Marjorie & Carl's HypnoBirthing story

Marjorie & Carl were referred to Carol's HypnoBirthing classes by their doula, Linda Goldsmith. They took classes in Encinitas (North County San Diego), CA.

Here is their birth story of their first daughter, Sienna:
I started feeling very irregular contractions Thurs and Fri night (May 24 & 25), but I knew they weren't the real thing. They only happened in the evening and stopped by the time i went to bed. I called my doula though on Thursday and told her that I had a feeling I would go into labor within a few days. She said to keep her posted. 

On May 26th, I woke up at 3:30 am to contractions. I started timing them and they were about 8-10 min apart. I decided to lay back down and listen to my Birth Affirmations/Rainbow Relaxation CD so I possibly could get some more rest. From everyone I had talked to (and read about) I figured my first birth would last HOURS so I knew I had nothing but time…I might as well try and get some sleep. Needless to say, I couldn't sleep (too excited…knowing this was probably "the" day!). So I woke my husband around 6:30 am and told him to finish packing everything for the hospital. I called my doula and told her not to rush, but this was it, so she needed to come to our house some time this morning.

My contractions were still about 8 min apart, but very regular. I decided to keep my mind busy to pass the time, so I sent some work emails, took a shower, braided my hair, and then made breakfast. I had to stop and breathe through the contractions, but again I thought I had hours of this yet to go through so I just kept busy. Around 7:30 am or 8 am, my contractions were now 5-6 min apart and getting to the point where it was difficult to talk through them. I still kept busy in between them, but I called my doula and said I needed her…now…thank goodness she was just pulling up in the driveway.

As soon as she arrived, I was transitioning…I started shaking a little and got the chills. My doula helped relieve some of my back pain with counter pressure and we decided it was time to leave for the hospital. On the way to the hospital, my contractions were coming on strong at about 3 min apart. The drive to the hospital was definitely the worst part of the entire experience! We arrived at the hospital around 9 am and my doula walked me in while my husband parked and grabbed our bags. I had 3 contractions before I made it up to the labor/delivery level, and when we arrived there my doula asked for a birthing room. The nurse politely smiled and said that I needed to go to an exam room first, and then the doctor would decide if I was ready for delivery. My doula tried to insist that I needed a delivery room, but they quickly refused and insisted I be examined first. I was asked a few questions and answered them quietly…and all I remember hearing was 2 of the nurses commenting on "can you believe how calm she is!". From the moment I arrived at the hospital I had my eyes closed and was deep breathing. I honestly don't think the nurses thought I was in actual active labor or as far along as I actually was. 

As soon as I got undressed and got myself up onto the bed in the exam room, my water broke. The doctor was there and quickly examined me and my husband said he was shocked when he announced I was already 10 cm. There was a little bit of panic…from the staff, not me or my husband. My doula leaned over to me and whispered "they're a little panicked because they didn't expect you to be this far along, but this is a good thing…it means you'll get to meet your daughter very soon. They will settle down soon." That was all I needed to hear! It helped keep me positive. They quickly moved me into a birthing room and before I knew it, they told me it was time to push. I don't have a sense of the time that lapsed, but my husband and doula said I pushed for about 20-30 minutes and then she was born! I remember reaching a point where I thought that I couldn't go on. I said that to my doula and I remember her asking me to give her 2 or 3 more pushes. I said to myself "2 or 3…I can do that!" The doctor made a comment about me not being on my back. "I've delivered over 3000 babies and for all of them, the mother was laying down in her back!"  Linda, our doula, was great! She responded with "Well, then, what an opportunity for you! This will be your first!".

My husband was by my side the entire time. Things progressed so quickly the staff didn't even have time to check my vitals or even think about asking me to get an IV. We arrived that morning around 9 a.m. and Sienna was born at 10:20 am…6 pounds 15 oz and 22 inches. It was exactly the dream birth I had imagined! I felt amazing afterwards and we were all chatting with the nurses in the room after the birth. The nurses even commented on how much they love seeing babies who are born to drug-free mothers. I felt so good, I even ate lunch when they brought it to my room around noon. 

The one thing I remember having doubts/fears about before I went into delivery was tearing…and that's the one negative thing that happened. I didn't have a bad tear at all, but I think that because I couldn't release that fear. It definitely was in the back of my mind during my birth. Sienna's little hand was up by her face, so I had a little first degree tear that required a couple stitches. 

I was so happy to have my husband and my doula there. They heard things and remembered a lot more details than I did since I was pretty focused on myself. I was also happy that my husband and I didn't call any family or friends when we were on our way to the hospital. Once Sienna was born that gave us some time to ourselves as a new family before we were bombarded with company…it was a very special moment.

I went home the next afternoon and have been on a Mommy-high ever since. It was such an amazing experience. Thank you again SO much for your help and for your support throughout the process.

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Congratulations Margorie & Carl! What an amazing birth story! I'm so glad that the hypnobirthing classes helped you have the birth of your dreams!

If you're interested in taking HypnoBirthing classes for your birth and are in the San Diego area, please visit Carol's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If you are out of the San Diego area, please visit www.hypnobirthing.com to find a practitioner near you.

If you'd like more information about Marjorie & Carl's doula, Linda Goldsmith, please visit www.lindadoula.vpweb.com.

