This week’s birth story comes from a lovely couple who attended a TCBS Hypnobirthing Course with Sarah Tuite of Before You Birth – Hypnobirthing Teaching covering Brixham, South Devon.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful, positive birth story!
In the days leading up to meeting our son, I was extremely happy and excited. I made sure I did all the things that got the Oxytocin flowing. I met my brother’s adorable new kittens, I was even sending screen shots to my partner from ‘The Naked Doula’ about a partner’s role during birth and floppy face, floppy fanny the night before he arrived.
At 5am the next morning, I felt my waters had started to break. I called triage and they asked me to wait 30 minutes. So, I cuddled our cat Luna, and left my partner to sleep a little longer. Half an hour later I stood up and WHOOSH a lot more amniotic fluid followed. I called triage and they told me to take a shower, get some breakfast and not to rush but to head to the hospital. I then woke up my partner to tell him today was the day! We had a chilled morning full of laughter.
We arrived at hospital and my surges started a few hours later! I felt relaxed, my partner and I were laughing, we had so much love, knowing we would be meeting our son very soon! A lot of the techniques Sarah taught us helped with pain management, I asked for a bath which was lovely and relaxing, my partner helped me with the breathing techniques when the surges came, and I even sat on the toilet backwards. I did find the surges very intense, at one point I remember shouting out for an epidural – even though I knew I didn’t want one really! Even if I did there wasn’t enough time as our birth escalated quickly. I went from being 3cm to 10cm in 40 minutes. I was rushed from the induction suite to a labour room. My partner was able to quickly set up the room with a salt lamp, calming spa music and sprayed lavender to help calm me. I felt pretty dazed but felt so strong and breathed out baby out using only gas and air!
The labour was so fast, I felt fully supported by my partner and the midwives throughout the whole process – The midwives were so very impressed and couldn’t believe this was my first child. There was standout point I remember vividly, when the baby was emerging, the midwives asked my partner if he would like to see the head, as there was so much hair. I found this extremely funny as my partner isn’t one for blood or bodily fluids. I remember him say “let me eat a colin the caterpillar first” – which was hilarious! I didn’t feel in pain as I was so focused on breathing and knowing I was about to meet our son.
When he was placed on my chest I was overwhelmed with love. I couldn’t believe we created him. I loved the whole experience. We had the delayed cord clamping and my partner cut the cord. I had skin to skin with my son the whole time. He did not leave my sight. I managed to breast feed the colostrum to him, and the midwives were very supportive with how to latch (I now exclusively breastfeed) I had a 2nd degree tear which was stitched up quickly and very efficiently. I was given tea and toast – which was the best food ever in that moment considering I felt quite sick through the surges and was unable to eat anything, so the toast was very much appreciated. Then my partner had skin to skin with our son while I went and had a shower!
I couldn’t have done it without him, and I genuinely feel he couldn’t have done it without Sarah! Talking with Sarah helped with many aspects of the birth but especially being able to share hypnobirthing with my partner he was able to get a good understanding of the role he could play during the birth. And boy did he go all out! He carried the bags from room to room as I was moved 4 different times, this included lugging a salt lamp around. He cared for me when the surges were so intense and helped me breath and stay on track. He helped support me in the decisions we made prior to the birth, and he was so prepared with food, love, compassion and level headedness that I felt safe and strong.
I would 100% recommend hypnobirthing. In fact, anyone who’s pregnant I come across I tell them hypnobirthing was the best thing we did. Sarah was absolutely brilliant. Her calm, knowledgeable and warm persona were some of the many qualities she brought to the classes. We’re so pleased with the classes and the fact that she continued to be in contact and offered guidance if we wanted it afterwards which was really considerate.
We want to thank Sarah for her guidance, compassion and enthusiasm throughout this life changing moment. I personally think my birth would have been a lot trickier and a completely different story if it wasn’t her”.
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