Physiological birth story – Alison & Malcolm’s first baby
'I closed my eyes, focused, and breathed out every surge.'
Having breakfast, before a midwife’s appointment, I felt my waters go after picking up a blueberry that had fallen on the kitchen floor.
On arrival at the Midwifery Unit, a midwife confirmed it was indeed my waters and told us our son would be in the world in the next four days and to go home, relax and get the oxytocin flowing.
I bounced on my birthing ball all day, watched funny films, and enjoyed time with my family. I started to feel crampy around 4pm and then mild surges began around 8pm. Things started to get more intense from 10pm onwards. I closed my eyes, focused, and breathed out every surge. I felt pressure building and my surges were becoming more regular but not lasting longer than 36 seconds.
We had a midwife’s appointment at 8:30am the next day but I asked my partner to phone triage around 5:30am. I knew we had to leave home and make our way to the Unit. Every movement I made was slow and laboured as the surges intensified.
On arrival at the Midwifery Unit, I asked for two paracetamol and made my way to our birthing room. My partner stuck my birthing affirmations on the wall, placed the candles on the windowsill, tied bunting to the pillars and pressed play to my labour playlist. After a wee rest, I knew it was time to get into the pool. The sense of relief was immediate - the warm water was the best feeling.
Listening to the music, that all the females in my life had suggested, I felt the pressure build and I pushed instinctively. Our midwife grabbed the mirror, had a look and was flabbergasted when she could see the top of our baby’s head. She told me with my next surge his head would be out.
As Andra Day’s ‘Rise Up’ played our son came into the world safely at 9:52am in what was the most beautifully tranquil and empowering moment of my life.
Hypnobirthing is the most important preparation I did during my pregnancy. It enabled me to stay in control of my labour - I trusted my body, breathed every surge, and repeated my birthing affirmations in my head over and over. It gave me confidence and loads of practical strategies to use. I am so thankful I met Andrea who shared her knowledge, experience, and the principles of hypnobirthing.