Erin & Juan's HypnoBirthing Story

Erin & Juan took Carol's HypnoBirthing classes on Thursdays at Seaside Women's Health in Encinitas, CA. Here is their story:

My husband and I have been married 6 years. We started trying to get pregnant in 2009. It was a long struggle and very emotional. I heard good things about acupuncture so I gave it a try. They suggested I change my diet to exclude soy, dairy and gluten. About a year later we got pregnant naturally! I continued my diet and acupuncture through pregnancy.

I had a pretty easy pregnancy. First trimester was nauseous most of the time but as long as I kept eating cantaloupe and rice cereal I was good. :) Second trimester We discovered I was anemic. I was really exhausted and dizzy but once I started taking iron i felt better within a few days. I started gaining more weight and getting my appetite back. I started seeing a chiropractor which helped with my upper back. Throughout the pregnancy I did prenatal yoga at home which helped relieve tension and maintained my energy level.

Before anyone knew we were pregnant, a friend came to my husband knowing we had been trying for a while and gave him some info on Hypnofertilty. Apparently his neighbor gave birth using the hypnobirthing method using no pain medicine. I didn't need to do too much research beforehand, just knew this was the method I wanted to use for our birth. I looked around for trained professionals on the Internet and asked my acupunturist if he knew anyone and he recommended Carol Yeh-Garner at www.AWelllivedLife.com. We signed up for the 5 week classes. We received a hypnobirthing book, a cd, as well as handouts each week to practice at home. I read the book, took a ton of notes in class, listened to the cd every night at bedtime and fell asleep to it. I just let it repeat throughout the night. I could feel myself relax and slept great when I listened to it. We practiced the other scripts a few times. We did the perineum massages about 3-4 times a week starting at 7 weeks to delivery. The only thing we didn't do enough of was practice the scripts or relaxation with a lot of distractions. I really enjoyed the class and felt prepared and more at ease about delivery and was determined to have a natural birth.

11/5 at My 37 week appointment I lost 2 lbs and my fundal height had not grown and the baby dropped into position. The doctor wanted me to get an ultrasound to check the baby's size. The baby was measuring small, in the 3rd percentile. She thought my placenta was starting to get worn out and the baby wasn't getting enough nutrients. In order to ensure the baby was ok they wanted me to start non stress tests and ultrasounds 2 times a week. I also did another blood test to check my blood count. This new info caused me to stress and worry. I was in the final weeks of pregnancy and very hormonal and fearful. It was an emotional roller coaster.

That Friday 11/9 the dr called and wanted me to go to the hospital to get another blood test. they wanted to rule out a form of preclampsia called HELLP. Signs were small baby, low blood count and enzymes in the liver. I had 2 out of 3. Knowing how severe that is, I was anticipating being induced that weekend. Not something I was prepared for since it wasn't following my birth plan. I reached out to my hypnobirthing teacher, Carol, for advice. She suggested a fear release and gave me steps to follow for induction and reminded me I could still have a natural birth and to relax and allow my body to take over. Going to the hospital, I felt prepared and was ready to accept what came next. They monitored the baby: "the best looking baby they had seen all day." The liver test came back fine and I was released. What a relief! The doctor still wanted me to have the baby before my delivery date and to try and naturally induce.

Then that Thursday, 11/15, when I did another ultrasound, it showed the umbilical cord was slightly restricted. My doctor called and advised me to go to the hospital for induction. This time it was real and I was so scared and not prepared. Knowing the advice Carol gave me the week before, we did a few fear releases to help change my frame of mind and accepted the path my birthing would take. It was my first lesson in parenting. I no longer have control over everything and need to go with the flow. :) I started to get excited knowing I was going to meet my baby soon.

On the way to the hospita,l we listened to the birth affirmations. As we arrived, I started playing the rainbow relaxation CD and kept it on repeat. We arrived at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla around 3pm. We asked for a hypnobirthing nurse and handed out our birthing plan to review with them. They wanted to monitor me the whole time since the baby could be at risk. We met the doctor and midwife on call. We prepared the room for my comfort, covered the clock so I didn't know the time, dimmed the lights and kept the rainbow relaxation in one ear on repeat. They did a vaginal exam but I asked they not tell me how much I was dilated. The less I knew the better my mind would allow my body to take over. We talked about the plan to induce slowly and allow things to take its course without pressure to advance faster. We did another fear release and shortly after started having surges on a consistent basis. The doctor decided to let me go for a few hours before interfering with any induction.

After I stalled, the next step was to give me cervidil. An inducing drug that is inserted at to the cervix and can be pulled out at anytime. My surges started coming on strong and after about 2 hours, they pulled it out since I was advancing quite fast. The whole time I was listening to the rainbow relaxation and allowing myself to get into deep relaxation. I had no idea what was going on around me. Nurses came in and out without me realizing. My husband would make sure they didn't bother me during a surge and would tap my shoulder when they needed to talk to me after a surge. When a surge came on, I closed my eyes and focused on breathing up. I shifted positions often. The nurse brought in a labor bar across the bed and I leaned over it while my husband rubbed my back and did light massage. When he saw me tense up, he would place his hand on my shoulder and whisper "relax". I drank a ton of water and ate almonds as needed.

After the cervidil was out, things stalled a little so we did another fear release. The midwife came in to talk to me about some options and the plan. She saw in my medical history I had a colscopy and suggested we make sure there was no scar tissue and asked if she could try massaging the cervix to allow it to open. I remember Carol telling us that in class but forgot to mention it. I was glad the midwife knew what to do.

The midwife also gave me an option of a balloon/foley ball, but I didn't remember the pros and cons of it from class so I opted to wait and see how things progressed before we decided to go that route. Luckily things progressed.

