This week’s birth story comes from a lovely couple Jennie and Dan, who attended a TCBS Hypnobirthing Course with Sarah Tuite of Before You Birth, covering Brixham – Devon
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with us!
My partner Dan and I are a very relaxed couple. I try not to let anything worry me or phase me in life and I tend to face challenges head on, but calmly.
When we found out I was pregnant with my first child, I also found out a close friend had become a hypnobirthing instructor; but I couldn’t mention anything to her, as it was still early days.
As soon as I had my 12 week scan, I contacted her straight away. We had just moved house and we were renovating whilst living in it, so things were very hectic. We decided we would start our hypnobirthing journey in the new year.
Sadly, Dan’s dad passed away on New Year’s Day, so our journey was not to start yet. Once everything had settled and we had had the funeral, we contacted Sarah, our instructor and very excitingly, our birth journey was beginning.
I started reading the book and our sessions with Sarah were going ahead and all of it made sense. I felt very calm about giving birth and even though it was my first, I was very excited. I also felt very lucky to have a midwife who was on the same wavelength as me and agreed to my birthing preferences.
Anyway, our journey to meeting our beautiful girl started on the Friday, when I thought my waters had gone, as I’d had a large trickle of fluid. I phoned the delivery suite and went to our local hospital the next day. All seemed normal, however, they gave me a pad which changed colour, if amniotic fluid was detected from any further trickling.
There was a slight change in the pad, so once again, we went back to the hospital on the Sunday. I had been getting very bad period pains in my back, which made me think things had started. My bump was monitored and all was fine. I had an internal examination to determine if I needed to be induced. At this point I started to use our training and Dan and I used the BRAIN technique, to decide what we were going to do. I did not want to get induced. Luckily, the doctor did not think my waters had gone, so was very happy to send us home. I was excited to be able to go back on to how I had seen my birthing journey pan out.
On the Monday, I had spotting and I was getting very small surges. We decided to carry on as normal and continue to meet our friends for lunch. When we returned from lunch, my mucous plug had released and my surges were getting stronger. We realised we were going to meet our baby very soon!!
I timed my surges and when things were becoming a bit more real (around 9pm), we phoned the delivery suite to give them a heads up and that we were planning to go to the midwifery led unit. To waste time, we watched Moana and by 1am my surges were getting longer and my rest time shorter. Once again, we phoned the delivery suite and got the most amazing news…my midwife was on call!! I couldn’t believe it!!
She came to the house to observe me and to check that myself and baby were doing well. I did have on my notes that I did not want to be internally checked, however, I felt the need to know where we were in that moment in time. Debbie (m/w) told me we were 3cm and she asked whether I wanted a sweep at that time to help, to which I said no.
We decided that I was going to hold on a little longer and try to get some rest. Debbie left around 3.30am and Dan and I tried to nap. I was getting maybe 3 minute naps in between 3 surges and then a rest again. Occasionally the surges were so strong that they caused me to vomit, but Dan was great and really looked after me.
By 6am I woke Dan and asked him to phone, to let them know I thought I was ready to go in. The surges were getting so strong and I was starting to struggle, but I kept imagining my womb moving as it should and that we were so close to meeting our baby. Dan drove us to the delivery unit, where we met our midwife. It was the longest 35 minutes ever and my surges were getting stronger and stronger.
We arrived at 7.15am, the pool was ready and Debbie was shocked to hear I was getting pressure and some urges to push. There was immediate relief when I got into the pool, it was so lovely. Dan set up some music for me and made sure the room was at low light.
My next surge came and my body pushed. It shocked all of us and I think I may have scared Dan a little, with the primal noise I made along with it! I took gas and air and told Dan how much I loved him all the time, in between surges. I also tried to lighten the mood by cracking a few jokes, while also describing what I was feeling.
Dan was fantastic! He provided kind words and light touch and sat behind me, touching my arms, which helped me to focus and relax. I could feel my little one move further down and it was such an amazing feeling. Before the last push, I said to her that we were going to do this together. She then flew out under my left leg and was caught by Debbie at 8.44am.
We were totally spoilt and looked after. We delayed clamping the cord, Dan had skin to skin whilst I climbed out of the pool and I then fed her for an hour and a half, with 3 hours skin to skin, whilst delivering my placenta and getting the most amazing tea and toast. By 2pm we were all ready to head home.
My midwife was so amazed as to how well we did for my first birth and said I’d be a great candidate for a homebirth next time. My little girl Lana is the most chilled out little girl and I am so happy with how we brought her into the world. I would not change a thing and I’d do it all over again!!
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