the most important things--relax your mind & body, stay calm, & make educated decisions.
For those moms-to-be, please remember all of this so when & if during your birth, you are thinking that you're not having the birth you planned or that you're somehow failing, you can remember this & get your thinking back to where it needs to be focused--your breathing, relaxation & visualization techniques.
All my best--Carol
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
PLEASE Moms!!!! Remember that I said that it is totally OKAY to make noise during your birth! You may have the ideal birth experience in your head where you are calm & silent, but sometimes you NEED to make noise & that's okay!
If you are noisy during sex, chances are you are going to be noisy during birth.
Sometimes, even when you're not noisy during sex, you'll need to make noise during birth because the power of the sensations. Not necessarily from discomfort or pain but just because there is a lot going on in your body & sometimes you just need to make some noise to help release it & help yourself relax.
My other point is that pain-free doesn't mean that you won't feel ANYthing...you will still feel some sort of sensation to some degree. Some moms feel little to no sensation & some moms feel more sensation to the point of feeling uncomfortable but not painful. Both are again, totally okay!
So, know that you will feel something during your birth & that you may need to make some noise. The videos we watched during class don't show the moms making much noise at all, but that doesn't mean it's not part of the norm of natural birth or HypnoBirthing.
PLEASE remember this! There is no "fail" when it comes to HypnoBirthing...whether you made more noise than you thought you would, you felt more sensation/discomfort than you thought you would, that you needed medication like an epidural or that you needed a c-section. You still had a HypnoBirth because you used the techniques to the best of your ability. Sometimes births take a different route than you plan. That doesn't mean you failed, it just means your birth went differently than you planned. You probably were able to stay much calmer than you would have without having your HypnoBirthing techniques, which means you got farther in your labor without medications than you would have with HypnoBirthing classes.
Know that you did the best you could & sometimes your baby & your birth still takes a different route and that you should be proud of the fact that you went into your birth as an informed, educated, empowered parent. You made educated decisions along the way due to the information you learned in your classes. That's an important thing to remember.
I hope that any of you who may think that you failed in someway are able to reframe your thinking & see that you still were able to have a wonderful HypnoBirth no matter how it turned out. It's totally normal to be sad or disappointed that your birth didn't turn out exactly like you envisioned. I don't want to discount anyone's valid feelings about their birth experience.
I really work to stress in my classes that you do need to visualize your birth exactly as you want it as much as possible to give your body & brain the picture of what it needs to do for your birth. AND I also stress that you need to be flexible with the fact that things may go a little (or a lot) astray but that you still have the tools to do the most important things--relax your mind & body, stay calm, & make educated decisions.
For those moms-to-be, please remember all of this so when & if during your birth, you are thinking that you're not having the birth you planned or that you're somehow failing, you can remember this & get your thinking back to where it needs to be focused--your breathing, relaxation & visualization techniques.
All my best--Carol
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 9, 2009
A 2nd time HypnoBirthing story
Mareike & Tony were one of my first HypnoBirthing couples. She was a midwife in Europe & had delivered over 200 births. She believed in the body's natural ability to birth a baby, so when it came time for her 1st birth experience, she chose HypnoBirthing classes to help. Here is a description of her 2nd birth experience & below it is her 1st birth story. Enjoy...
Hi Carol, I did it again!!! And this time it really, really worked! We didn't do a class because the next Hypnobirth practitioner is over one hour away from us, and nobody knows about it here. It is very, very medical here and all the women have epidurals or other pain relief. But let me tell you the story: My membranes released on Sunday morning at 8.20 o'clock, just after I got up. I had a shower and we had breakfast together and made our way to the hospital at 10.00 o'clock (Tony was very nervous and wanted to go, even without surges). In the hospital I had a short monitoring and we settled in and started relaxation. Tony massaged my belly with Cinnamon oil to start the surges. At about 11.30 I had the first very mild surges, about every 10 minutes. Our doula from the hospital arrived at about 13.00 o'clock, together with our midwife.
The midwife wanted to examine me because I hadn't been examined before. I declined and told her that I don't think that I am in labour, surges were mild to medium about 1:6 minutes. I was relaxed walking around or on the ball. So my midwife left again.
At about 13.30 the surges got little stronger and I got onto the bed to go into deep relaxation, Tony massaged my feet to keep them warm. I was totally relaxed, no noise at all. At 14.00 o'clock I got two strong surges and told Tony to call the nurse so that she can examine me now to see if I am in labour. She came in, I had another strong surge and she examined me: 8-9cm! I thought she was kidding...the next surge I had (I was still lying on the side) pushed and I had to breathe through with a loud ahhhh- and I felt the head coming... two more surges and I breathed our little baby boy into this world! No screaming this time!!
The doctor and the midwife couldn't make it on time, so I had the two nurses in the room and a new young female doctor in training who got coached by one of the nurses and it was her first delivery! They couldn't believe what had happened and the nurses said that it was the best birth they have ever seen. So I did my job and told everybody about Hypnobirthing! Even Tony is so amazed and proud!
Mateo Ludwig is 7.1 pounds and 19 inches long, so a little smaller than Luis, but he looks just like him! It was an amazing birth, so relaxed, so perfect ! I will sent you a picture in the next days. I am so glad I did your course two years ago, Carol!
Mareike
Here is her birth story from her 1st HypnoBirth:
Hi everyone-Mareike wanted to share her son's birth story with you all. She had an amazing birth that I was lucky enough to be able to attend over the summer. She was a midwife in England & Germany & had delivered/received over 200 births...some natural & some not. Here is her story...
Luis' Birth
My membranes released in the evening on 10th of August, five days after my due date. Because of my positive B-Strep we made our way to the hospital. In the hospital, we were seated in a waiting room for the next one and a half hours. They were so busy that there was no room for us. Tony and I used the time to make the last belly pictures and called Carol. I haven't had any surges at that time and was thinking in my midwife way, so I told Carol that there is no need for her to come already and that my surges might not start before the morning. But Carol replied with "Mareike, that's the wrong way of thinking! Of course your surges will start now and you will have a quick and easy labor!" I laughed at her...but told her to call as soon as my surges will start.
We finally got into our room and I received the first dose of antibiotics for Group B Strep and was put on the heartbeat monitor for the time. At midnight, after the antibiotics had finished, I had a sandwich to eat and Tony and I went outside for a walk. At one o'clock we came back to the room and my surges started - Carol was right. So Tony called her to come. My surges went rapidly from 1 to 100 and at the time Carol arrived half an hour later they came every 2-3 minutes and Tony was reading the Rainbow Relaxation script to me. I had difficulties to get into full relaxation and remember saying to Tony, "How did this get so strong so quickly?!" I couldn't stay on the bed, too. It was too uncomfortable. Carol continued reading the script but I jumped up from the bed again to use the toilet.
That's where I stayed for the next twenty minutes, leaning against Tony and Carol doing light touch massage on my back. My eyes were closed and I relaxed as good as I could. Carol also showed me a picture of an opening flower and I imagined my soft cervix to open with every surge. The Relaxation CD played in the background. The surges got so powerful that I felt them as a lot of pressure already. I had to grunt- my body got overwhelmed. I felt in a state of deep relaxation between my surges, unable to open my eyes or to talk.
