Katy's Birth Story & video

After sadly loosing a baby two years ago due to an Ectopic pregnancy my
husband and I were so happy when we found out we were expecting again.
The first couple of weeks were very stressful, with regular hospital
appointments to make sure everything was healthy, we were relieved when
we were told the baby was growing in the right place. Time went by and I
started to think about the birth, like most first time mums I had
concerns and about the labour. I had an image of pain, hospitals and
drugs, whenever you see a birth on TV or in the films you see screaming
women, shouting abuse at there partners and begging for some relief.
Plus I had friends who had recently had babies and they had had awful
experiences, it seemed like no one had a positive story to tell.

I started to investigate what options would be available to me to help
me through my birth and that's when I came across Hypnobirthing, from
what I read I could see it was well used in America and it is getting
more popular in this country. I got in contact with my local
Hypnobirthing practitioner, Suzy O'Hare and we went to an open evening.
I did feel I was beyond help, as my due date came closer my nerves
really started to kick in. Suzy reassured me there was another way and
we started the Hypnobirthing course. The process involves changing the
way you approach birth, Suzy showed us videos of births of women who had
used Hypnobirthing, they were relaxed and calm and completely in
control. I had never seen anything like that before and I was keen to
find out their techniques, these included positive affirmations,
relaxation and deep breathing. I started the course at 18 weeks and so I
had a lot of time to practise. The course gave my husband something to
do too, it showed him how to remain calm and keep in control, he was
also taught how to massage me to help fire off endorphins, our bodies
natural pain relief hormones.

We found the experience gave us so much confidence we made the decision
to have the baby at home, this wasn't excepted by friends and family at
first, people were worried about if something went wrong – wouldn't it
be best if I was in a hospital, but we trusted our new skills and the
most amazing team of mid wives.

I worked hard on my breathing techniques and positive affirmations and
my due date came closer. Suzy paid us another visit to help us work on
any fears which might have developed, but I was confident and excited to
experience labour.

Then, a week after my due date I woke up at 4am feeling something was
starting. I nudged my husband and told him it was time. We both decided
we would try and doze for a little longer, my husband started to time my
surges. By 6am they were 10 minutes apart and Matt popped out for
breakfast to we could keep our energy up. We then rang the on duty
midwife and told her my labour had started. At that point I was using
breathing techniques and a tens machine, I felt very relaxed and
completely in control. By 8am the surges were 6 minutes apart and we
called the midwife back and she arrived at 9am. The surges were now very
close and I started to use the gas and air. I also spent some time in
the bath with my husband poring warm water down my back. Then I felt the
need to bare down, so I hopped out of the bath to the bedroom where we
had prepared the space with sheets and towels. This when the
Hypnobirthing really kicked in for me, I breathed calmly and after a few
pushes at 11.43am Archie was born, healthy and weighing 6lb 3oz's.

As the mid wives carried out their checks, there was a knock at the
front door – I had completely forgotten I had ordered our weekly shop to
be delivered between 11 and 12. My husband went down to meet the driver,
he told him I had just had a baby upstairs and the driver just laughed!
Two deliveries in the space of ten minutes! I contacted the shop we got
the order from and told them about this and they named a delivery van
after Archie!

I now tell anyone who listens about my positive birth and explain it
doesn't have to be all about pain , drugs and hospitals!