After having the most beautiful hypnobirthing experience with our daughter Layla, I could only hope things would go as smoothly when we fell pregnant with our second little bub. During my pregnancy, I did however find myself becoming increasingly doubtful when thoughts like “Maybe I was just lucky” begun circulating in my head.

Thankfully, we booked a Hypnobirthing Austrlaia Refresher Course with Melissa and she picked up on my concerns straight away. She corrected my thinking by reminding me that I had indeed prepared for Layla’s birth and it was no fluke that our experience was so wonderful.

The power of the mind is immense and Melissa reminded me to listen to the positive affirmations and to be confident – not hopeful. I corrected my attitude, placed the affirmation cards in the shower where I would see them every day and listened to the CDs in the car (life with a 3 year old doesn’t allow much down time to practice at home!).

One week before due date I woke to the feeling of a surge at 6am. Initially being unsure whether it was the Braxton hicks I’d been experiencing, it soon became clear after going to the toilet and losing the mucus plug. We were excited!

Knowing this was the early stages of what could be a long day ahead, my husband Greg took Layla to church and arranged for a play date for her later with a friend.

Throughout the course of the day, I found myself being able to relax and breathe through the surges. I snacked regularly and drank plenty of water. The most comfortable position for me was to sit on a chair turned backwards where I would rest my head during a surge. I listened to music and watched TV in between the surges, which increased and decreased in frequency until about 8pm when they were approximately 3 minutes apart.

We arrived at the hospital at 8:30pm where the midwives had begun following our previously supplied birth preferences by setting up a dim lit room with no pain relief options present and a fit ball. It was a calm environment and I continued to listen to my music and affirmations with my earphones in. Greg fielded any questions and supported me wonderfully by providing water, cold face washes and rubbing my lower back. I love how hypnobirthing involves and empowers our men to be a significant part of the whole process.

I knew that our baby was posterior in position and had been warned that this would likely give me back pain and extend my labour. Having Greg rub my lower back and apply heat wheat packs provided some relief until I eventually found the most comfortable position for birthing on the floor, using the fit ball and Greg to support my arms.

During this time, the midwife had been reluctant to take off the heart rate monitors saying she was not able to get a clear reading on the baby’s heartbeat. Whilst I knew this could be a problem, I remained focused and “tuned out to the distractions”. We later discovered that the midwife had thought our birth would result in a caesarean due to our bub’s position and my labour which did not appear to be progressing at that time. I am thankful that we were clear on our birth preferences stating our wishes for a natural birth, as this information was not relayed to me and did not therefore interfere with my relaxed state.

My membranes ruptured and I felt the urge to push at approximately 11:30pm which lasted for 20 minutes before I naturally delivered our baby boy.

Despite this labour being longer and more intense than our first, I was proud to have once again experienced a calm and natural birth.

Thank you again Melissa!!

Greg and Philippa, Gold Coast