Tony called the nurse for me to be examined. She came, listened to Luis heartbeat for a few minutes and examined me. I was six centimeters dilated! That was at about 02:30 o'clock. The nurse went out of the room, still busy, and I tried to stay on the bed for a few minutes but soon got to my favorite place -the toilet again. The pressure got stronger and I tried to use the warm water of the shower on my belly. But it only worked well just for a few minutes. I went back to the bed and from hands and knees back to the toilet again...The surges changed - my body was bearing down already. So powerful that I screamed. It was a scream full of power. I told Tony to get the nurse again, because I didn't think that I could stand the pressure any longer. It was about three o'clock when the nurse examined me again - and I was 9 cm dilated!
"I need some pain relief" I said and "I can't do this any more". The nurse applied back what I myself told my woman so often in labor: "You are going to have your baby now", "I'll call Dr. Biter for the birth!" and she put me on the heartbeat monitor again. I was unable to move, so I stayed half sitting in the bed. Eyes closed, totally relaxed between surges. With the surges, I could feel how my body pushed Luis down. Twenty minutes later, Dr. Biter came. He sat down with me on the bed and with Tony and Carol on the other side.
I started to breathe Luis down. My endorphins were working well. I was in a different world. I felt my surges in different strengths. Some were so powerful that I had to hold my breath and push. Some were so that I completely ignored them and used my relaxation through them, but with the most of them I did the birth breathing, and it worked. I slowly moved Luis downwards. Tony was kissing me after each surge. During the surges Dr. Biter said: "Help him out, Mareike!" and after each surge he told me to focus: "Look at me, you are OK!"
A lot of things went through my mind at this point. First, that I was not worried about Luis' heartbeat at all, even that I couldn't hear it (Dr. Biter wisely stopped the sound). I completely trusted Dr.Biter that Luis was OK, after he had no rush and was so calm. And then I thought: "Is that really my job? How am I able to do this job?!And so Luis' head started crowning. When I pushed (because I wanted Luis to come out quick) Dr. Biter told me to stop and to breathe down. I felt the stretching sensation as a tingling (always imagined that it felt good when Tony did the perineum massage) when Luis' head was born. And he started crying! Still half in my body! It was 04:06o'clock when Dr. Biter with Tony together received his body and put him onto my belly! Luis was born! We all cried with Luis. He was lying skin to skin on me, no towel on him, just Mommy's and Daddy's hands to keep him warm. We were so happy and welcomed him into this world! Dr. Biter waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating and then Tony cut the cord. The placenta came straight away. Minutes after that I started breastfeeding.
When I asked Dr. Biter if he has to stitch my perineum now, he answered: "Who delivered you?! There is no tear!" I couldn't believe this. To give birth to the first child in two and a half hours?! Without pain relief?! In a darkened, calm room,without forced pushing, nobody who takes my baby away? No stitches?I could not have thought about a better birth for myself. Even that it was not the typical 'calm' HypnoBirthing birth, it was the best experience in my life and I am looking forward to do it all over again. To birth with happiness and joy! Before we went home on the same day, I had a look at Luis' heartbeat trace and the documentation of my labor. What I noticed, was, that some of my surges were lasting two and a half minutes long...I am so proud- I did it!
Mareike
Many, many thanks to Carol, who helped me a lot during my quick labor! I was so glad that she was there! And, what I forgot to tell is, that my labor was so quick, that the birthing ball stayed in the car, and the camera was still in the bag. Also my mirror and my healing stones and my perineum massage oil and tummy massage oil and cinnamon bars for more surges...What I also have to say, is, that I did not imagine myself to give birth in two and a half hours in the HypnoBirthing lessons, but in six hours. Carol later told me I have to be more precise the next time, because from the actual time when we arrived at the hospital, it was exactly six hours....And I have to say, I wanted to feel my surges as pressure... (Don't ask me why!)
Congratulations Mareike & Tony!
All my best--Carol
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Hi Carol, I did it again!!! And this time it really, really worked! We didn't do a class because the next Hypnobirth practitioner is over one hour away from us, and nobody knows about it here. It is very, very medical here and all the women have epidurals or other pain relief. But let me tell you the story: My membranes released on Sunday morning at 8.20 o'clock, just after I got up. I had a shower and we had breakfast together and made our way to the hospital at 10.00 o'clock (Tony was very nervous and wanted to go, even without surges). In the hospital I had a short monitoring and we settled in and started relaxation. Tony massaged my belly with Cinnamon oil to start the surges. At about 11.30 I had the first very mild surges, about every 10 minutes. Our doula from the hospital arrived at about 13.00 o'clock, together with our midwife.
The midwife wanted to examine me because I hadn't been examined before. I declined and told her that I don't think that I am in labour, surges were mild to medium about 1:6 minutes. I was relaxed walking around or on the ball. So my midwife left again.
At about 13.30 the surges got little stronger and I got onto the bed to go into deep relaxation, Tony massaged my feet to keep them warm. I was totally relaxed, no noise at all. At 14.00 o'clock I got two strong surges and told Tony to call the nurse so that she can examine me now to see if I am in labour. She came in, I had another strong surge and she examined me: 8-9cm! I thought she was kidding...the next surge I had (I was still lying on the side) pushed and I had to breathe through with a loud ahhhh- and I felt the head coming... two more surges and I breathed our little baby boy into this world! No screaming this time!!
The doctor and the midwife couldn't make it on time, so I had the two nurses in the room and a new young female doctor in training who got coached by one of the nurses and it was her first delivery! They couldn't believe what had happened and the nurses said that it was the best birth they have ever seen. So I did my job and told everybody about Hypnobirthing! Even Tony is so amazed and proud!
Mateo Ludwig is 7.1 pounds and 19 inches long, so a little smaller than Luis, but he looks just like him! It was an amazing birth, so relaxed, so perfect ! I will sent you a picture in the next days. I am so glad I did your course two years ago, Carol!
Mareike
Here is her birth story from her 1st HypnoBirth:
Hi everyone-Mareike wanted to share her son's birth story with you all. She had an amazing birth that I was lucky enough to be able to attend over the summer. She was a midwife in England & Germany & had delivered/received over 200 births...some natural & some not. Here is her story...
Luis' Birth
My membranes released in the evening on 10th of August, five days after my due date. Because of my positive B-Strep we made our way to the hospital. In the hospital, we were seated in a waiting room for the next one and a half hours. They were so busy that there was no room for us. Tony and I used the time to make the last belly pictures and called Carol. I haven't had any surges at that time and was thinking in my midwife way, so I told Carol that there is no need for her to come already and that my surges might not start before the morning. But Carol replied with "Mareike, that's the wrong way of thinking! Of course your surges will start now and you will have a quick and easy labor!" I laughed at her...but told her to call as soon as my surges will start.
We finally got into our room and I received the first dose of antibiotics for Group B Strep and was put on the heartbeat monitor for the time. At midnight, after the antibiotics had finished, I had a sandwich to eat and Tony and I went outside for a walk. At one o'clock we came back to the room and my surges started - Carol was right. So Tony called her to come. My surges went rapidly from 1 to 100 and at the time Carol arrived half an hour later they came every 2-3 minutes and Tony was reading the Rainbow Relaxation script to me. I had difficulties to get into full relaxation and remember saying to Tony, "How did this get so strong so quickly?!" I couldn't stay on the bed, too. It was too uncomfortable. Carol continued reading the script but I jumped up from the bed again to use the toilet.
