My birth was a fantastic experience, full of funny moments that made me laugh, which i think if i hadn’t practised the hypnobirthing would of probably made me cry, like the taxi driver being stoned and the car smelling of weed and in his thick Jamaican accent saying “breathe man!” was a moment that made me laugh and really eased the surges i was having in the back of his car!! then a woman giving me a childs toy chair to sit on when i walked through the reception of the birthing centre, it was about 10cm from the ground, what did she want me to do with it??? I think because I was so relaxed I could laugh about these things rather than worry and stress…We managed the surges by slow dancing together and James singing to me. When they were coming so close together I found my birthing position and stayed there until she was born.
Anyway the birthing part was intense but very manageable, I had no pain relief and the I couldn’t have my water birth as the centre had a problem with their hot water!! My little Miss Sydney-Jane was back to back and my waters hadn’t broken so she was coming out in the amniotic sack, which the Midwife told James was going to take longer and could she tear the sack, at which point I reminded him, the Baby knows best and if she wasn’t in distress she was staying in the sack and the midwife should not tear it.
When my body wanted to push, I allowed it and just focused on my breathing which helped so much, she was born in her sack and I was exhausted but so happy that I did it naturally and calm with no tearing or pain relief.. which for me is a huge success as I normally faint at a blood test!!
The midwife broke open the sack and Sydney wriggled, she was then placed on my chest for an hour without a whimper just big eyed and content. James then laid down on the bed and had an hour of skin to skin with her too and she slept.
She is a dream baby, she took to the breast really well, she found her own routine and since 6 weeks old, she goes to bed around 8pm wakes for a 10 minute dream feed and then we wake her around 07.30, she only ever moans when she needs to sleep or she is hungry. Everyone remarks on how content and happy she is, I am never short of a babysitter as she is so easy and so much fun..
I did have acupuncture 8 days after my “due date” only because the birthing centre wouldn’t let me have Sydney there if I was 2 weeks over so i didn’t want to chance it and the morning after i had the treatment my labour started.. I also have a VE when I arrived as I thought it was too easy and wanted to check she was on her way, but the midwife was so good and i didn’t feel it was an intrusion at all I was 7cm when I arrived at the birthing centre.
I real do feel I owe all this to Hypnobirthing!!! Thank you..
Tori and Sydney-Jane
