At Hypnobirthing Hub, we encourage mothers who bought our Home Study Course to share their empowering, heartwarming birth stories to encourage women around the world to experience such a beautiful moment.
Here’s is one incredible birth story we would like to share with you:
Purchasing and Using Our Hypnobirthing Hub Home Study Course
I purchased the Hypnobirthing course just three weeks before my due date. I had read Marie Mongan’s book and started listening to her Rainbow Relaxation CD four weeks prior to that, but I didn’t feel relaxed and comfortable enough so I researched online until I found the Hypnobirthing Hub course. As soon as I started listening to the tracks I immediately felt confident that I could pull it off. I listened to various tracks at night and fell asleep with the guided meditations on. I had an easy time visualizing and focusing on the relaxation. As I listened to the tracks on repeat and felt more and more confident.
My delivery was scheduled to take place in the hospital and I wondered if I could pull off a ‘natural’ birth in a hospital environment while delivering flat on my back and my legs in stirrups. That was my biggest concern and I met with several different doctors to discuss this. It turned out to be such a non-issue because it turns out that I had absolutely no problem delivering on my back. I also met with an anesthesiologist in case I decided to opt for an epidural. I felt very confident and prepared.
Birthing Day Finally Arrives
Two days after my due date, I did the belly dance and my water broke. I was excited and nervous at the same time.
Would my weeks of practice pay off?
Would it work?
Would my labor and delivery be relaxed and pain-free?
I called the doctor to let them know that my water broke and that I was experiencing mild menstrual aches come and go. I asked the nurse to tell me what a contraction feels like and she told me that it would be painful and I ‘would know’. I ate something, cleaned my house and took a shower. As the sensations got more intense, I plugged in my iPod and started listening to my birthing day tracks and swaying in front of the mirror. After about an hour, things got even more intense and I sat on a big ball and leaned forward onto my bed. I made sure to keep hydrated and focused. There was no pain, just very intense ‘sensations’. There’s no other way to describe it.
After a couple of hours (which felt like a very short amount of time), I threw up and my husband realized that I was very far along and he urged me to get in the car so that we could go to the hospital. I kept responding that I’m not in any pain and therefore, I can’t possibly be far along yet. We finally compromised that I would go to the doctor. She checked me and confirmed that I was 7cm dilated! I went straight to the hospital and just over an hour later, my doctor arrived to deliver my beautiful, healthy, 8.7lbs Girl. The whole labor lasted 6 hours. I felt so good that I wanted to go home the minute after I delivered. I felt so incredible and empowered.
I also want to note that my baby who is now 4 months old rarely cries and is generally very happy. I think I would attribute it to the relaxed labor and delivery we had.
Things that I would do differently my second time around
I would have liked to watch the delivery. The ‘pushing phase’ happened so fast (10mins) that I didn’t have a chance to see my baby come out and I wasn’t ready to hold her right away.
I always struggled with Surge Breathing because I had a hard time inhaling and exhaling for 8 seconds. I couldn’t do it during labor either and I would’ve liked to have had a different breathing technique to try instead.
I didn’t make an effort to get my baby to latch on straight after delivery and we struggled with it for 4 weeks until I gave up breastfeeding altogether.
Do you have any amazing hypnobirthing stories you’d like with us? We’d love to hear from you!