That's where I stayed for the next twenty minutes, leaning against Tony and Carol doing light touch massage on my back. My eyes were closed and I relaxed as good as I could. Carol also showed me a picture of an opening flower and I imagined my soft cervix to open with every surge. The Relaxation CD played in the background. The surges got so powerful that I felt them as a lot of pressure already. I had to grunt- my body got overwhelmed. I felt in a state of deep relaxation between my surges, unable to open my eyes or to talk.
Tony called the nurse for me to be examined. She came, listened to Luis heartbeat for a few minutes and examined me. I was six centimeters dilated! That was at about 02:30 o'clock. The nurse went out of the room, still busy, and I tried to stay on the bed for a few minutes but soon got to my favorite place -the toilet again. The pressure got stronger and I tried to use the warm water of the shower on my belly. But it only worked well just for a few minutes. I went back to the bed and from hands and knees back to the toilet again...The surges changed - my body was bearing down already. So powerful that I screamed. It was a scream full of power. I told Tony to get the nurse again, because I didn't think that I could stand the pressure any longer. It was about three o'clock when the nurse examined me again - and I was 9 cm dilated!
"I need some pain relief" I said and "I can't do this any more". The nurse applied back what I myself told my woman so often in labor: "You are going to have your baby now", "I'll call Dr. Biter for the birth!" and she put me on the heartbeat monitor again. I was unable to move, so I stayed half sitting in the bed. Eyes closed, totally relaxed between surges. With the surges, I could feel how my body pushed Luis down. Twenty minutes later, Dr. Biter came. He sat down with me on the bed and with Tony and Carol on the other side.
I started to breathe Luis down. My endorphins were working well. I was in a different world. I felt my surges in different strengths. Some were so powerful that I had to hold my breath and push. Some were so that I completely ignored them and used my relaxation through them, but with the most of them I did the birth breathing, and it worked. I slowly moved Luis downwards. Tony was kissing me after each surge. During the surges Dr. Biter said: "Help him out, Mareike!" and after each surge he told me to focus: "Look at me, you are OK!"
A lot of things went through my mind at this point. First, that I was not worried about Luis' heartbeat at all, even that I couldn't hear it (Dr. Biter wisely stopped the sound). I completely trusted Dr.Biter that Luis was OK, after he had no rush and was so calm. And then I thought: "Is that really my job? How am I able to do this job?!And so Luis' head started crowning. When I pushed (because I wanted Luis to come out quick) Dr. Biter told me to stop and to breathe down. I felt the stretching sensation as a tingling (always imagined that it felt good when Tony did the perineum massage) when Luis' head was born. And he started crying! Still half in my body! It was 04:06o'clock when Dr. Biter with Tony together received his body and put him onto my belly! Luis was born! We all cried with Luis. He was lying skin to skin on me, no towel on him, just Mommy's and Daddy's hands to keep him warm. We were so happy and welcomed him into this world! Dr. Biter waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating and then Tony cut the cord. The placenta came straight away. Minutes after that I started breastfeeding.
When I asked Dr. Biter if he has to stitch my perineum now, he answered: "Who delivered you?! There is no tear!" I couldn't believe this. To give birth to the first child in two and a half hours?! Without pain relief?! In a darkened, calm room,without forced pushing, nobody who takes my baby away? No stitches?I could not have thought about a better birth for myself. Even that it was not the typical 'calm' HypnoBirthing birth, it was the best experience in my life and I am looking forward to do it all over again. To birth with happiness and joy! Before we went home on the same day, I had a look at Luis' heartbeat trace and the documentation of my labor. What I noticed, was, that some of my surges were lasting two and a half minutes long...I am so proud- I did it!
Mareike
Many, many thanks to Carol, who helped me a lot during my quick labor! I was so glad that she was there! And, what I forgot to tell is, that my labor was so quick, that the birthing ball stayed in the car, and the camera was still in the bag. Also my mirror and my healing stones and my perineum massage oil and tummy massage oil and cinnamon bars for more surges...What I also have to say, is, that I did not imagine myself to give birth in two and a half hours in the HypnoBirthing lessons, but in six hours. Carol later told me I have to be more precise the next time, because from the actual time when we arrived at the hospital, it was exactly six hours....And I have to say, I wanted to feel my surges as pressure... (Don't ask me why!)
Congratulations Mareike & Tony!
All my best--Carol
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Monday, August 3, 2009
Premature Release of Membranes at 32 weeks--success story
Premature release of membranes at 32 weeks--a HypnoBirthing success story
This is an inspiring story of a 2nd time mom whose amniotic sac released/broke at 32 weeks, was rushed to the hospital & told she would need to be induced. BUT her body & her baby weren't ready & she didn't go into labor! So she is currently home at 37 weeks & waiting for the natural progression of her labor to start. She advocated for herself & her baby & trusted her body & her baby.
(This story was shared by Kathie Dolce, Vice President of the HypnoBirthing Institute. I have permission from the mom to share it on my blog).
I've corresponded off an on for a year and a half with a mom in western Canada, who first posted to the Q & A Forum with questions about preparing on her own for a gentle birthing. There are no practitioners near enough for her to take the course. Her first birth in June 2008 was wonderful, and Stephanie hopes to become a practitioner one day. I next heard from her recently after she had been transported by air to a large medical center because release of her membranes at 32 weeks for her 2nd pregnancy. She was being told she would have to be induced within a few days, the baby would be in NICU, etc. I responded with some things to ask, where to look for research and reassurance that she'd do well with whatever turn her birthing would take, etc.
I heard from her just last night. She is now 37 weeks, home again, is looking forward to a gentle HypnoBirthing, after two days of oxytocin/pitocin that failed to do anything. I've attached her letters below. They are so inspiring and really a tribute to woman's wisdom when she trusts in her own body, her baby and natural birthing. I asked her if Icould share her story on our practitioner board, and she readily agreed. Here they are:
Hi Kathie! Not sure if you'll remember me or not, we were in contact last year after my daughter's birth because I was looking for somewhere to take a HypnoBirthing instructor course. We had one I was going to in Edmonton, Alberta and it didn't pan out. Anyway, I'm emailing you quickly because I'm in my second pregnancy and last Monday at 32 wks pregnant my water broke and I've been flown out to a hospital in Kamloops BC. Because we were flown out we didn't have a chance to pack a hospital bag...ie my HypnoBirthing book, my ipod with the Rainbow Relaxation hypnosis script cd on it. They stopped my labor before I was flown out and I am on complete bedrest until the baby is born at 34 wks. If I go into labor naturally before then, they won't stop it, but if not they will induce me on Monday, July 13 at 34 wks pregnant.
