I will forever be grateful for the skills we learnt throughout our Hypnobirthing Classes

I will alway treasure Saturday September the 15th as one of the wildest yet best days of my life.

Let’s take it back to where it started… Friday the 14th. I’ve always believed everything happens for a reason, and the universe works in wonderful ways, well on this day it certainly did! My mum who I was really excited to have in the delivery room alongside my husband was up visiting. She was supposed to head home the day before, but for some reason she decided to stay one more night. At this point I had absolutely no inklings I was about to go into labour, I felt as though I was going to go over our due date. Our Private OB Dr Drew Moffrey has informed us 10 days over was the maximum he would recommend… so I was wanting to do everything possible to ensure we didn't need to be induced. So, I had even booked a acupuncture session to hopefully help move things along!

I was 39 weeks + 2 days, and as per usual I was late on taking my weekly bump shot so got my husband to do this, unknowing that it really would be one of my last pregnancy photos! By 10:30am I was relaxing at the acupuncture clinic where I found myself doing a fear release (hypnobirthing technique) and also practicing my hypnobirthing breathing. Before long, I started to feel what I thought could be the start of my surges, I was right! Some would say that acupuncture really worked…!

2 hours later, I was sitting at lunch with Mum and the surges where becoming more regular in fact, every 3 minutes and lasting 40-50 seconds. We headed home for some rest and called my OB. I remember his exact words

‘You are having your baby today!’.

I was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness at the thought of meeting our baby, but also was well aware of the work that needed to be done but I was ready! I felt prepared for wherever my birth took me, thanks to Shari for the amazing tools we acquired over the our 2 day Hypnobirthing course.

By 5pm, there was really no change. My surges where still 3-4 minutes apart, and with my focus on breathing they were very manageable. My husband came home from work, and expressed how proud he was with how well i was managing! By 7pm the intensity has definitely picked up, and we where on our way to the hospital. Almost 10 hours in, and I found myself only 1cm dilated….

Thankfully, I was able to keep in a great mindset and not let the slow progression affect me. We were given the option to stay at the hospital or head home as my waters had not yet broken. We chose to head home. I remember on the drive home telling my husband I wanted to try get some sleep and that maybe we could put on our hypnobirthing affirmation track and he could do some light touch. Of course, he obliged! Looking back now it’s funny, but at the time it wasn’t… my husband fell asleep within 5 minutes of getting into bed… leaving me to labour alone. Now, I’m glad he got some rest because I needed him for what was to come over the next 24 hours.

From 9pm - 2am I laboured in the comfort of my home, I used the shower and (when my husband was awake) we used light touch, hypnobirthing tracks, fit ball, candles and essential oils. By 3am I was in the water bath back at the hospital, by this point I was really needing to focus on my breath and be conscious of where my thoughts wandered. Thanks to my amazing husband who set the room up with fairy lights and essential oils which really played a big role in keeping calm, relaxed and created such a special, loving environment to bring our baby into the world.

At 5am now about 20 hours in, I was 4cm and was being told I was ‘progressing very slow’ despite contractions which where so close together and very intense. Due to this my OB suggested we break the waters, to help speed up dilation. This was a decision my husband and I made together, one which we decided was the best option for us at the time. We carried on labouring in various positions, in and out of the bath, in the shower, leaning over the chair, bed, the wall whilst using light touch, affirmations and breathing through each surge. I felt in control, I felt myself working with my baby, breathing him or her down… In fact I was enjoying the experience (in a strange way). The midwives even commented on how well I was doing, how impressed they were with my control through each surge. I was so grateful for how supportive and encouraging they where of our Hypnobirthing preferences.

My OB (Dr Moffrey) returned at 5 hours later, to do an internal to see how we had progressed since my waters breaking. Surely I was almost there I remember thinking to myself…. 5cm. The number which I really didn't think would affect me did. My heart sank, I was already exhausted and felt like I was doing something wrong.. why wasn't my body opening up.. 1cm in 5 hours?…. was I failing my baby. Negative thoughts clouded my mind, and I went into a dark place, my breathing picked up and I was gasping for air, my heart rate increased and so did our bubs… I was no longer in control. I so desperately wanted the pain to stop. I felt as thought I failed… I asked my husband to take the pain away, I begged him for drugs. He recognised this was ‘transition’ and helped me take one surge at a time. It was at this point, that is we had not learnt the hypnobirthing skills and had a supportive birth partner (my husband) my birth could have taken a totally different direction.

