This week’s birth story comes from a lovely lady, who attended a TCBS Hypnobirthing course with Georgina Forsyth from SONA Mum – Hypnobirthing & Hypnotherapy covering Aberdeenshire and Angus. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with us!
Isabelle Maisie Rose Goodchild 26.11.19 19.13 6lbs 6ozs
This is the story of how Isabelle was born.
Before we start, I was fortunate to have a very enjoyable pregnancy (well other than the first few months spent throwing up). From about 16 weeks it was a joy, we started with a baby moon at Gleneagles and spent most of the pregnancy enjoying our horses and dogs at home and getting the house ready. I also enjoyed my hypnobirthing course and made sure I took the time to relax and listen to the affirmations. I also enjoyed swimming and latterly pregnancy yoga (totally amazing would always sleep so well after). The last couple of weeks I prepared myself to let go of my pregnancy and meet my baby. It upset me to think I would never be pregnant with my first born again, so I focused on creating memories and preparing for birth. I arranged a bump photo shoot, took a cast of my bump and listened to the positive birth book on audible. Everything at work was also tied up neatly and handed over. I’m a lecturer and it was important for me to finish my subjects for my students and get their feedback and results to them, my last day of work was the Friday and Isabelle was born on the Tuesday. We had a quiet weekend and on Monday I was due to work but rang in sick as I’d felt feverish although didn’t have a temp. I finished my positive birth book and started to prepare to meet my baby.
Around 4 am Tuesday morning I woke up naturally and debated whether to get up or snooze and opted for snoozing. About 5 I noticed mild period pain that I assumed to be usual aches and pains and didn’t think anything of it. My husband woke up at around 5.30/6 which is a usual time for us due to seeing to horses and dogs before work. He asked if I was ok and jokingly asked if I was in labour, I told him not to be a prick. Then we went through to the living room and I had some water and ice and did some yoga exercises on my ball. Things started to get a bit more intense and I started to feel uncomfortable, so my husband and I agreed we should probably ring the midwife unit and ask advise, as although we weren’t really sure it was labour I was uncomfortable so we thought getting checked out wouldn’t hurt. We were asked to come into the triage ward and on examination at around 10 am I was 1 cm dilated so clearly in labour (I still had to ask ?♀). We then stayed on the triage ward, it was quiet, I listened to my affirmations and other hypnobirthing tracks and took some paracetamol after picking up a few emails. The lovely midwife ran me a bath and after my bath I spent more time practicing breathing and with my tapes. I noticed quickly surges were not painful if I hit the timing of my breathing right. I was then examined again at 2 ish and 3 nearly 4 cm dilated and there was space in the midwife unit, so we went through. Well I was delighted to see the room it was beautiful; I had packed my own fairy lights and so on but the room was already beautiful. It was better than I could have imagined I wanted it. We were then left to settle, and I wondered about chatting to my husband and eating crushed ice. Ice became a firm favourite in my pregnancy and still is when I’m nursing! I was offered relaxation methods including massage and a reading … both were thoroughly amazing and led to my waters breaking (Hollywood style, as described by my husband). I then wanted to be in the pool and started on the gas and air. By that point my surges were very intense and I was on my hands and knees, the pool was quickly ran and I got in. The water was so soothing and I loved it but things were so intense and despite reminders from my husband and midwife to use the gas and air just for surges they became back to back and very powerful. I confess I panicked and wanted more drugs (turns out I was transitioning). I got out of the pool for examination, I was 9 cm and was starting to push although I wasn’t quite ready technically, my body by this point had completely taken over I couldn’t have stopped it. I wanted (perhaps unusually) to be on my back, I found this to be the most comfortable place. Within minutes I was 10 cm. I struggled to communicate but I trusted my birth partner, the midwifes and my birthing body. I also trusted my daughter completely; I knew she would find her way. The head took a couple of surges to come through. I was vaguely aware of being told she may be in breach, but I knew she wasn’t, I could feel she wasn’t. I couldn’t speak but the head came through on the next surge. The body came straight in the one surge after that. She kind of shot out. Although on the back is not thought of at the best position, my midwife told me after I had turned and twisted my body in such a way at this point it was the perfect position for the baby. My husband also noticed it was as if my muscles guided her into the place. Obviously, this wasn’t consciously but I had complete faith in my body to do the right thing.
She was then placed skin to skin and found her way to the milk bar within seconds. Holding her took my mind off the stitches. We then spent the night in the comfiest room before heading to the post-partum ward for a couple of nights. All of which was a good experience. I was very blessed to have Ruth, Morag and Olivia with me to welcome my baby girl. They were amazing.
We are totally besotted with Isabelle; she is a calm kind soul only getting frustrated if she gets a bit of wind or put down. She just loves to be cuddled and we indulge that, time is passing far too quickly. She is a very content baby and I think a relaxed pregnancy (as well as luck!) has contributed to this. Midwifes and health visitors comment on how alert she is, and she has put on a good amount of weight so far. She is one-month old today and has already enjoyed coming outside to see the horses, an afternoon tea, her 1st Christmas Party with her NCT group and a couple of meals out. I am so grateful for the guidance received in my pregnancy.
Xx
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