My birth with my daughter was completely natural and beautiful, no induction, no pain relief except HypnoBirthing breathing and no stitches or episiotomy, etc. Kathie, I am so anxious about this birthing experience. I don't have my book or rainbow relaxation cd. I don't have my doctor who was such an instrumental part of our natural birth with the perineum massage, the lights dimmed, did room control, kept the environment calm and respected our no drug 'policy'. I feel as though I've been stripped of all my resources and rights to a natural birth. This has quickly turned into a 'medical procedure' rather than a birthday party. I've been told I will be woken up Monday morning, told to shower, eat breakfast and then have an IV put in with oxytocin/pitocin, I will labor with the IV in and deliver with it in, the baby will be taken from my body and given to doctor's and nurses to assess, insert feeding and breathing tubes and an IV to the scalp and it will be taken to the NICU. I will be allowed to stay in the hospital for 48 hrs and then be discharged and sent to a hotel for however long it takes for the baby's lungs to develop and be strong enough to breathe on its own. I was told to buy a pump so that they can feed the baby at night when I'm not here. This turns my stomach. I don't want to labor with an IV. I don't want to stress my baby (they said preemies sometimes don't 'adjust' to the oxytocin so well). I don't want to have my baby ripped from me and I don't want to leave it for someone else to care for it.
Now I know some of this is necessary, like the assessment when its born so it can breathe and I guess my discharge afterwards but its compounding on top of the other things I can't control and do in my own time. I want to have a chance to start my labor naturally and assess the situation at each stage. I don't know how I will even sleep Sunday with my anxiety over the whole thing. Their answer was to give me a sleeping pill! So my question at the end of all this is have you had anyone else in this situation and how can I possibly avoid the drug induction and use HypnoBirthing to have my labor develop naturally? Or is this possible? I would like to try walking for a little while to induce but is there anything else I may not know about that could help? I don't want any risk involved with the age of this baby and oxytocin/pitocin is a risk to me and an IV is not a calming concept while I'm laboring and birthing. Any advice would help Kathie! This turned into a very long email but I hope you understand I have too much time right now!
Sincerely,Stephanie
+++++++++++++++++++
Just an update Kathie, we are back at home, I got a second opinion before I had talked to you from our doctor back home & he called a specialist in Vancouver Children's hospital who advised him that the best thing to do was go thru with the induction, so we did. I was 34 wks and 2 days and they put me on the oxytocin/pitocin for the whole day (about 8 or 9 hrs). Nothing happened. They put me on again the next day, and this time I was under the supervison of a different doctor (thank goodness) who after 9 or 10 hrs of being on the oxytocin/pitocin with the same result as the prior day, turned the IV off and started to question why we were forcing the labor if baby and I were so healthy and happy and there was sufficient fluid. He said many times in the conversation that if I had already had one baby and my water had truly broke, I would have delivered the baby the first day of oxytocin/pitocin. This made us again phone our doctor back home & he advised us to come home as I was almost 35 wks by this time and able to safely deliver at home.
The doctor overseeing my case the whole time we were there was not happy to hear I wanted to wait and go home. She advised us to stay and again try to be induced on the Monday after a break through the weekend. My doctor phoned her and she then talked to me again and tried to convince us he agreed with her. I know, of course, this was not the case. On Monday, she arranged for an air ambulance to take me home. I have been home now almost two weeks. I'm being monitored very closely. I'm not leaking fluid, which has lead the doctor's to believe that this was a hind leak. This can happen after the baby so much as scratches the membrane, causing a small gush of fluid and later healing over. I am still on low activity, but I'm at a very safe time in my pregnancy now to deliver. If there is a sign of infection from the blood tests they give me every second day, they will induce immediately. But according to all testing, white blood cell count is normal, baby's activity and heart rate is perfectly at ease and normal and I am as well. We're hoping for a natural labor and HypnoBirth just as it was with our first a year and a half ago, and we're sure this will happen! My doctor at this point is expecting me to carry to full term.
Also an interesting thing....the nitrizene (I think that's what they call it) test strip that they test me with to see if any fluid that is coming from me is amniotic fluid keeps testing positive. However, they do what is called a ferning test with that fluid after putting it on a slide and examining it under a microscope....if it forms a fern pattern, it's amniotic fluid, if it doesn't, it's just normal vaginal discharge or urine, etc. They did this ferning test at the time my water 'broke' or I 'leaked' & the ferning test was negative. They did it again when I came back, negative again. Either way, we are home safe and sound and now awaiting the safe arrival of number two...must be a boy with all this ;o) I will let you know what happens and thank you so much for the advice and counsel.
Sincerely, Stephanie
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks Kathie! Yes, you absolutely can share with the board. I was 32 wks to the day when my amniotic sac first ruptured. When they were administering the oxytocin/pitocin, as crazy as it sounds, I could feel myself not releasing, I told my husband and my Mom before they even started the induction both days that it would not work. I can remember walking the halls on both days and telling my husband that I just couldn't let it go. When I labored with my daughter, I let my body labor, but this time, I could feel every part of me fighting it. After walking through their NICU it was something I completely felt like I had to hang onto and wait. I remember even reading in the HypnoBirthing book about the power of animals and how they are able to stop their labor if they feel they are in danger. I really felt like I understood my body and was able to work with it to keep baby where it would be safe. I completely and totally believe that! So I will be 37 wks on Monday (I may have mentioned that previously) and I will definitely keep in touch and let you know what happens!
Thanks so much again, Stephanie
Kathie Dolce
HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator
VicePresident, HypnoBirthing® Institute
Thanks, Stephanie, for sharing your inspiring story! I hope that you have a wonderful birthing experience & look forward to hearing how everything works out!
All my best--Carol Yeh-Garner, LCSW, HBCE
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
This is an inspiring story of a 2nd time mom whose amniotic sac released/broke at 32 weeks, was rushed to the hospital & told she would need to be induced. BUT her body & her baby weren't ready & she didn't go into labor! So she is currently home at 37 weeks & waiting for the natural progression of her labor to start. She advocated for herself & her baby & trusted her body & her baby.
(This story was shared by Kathie Dolce, Vice President of the HypnoBirthing Institute. I have permission from the mom to share it on my blog).
I've corresponded off an on for a year and a half with a mom in western Canada, who first posted to the Q & A Forum with questions about preparing on her own for a gentle birthing. There are no practitioners near enough for her to take the course. Her first birth in June 2008 was wonderful, and Stephanie hopes to become a practitioner one day. I next heard from her recently after she had been transported by air to a large medical center because release of her membranes at 32 weeks for her 2nd pregnancy. She was being told she would have to be induced within a few days, the baby would be in NICU, etc. I responded with some things to ask, where to look for research and reassurance that she'd do well with whatever turn her birthing would take, etc.
I heard from her just last night. She is now 37 weeks, home again, is looking forward to a gentle HypnoBirthing, after two days of oxytocin/pitocin that failed to do anything. I've attached her letters below. They are so inspiring and really a tribute to woman's wisdom when she trusts in her own body, her baby and natural birthing. I asked her if Icould share her story on our practitioner board, and she readily agreed. Here they are:
Hi Kathie! Not sure if you'll remember me or not, we were in contact last year after my daughter's birth because I was looking for somewhere to take a HypnoBirthing instructor course. We had one I was going to in Edmonton, Alberta and it didn't pan out. Anyway, I'm emailing you quickly because I'm in my second pregnancy and last Monday at 32 wks pregnant my water broke and I've been flown out to a hospital in Kamloops BC. Because we were flown out we didn't have a chance to pack a hospital bag...ie my HypnoBirthing book, my ipod with the Rainbow Relaxation hypnosis script cd on it. They stopped my labor before I was flown out and I am on complete bedrest until the baby is born at 34 wks. If I go into labor naturally before then, they won't stop it, but if not they will induce me on Monday, July 13 at 34 wks pregnant.
