So I was staying in the hospital a few days before with blood pressure issues- doctors kept discussing induction and then decided not to as I wasn’t 40 weeks yet and I could go home on Monday!
During the night on Sunday my waters broke- so little that I almost didn’t notice but rang the bell and asked nurses to check as it was a bit pink! They sent me to delivery, did a ctg and confirmed it was waters. Told me to go back to sleep and rest- easier said than done but put on Hollie’s relaxation affirmations and got some sleep.
On Monday they wanted to try natural ways to induce so had some accupuncture, belly/ feet massages with oils and castor oil- that was pretty brutal Contractions started in the evening but stalled over night! They started me on antibiotics that afternoon due to waters going. They decided to wait and start induction in the morning so that I could sleep.
They examined me and I was almost 1cm. I put on my tens machine and slept. At around 6.30am on Tues I went back to the delivery suite, they examined me and I was 2/3cm but contractions were further apart so I got this ribbon put in to soften cervix.
Around 12pm I downloaded a contractions app to monitor as they were getting more frequent. Hanna came at around 2.30pm and I had a shower- at that point I stopped being able to talk through contractions.
At 4.30pm they ramped up and I went back to delivery suite. They examined me- I was 4cm and I cried. They were super happy with progress, took ribbon out and was taken to my room- ended up getting the last birth pool! I got straight in the water, lavender diffuser on, relaxing playlist on and was very calm! Contractions really ramped up and the pressure was pretty intense! Ended up singing along to songs and funnily enough my friends had bought me Hollie’s affirmation cards which I thought I’ll pack them but didn’t think I would use them. Turns out they were so helpful. During every contraction Hanna read out the cards and it really got me through. I also ended up wanting Hanna to kiss my whole face- poor thing as I was sweating in the hot bath, haha, but it really took the pain away!
The midwife wasn’t really in the room, they try and let you be alone unless needed. After about 1/1.5 hours I told Hanna I needed some pain relief- turns out it was paracetamol 😂 I then transitioned in the bath- told Hanna I couldn’t do it anymore and needed to get out immediately! Asked for an epidural, was examined and was 8/9cm!! I almost immediately felt the need to push.
Got on the bed and started to sound like an animal My body completely took over. At 7pm the midwife said they were doing a shift change and left- at this point I thought Hanna was going to deliver him as could feel him coming! Hanna rang the bell and she told me to just keep breathing! Hanna was amazing and guided my breathing to delay pushing. At 7.30pm the new midwife came in- she was pretty tough but good. I was on my all fours and she pushed bed upright, got me on my knees over the bed during breaks and I went onto all fours every contraction! Hanna said the midwife then just watched what I was doing, grabbed her gloves. Then she examined me during a contraction to see how he was moving and then just told me to do what I was doing. Hanna was grabbing water and energy drinks between, then I wanted a towel with freezing cold water over my back- was bliss!
I ended up pushing him out in about 4 pushes and he was born at 19.41 (11minutes after the midwife walked in!!) At one point I thought I’m meant to be breathing him out but I thought fuck it I need it to be over. I ended up delivering placenta with him still attached, midwife told me to feel the cord pulsating which was amazing and then Hanna cut it after it was white!
Afterwards was quite stressful unfortunately as there were 4 women all at the same stage and so it wasn’t as calm as I would have liked. I got a stage 2 tear but it really wasn’t too bad. We were in the delivery suite for about 3 hours after the birth, felt like half an hour and then I was told to shower- that was horrible. Felt like my organs were going to drop out and the pressure was still quite present!
Hanna had to leave and they put me in bed with Matheo and left! I stared at him for about 4 hours and then managed to sleep!
I never expected to have such a calm and straightforward birth!
There is no doubt that hypnobirthing made it that way! Jess x