This week’s birth story comes from a lovely couple Jen and Ben who attended a TCBS Hypnobirthing course with Cath Coleman of Kent Hypnobirthing.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with is!
So, the time was creeping up to our estimated date (13/03/2020) – the day
before the arrival of our beautiful boy I went for a long walk with my dogs, drank raspberry leaf tea and of an evening we created a little nest of fairy lights, music, candles, relaxation, massaging and breathing techniques. These moments we did daily really helped ground me and relax me of the upcoming arrival of our beautiful boy.
On the 12/03/2020 – I started my day by taking my dogs for another walk round our local park at around 8.30/9.00 am I did feel slightly that I had a constant feeling of needed a ‘poo’ on this walk. Didn’t think much of it other than the baby must be very low down today!
Once back I went to the toilet and noticed a ‘bloody’ show! Much to my excitement I was aware that this could be the start of things – but also aware it could take a few days to a week from now.
I carried on with my day and at 9.30 am I had my midwife appointment – which also confirmed blood in my urine from my ‘show’ but to keep going and all very good signs! So off I plodded on back home, feeling very excited.
I got home and started cleaning/fussing about – I had been doing this regularly just in case – I love a tidy home. During this hour around 10-11 am I started feeling some slight “period pains”. I remember stopping at the washing up and thinking maybe I will start to practice my breathing through these. I didn’t think much of them at all – everyone told me slow labour could go on for days and the first surges are very period like.
Around 11.30 am I was feeling a little needy – I had been few days leading up to this and text Ben if he could leave work at lunch and just come be with me just in case, I didn’t really want to be alone.
At 12.00 pm a very close friend of mine popped round after work – I said it was a good distraction, so we all had tea and biscuits for an hour which everyone loves!
13.00-14.00 pm I decided to go for another walk with our dogs round the block to see if we could bring things along – at this point still having mild ‘period pains’ which I thought maybe I would start tracking on Freya to see how far in between they are and keep an eye on things.
14.00-14.30 pm we got back and because I still had the feelings of needing a ‘poo’ I popped on the loo again – I wasn’t sure but I think might waters went at this point! I called the midwife I saw that morning for advice and she suggested to get checked as they like to get baby out within a time frame of waters going.
14.30 pm We packed the bags into the car – just in case! Headed down to the local daycare. On the way down I did find the ‘period surges’ becoming quite regular and just sat silently the whole way with my headphones on listening to my affirmations and practiced breathing them in and out with each wave. I remember taking in the quiet moments between each one as a break. Once we arrived, I waddled off while Ben went to get a weekly parking ticket. I stopped timing them on Freya at this point and to be honest didn’t have a clue and focused on getting over to the daycare unit.
15.00 pm we arrived at the hospital and they popped me in a room to monitor baby’s heart rate. I had baby monitored prior to this while I was being checked regularly for pre-eclampsia so knew what we were doing. I had to sit very still at this point which very quickly became difficult for me to do with the ‘surges’ I was feeling. So, I really tried, I sat with my headphones on listening to my daily affirmations still – Ben was massaging my hands and I was really focusing on breathing in and out at this point. A thought crossed my mind that if I should consider having an epidural because I was finding it incredibly hard already, which was upsetting me.
Listening to the monitor I knew things had quickly changed every time I had a surge my baby’s heart decelerated. I had heard it so many times prior I knew something wasn’t right.
The next thing I was asked to be checked by a midwife which I consented to. She couldn’t see much, so I didn’t think I was very far along – I was then undressed and put in a gown, socks and wheeled off in a wheelchair to the labour ward. Later, I found out I was being prepped for a c – section.
16.00 pm in the labour room, I had a lot of people coming in and out. In all honesty I was still just in my own bubble practising my breathing through the surges. I hopped onto the bed and another midwife asked if she could check to see how dilated I was in which I consented to again.
The midwife turns around and says ‘8 cm dilated’ to my shock I just knew this baby was on his way! I was actually half 8 cm and half fully dilated at this point. There was no time for a c-section this baby was coming now!
I was kindly offered gas and air which I took full advantage of using my breathing techniques through it. I had to start pushing baby out there and then every time a surge came, I had to push into my bottom as hard as I could.
Every time I did this, I was literally just in visualisation of him moving down the birth canal and him ‘moving into the perfect position for giving birth’. My baby was slowly coming into the world with every push getting closer and closer. I felt no ‘pain’ at all during all of this!
The birth really took a quick turn because every time I had these surges, they kept losing contact with our precious baby boy. They popped the electronic fetal monitoring on because they kept losing him and I consented to this.
I also consented to having an episiotomy – as they couldn’t get the baby head out – they had concerns if he had his cord round his neck or he was stressed as he couldn’t get out.
They then asked my consent for a kiwi cup which I agreed to – in all honesty all I wanted was him out safe and sound and took all the advice given to me using my Brain method.
Then at 16.55 pm after 55 mins of a very quick labour, our beautiful boy Edward Benjamin Moffatt – 8 pound 3 – was safely in my arms!
Dad got to cut his cord and we spent 17.00 pm -23.00 pm golden hour time. It was amazing me; Ben and Eddie had all that time alone together – doing skin to skin. We really needed this after such a quick labour – I was in shock but the very first thing I said to the midwives after was ‘I’d do that again’. I loved every minute of my birth story. It wasn’t long, it was intense but so so so so empowering. Yes – I did labour on my back with my feet in stirrups and I absolutely loved every moment of it!
P.s We hadn’t even take the bags out the car!
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