My birth with my daughter was completely natural and beautiful, no induction, no pain relief except HypnoBirthing breathing and no stitches or episiotomy, etc. Kathie, I am so anxious about this birthing experience. I don't have my book or rainbow relaxation cd. I don't have my doctor who was such an instrumental part of our natural birth with the perineum massage, the lights dimmed, did room control, kept the environment calm and respected our no drug 'policy'. I feel as though I've been stripped of all my resources and rights to a natural birth. This has quickly turned into a 'medical procedure' rather than a birthday party. I've been told I will be woken up Monday morning, told to shower, eat breakfast and then have an IV put in with oxytocin/pitocin, I will labor with the IV in and deliver with it in, the baby will be taken from my body and given to doctor's and nurses to assess, insert feeding and breathing tubes and an IV to the scalp and it will be taken to the NICU. I will be allowed to stay in the hospital for 48 hrs and then be discharged and sent to a hotel for however long it takes for the baby's lungs to develop and be strong enough to breathe on its own. I was told to buy a pump so that they can feed the baby at night when I'm not here. This turns my stomach. I don't want to labor with an IV. I don't want to stress my baby (they said preemies sometimes don't 'adjust' to the oxytocin so well). I don't want to have my baby ripped from me and I don't want to leave it for someone else to care for it.
Now I know some of this is necessary, like the assessment when its born so it can breathe and I guess my discharge afterwards but its compounding on top of the other things I can't control and do in my own time. I want to have a chance to start my labor naturally and assess the situation at each stage. I don't know how I will even sleep Sunday with my anxiety over the whole thing. Their answer was to give me a sleeping pill! So my question at the end of all this is have you had anyone else in this situation and how can I possibly avoid the drug induction and use HypnoBirthing to have my labor develop naturally? Or is this possible? I would like to try walking for a little while to induce but is there anything else I may not know about that could help? I don't want any risk involved with the age of this baby and oxytocin/pitocin is a risk to me and an IV is not a calming concept while I'm laboring and birthing. Any advice would help Kathie! This turned into a very long email but I hope you understand I have too much time right now!
Sincerely,Stephanie
+++++++++++++++++++
Just an update Kathie, we are back at home, I got a second opinion before I had talked to you from our doctor back home & he called a specialist in Vancouver Children's hospital who advised him that the best thing to do was go thru with the induction, so we did. I was 34 wks and 2 days and they put me on the oxytocin/pitocin for the whole day (about 8 or 9 hrs). Nothing happened. They put me on again the next day, and this time I was under the supervison of a different doctor (thank goodness) who after 9 or 10 hrs of being on the oxytocin/pitocin with the same result as the prior day, turned the IV off and started to question why we were forcing the labor if baby and I were so healthy and happy and there was sufficient fluid. He said many times in the conversation that if I had already had one baby and my water had truly broke, I would have delivered the baby the first day of oxytocin/pitocin. This made us again phone our doctor back home & he advised us to come home as I was almost 35 wks by this time and able to safely deliver at home.
The doctor overseeing my case the whole time we were there was not happy to hear I wanted to wait and go home. She advised us to stay and again try to be induced on the Monday after a break through the weekend. My doctor phoned her and she then talked to me again and tried to convince us he agreed with her. I know, of course, this was not the case. On Monday, she arranged for an air ambulance to take me home. I have been home now almost two weeks. I'm being monitored very closely. I'm not leaking fluid, which has lead the doctor's to believe that this was a hind leak. This can happen after the baby so much as scratches the membrane, causing a small gush of fluid and later healing over. I am still on low activity, but I'm at a very safe time in my pregnancy now to deliver. If there is a sign of infection from the blood tests they give me every second day, they will induce immediately. But according to all testing, white blood cell count is normal, baby's activity and heart rate is perfectly at ease and normal and I am as well. We're hoping for a natural labor and HypnoBirth just as it was with our first a year and a half ago, and we're sure this will happen! My doctor at this point is expecting me to carry to full term.
Also an interesting thing....the nitrizene (I think that's what they call it) test strip that they test me with to see if any fluid that is coming from me is amniotic fluid keeps testing positive. However, they do what is called a ferning test with that fluid after putting it on a slide and examining it under a microscope....if it forms a fern pattern, it's amniotic fluid, if it doesn't, it's just normal vaginal discharge or urine, etc. They did this ferning test at the time my water 'broke' or I 'leaked' & the ferning test was negative. They did it again when I came back, negative again. Either way, we are home safe and sound and now awaiting the safe arrival of number two...must be a boy with all this ;o) I will let you know what happens and thank you so much for the advice and counsel.
Sincerely, Stephanie
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks Kathie! Yes, you absolutely can share with the board. I was 32 wks to the day when my amniotic sac first ruptured. When they were administering the oxytocin/pitocin, as crazy as it sounds, I could feel myself not releasing, I told my husband and my Mom before they even started the induction both days that it would not work. I can remember walking the halls on both days and telling my husband that I just couldn't let it go. When I labored with my daughter, I let my body labor, but this time, I could feel every part of me fighting it. After walking through their NICU it was something I completely felt like I had to hang onto and wait. I remember even reading in the HypnoBirthing book about the power of animals and how they are able to stop their labor if they feel they are in danger. I really felt like I understood my body and was able to work with it to keep baby where it would be safe. I completely and totally believe that! So I will be 37 wks on Monday (I may have mentioned that previously) and I will definitely keep in touch and let you know what happens!
Thanks so much again, Stephanie
Kathie Dolce
HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator
VicePresident, HypnoBirthing® Institute
Thanks, Stephanie, for sharing your inspiring story! I hope that you have a wonderful birthing experience & look forward to hearing how everything works out!
All my best--Carol Yeh-Garner, LCSW, HBCE
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A HypnoBirthing story with Dr. Wonderful
This HypnoBirthing story is from one of my class members that took classes in April 2009. They had Dr. Wonderful (otherwise known as Dr. Biter) as their OB.
Hi Carol,
At last a few free moments to share our baby's birth story with you!
We had an amazing birth from start to finish. In my 38th week of pregnancy, I'd started to feel some practice labor surges in the evening. They would last a couple hours and then stop as I drifted to sleep. This gave me an indication that labor might be nearing.
At around 12am on June 10th, they started again. I tried to sleep through these like the last ones but found myself having change positions and get in and out of bed to manage my way through them. I was so intent on making it to 40 weeks of pregnancy (only 39 weeks at this point) that I couldn't believe this was really the real thing. Pregnancy had been so much fun that I didn't want it to end any sooner than it had to. So after about 2 hours of breathing my way through these surges, I finally woke up Nathan. He started timing them and we saw that we had a pretty consistent pattern of surges every three minutes and lasting thirty seconds long. I was puttering around our apartment in the wee hours of the morning telling Nathan, "There is NO WAY I'm having this baby tonight!". He just smiled and kept timing them. Pretty soon they were lasting 45 seconds and then were over a minute long. I was breathing my way through each surge, leaning on Nathan for physical support, and visualizing my cervix opening.
