This week’s birth story comes from a lovely couple Charlotte and Danny who attended a TCBS Hypnobirthing Course with Charlotte Inkpin of Hypnobirthing with Charlotte, covering areas across Braintree, Essex.
Thank you for sharing such a positive arrival of Freya with us!
“When people ask me how the birth of my beautiful baby girl was, I never expected my reply to be ‘It was lovely’. I was always one of these women that had a real fear of giving birth but thanks to Charlotte, I can honestly say I felt the opposite!
On the 18th April at 4.00am I had got out of bed to go to the toilet and as I was getting back into bed I felt a trickle run down my leg. I wasn’t too sure if this was ‘it’ or not, but my husband said it probably was best to give the labour ward a call. After the lady on the phone had asked a few questions, she told me to pop in midmorning so they could check if my waters had broken. So off I went back to bed! At this point I had started to feel a little nervous so remembered to start the breathing techniques I had learnt and been practising since starting hypnobirthing with Charlotte and after only a few minutes I felt so much more relaxed.
At around 7.00am my back started aching, so I decided to sit on my ball to help feel more comfortable. We had planned to leave for the hospital at 9.30am so we would miss the Monday morning traffic. Once I had had a shower, I spent the rest of the time bouncing on my ball or walking up and down the length of the living room to help ease my aching back. My husband put my hospital bag in the car and after him faffing around a bit (which I didn’t even bite his head off about!) off we went. At this point I was fully expecting for us to return home in an hour or so after being checked as I remember thinking that the discomfort was very mild. I felt a little more uncomfortable in the car because I wanted to be moving around but listening to my birthing playlist and remembering my breathing kept me focused and calm.
Once we reached the hospital we were shown into a small, side room where the midwife did some checks. George, our lovely midwife, said exactly what I had expected her to say, ‘maybe go home, have a bath and see how you go’. I was happy for this to happen because I had already written on my birth preferences that I would rather stay at home for as long as possible before going into hospital. George then offered to examine me before we left for home. At first, I said not to worry but my husband checked if I was sure I didn’t want to be and at the last minute I agreed. Although I hate to admit when Danny is right, I was very pleased he had asked me again because George then found I was actually 5cm dilated. She was very shocked and commented on how calm and collected I had been since arriving. It was then I told her that I had done a hypnobirthing course and she read my birth preferences. George filled the birthing pool and Danny rung my Mum to let her know she could come into the hospital. Throughout this time, I remember being very focused on my breathing and even at one point feeling excited that I would probably be meeting my baby that day! George left the gas and air on the bed near to where I was pacing and just told me it was there if I wanted it. Within half an hour my Mum had arrived, and I was in the birthing pool with the gas and air. The water felt amazing, I was swaying in the water, keeping my knees in and my calves out just as I had learnt. George sat in the room with us but kept out of the way completely and only reassured me softly and checked the baby’s heartrate every so often too. Soon after my surges became a little more uncomfortable, I told George that I felt like I needed to poo. She offered to examine me, but I wasn’t too keen on getting out of the pool at this point. She replied with ‘That’s ok Charlotte, just go with your body’. This made me feel so at ease and that I totally had this under control. My Mum rubbed my back and poured warm water, from the pool, over my back which was amazing. Danny held his hand out for me to lean my head on the side of the pool and stayed so calm throughout it all, smiling to reassure me was just enough at this point. As my surges got stronger (but not at all ‘painful’ or any other awful words I had heard people previously described them as) I then felt the need to push. Within a few pushes the head was out, and I felt like super women at this point! I pushed a few more times after this and the baby’s body didn’t follow quite as quickly as they would have liked it to. George told me calmly to stand up so they could get me out of the pool to help move the baby. She pressed the red button on the wall and some other midwives and a doctor came in to assist but as I stood up I was able to move my baby’s shoulder and out flew our beautiful baby girl. I will never forget the moment I saw her come floating through my legs and holding her in my hands. George gave her a big rub and slowly we could see her turning a lovely healthy colour. Seeing Danny holding our girl on his chest (whilst I got out of the pool and then delivered the placenta) was such a surreal feeling. I can honestly say I would do it all over again and that my birthing experience was just amazing.
Thank you to the wonderful Charlotte for educating me on what our incredible bodies do during birth and all of the possible paths it could take, I felt prepared, relaxed and excited to bring my baby into the world! Our gorgeous Freya Emily Watson was born at 12:49 on the 18th April 2022. She is just perfect, and we are so lucky to have her in our lives.
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