Hello Melissa!
Just a quick email to let you know our son Henry has arrived! He was born a week ago, at 8:26am on Sunday 3rd February. He came into this world alert and calm after 7 and a half hours of surges, completely naturally without pain relief or intervention ” received by Doug and my sister Emily. He was 3.5kg (7 pounds 12 oz) and 52cm in length. He started eating within minutes and hasn’t stopped! Mostly he sleeps while Doug and I stare at him in wonder at how beautiful he is and how we can love him so much already.
An old friend from high school has taken some beautiful photos of us with him ” a couple are attached.
I want to thank you for the Hypnobirthing course. It was the most important thing I did during pregnancy.
Our story:
I had asked my obstetrician and the hospital staff not to tell me how dilated my cervix was, how much longer they expect me to be in labour and not to offer me any pain relief unless I asked for it. My obstetrician seemed surprised but was very happy to abide by my wishes.
I woke up at 1am on the 3rd of February with surges and calmly used Hypnobirthing techniques while getting in and out of bed and the shower and occasionally waking Doug to time the surges. I was expecting to use affirmations about my baby arriving but found myself reminding myself how powerful I was to be able to listen to my body, control my experience and how proud I would be of myself for birthing naturally. I listened to some Hypnobirthing recordings and changed positions until my body told me it was time to go to the hospital at 6:30am.
The midwife said our obstetrician was not working and that the doctor was on his way but there were a few other women to see who had come in around my time. She later told me she thought my labour probably hadn’t progressed very far because of how calm I was so she advised the doctor to see other women ahead of me. I was put on the monitor and Doug read some visualisations during that time. The monitor showed that when Doug started reading, Henry fell asleep, and our heart rates were very calm while the monitor showed quite strong surges.
At around 8am I said I was finding it hard to maintain concentration, something along the lines of “I’m not sure I can do this any more, maybe I will ask the doctor to tell me how many centimetres I am dilated when he comes in” and Doug suggested we stick to the plan and helped me into the shower. In the shower my plug released, my waters broke and I felt the need to start pushing, all within about five minutes. I got onto the bed and started breathing Henry down. The doctor arrived and gave me my first and only examination, letting me know I was fully dilated. About ten minutes later, Henry arrived. Doug received his head with the support of my sister Emily and the doctor came in a little later and helped complete the delivery. Henry squeaked once to let us know he was here and then quietly sought out my breast for his first feed.
Thank you so much for teaching me that I was born for this. Our son Henry is a chilled out little soul and I’m really happy I’ve given him such a positive start to life.
I’ll be telling every pregnant woman I know to do your course!
Kate and Doug, Arana Hills Brisbane