I started showing all the signs of true labor, nausea (even threw up twice), bleeding and the urge to push. They did another vaginal exam and again didn't want to know how much I was dilated. But the midwife suggested to release my membranes.

We did another fear release. I got comfy and kept telling myself to bring on more surges cause it was bringing my baby closer to me. The more I said it, the better I felt. I had some back labor and the only thing that felt good was to lean back on my fist. Next time, I will bring a tennis ball to lean on instead.

After a while, I started to get really tired and surges were strong. Never did I think pain but more uncomfortable. I felt as if I were running a marathon and running up hill most of the time and kept telling myself the finish line was after the next hill.

Shortly after, I felt ready to push. The midwife came in the check my progress and she said "Erin, you are ready to have this baby. But you can't push just yet." Then they frantically started getting ready. My husband kept me in the zone and not focusing on what was happening around me. When I started pushing, I remembered to breath down like I was on the toilet. The midwife let me lay how I wanted and she would relax my legs when I tensed. I was not quiet at all, my brother in law could hear me outside but the noises were more from effort than pain. It felt so amazing on the last push and I felt the baby slide out. My husband announced it was a girl as they placed her on my stomach. The nurses did have to take her away shortly after to make sure she didn't have to go to NICU. Our Hanna Marie weighed 4lbs 9oz which was enough for her to stay with me and not go to the NICU. Everything at this point was a blur. There was so much going on and I was on cloud 9! I couldn't believe it was all over. She was very alert and started breastfeeding right away with some help from a nurse.

After the placenta came out, I was intrigued to see its condition. It was perfectly healthy and not worn out, no calcium deposits just smaller than "normal". Since the placenta was small, the baby was small but Hanna was healthy.

After everything calmed down, I asked my husband how the progression went since he knew how much I was dilated each time. From the beginning, I was at about 1 cm dilated, progressed to 2 after the cervidil and 2 after the massage of the cervix. When my membranes were ruptured, 2 hours later I was at 10cm, then I pushed for 35 min and Hanna was born at 5:51am Friday, November 16.

I'm so happy with the way things happened. Hypnobirthing really trained me to handle the whole process. We had all the tools and put them to work for us. My husband was such a great coach and very supportive. I was amazed at how he made me feel. I can't thank Carol Yeh- Garner enough for such a great class and support and advice. I would recommend hypnobirthing to anyone and looking forward to doing it again!

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Congratulations Erin & Juan! Thank you so much for sharing your birth story! I'm so glad that the classes helped both of you feel empowered & educated to make the best decisions for your birth & your baby. I hope you're enjoying your babymoon!

If you're interested in learning more about Carol's HypnoBirthing classes, please visit her website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If her classes don't fit into your schedule, she would love to refer you to other practitioners in the area. If you are outside of San Diego, please visit www.hypnobirthing.com for a list of practitioners in your area. Thank you!

Aline & James' HypnoBirthing Story

Aline & James took Carol's HypnoBirthing classes in May 2012 in Encinitas, CA in order to prepare for their first birth. Here is their birth story:

James and I started taking Carol's Hypnobirthing classes in May of 2012. I knew I wanted a natural, gentle and calm birth. We were still trying to decide between a home or a hospital birth by the time we started taking the classes. I really wanted a home birth but James felt nervous about it.

I was very excited about the classes and they were so much more than I expected. So much great information. We learned about how the body works during labor and how interventions might interfere with the process. The more James learned, the more comfortable he became with the idea of a home birth and it was Carol's advice that encouraged me to follow my heart: "Birth happens once. Even if you have more kids this is a one time event and there aren't any do-overs." I also found my great midwife, Andrea Meyer, through Carol's referral.

We left every class feeling very relaxed and confident. I never felt anxious about birth, and I couldn't wait to experience it. We fell asleep to the birthing affirmations and Rainbow Relaxation every night. We noticed that we were sleeping better. We practiced the Balloon Script and a few other exercises 2 or 3 times a week.

I found out the baby was breech at 34 weeks. I was so afraid that I wouldn't be able to have a natural birth. I had to do a lot of "cancel-cancel" trying to avoid all these negative thoughts. I found a lot of useful information in Carol's Hypnobirthing group's files regarding things to do to help turn a breech baby. I started doing all the exercises to try to turn the baby. I visualized the baby in the perfect position and visualized my dream birth. My midwife also helped me a lot and the baby finally turned. I was ecstatic!

My guess date was August 5th. I had put in my mind that I would probably go "over-due", so the 40-week mark didn't mean much to me. On August 1st, James and I spent the day at the beach. It was nice to sunbathe with my belly buried in the sand and to walk along the ocean. I got a lot of scared looks and mentioned to James that I probably looked like I was ready to pop (I heard that a lot). We had some ice cream and headed home. As usual, we went to bed listening to the Rainbow Relaxation and affirmations.

I woke up at 3:30 am with a strong cramping sensation. I though to myself: "Wow, if this is the first surge, I don't want to see how the next ones are going to feel like!" Once I got up and started moving, it didn't feel as bad. I went to the bathroom and stayed there. Sitting on the toilet helped me feel more comfortable. I started timing the surges on my phone. They lasted from 30 seconds to 2 minutes and were coming every 4 to 6 minutes. I was still not sure if this was it and decided to try to get some rest. I couldn't sleep so I kept going back and forth to the bathroom to sit on the toilet, and trying different positions on the bed while listening to the affirmations. The breathing helped a lot. When the sun came up, I woke James up and told him that was the day! He organized the house and made me breakfast which I threw up right after eating. I was trying to labor on my own for as long as I could before asking the midwives to come over. James filled up the tub while I took a shower. The hot water really helped to relieve the strong surges. I got in the tub and kept listening to the Rainbow CD. I stopped timing the surges because I couldn't really focus on anything at that point. James stayed with me and guided me through his own version of the Balloon Script and did some light touch massage. I got out of the tub and labored on a birth ball while waiting for Nat, my doula, and the midwives.

