“My 3rd Hypnobirth Story”

This inspiring birth story gives a very honest account of Hypnobubs Practitioner Carin’s most recent birth (with special circumstances). Carin speaks fluent Portuguese and is available for private sessions worldwide (via Skype). Contact us for more details.

Ryan birth story

This is my third birth story and oh my, how different it was from my other two.

This pregnancy went without any complications just like the previous ones. I felt amazing the whole time and didn’t even lose my sleep this time.

But because every pregnancy is different I experienced something I never thought I would this time – fear ( you can read about it all HERE ).

Due to so many changes in my life since my first pregnancy, fear took over me around 34 weeks and a roller coaster of emotions started.

Hypnobirthing Australia techniques I learnt previously (during Liam’s and Henrys pregnancies in 2012 and 2014) and all my Hypnobirthing Australia / Hypnobubs Practitioner training, saved my sanity.

I was being exposed to so much, so much “noise”, so many bad stories (that I was welcoming and encouraging because I wanted to help) that I forgot about myself. It didn’t take long for all the previous training to kick in and kick out the fear.

I was back on track and couldn’t wait to meet my baby.

My previous babies were born at 38 and 39 weeks. All indicated this time around would be roughfully the same but we all know they have they own time scheduled deep inside in the mysteries of birthland.

Booked my mums flight in advance this time, she missed my boy’s births before and crossed fingers for a before Xmas birth… humm Xmas was approaching and all I wanted was to be able to be at home to organise Santa’s arrivals and see my boys opening their presents. Challenge accepted and overcome. Baby was still inside and very cosy after Xmas.

So now all I could do was wait, something I never did before… Liam and Henry came out of the blue!

I was very conscious that I was not as close to the Mater Hospital as before. For my previous births I was living 2 minutes drive from the hospital and now I was at least 15-20 minutes away without traffic. My previous births were super fast and I never had any suspicions of being in labour. I just went in for a check up each time and was in transition already and without even knowing.

If this would happen again Baby 3 could be born in the car … not ideal but hey, happens all the time! 🙂

No. This time all was different.

I felt it coming and I’m so happy I experienced it.

A day before my hips started to go off a bit and sciatic pain started to shoot down my left leg. Happened before during my previous pregnancies and during both births. I thought I was free from it this time but no. But was a good indication something was about to happen.

Started to be a bit on edge from that day onward, just hormones kicking in.

Almost on the last day of 2017 and I was feeling on top of the world and making plans to see the fireworks in the city with my family. I’m such a sucker for fireworks!!! As soon as I booked a car park, I felt the first surge!

I couldn’t believe it! It never happened before!

I felt a surge!!!!

During the whole day they came and went, and I welcomed them with a silly face and an open heart. I was going to meet my baby soon! And this time I knew it!!!!

Went for an icecream with the boys, let them play at the park while chatting away with my husband and feeling the intense pressure coming and going, every 20-30 minutes… I was so happy! After dinner, I called my midwife and we agreed to wait until surges were coming more regularly and keep in touch every hour. Due to my history of quick labour’s would be wise to be on top of it. I went to bed, couldn’t sleep much, was too excited but snoozed during surges… I was actually afraid of sleeping too much and not feeling the surges coming too close and then having to rush to the car. 4am and we made a move because a massive storm was approaching.

Surges were 5 m apart now but I was so comfortable that I was not really sure it was the real thing. I remember saying to my husband “not sure if this is the real thing because I have nothing to compare to! This is not as intense and def not as uncomfortable as everyone says to be real labour.”

Well, it was real labour.

My midwife was already there and I went straight on the CTG to get assessed. (We have a very special baby this time (special circumstances) and monitoring was needed and I knew that).

Something I’m very passionate about is unnecessary intervention and vaginal exams are kind of my pet hate. I never had one. My midwife knew that and never mentioned it but I felt like I needed to know what I was talking about for so long. This was my last shot to have one and even though I didn’t really care too much about progression of labour, this time, with a very special baby, made me think twice and be my very own Guinea pig.

