I found out I was pregnant with my second child and as soon as the excitement had worn off from looking at the positive pregnancy test, I suddenly started panicking and got really anxious at the thought of going through labour again. I wanted to enjoy my labour and not be anxious about labour throughout my whole pregnancy. Due to this I got in touch with Ruth at The Calm Birth Club. It was the best decision I ever made! Ruth was so friendly, so calm and very knowledgeable. Ruth listened to my previous birth and listened to all my worries and concerns. Within my first session with Ruth my outlook was totally different, I felt more positive, I believed in myself and my body and most importantly I understood the stages and steps of child birth and labour. 

I will be honest, before my class, I didn’t know if I believed in hypnobirthing – I didn’t know if it was as a fad or for people that believe in natural remedies and general hypnotherapies. However, my Husband and I were very wrong. Within the first session both of our mindsets totally changed and after having a traumatic first birth I realised I was so unexperienced and had I have done hypnobirthing with my son my experience would have been totally different and I believe I would have had a natural delivery. Due to this I refused a planned caesarean and I declined induction in the first instance. I was consultant led due to have a caesarean with my son. Whenever I had an appointment Ruth would check on how things went, offered support and advice if I was confused or wanting some reassurance. I can’t praise Ruth enough throughout the process. 

So, fast forward to 41 weeks pregnant…

By this time, I accepted sweeps and had three sweeps in total by my midwife at my GP surgery, however nothing came of them. Due to me having a previous caesarean I then went into hospital to be monitored. I made a clear birth plan for a natural delivery and for a caesarean if I needed it. 

I went into hospital at exactly 41 weeks and was then given an induction. I wasn’t very keen on being induced but after weighing up the options and speaking to several doctors and midwives I accepted the induction and started the process. I stayed mobile throughout the whole induction, walking up and down stairs in the hospital, bouncing on a ball and still doing all of our hypnobirthing techniques. After the first 24 hours of induction there was no change to my cervix and I was really upset. My husband then picked me back up, we watched a funny film and was reminiscing about our son looking at videos and pictures which made me so happy and excited to meet our next child – especially as we didn’t know the sex of the baby. I then got back in the zone and was very positive. The midwives ran me a lovely warm bath and I had battery operated candles on, soft music and my husband was allowed in with me and was massaging me and just generally giving me lots of love and attention. 

After I had the bath I was then examined and my cervix was dilating – we were SO happy. I was then moved into a lovely labour suite with a birthing pool (as my birthing plan requested) – I can honestly say the midwives and doctors did everything they could to make me feel comfortable and happy as they knew I was reluctant to come onto the labour ward. 

My mother in law came in to visit and a new face was so refreshing to see and it really cheered me up and gave me another boost of confidence. As my labour progressed everybody left and it was just my husband and I. The room was very peaceful, very quiet, low lights, battery operated fairy lights, twinkle lights on the ceiling and I was playing hypnobirthing positive affirmations. I was really in the zone and in control. I could feel waves coming and I knew exactly what to do, thanks to Ruth. I sorted my breathing out, found a comfortable upright position and just relaxed and encouraged the waves to come – totally different to my labour with my son. Due to being induced I had a drip in my arm with artificial oxytocin to try and bring my labour on. Due to having frequent waves the midwife turned this down and I requested some Aromatherapy which luckily my midwife was very knowledgeable on – she got some on a cotton bud and attached it to my top so I could smell it without having to hold it. 

My husband then rang my mum to come as things were definitely progressing and I wanted both my mum and husband with me. 

Due to my waves getting stronger and more frequent I needed to change position and have some support from my husband so the midwife got me a stool so that I was still upright but with support and my husband knelt behind me massaging and cuddling me, this really helped and made my back more comfortable. 

After a couple of hours I felt really tired so the midwife made my bed into an upright chair so I could rest and sleep between waves and be very comfortable. I did manage to sleep at times and gave my body a good rest. 

My waters then broke and I had an examination and I was 6cm. I was still very calm and relaxed; I was offered gas and air but I used my breathing techniques throughout the examination, it was a little uncomfortable during waves and tightening’s however manageable using breathing techniques. However, the doctor did notice that although I was having regular strong waves and I was dilating the baby’s head wasn’t engaged or locked, every time I had an examination the babies head was bobbing in and out which isn’t what they’d expect being so progressed into labour. The doctors and midwives advised me to have a caesarean as I had now been in active labour for 10 hours and an additional 48 including the induction and they were worried about the pressure on my previous scar. However, we all agreed to give it another two hours to see what happened now my waters had broken and I was 6cm. 

During those two hours I used gas and air however it made me feel very sick and light headed so I stopped using it and just used my hypnobirthing techniques. A lot of the time I stood leaning over the bed whilst my husband rubbed my back. 

At the next examination there had been no change in the two hours, I remained at 6cm and the baby’s head still hadn’t engaged. At this point I agreed to the caesarean following my caesarean birthing plan.  I took my hypnobirthing music into theatre with me, the doctors were brilliant and followed my plan of only discussing things with my husband and not me to enable me to stay relaxed and calm. I had my gown put on the other way so that I could have skin to skin immediately in theatre. I can honestly say the theatre room was so calm, quiet and very happy. The staff were all lovely to me and respected all my wishes. My husband was with me at all times and he announced the baby’s sex when SHE was delivered!! We couldn’t believe we got so lucky to not only have a healthy 10lb 2oz baby but a boy and a girl. 

I was then taken through to recovery where my mum joined us and met Elsie and I breast fed her and had lots of skin to skin.  

The next day when I was back on the ward the head surgeon came to see me along with a doctor and explained everything to me which I thought was very kind. They knew from my birthing plans that I wanted a natural delivery so they wanted to come and discuss my labour with me to enlighten me as to why my labour went so well but I didn’t have a natural birth. They explained that Elsie’s chin was stuck on my cervix so she was unable to engage and although my body was doing everything correctly, she was simply stuck and couldn’t come down the birthing canal as her chin and head was stuck. The doctor explained that no matter how active I was during labour no matter if I’d have given it another 10 hours her head was completely stuck and not able to move. They praised me for doing so well, they said it was one of the calmest emergency caesareans they have done recently but also one of the trickiest to get the baby out due to her head position. They asked me if I was happy with how they followed my birthing plan – which I was and the care they gave me in general was amazing. 

Elsie is very calm and laid back, she is generally a very pleasant baby and she sleeps well. I 100% believe this is down to hypnobirthing. Every evening we would do scripts and I’d listen to a hypnobirthing track. I was very relaxed during my pregnancy and I really believe this makes a difference. During my labour Elsie slept the whole time, her heart rate never raised or lowered and the midwives said she was very happy and content during the whole labour which I think says a lot about hypnobirthing as a calm relaxed mum means a calm and relaxed baby. It was an amazing experience. Writing this and reliving it only bring happiness to my mind and that is exactly why I wanted to do hypnobirthing. My husband says he felt a spare part during the labour – he says that “you didn’t need me; you were so in control and in tune with your body”. I remember every detail, every discussion and every decision and that is exactly what I wanted from this experience. I definitely wouldn’t have had that if it wasn’t for hypnobirthing. I truly believe if I did hypnobirthing with my son I would have had him naturally. 

Thank you so much Ruth. You gave me reassurance, knowledge, strength and above all the best birthing experience ever. Thank you!!!!