I did the slow breathing technique with every surge while visualizing the blue satin ribbons visualization technique and the opening blossom technique. I was a little afraid I wouldn't be too far along once the midwives arrived and checked me. I kept visualizing my cervix as a lotus flower, opening one petal at a time.

Around 1:30 pm, the doula and the midwives arrived. I was happy to see them. They started filling up the birth pool and getting everything ready. Andrea asked me if I wanted to get checked and I agreed. I had been in labor for 11 hours and I really hoped I was almost there. I was super excited to hear that I was 8 cm dilated. I got in the birth pool and told James I couldn't believe our baby was going to be in our arms in a few hours. James and the doula stayed by my side the whole time. They made sure I drank lots of coconut water and ate granola bars. Surges were getting more and more intense, and I knew I was having back labor. James did counter pressure every time I had a surge. He also kept telling me how great I was doing, how strong and beautiful I was, and that every surge was like a wave bringing our daughter closer to us.

Beyond this point I lost sense of time. I got out of the pool to get checked again. This time Andrea said I was 10 cm. She felt a bulging bag and the baby's head! I kept laboring on my bed with James by my side. I was in birth land and at the same time aware of what was going on around me. I did not want James to leave my side and he didn't. Neither did Nat, my doula. Kayti, my other midwife, was always checking the baby's heartbeat with the Doppler. Right there on my bed, my water broke during a surge. I had to ask James days later how it looked like because I did not open my eyes. I had to focus on my breathing to go through each surge. James and Nat were really good a reminding me to breath and to relax. Relaxing my hands and jaw helped a lot. Kayti had to remind me to make low toned noises. I made a lot more noise than I thought I'd make!

Time was passing by and baby was not making her way down. My body started pushing, and there was nothing I could do to stop. I asked: "Where is she? Why isn't she coming down?". Everyone reassured me she was making her way down, and she'd be here soon, and that I was doing a good job. I was getting very tired, and it was hard for me to relax and manage the surges. We tried many different positions and the rebozo to see if the baby would turn to the anterior position. I remember getting in and out of the pool, using the birth ball on my bed, polar bear on the floor, one leg up on a stool in the shower, & sitting on the toilet. Kayti told me to try to rest for a while and try not to push. As she said that, I pushed with all the strength I had in me, not because I wanted to, but because I had no more control over my body.

Debra came over for extra support. She did some cranio-sacral therapy on me and helped me to relax. I also took a few shots of vodka! I went back to the pool to try to rest and relax, and save energy for later. I was exhausted. The AC was broken and the house was so hot. They always had cold towels on my forehead, and it felt so good! I told James that I thought I wanted to go to the hospital. "I'm so tired, I'm exhausted!". The epidural sounded like a good idea to me at that point. James told me that I had gone so far, and that I was so strong and he knew I did not want that. Debra told me: "Your body is so powerful! You are so powerful!". The midwives told me I could go to the hospital anytime I wanted, but we could try a few more positions first if I wanted to. I agreed to try. Debra told me she felt the baby was confused and needed reassurance. I told our baby how much I loved her and that it was okay to come down. James told her it was time to come because her mommy was very tired.

We went from the pool to my bedroom floor. We tried a few positions and Andrea checked me. I couldn't believe when she told me the head was right there and I could start pushing when I felt a surge coming. They asked me if I wanted to change positions, but I was so tired I just stayed where I was: laying on my back on the floor. I did the birth breathing - keeping it down while inhaling. I guess it worked because the baby would come down a little and stay. I got to see her hairy head with a mirror. I was so happy it was finally time, but had no energy to celebrate, no energy to worry about the pain. I could just breath. James and I caught the baby together. She came straight to my chest. She never turned and came out facing me, sunny side up. I have imprinted in me every detail of that moment - the moment I saw my daughter for the first time. Her chubby cheeks, her cute face, her sweet smell, her weight against my chest.

The placenta came out right after the baby. I had some hemorrhage and a little tear. We laid there, on the floor, baby on my chest still attached to the placenta for a couple of hours while they worked to stop the bleeding and stitch me up. James cut the cord and I was carried to bed. The baby slept for 12 hours. We were both tired from a long 22-hour-labor. We did it! I was so grateful to everyone that was there with me. They never made me feel like something was wrong, or that my labor should be progressing at a different speed. They just allowed my body to do its work and my baby to come out on her own time.

I am so glad we chose to take Carol's Hypnobirthing classes. It prepared James to be an awesome birth coach. He never left my side and was able to give all the support I needed because. He was able to trust the process and never doubt my ability to keep going (even when I doubted it myself). I did not have the easy birth I had imagined, but I'm sure I had the best birth I could have had under the circumstances. I was able to labor on my own for a long time and had reached full dilation way before I even wondered about the epidural. I thought I had pushed for 20 minutes and was surprised to find out I pushed for an hour. What we learned in class helped us in so many ways. It made us more conscious parents, it gave us confidence to make choices that we believed in. It helped us strengthen our connection with our baby in the womb and between us and it gave us tools to stay relaxed through many hours of labor. Thank you for preparing us to welcome our daughter in the best way possible, Carol!

