I was so grateful my hypnobirthing came back to me when I needed it!

My 1st pregnancy, 9-pound baby, 40-hour labour, vacume, 60 stitches, second degree tears.

2nd pregnancy, 36 week scan, current estimated weight- 7 pounds, estimated birth weight at full term- over 9 pounds, current head circumference <99%, GP reccomendation- large for gestational age, induce at 38 weeks.
The facts and figures were piling up and I started getting overwhelmed.

My birth story for my second baby started around 37 weeks when my doctor strongly reccomended I be induced at 38 weeks to prevent damage to myself or birth complications. I was doing shared care and had an appointment booked at the hospital to see a hospital doctor at 38 weeks and I was told that would lead on to an inducement that day.

My mind switched into overdrive and whilst I wasn’t comfortable with being induced, knowing the birth date had its appeal. I booked my mum to fly in to mind our 18months old toddler, my husband put in leave and moved work commitments, we bought the car we’d need for the double pram, and got baby ready. I’d completed a hypnobirthing class for my first bub and had felt incredibly empowered. However, this time around I’d lost my way a little and ended up feeling railroaded to go along with the recommendation.

38 weeks and hubby and I took our bags into hospital ready for our appointment and preceding inducement. The doctor was excellent but told us we had to actually pre-book an inducement and he couldnt get us in for another 5 days! I told him my concerns about early inducement and he was very supportive and informative. He preferred me to wait another week but I agreed to a stretch and sweep.

I walked out sore, anxious and emotional. I’d gone from being extremely physically capable to bedridden with an overactive uterus. I started getting flashb

acks to my hypnobirthing course. Trust your body. Minimal interventions. Your body was designed to do this.

I visited Coastal Therapies for my induction acupuncture and Melissa’s smiling face was on a brochure there. My therapist assured me your body knows what to do, you can do this.

I had a wonderful Kahuna massage where the therapist again assured me- your body is designed to do this. I felt a beautiful connection to my bub and felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

Slowly but surely my faith in myself grew back and started to overcome the numbers and medical jargon. I called a midwife friend to get her opinion. She told me that in her experience 1 in 3 scans for large for gestational age are accurate, it’s my second baby and I would find it much easier this time around.

I called the hospital midwife and spoke to her about my concerns, and asked if I could put off the date until at least the due date to give my baby the chance to turn up naturally. She was excellent and whilst she couldn’t make the call on her own, a phone call to the doctor (on his day off!) to get approval the date was moved.

I realised I had let fear overcome me so I settled in to listen to the fear release track. I had the best sleep in months!!

I walked into my bubs nursery and told her – everything is ready for you, we can’t wait to meet you, we are ready when you are ready! I listened to the baby come out track.

1am and all of a sudden I knew this was it! I could barely believe it! How connected must this beautiful bub be!! By 3am my contractions were 4min apart and we headed in to the hospital. I managed 10 hours of established labor with my breathing and hypnobirthing techniques.
We were blessed with a beautifully calm 8 pound lass that arrived easily- not even a stitch!

It wasn’t an easy road but I was so grateful my hypnobirthing came back to me when I needed it- maybe a refresher course wouldn’t have gone astray!!
I had no medical reason to be induced other than an estimated large for gestational age scan. For those that are in the same situation (and I hear it is becoming more and more common), I can only encourage you to connect with yourself. Build faith that your body is designed to do this and minimal intervention is the key!