Education is definitely key to having a positive experience.

Tiana’s Birth Story

Lila Jean 3.48Kg
40 + 2
Water birth

On the 27th September, our little girl Lila Jean was born into the world. We had a completely unmedicated and unassisted waterbirth, for which I am so grateful to have experienced.

My surges begun at 2pm that afternoon- I was resting in bed listening to surge of the sea and positive affirmations while difussing clary sage and using accupressure in an attempt to induce labour. I got up and got all of my tools ready. Using my exercise ball, I laboured and stretched/moved with my surges to help me through. I had meditation music (Christopher lloyd) on in the background, dimmed the lights and used my natural pain management tools which were a comb to squeeze in my hand, lavender oil, tens machine and the breathing techniques i learned and practiced from the course. From there, things moved very quickly. I thought I was in early labour, but once my surges went from 3 in 10 minutes to every 2 minutes, I knew it was time to go to hospital.

By the time i arrived they were only 1 minute apart and intensifying. The midwives did a VE and to my surprise confirmed I was at least 7cm dilated. All I could think was how proud I was to have mostly laboured at home with no pain relief.

I got into the bath and on my knees which was the only position that felt natural and comfortable. The rest Is a bit of a blur but I remember using visualisation, breathing through and doing exactly what I’d practiced throughout my pregnancy using the hypnobirthing course. My mum and partner were there, offering me calm positive reassurances and reminding me to focus on my breathing. The midwives had read my birth plan before i arrived which was amazing and they completely respected and encouraged me with it. 2.5 hours after arriving at hospital, I had achieved the most empowering positive birth I could have imagined.

What I love about this course apart from the hypnobirthing techniques is that it includes education about the labour and birth process and extra resources and links to read up on. Education is definitely key to having a positive experience. I was not scared of labour and understood and trusted that my body and baby knew what to do.

Thank you Melissa!