This lasted about 3-4 hours, before with the help of my husband, mum and an amazing midwife I was able to come back to where I needed to be, take control of my labour. I started moving positions again, listening to my tracks, reminding myself what my body was doing and that my baby was on it’s way. Now 2pm on Saturday (over 30 hours in), my OB told me it was time, my body was finally ready to welcome our surprise gender baby in to the world! We started the second stage of labour utilising all different positions and bearing down to move my baby down with each surge. It’s like the feeling of each surge became bearable as my focus was so intensely directed to my breath and birthing my baby. 58 minutes later, and over 15 contractions later our little baby wasn’t coming out yet. Our OB discussed it was a mixture of such a strong pelvic floor and shoulder dystocia. We continued for another 20 minutes, utilising standing, sitting and all sorts of unusual positions. I remember at this point my OB taking off his gloves and my heart sank.. I knew we had been pushing for over an hour…. and I was so worried he was going to tell me I had failed and that I would need a c-section. He knew our preferences, and the birth we wanted and discussed that the next option would be an episiotomy and vacuum extraction. Together my husband and I agreed that it was the best option for our baby and for myself. ‘On the next contraction your baby will be here’.. those words gave me so much strength… what my husband would say is that I turned into ‘Super Women with a game face’. I was ready!

With the surge, I beared down and at the same time was envisioning my body birthing my baby. I heard the loudest ‘POP’ and to be honest in that moment I thought his/her head was out. But unfortunately the vacuum had slipped off the head. When I was told what had happened, I panicked but again my wonderful husband helped me concentrate back to my breath and take control ready for the next surge. ‘POP’ again… this time my husbands protective instincts kicked in, and without realising he reacted and moved the whole bed while reaching for the OB. At the same time, I saw my mum walk away from the bed. I new something was wrong, it had happened again. We waited for the next surge which for the first time in the whole labour… took over 5 minutes to come. I was so exhausted, so anxious, now really thinking of the worse and praying my baby was ok in there. Third time lucky, our baby entered the world!

The room had been so intense throughout the second stage of labour… But as soon as our baby arrived, it all dissipated. I can’t even begin to explain the emotions I felt in that very moment. My husband help deliver our baby, and lifted him up… I remember bursting into tears immediately, staring at my perfect baby.. before realising I didn't even know if it was a boy or girl. My husband was holding him up, and I was moving my head frantically trying to see if we had a boy or girl but the umbilical cord was right in the middle! Finally, I could see… our baby, was a beautiful baby boy. I looked to my husband who was holding him and just starting in to his eyes - a image I will never forget… the midwife was saying ‘put him on her chest’ but it’s like was having this magical moment with our son, that it took him a few moments to do so.

Then.. just like that my son was lying peacefully on my chest. Finally he was right where he belonged, safe and sound right in his Mumma’s arms. He was finally home.

Kingston Aster, Born 15th September 3.44pm.

I will forever be grateful for the skills we learnt throughout hypnobirthing classes. At 20 weeks if you had of asked me how I felt about labour I would have told you I was petrified… but if you asked me after we did our hypnobirthing course I would of said I was excited. I truly didn't believe it was possible to be excited about labour… but I was! I’ve always loved challenging myself, and well… labour is the ultimate challenge.

I truly believe my labour would have took a different turn early on if I or my husband hadn’t been so prepared. Although we didn't have a ‘perfect hypno birth’, I can look back on it with such positivity and can truly say I am so proud of myself, our son and my husband.

There where so many times, I had to dig deep into my tool box of knowledge and techniques and utilise them at different stages of my labour. I was grateful for the education I had around the decisions we made need to make. Everything happens so fast, so to be able to know what could potentially arise, know the advantages and disadvantage of certain procedures really helped us stay in control of our birth. After my birth, I loved the support Shari provided, we had a debrief of my birth experience over the phone which really helped me. I didn't realise how much I needed to just let out and express my experience. She went above and beyond in the care and support provided I would recommend her course to any pregnant women, it was the best thing I could have done.

Thank you Shari for everything, we will forever be grateful for all you taught us, as well as all of your love and support throughout our pregnancy and parenthood journey!

Ash & Ray - Gold Coast

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