Third time is another charming hypnobirthing water birth
“I am focussed on a calm, easy birth”
“Every surge brings my baby closer to me”
“I trust my body’s innate wisdom to do what it is designed to do”
“I am a strong woman”
I love birthing affirmations. Not only are all the messages beautiful and uplifting but they are also the sentiments of love and support that I wish all women who are birthing can listen to.
Pregnancy and childbirth are a special gift for any woman to experience and I am delighted that I have had three amazing water birthing experiences thanks to the techniques I have learnt through Hypnobirthing Australia.
I first attended a course in 2013 before the birth of my eldest and returned again this year as a little refresher. I enjoyed both courses equally and really appreciate Melissa’s enthusiasm for positive birth experiences.
The following birth story is of my third and most recent birth.
Just after Christmas my husband and I discovered that we were expecting our third child. We were elated and soon discovered that it was a little boy.
My pregnancy was mostly routine, however, two weeks from my due date I developed hypertension. I was put on medication which stabilised the condition but did not reduce my blood pressure. For this reason, and after discussion with my obstetrician, I decided to have an induction at 40 weeks. As long as the induction only required gel and the rupture of my membranes I would still be able to have a water birth.
During the few days before my hospital admission I experienced what I believed to be early signs that my body was preparing to birth and I spent the mornings and evenings listening to the surge of the sea relaxation soundtrack and sending love and positive thoughts down to my baby. I was admitted to the hospital at 8pm on the 3rd of October and was scheduled for the gel at 9pm. When the midwife came to administer the gel it turned out I was exhibiting early birthing stages and felt it was best to let my body continue naturally. I spent the night listening to the affirmations for beautiful birthing soundtrack and laughing at how cheeky my baby was for deciding to naturally start the birthing process at the same time I was scheduled to start an induction.
In the early hours on the 4th of October I started to notice more regular surges and was happily floating away on my beautiful ocean waves with the sun warming my skin and the beautiful beach in view. As you might have already noticed the surge of the sea relaxation is by far my most favourite hypnobirthing space.
At around 6am I was taken to the birthing suite and had a fabulous midwife who knew I was hypnobirthing and calmly told me to take as much time as I needed walking down to the suite. I was very appreciative with how patient she was. I was then handed over to another midwife and midwife student who remained with me for the rest of the birth. Again both of these ladies were absolutely beautiful and professional while respecting the different stages of hypnobirthing that I was experiencing.
At 8am my obstetrician attended the birthing suite and ruptured my membranes. I was in deep relaxation through this although I did hear his suggestion that it would be best if I could try and walk around to ensure my surges continued to progress. I found that I was open to this suggestion and started to slowly stroll around the suite with my husband.
Whenever I felt a surge begin I rested against my husband, planted my feet and allowed myself to be swept up over the wave of my surge. After a while I felt as though I wanted to change positions and spotted the pilates ball next to the pool. As the pool was still being filled I flopped over the ball and started to rock. At this point I noticed a change in my breathing. I remember trying to quite my conscious mind as I started to think “am I already in transition?”. My lovely midwife then came over to my husband and let him know the pool was ready.
I entered the pool and was now aware that I had started to breathe down my baby. My husband noticed the change as well but we remained silent. It was interesting how this was the first birthing experience that I was completely silent for and also wanted light touch massage from my husband. Every birth is truly a different and unique experience!
I had a few moments where I felt the overwhelming sensation to push and after these sensations had passed my midwife checked my progress and called the obstetrician to let him know I was showing signs of transition. As I was floating in the pool I suddenly felt my bodies instincts take over. “This is it” I heard in my head and I asked my husband to support my body weight as my babies head started to emerge.
A flurry of activity started to happen around me, alarms were ringing, more people entered the room but I stayed calm and focussed on my birth, allowing my body to do what it needed to do. My little boy was in a hurry to meet the world and at 9:33am on the 4th of October he entered it. I tried not to laugh as I heard my obstetrician tell the midwife that he now knows it takes 3 minutes for him to run from his office across the road and up to the birthing suite 🙂 I was definitely in the best professional care with my midwives and obstetrician and I cannot thank them enough for working with me for a wonderful hypnobirthing water birth.
Our son, Bennett, is a gorgeous miracle of life and I am so glad that I had the tools to help him calmly enter the world to start his journey with us.
Thank you so much Melissa, you have had a profound impact on my life and my confidence in my ability to birth!
Love and hugs
Joel and Rebecca
You can find your closest Hypnobirthing Australia Classes HERE.
Find out more about our Hypnobirthing Online Course HERE.