Thanks again for everything you have taught us and all the support you gave us through our special journey. Hugs, Aline

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Congratulations Aline & James! Thank you so much for sharing your birth story! I'm so glad that the classes helped you have such a positive experience!

If you'd like more information about Aline's midwives, please visit www.andreasmidwiferysandiego.com.

If you'd like more information about Aline's cranial sacral therapist, please visit www.debrabochinski.com.

If you'd like more information about Aline's doula, please visit Nat Romine at 619-727-3511.

If you'd like more information about Carol's HypnoBirthing classes, please visit www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If her classes don't fit into your schedule, she would be happy to refer you to one of the other practitioners in the area. If you are outside of San Diego, please visit www.hypnobirthing.com to find a practitioner near you.

Pam & Steve's HypnoBirthing Story

Pam & Steve took Carol's HypnoBirthing classes in Encinitas on Tuesday nights in May 2012. Here is their birth story:

I just wanted to share my birth story with you. It didn't turn out exactly how I envisioned, but I was completely amazed by the strength I had to get through what I did.

I started having surges at 10am on the 25th. As they got closer and closer I called my doula, Leigh Fenly. She came over at about 2pm. Once the surges were about 4-5 minutes apart we went to the hospital (around 5pm).

We arrived and got checked in and they put the baby on the monitor. The baby looked great. The next several hours felt like 20 minutes. The surges were certainly intense but I was getting through them. We went for walks and I sat in the shower. The shower was amazing!!! I think I would have benefited greatly from a bathtub but it was great. I finally let the nurse check me around 10pm. I was the same dilation as when my previous day doctor appt. and my water hadn't broken. I decided to give it 2 hours and check again. At 12 pm, it was the same so I let the doctor break my water to get things going. After that things happened verrrry quickly. I sat in the shower and was screaming out during the surges. It was extremely intense but Leigh helped me relax and I was so proud of myself for my strength. I never even thought about wanting an epidural. Then I started throwing up violently in the shower. Even though it was a little scary and very uncomfortable, I remember you saying that when that happens it means it's almost coming to an end. And it was. It was time to monitor the baby again. Baby's heartrate was perfect. And then I got the urge to push. It was about 2am at this point. I was so happy that I was drug free because I tried all sorts of positions. I was doing squats, up on all fours, back (sitting up) and side. It felt so good to push. For the first two hours... I started to get tired but I was still going very strong. After 2.5 hours the baby had not moved at all :( His head was seriously not moving past my pelvic bone (nobody told me this - they kept saying I was making progress to keep me going). The doctor came in and checked me and said she understood that I wanted to have a natural birth and she did not generally let people push more than 3 hours but that she'd work with me if I started making progress. But that she was extremely uncomfortable using the vacuum which it seemed like may need to happen. The top of the head was going into a cone shape like it was supposed to but the rest of it just wasn't making it's way through. I asked her if I could have 30 more minutes and she said that was fine. After about 20 minutes, I was beyond uncomfortable. I asked Leigh for her opinion and she said let's push as hard as we can. But after a little while I asked her what she really thought. She told me that she has seen this before and that I shouldn't feel bad about needing a c-section. She said I have done everything that I could. And she was watching the whole time and didn't see more than the very tip of that baby's head.

As soon as I made the decision to get the c-section everything happened extremely quickly. They got me in the operating room, gave me the spinal, and had the baby out in about 4 minutes. I was so excited to see my son!! I was sad that he couldn't come right on to my chest but I couldn't think about it at that point. I knew I had done my best. He was born at 6:25 am. I had been actively pushing since about 3am. Everyone in the operating room was shocked that I was not on drugs! And I never ever felt pressured to do anything that I wasn't comfortable with.

So in the end it was not the birth that I had planned but I'm trying to look on the bright side. I was able to stay in the hospital for almost 5 days. I took full advantage of the staff. I had the Lactation Consultant in the room everyday giving me breastfeeding tips and watching the latch (we are doing GREAT with breastfeeding!!). I sent Steve with the nurses any time they did anything from swaddling to bathing so he could learn the techniques. We were waited on hand and foot and I was well taken care of. Scripps La Jolla is wonderful.

I was definitely bummed that I went through the whole process flawlessly only to stop at the end. But I've come to terms with it. I was scared at first because when he came out his head was super cone shaped (which I expected) but on the back of his head was a huge dark purple black bruise from banging against my pubic bone. But he's perfect! He only spit up once his first day and nothing after that. Good for a c-section baby! His name is Steven Raymond H., III. As a nickname for the 3rd generation we call him Trey. He was 8 lbs11oz and 21 inches. And he has a huge head!  

So there it is. I will absolutely do hypnobirthing again for the next baby! My child had a perfect heart rate the whole entire 16+ hours that I was in labor. Drugs didn't enter my body until about 4 minutes before he came out (so I am hoping he didn't get as much as if I had been on an epidural the entire time?) He is such a calm baby!! Only cries when he's hungry and is just so relaxed. We're so lucky.

Thanks again for being an amazing instructor. We'll see you again for a refresher course in a couple years :)---Pam

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Thanks, Pam, for sharing your story with me! I'm glad that even though things went very differently than planned, that you felt that the classes were still helpful for you. My ultimate goal for teaching HypnoBirthing is to inform & educate my couples so that whatever choices they need to make are ones that they know are right for them in the moment. I hope you're recovering well & enjoying your little baby!