At about 5 am, the on-call doctor (Dr. Capetanakies) told us it was time to come to hospital. Well, he'd suggested that we come in sooner than that but I was hesitant because our plan was to labor at home for as long as possible. After only 5 hours of labor, I surely couldn't be very dilated. My fear was that I'd only be 2 cm dilated and then would have to drive home. We arrived at the hospital and got situated in our L&D room. A nurse did a dilation check and said, "8 cm, membranes bulging!". I could hardly believe what I'd heard. The other hospital staff turned their heads quickly. "This is your first baby?" "You walked yourself to this room at 8 cm?" After that, they got moving pretty quickly and started bringing in a bassinet and other items for the baby. We labored through some stronger surges for 3 more hours.
I didn't have an IV or other medications so I was able to move around exactly how I needed to. I spent a lot of time rocking through surges on the birth ball, walking in circles, or leaning on Nathan. Nathan made sure I stayed hydrated and reminded me to drink the Gatorade we'd brought. He also read me the flash cards that we'd made together that had inspiring excerpts from other birth stories, comforting Bible verses, and other positive messages. The flash cards were really helpful because they reminded me why a natural birth was so important to us in the first place, and helped me to not get overwhelmed with the intensity of labor.
Around 8 am, I started to feel some downward pressure. I gave in at the end of it and let myself do a small push. That was pretty intense. I told Nathan what I was feeling and he immediately paged the nurse. I leaned on the bed and had another surge. This time I heard an audible burst and felt water running down. Dr. Biter and the nurse were in the room asking me which position I wanted to be into deliver. I had no idea. They asked me to get on the bed and I hobbled onto it on all fours. It wasn't the most comfortable position to be in, but it was the fastest way to complete that request. Dr. Biter asked me to give a few pushes. The surges had tapered off now that I was fully dilated. It was so nice to get a break from them. I wanted to just put my head on the pillow and go to sleep. But I pushed a little bit. Dr. Biter asked if I wanted to flip around and try some on my back in a half sitting position. I was glad for his direction because I had no inclination of what was a better position to be in.
After about 20 minutes of pushing, I heard Nathan say "Oh wow!". The baby's head was out and its size surprised him. Then Dr. Biter asked me to look down and come get my baby. The baby was out of me as far as the waist. This was such a surreal moment. There was a baby half way in, half way out of my body. I reached down and grasped its shoulders and lifted it out the rest of the way and onto my tummy. All I could say was, "Oh my gosh! It's a lil person!" over and over again. Nathan and I both stared just amazed at our baby and all that had happened. I was so relieved. We'd done it together without medication or intervention.
After a few minutes, Dr. Biter said, "Hey let's find out if we have a boy or girl!" We looked beneath the blanket and discovered we'd had a perfect baby girl. The name we'd picked out if we had a girl suited her just right, Helena Abigail. She was born at 8:33 am, weighed 7 lbs 15 ounces, and measured 20 inches long. And no perineal tears for momma (yay!). We're so blessed to have her as well as the care we received from Dr. Biter and his team. Her birth was more incredible than we ever expected. And now we have a little girl we just can't stop kissing from head to toe.
Thank you so much for being a part of our pregnancy journey. I hope many more mothers and fathers will consider birthing their little ones naturally. It was just beyond wonderful for us.
Many thanks, Kelly F
Thanks for sharing your birth story, Kelly! Congratulations & enjoy your babymoon!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Hi Carol,
At last a few free moments to share our baby's birth story with you!
We had an amazing birth from start to finish. In my 38th week of pregnancy, I'd started to feel some practice labor surges in the evening. They would last a couple hours and then stop as I drifted to sleep. This gave me an indication that labor might be nearing.
At around 12am on June 10th, they started again. I tried to sleep through these like the last ones but found myself having change positions and get in and out of bed to manage my way through them. I was so intent on making it to 40 weeks of pregnancy (only 39 weeks at this point) that I couldn't believe this was really the real thing. Pregnancy had been so much fun that I didn't want it to end any sooner than it had to. So after about 2 hours of breathing my way through these surges, I finally woke up Nathan. He started timing them and we saw that we had a pretty consistent pattern of surges every three minutes and lasting thirty seconds long. I was puttering around our apartment in the wee hours of the morning telling Nathan, "There is NO WAY I'm having this baby tonight!". He just smiled and kept timing them. Pretty soon they were lasting 45 seconds and then were over a minute long. I was breathing my way through each surge, leaning on Nathan for physical support, and visualizing my cervix opening.
At about 5 am, the on-call doctor (Dr. Capetanakies) told us it was time to come to hospital. Well, he'd suggested that we come in sooner than that but I was hesitant because our plan was to labor at home for as long as possible. After only 5 hours of labor, I surely couldn't be very dilated. My fear was that I'd only be 2 cm dilated and then would have to drive home. We arrived at the hospital and got situated in our L&D room. A nurse did a dilation check and said, "8 cm, membranes bulging!". I could hardly believe what I'd heard. The other hospital staff turned their heads quickly. "This is your first baby?" "You walked yourself to this room at 8 cm?" After that, they got moving pretty quickly and started bringing in a bassinet and other items for the baby. We labored through some stronger surges for 3 more hours.
I didn't have an IV or other medications so I was able to move around exactly how I needed to. I spent a lot of time rocking through surges on the birth ball, walking in circles, or leaning on Nathan. Nathan made sure I stayed hydrated and reminded me to drink the Gatorade we'd brought. He also read me the flash cards that we'd made together that had inspiring excerpts from other birth stories, comforting Bible verses, and other positive messages. The flash cards were really helpful because they reminded me why a natural birth was so important to us in the first place, and helped me to not get overwhelmed with the intensity of labor.
Around 8 am, I started to feel some downward pressure. I gave in at the end of it and let myself do a small push. That was pretty intense. I told Nathan what I was feeling and he immediately paged the nurse. I leaned on the bed and had another surge. This time I heard an audible burst and felt water running down. Dr. Biter and the nurse were in the room asking me which position I wanted to be into deliver. I had no idea. They asked me to get on the bed and I hobbled onto it on all fours. It wasn't the most comfortable position to be in, but it was the fastest way to complete that request. Dr. Biter asked me to give a few pushes. The surges had tapered off now that I was fully dilated. It was so nice to get a break from them. I wanted to just put my head on the pillow and go to sleep. But I pushed a little bit. Dr. Biter asked if I wanted to flip around and try some on my back in a half sitting position. I was glad for his direction because I had no inclination of what was a better position to be in.
After about 20 minutes of pushing, I heard Nathan say "Oh wow!". The baby's head was out and its size surprised him. Then Dr. Biter asked me to look down and come get my baby. The baby was out of me as far as the waist. This was such a surreal moment. There was a baby half way in, half way out of my body. I reached down and grasped its shoulders and lifted it out the rest of the way and onto my tummy. All I could say was, "Oh my gosh! It's a lil person!" over and over again. Nathan and I both stared just amazed at our baby and all that had happened. I was so relieved. We'd done it together without medication or intervention.
