The Hypnobubs course prepares us to make empowered decisions.
Hi all,
I'm a FTM, my beautiful baby girl is now 3.5 weeks old. I wanted to share my birth story because it turned out completely different to what I had planned or expected going in. Sorry it's a long one!)
I started feeling surges at 41 + 3 and was cautiously excited as I had an induction booked 3 days later which I was hoping to avoid. I laboured at home for 1.5 days and when I was assessed at the hospital I was only 3cm dilated. They gave me the option to go home or start an induction process with artificial rupture of membranes and then synthetic oxytocin because my surges had been irregular (baby was posterior which I was told could cause this, as well as the intense back pain I was feeling with each surge). By then I was so exhausted from surges and lack of sleep that I chose to start the induction.
After a while on the synthetic oxytocin my surges were coming with almost no rest in between, and I decided I needed an epidural in order to get through the rest of the labour and have enough energy left to push. I was so happy with this decision because I was able to control the epidural so that by the time I was ready to push I could move my legs and feel enough to still feel "connected" to my body and birth. After 17 minutes or pushing, beautiful baby Kate was in my arms. All 4.32kg of her.
The biggest thing I took from the Hypnobubs course was that I was "prepared to meet whatever path my birth takes". I did not envision my birth story including an induction or epidural but in the end, I am so happy with the choices I made in those moments. I still used breathing techniques and listed to the tracks and calming music. I still think of my birth with positivity. And most importantly, I still have a happy and healthy baby to show for it all.
I wanted to share this to let mums-to-be know that a positive hypnobirth can mean a lot of things. There is no shame in choosing medical intervention if that is what feels right in the moment. We cannot truly "plan" for birth, but the Hypnobubs course prepares us to make empowered decisions and trust that we know our bodies and our limits.
Hannah