If you're interested in learning more about Pam's doula, Leigh Fenly, please visit www.tranquilityinbirth.com.

If you're interested in taking Carol's HypnoBirthing classes, please visit www.AWellLivedLife.Net for more information. If Carol's schedule doesn't work with yours, she would be happy to refer you to one of the many practitioners in San Diego. If you're outside of San Diego, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com for a list of practitioners in your area.

Sara and Erich's HypnoBirthing Story

Sara and Erich took my classes at Seaside Women’s Health in Encinitas, North County San Diego. Here is their story:

I could not believe how similar my birth story was to your first baby's birth! I was really shaking in transition, and I remembered that is what you described as well. My doula did not show up to the hospital as promised which was a disappointment. And lastly, my son was born with his hand up next to his head, just like your first baby!

I was overdue and my OB was concerned about the health of the baby. She had scheduled me for induction on Tuesday at exactly 42 weeks

 which was pushing her from her usual 41.5 week induction date. She was

flexible and understood that I was waiting until the last possible moment to be induced. We decided to try sweeping my membranes on the Friday before to see if that would work. Nothing happened except for cramping. I went to Indigo Dragon Wellness Center for their induction acupuncture the same day. Nothing but lots of cramps. We waited it out Saturday and nothing. Sunday came and finally that evening, after walking the beach stairs, I noticed more intense cramping, but nothing that uncomfortable. I just took my time breathing through them.

My water broke soon after and I was surprised at how different the surges felt from the cramps. From there things got much more intense. Thinking we had tons of time to labor at home, I tried to go shower, wash my hair and relax but it was not happening. I put on the affirmations and ran a bath but it was too uncomfortable against the hard porcelain. The doula was not answering her phone or responding to texts. The only position I found to give me comfort was the "slow dance"; hanging on my husband and swaying. After only about 20 minutes or so, the surges were a minute apart and I was really shaky. My mom came over, thinking we were having dinner, and promptly told us to get going to the hospital. As much as I thought we were going too soon, I knew the surges were really close and we should probably get moving.

It took me forever to get to the car, stopping and breathing through each surge. We sped along the 5 freeway to Scripps La Jolla Hospital and again it took forever to get to elevator and up to the maternity area as I didn't want the wheelchair. They didn't bother putting in a hep-lock, taking blood, signing paperwork or putting the monitor on me. The nurse checked and I was at 9cm. We waited a little bit longer for the doctor and it was time to push! The nurse offered me the epidural, even though the birth plan said not to, but at that point I knew I was so close there was no way I was considering getting one. About 2 hours from the time my water broke, Landon Thomas was born alert, happy and drug-free.

Although I didn't listen to the rainbow relaxation CD at all, as there wasn't much time and I was too focused to get it playing, I know that the HypnoBirthing classes really helped me. They made me feel confident, knowing that my body and my baby would figure out what to do on their own. Knowing I was made to do this allowed me to remain fearless about the final stages of labor and the pushing. I walked away from the experience feeling very empowered and happy about the outcome of the birth. My husband was also able to act as a doula, since she wasn't able to get there, and know how to provide comfort and support in a positive way as we learned in class.

So, thank you so much for providing me with confidence and a birth without fear! We couldn't have done it without you :)

Sara, Erich and Landon

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Sara and Erich, thank you so much for sharing your story! I'm so glad that you were able to have such a quick birth yet feel educated, informed & in control as much as possible with everything happening so fast! I hope you are continuing to enjoy your babymoon!

If you are interested in taking HypnoBirthing classes in the San Diego area, please feel free to contact Carol for class schedules and more information at: A Well Lived Life. If Carol's schedule does not work with yours, she would love to refer you to other local instructors as well. If you aren’t in the San Diego area but are still interested in utilizing all that HypnoBirthing has to offer, check out The HypnoBirthing Institute and find a Local Practitioner for you!

Jenni & Bobby's 2nd HypnoBirth of a 9.5 lb baby!

Jenni & Bobby took my HypnoBirthing classes for their first birth and had a great experience. When they found out they were pregnant again, they contacted me for a refresher class. They came to sit in on a class to review techniques in order to prepare for their second birth. Here is their story:

Our beautiful Brynnlee Elaine was born on September 9th at 4:46 in the afternoon! She was 9.5 lbs and 20 inches!!!

It all started Saturday night around 10:30 and my contractions were 10 minutes apart for a good hour or so. They picked up a bit and then tapered off to about 14 minutes apart. Like my labor with Jordan, I let Bobby sleep and kept practicing what I was going to say to him the next morning when he woke up. Ha! I was able to get a decent amount of sleep in between contractions and was getting so annoyed and having to unlock my phone to use my contraction app every time I felt another one coming. I stopped timing them for a good portion of the night, as I felt I was wasting more energy analyzing them than was necessary.

The next morning when Bobby woke up, the most clever comment I could come up with was, "Today's the day!" I guess all of my prep work and practice from the night before didn't pay off. I then sent a text to LaShel and Jamin giving them a heads up that I was pretty certain Brynnlee was on her way and then texted my mom to see if she was able to come down and take care of Jordan during the birth. She was on her way shortly after getting the news.

Bobby, Jordan and I all got up and came downstairs like every other weekend morning. Bobby made me an egg over easy on a piece of toast and I just labored in the family room; sitting on my birthing ball, standing up and swaying, or leaning against the kitchen table. Jordan wanted "uppies", wanted to play and do normal playful things, and we just kept telling her that mama's tummy hurt and she needed to leave me alone.