After a few minutes, Dr. Biter said, "Hey let's find out if we have a boy or girl!" We looked beneath the blanket and discovered we'd had a perfect baby girl. The name we'd picked out if we had a girl suited her just right, Helena Abigail. She was born at 8:33 am, weighed 7 lbs 15 ounces, and measured 20 inches long. And no perineal tears for momma (yay!). We're so blessed to have her as well as the care we received from Dr. Biter and his team. Her birth was more incredible than we ever expected. And now we have a little girl we just can't stop kissing from head to toe.
Thank you so much for being a part of our pregnancy journey. I hope many more mothers and fathers will consider birthing their little ones naturally. It was just beyond wonderful for us.
Many thanks, Kelly F
Thanks for sharing your birth story, Kelly! Congratulations & enjoy your babymoon!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 25, 2009
My blog was nominated! Please vote!
My blog was nominated for best local blog at ParentsConnect.com! Please vote so I can win! Thanks!
Here's a link to the voting page:
http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/san-diego-ca-usa/best-san-diego-local-blog
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Here's a link to the voting page:
http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/san-diego-ca-usa/best-san-diego-local-blog
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Monday, June 8, 2009
A HypnoBirthing story from the UK
A HypnoBirth story from the UK
This is the birth story of a UK couple's first birth - the Mom was terrified of birthing at first session. The couple was planning on a home water birth with midwives. The practitioner received the birth story from the Dad. Here is it:
My experience as a HypnoBirthing partner.
(My partner to be known as A throughout.)
A's waters broke at Midnight on the Sunday and surges were erratic and light so we phoned the midwives to inform them. They agreed that the waters had broke and we went back to sleep.
The following morning the surges were getting stronger but were still some time apart so we decided to go on one of our favourite walks. A was a bit tired and needed to stop walking as the surges grew in strength and were twenty minutes apart. We returned home, had lunch as normal and A went to bed for a nap, for a couple of hours. When she awoke the surges were nearer to 10 minutes apart so we rang the midwives again as planned and they came out to see how things were progressing.
When she arrived we told her about our birth plan and discussed where we up to in the labour. The midwife was happy to either stay or come back in a few hours once the surges were nearer to approximately five minutes apart. We decided to have tea and watch a film to relax so asked the midwife to return later. This did the trick because not much later the surges were down to about three minutes apart. So yet again we called the midwife out. This was approximately 19.00. I busied myself getting the pool ready and making sure everything was tidy and in place for the birth.
The midwife arrived and asked to do an internal examination. A agreed but said she only wanted the initial examination, and did not want any subsequent examinations. At this point A was not needing to relax through the surges so it would not break her concentration. I kept going through my prompt card and adding a few of my own to relax A down. Time seemed to be flying by at this stage, so I filled the pool to the maximum mark and A got in. She enjoyed the water as it made her feel light but the midwife kept on talking to A between the surges asking what she was experiencing. I tried to answer all the questions but she kept on asking A more. This broke A's concentration and she started to get agitated and hot. I was trying to calm A down and keep her cool by putting wet towels on her forehead and fanning her constantly. The surges continued to get stronger and closer but we were running out of time before we would have no option but to go to hospital. Neither of us wanted this at all....
A second midwife arrived and they went into the other room to discuss the case. When they returned I could tell it was not good news. A was getting tired and shaking through lack of food. With hindsight I felt I should have given A more food, but time seemed to go so fast and all I had given A from 7:00 pm til midnight was a banana. Unfortunately by this time it was 24 hours since A's waters had broken so we were told we had no option but to go to hospital due to the risk of infection to both A and the baby. Also the midwives said that A had to get out of the pool because she had been in for over 5 hours. I managed to persuade A to get out of the pool and then we had the awful conversation of going to hospital. I listened to all the reasons and eventually agreed there was a risk to mother and baby so we called an ambulance and off we went. All the time I was trying to keep A relaxed, and even though inside I was screaming I could not show any of this to A.
When we arrived at hospital we were ushered into a room and given over to a very "matter of fact" midwife. She insisted that A lie on her back on a bed whilst she attached her to a heart monitor for the baby and put an IV drip in her arm. This caused A to swear at her as she was not the gentlest, but the midwife said she wanted at least twenty minutes on the monitor. Lying back on a bed was the last thing we wanted, so as soon as twenty minutes was up I removed the baby monitor and took A in to the bathroom so she could sit on the toilet. Shortly after this another, younger midwife entered and addressed me directly explaining she would take over our care. When we went back into the room she had rearranged it to make it look less clinical, found us some peaceful music and offered me aromatherapy oils to use on A. This allowed me to truly relax A and concentrate on the training we had received. The only examinations she insisted on was a baby heart monitor pressed against A's stomach for a minute or two every ten minutes. As this was unobtrusive we did not mind.
Everything was going well with the new surroundings and midwife. A started to relax again and I kept on telling her everything was fine and the baby was fine. I was listening and talking to the midwife all the time without disturbing A and only telling her things that she really needed to know. The midwife even brought me a cup of tea. A was relaxing well. The surges were very strong and a lot more regular and the sucrose/IV drip was helping A to wake up and have a bit more energy to breathe the baby down. Unfortunately a couple of things got in the way and almost brought the labour to a complete standstill. The midwife asked A when was the last time she had urinated, which was about 7 hours previously. Therefore A tried to go to the toilet naturally but could not. The midwife explained that she needed to help A clear her bladder using a catheter and showed us on a chart why this was necessary, therefore I agreed. This was only the second time A had been in any real discomfort. Once her bladder was empty the baby moved further down due to the obstruction being taken away. The second problem was that A had become so relaxed she could not feel the surges building in strength, so she did not know when to breathe the baby down.
Again the midwife came to our help and placed a hand on A's stomach and told her when the surges were beginning to build. A started to push but she was getting very tired now, because the labour had been going for some 19 hours and we had been awake for nearly 36 hours with only a 2 hour nap inbetween. I was supporting A who was sat between my legs and leaning back against me, so I could not see the baby birthing. Therefore I asked the midwife for a mirror to watch the birth. Approximately 30 minutes later I watched a beautiful healthy baby boy being born into our world at a staggering 10lbs 10 and a half ounces, 56 cm long and 37 cm head circumference. Considering A is only 5ft 7 and a size 10-12, this was a big baby! She had no need of any stitches thanks to the perineal massage that we had carried out during the last 5 weeks of the pregnancy. The bit that staggered the midwife the most was the fact that the baby's heart beat never changed over the entire labour, which showed that the baby was relaxed throughout.
Baby was placed straight onto A and I cut the cord after I was certain it had stopped pulsating.
I think that had the baby not been so big and if the first midwife had not constantly talked to A at the beginning then it is possible we could have birthed him at home in our pool. Also if we had our last midwife first, things would have remained much more relaxed. We have told everyone who will listen about HypnoBirthing and believe it has helped us a lot to have a safe natural birth.
With hindsight we do not regret going to hospital as it was the best thing for mother and baby at the time. A has thanked me lots of times for my support during the labour and said she could not have done it without me. When I talked to other Fathers they said that during their babies' births they just stood and watched whilst holding their partners hand. I feel like I was part of the birthing experience, not just a bystander.