She told me I was half way though dilation and the exam was super gentle.

After an hour walking/ lying around the assessment room my leg started to give me some grief. Sciatic nerve was being pressed and the horrific pain started shooting down my left leg.

Everything was going so well, why did this stupid leg go off place now?!

I could see how this was going to progress and my chances of having a natural birth were going quickly down the drain…so be it! Whatever path it takes…my special circumstances have arisen again.

Birthing suite here we go and nerve pain down one leg and down the other. The pressure on my pelvis was out of this world. (This happens because I have hypermobility of the joints and everything goes off place easily).

With both my boys I never felt membranes releasing… both released almost while crowing with first baby and already with my second one.

This time, in the middle of a surge, trying to get a grip of myself and disconnect from my legs and its issues, it popped! And it was amazing! I think I laughed for a couple of minutes…

I knew this was close now! What a sensation!!!

Epidural was asked and was hoping it would worked like last time and would take that nerve pain away and baby would be out in no time…

The epidural was not enough. The nerve pain was going nowhere and even though I was travelling through surges beautifully and welcoming them with such joy, I’d get to the “ top of the wave” and would loose control with such pain (from the sciatica – not the surges!) Spinal came in and it eased, got rid of the nerve pain, I could actually breathe again but the pressure on the pelvis was still a crushing one. I felt very out of control here. Even with epidurals, during my first and second births I still felt every surge and the urge to push. This time just a crushing pressure sensation remained. I had to let go and surrender the birth of my beautiful baby into the hands of my midwife. But I felt safe, and I felt loved… all was good.

Never before did the almost cliche “choose well your birthing team” statement make more sense than in this birth. Nicky was my birthing instincts now and what a beautiful job she did. Petrina, my ob, came in as well, she was waiting anxious at home for this birth and decided to come and have a look. Nicky thought we might need some help getting surges stronger but not just yet. They were directing my pushing phase – my bearing down went down the drain with the spinal) for a bit already (went for almost an hour total) making sure a surge was coming by touching my tummy and checking ctg and making sure I was feeling that pressure as well before asking me to push.

I cut off the spinal half way through this phase to try to feel something but all I could feel was that crushing painful feeling. Got to a point I thought I may need some help… was I pushing the right way? Was I too numb to birth my baby properly? I was seating on the bed and pushing my heart out… baby was moving but not efficiently and I was so tired.

We decided to try something: let’s use the stirrups as a support to push with the legs as well. Great idea! Put my feet where you are supposed to rest your legs and Petrina and Nicky held my legs straight ‘cause they were wobbly. Something happened. My pelvis tilted just a notch and I felt baby moving down. I was so excited! I remember saying “ I got it! Tell me when to do a push again and baby is coming in no time! I remember this!” I forgot everything that was happening around me and just focused on my baby. I waited until another surge came and push – head out – and push, and I held my baby. A 36cm head plus hand, 3.8 kg and 52 cm long adorable baby boy came into this world into my hands, with no significant damage, just an easy tear that didn’t need stitches.

Needless to say I was over the moon. Just like his brothers, b3 came out super alert, no crying just lots of stares… did breast crawling like a champion and even though a tongue tie was seen straight away, he latched beautifully.

My husband was very quiet this time and I could feel his worry. I felt for him because I know there’s not much he can do to help me birth our baby apart of being there for me. It was the first time I saw tears coming out when our baby came to my hands. I reckon the previous births were so unreal and so quick he didn’t get the chance to fully understand the effort to birth a baby. I’m forever thankful to him for his support and to my midwife and ob for their kindness and expertise.

The Hypnobirthing Australia / Hypnobubs program changed my life 5 years ago and keeps surprising me today.

Every birth is different and for every birth I used different techniques. This 3rd time I truly enjoyed labour and welcomed the changes my body was going through with such joy that it made the whole last bit of the experience, vanish.

I’m cuddling my new baby as I write, and I couldn’t feel more happy!

Carin (Brisbane, QLD)