My mom arrived only a few hours after texting her and was a huge help in keeping Jordan occupied. I continued to labor as I had been, but started to get discouraged when I was noticing that my contractions were 4 to 5 minutes apart, lasting 60 to 90 seconds while I was standing, but would slow down to 7 or 8 minutes apart, lasting 60 seconds max if I sat down. I was also falling asleep in between contractions while I was sitting, so I guess I hadn't gotten as much sleep as I had thought! I had been losing bits of my mucous plug for a solid two weeks prior, but also started to have a little bloody show here and there throughout the morning.

Earlier in the morning, LaShel had written me asking if she was ok to go to yoga at 10:30. I saw no problem with it since things hadn't really picked up. Around 11:30, I figured she would be out of class and I decided to update her and see what insight she may have for me. She called me right back and recommend I try to take a nap and get some rest and that my be just what my body needs in order for labor to pick up. So that's just what I did. When I got upstairs, Bobby had already prepped the room with all the plastic on the floor and under the fitted sheet on the bed. I curled right up on the bed and was able to get some rest after I decided to stop timing contractions again. I stayed there for a couple hours and LaShel checked in on me around 2:15. Contractions were about 6 minutes apart at that point and I was definitely not able to talk through them any more. She told me to let her know when I was ready for them and they would be over.

With Jordan, my water broke, contractions started and progressed steadily, and everything happened so fast. Mentally, I feel like I was holding on to the fact that my water hadn't broken, so I wasn't going to progress. I expressed my concern to her, to which she told me that my water may not break until I start pushing...duh...I knew that, but for some reason, I just expected everything to be more similar to Jordan's birth. Bobby then came in to check on me and I decided to go to the bathroom to make sure a full bladder wasn't preventing my water from breaking. While in there, I started to think about getting in the tub and Bobby must have read my mind because that was the next question he asked. I stayed on the toilet until the bath was ready. Getting in felt AH-MAZING. It was so soothing to my back. Until......my next contraction. I remember looking Bobby straight in the eyes and shaking my head, "No" and it was like I didn't know what to do with my body. I just wanted to find that one position that would alleviate all the pressure in my back, but there wasn't one. I eventually ended up sitting in the tub like you would normally to just relax and with each contraction, I laid my head back against the glass of the shower and moaned as deep as I could through it. Bobby was so amazing at being right there with me and letting me know if my tone was too high or if he could tell that I was tensing my butt muscles.

After laboring in the tub for a while, (it felt like at least an hour), I finally told Bobby that I was ready for LaShel and Jamin to come. I just needed to know where I was at and how much more I had to get through. Now looking through my texts, I realize that it had only been 45 minutes since I was texting her myself about my water not breaking. LaShel arrived shortly after 3pm. I got out of the tub once she was all set up and had her check me. Amy, a student midwife, had also arrived at this point and Jamin was on her way. Just like with Jordan, I could have sworn I was not going to be very dilated and I was going to lose my ever-loving mind. My body is now two for two in proving me wrong. I was already 8 cm with a bit of a cervical lip. Oh, I could not have been more relieved. I curled up on my side on the bed and just asked Bobby to apply counter pressure on my lower back. Jamin showed up in the mean time and one of them expressed that they didn't want me laying down and suggested I get up and sit on the toilet...the one place that I found the most excruciating while having a contraction. But.....if it was going to help, I was willing to try it out. The very next contraction that came on while I was on the toilet was H*LL!! The sounds that came out of my mouth were horrifying and I remember hearing Jamin say something like, "Yup, that's what we were hoping for!" I felt so much pressure at that point that I was so ready to get this baby out. I don't remember why, because I was a bit confused as to when I was going to start pushing, but I got off the toilet and ended up spending a few contractions leaning against the sink with Bobby applying counter pressure again. With each contraction, I was starting to squat down into it and finally asked when I was going to push. They told me I could start whenever I felt I was ready, so we made our way to the bed. I didn't want to push while laying on my back again, so I started out on my knees with my upper body over the birthing ball, but the ball was too high, so they stacked a bunch of pillows for me to drape myself over. This position was fine except that I was practically sitting on the bed still and this left no room for the baby to move down, let alone, out. So they told me I needed to lift my butt up a bit. Stink bug it was. My big bare A** up in the air, but I couldn't have cared less. I bared down a few times in this position and then ended up switching to a side lying position. I don't remember exactly why I decided to move, but I did. I continued to push in this position while pleading for someone to tell me how much longer I had to do this and dropping a number of F bombs. It felt like I had been pushing for hours. Time distortion was not on my side, as I ended up pushing for 12 minutes! LaShel ended up having to break my water for me and said that it was actually pretty difficult for her to rupture. It was housing our mighty healthy 9.5 lb baby girl after all! I had to sit with her head crowning in an attempt to help from tearing, but I ended up with a tear anyway. Once her head was out, LaShel told me to reach down and pull my baby out and I couldn't believe she was here. I reached down, grabbed her underneath her arms and went to pull her to my chest, but she slipped right out of my hands! I regripped and was holding my new love, my new life, my new baby girl on my chest. The feeling is indescribable.

And, without further ado, here is the latest addition to our family!

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Thanks so much for sharing your birth story! Wow...a 9.5 lb baby! You did an amazing job! I'm glad that the HypnoBirthing refresher class you took helped you have such an amazing experience!