Norma Gillett MA
Clinical Hypnotherapist
Member National Council for Hypnotherapy (Reg)
Member Hypnotherapy Register
Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma
HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator
Emotional Freedom and Theta Healing Practitioner
LifeStyle Hypnotherapy 01257 266815
www.lifestylehypnotherapy.com
www.hypnobirthinglancashire.co.uk
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story, Norma. It shows how even with a special circumstance (transfer to a hospital), HypnoBirthing helped this couple stay in the right frame of mind AND helped this Dad be an interactive partner during the birth of their child.
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
This is the birth story of a UK couple's first birth - the Mom was terrified of birthing at first session. The couple was planning on a home water birth with midwives. The practitioner received the birth story from the Dad. Here is it:
My experience as a HypnoBirthing partner.
(My partner to be known as A throughout.)
A's waters broke at Midnight on the Sunday and surges were erratic and light so we phoned the midwives to inform them. They agreed that the waters had broke and we went back to sleep.
The following morning the surges were getting stronger but were still some time apart so we decided to go on one of our favourite walks. A was a bit tired and needed to stop walking as the surges grew in strength and were twenty minutes apart. We returned home, had lunch as normal and A went to bed for a nap, for a couple of hours. When she awoke the surges were nearer to 10 minutes apart so we rang the midwives again as planned and they came out to see how things were progressing.
When she arrived we told her about our birth plan and discussed where we up to in the labour. The midwife was happy to either stay or come back in a few hours once the surges were nearer to approximately five minutes apart. We decided to have tea and watch a film to relax so asked the midwife to return later. This did the trick because not much later the surges were down to about three minutes apart. So yet again we called the midwife out. This was approximately 19.00. I busied myself getting the pool ready and making sure everything was tidy and in place for the birth.
The midwife arrived and asked to do an internal examination. A agreed but said she only wanted the initial examination, and did not want any subsequent examinations. At this point A was not needing to relax through the surges so it would not break her concentration. I kept going through my prompt card and adding a few of my own to relax A down. Time seemed to be flying by at this stage, so I filled the pool to the maximum mark and A got in. She enjoyed the water as it made her feel light but the midwife kept on talking to A between the surges asking what she was experiencing. I tried to answer all the questions but she kept on asking A more. This broke A's concentration and she started to get agitated and hot. I was trying to calm A down and keep her cool by putting wet towels on her forehead and fanning her constantly. The surges continued to get stronger and closer but we were running out of time before we would have no option but to go to hospital. Neither of us wanted this at all....
A second midwife arrived and they went into the other room to discuss the case. When they returned I could tell it was not good news. A was getting tired and shaking through lack of food. With hindsight I felt I should have given A more food, but time seemed to go so fast and all I had given A from 7:00 pm til midnight was a banana. Unfortunately by this time it was 24 hours since A's waters had broken so we were told we had no option but to go to hospital due to the risk of infection to both A and the baby. Also the midwives said that A had to get out of the pool because she had been in for over 5 hours. I managed to persuade A to get out of the pool and then we had the awful conversation of going to hospital. I listened to all the reasons and eventually agreed there was a risk to mother and baby so we called an ambulance and off we went. All the time I was trying to keep A relaxed, and even though inside I was screaming I could not show any of this to A.
When we arrived at hospital we were ushered into a room and given over to a very "matter of fact" midwife. She insisted that A lie on her back on a bed whilst she attached her to a heart monitor for the baby and put an IV drip in her arm. This caused A to swear at her as she was not the gentlest, but the midwife said she wanted at least twenty minutes on the monitor. Lying back on a bed was the last thing we wanted, so as soon as twenty minutes was up I removed the baby monitor and took A in to the bathroom so she could sit on the toilet. Shortly after this another, younger midwife entered and addressed me directly explaining she would take over our care. When we went back into the room she had rearranged it to make it look less clinical, found us some peaceful music and offered me aromatherapy oils to use on A. This allowed me to truly relax A and concentrate on the training we had received. The only examinations she insisted on was a baby heart monitor pressed against A's stomach for a minute or two every ten minutes. As this was unobtrusive we did not mind.
Everything was going well with the new surroundings and midwife. A started to relax again and I kept on telling her everything was fine and the baby was fine. I was listening and talking to the midwife all the time without disturbing A and only telling her things that she really needed to know. The midwife even brought me a cup of tea. A was relaxing well. The surges were very strong and a lot more regular and the sucrose/IV drip was helping A to wake up and have a bit more energy to breathe the baby down. Unfortunately a couple of things got in the way and almost brought the labour to a complete standstill. The midwife asked A when was the last time she had urinated, which was about 7 hours previously. Therefore A tried to go to the toilet naturally but could not. The midwife explained that she needed to help A clear her bladder using a catheter and showed us on a chart why this was necessary, therefore I agreed. This was only the second time A had been in any real discomfort. Once her bladder was empty the baby moved further down due to the obstruction being taken away. The second problem was that A had become so relaxed she could not feel the surges building in strength, so she did not know when to breathe the baby down.
Again the midwife came to our help and placed a hand on A's stomach and told her when the surges were beginning to build. A started to push but she was getting very tired now, because the labour had been going for some 19 hours and we had been awake for nearly 36 hours with only a 2 hour nap inbetween. I was supporting A who was sat between my legs and leaning back against me, so I could not see the baby birthing. Therefore I asked the midwife for a mirror to watch the birth. Approximately 30 minutes later I watched a beautiful healthy baby boy being born into our world at a staggering 10lbs 10 and a half ounces, 56 cm long and 37 cm head circumference. Considering A is only 5ft 7 and a size 10-12, this was a big baby! She had no need of any stitches thanks to the perineal massage that we had carried out during the last 5 weeks of the pregnancy. The bit that staggered the midwife the most was the fact that the baby's heart beat never changed over the entire labour, which showed that the baby was relaxed throughout.
Baby was placed straight onto A and I cut the cord after I was certain it had stopped pulsating.
I think that had the baby not been so big and if the first midwife had not constantly talked to A at the beginning then it is possible we could have birthed him at home in our pool. Also if we had our last midwife first, things would have remained much more relaxed. We have told everyone who will listen about HypnoBirthing and believe it has helped us a lot to have a safe natural birth.
With hindsight we do not regret going to hospital as it was the best thing for mother and baby at the time. A has thanked me lots of times for my support during the labour and said she could not have done it without me. When I talked to other Fathers they said that during their babies' births they just stood and watched whilst holding their partners hand. I feel like I was part of the birthing experience, not just a bystander.
Norma Gillett MA
Clinical Hypnotherapist
Member National Council for Hypnotherapy (Reg)
Member Hypnotherapy Register
Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma
HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator
Emotional Freedom and Theta Healing Practitioner
LifeStyle Hypnotherapy 01257 266815
www.lifestylehypnotherapy.com
www.hypnobirthinglancashire.co.uk
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story, Norma. It shows how even with a special circumstance (transfer to a hospital), HypnoBirthing helped this couple stay in the right frame of mind AND helped this Dad be an interactive partner during the birth of their child.
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
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