If you're interested in learning more about Jenni's midwives, please visit www.SanDiegoMidwife.com.

If you're interested in learning more about HypnoBirthing classes in San Diego, Please visit Carol's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If Carol's class schedule doesn't fit yours, she would be happy to refer to you some of the other practitioners in San Diego. If you're outside of San Diego, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com to find an instructor near you.

Gina and Mike's HypnoBirthing Story

Gina and Mike took my classes on Tuesday evenings at Seaside Women’s Health in Encinitas, North County San Diego.

Zoe decided to make an early appearance six weeks ahead of her guess date! She is doing well, and I wanted to write to give you the news and to especially thank you for the HynoBirthing training because despite all the curve-balls we faced that fateful night, I managed to have a beautiful, peaceful hypnobirth!

My water started leaking steadily and fairly heavily at 10:45PM on the 14th, and because I was only at 34 weeks, I called the midwives' line at UCSD and luckily got a hold of Erica Wu, who was one of the midwives I'd seen during my prenatal visit. She suggested that we go down and get checked out just to be sure, and so we collected all our things very calmly and drove down to the UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest at around 12 am. I was sure that the baby was coming, and Mike was just as sure she was not, but luckily, he indulged me and drove me down! When they began monitoring me, it appeared that I was already in the 4-1-1 stage, but I never felt a thing except a very mild pressure. Erica said that because I was less than 36 weeks, she wouldn't be able to deliver me at the Birth Center, but that she would find the most natural birth friendly OB resident and attending, and that she didn't see any reason why I couldn't have a natural birth. She was true to her word, because by the time my surges became really powerful--around 3 AM, the nurses and OB resident had met with me, assured me that they would respect all our birth preferences (that we hadn't had a chance to discuss with our midwife or write down yet) and they did. The neonatologists, however, were less accommodating, and insisted that I give birth in the OR, but by then I was completely in my zone, breathing with each surge, changing positions, moving about, and never once opening my eyes or talking. It didn't matter to me where I gave birth because I was well and truly within myself and unaware of my surroundings. I had been listening to the Rainbow Relaxation and comfortable with Mike’s light massage during early labor, but I didn't want to listen to the CD or be touched during active labor. Our doula, Jenna Anderson, was awesome, applying cold and hot compresses, taking turns with Mike to apply counter-pressure on my hips, and at around 5 after I had a massive bout of vomiting (which felt really good afterward), she suggested that the resident check my cervix because she thought I was close (the resident said that she didn't need to check me at all before that because I was progressing so quickly and she didn't want to put me in any discomfort). I was 9 cm dilated at 5 am, ready to push by 5:30, and baby came after about 40 minutes of a combination of "purple pushing" and bearing down, both of which seemed completely intuitive to me at the time. The doctors and nurses (Drs. Mimi Schaeffer and Yvette Lacroisiere, and Juliette, the nurse), Jenna, and of course, Mike, were so encouraging and wonderful--- I felt like I was running a sprint with my most ardent fans egging me to the finish line, as gently and warmly as possible. No one ever mentioned Pitocin, epidurals, or episiotomies to me, I was allowed to do everything I wanted to, and even with a portable fetal rate monitor that I continuously had on my belly, no one ever gave me cause for alarm. Baby came easily, and I did tear very little, needing 1 stitch, which hasn't bothered me at all. Incidentally, we practiced perineal massage for the first time the evening of the 14th, so that poor perineum didn't get a chance to get properly exercised! I was really touched when both the nurse and resident said that they felt honored at having witnessed such a beautiful birth--Jenna said that she had never seen OBs treat a birth with such dignity.

If anything, the neonatologists have not been quite as respectful as the OBs, because they did not allow me initial skin-to-skin time with Zoe, nor an attempt at breastfeeding and they whisked her away to the NICU almost immediately. Mike went with them, and they did bring her to me briefly, but that part of it has been less than ideal. This is despite the fact that she weighed a respectable 5 lbs at birth, cried lustily as soon as she was born, and was pink, healthy, and vigorous. She's still in the NICU as a "feeder and grower" so that's hard, but I am so glad I was able to give her a drug and anesthesia-free birth. We are hoping that she comes home very soon, so we can continue bonding in a more comfortable space, when she doesn't have a dozen monitoring devices attached to her. Without the natural birth, I wouldn't have been feeling this good physically so soon after giving birth, and my time with her would be much more limited. I am almost fully recovered from the labor and delivery, save for some lingering exhaustion at the end of each day and my rigorous pumping schedule every 3 hours round the clock.

Thanks you for giving us the tools to be able to do this---it will always be one of the most amazing experiences in both my life and Mike’s.

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Congratulations, Gina and Mike! I am so happy that Zoe's birth was just as beautiful as you desired, even if it was a bit earlier than anticipated! I am thankful to hear that the HypnoBirthing techniques came in handy, and am also thankful to know that Zoe was on the road to recovery soon after you sent this story in. How wonderful you felt so respected and empowered for your experience!

For more information on Gina’s doula, Jenna Anderson: www.thebirthofadoula.blogspot.com

If you are interested in taking HypnoBirthing classes in the San Diego area, please feel free to contact Carol for class schedules and more information at: A Well Lived Life. If Carol's schedule does not work with yours, she would love to refer you to other local instructors as well. If you aren’t in the San Diego area but are still interested in utilizing all that HypnoBirthing has to offer, check out The HypnoBirthing Institute and find a Local Practitioner for you!