My positive birth

With a deep heartfelt thank you to the incredible midwives and all the wonderful staff of Hinchingbrooke hospital. To those who cared for me and my baby before and after birth on the Lilac ward. To the labour ward before and after surgery. And to the surgeon and his invaluable team, I am so grateful to you all. You all took great care of me and my baby and you do an amazing job. There are just no words! 

Shared experiences

I wanted to share my experience with you as we often hear bad experiences which stay with us as opposed to positive stories that help us through our fears. I myself have shared my own negative experience of my first birth and feel it’s important to share and unload all experiences good or bad if it helps us in any way. If my recent positive experience can leave some positivity with a mama who needs it, then I’ll be thrilled.

Three years ago I delivered our first son via C-section as he was breech. I’d always wanted to be a mum of many but my experience in theatre left me quite traumatised at the thought of having to deliver again. I wasn’t even sure whether I wanted to have more children as a result.

Hypnobirthing

When we fell pregnant with Beau I expressed my fear of birth to friends. I was terrified of another C-section due to my previous experience and I was terrified of delivering naturally as you hear so many horror stories and never enough positive birth experiences. 
 
A friend of mine shared with me her positive birth experience which made me want to research more. She suggested I look into hypnobirthing which is what she felt helped her through her second birth. I heard ‘hypnobirthing’ and automatically thought of being hypnotised or placed under some sort of trance! Of course, that’s not the case. Hypnobirthing is all about providing you with the knowledge and positive tools needed to support you through birth.  
 
After just one session with Charlotte, I came away no longer carrying a fear of delivering naturally, I came away with knowledge of how my body would work to birth my baby. I was now excited for the experience to come as opposed to feeling petrified. My whole birth outlook changed from that one session alone and I began to really plan my baby’s birth, the most important experience of our lives. I planned it as if I were planning my wedding and I took it as seriously as I would any life-changing event. 
 
As the weeks progressed, with each session I became more empowered and trusting in what my body could do. I was feeling more excited for the day I got to meet our baby, practicing the tools provided during our course every single day. 

The lead up

Sadly after weeks of latent labour, at one week over due I took a bad tumble and ended up in hospital. I remained in latent labour for two days with no progression and the decision was made by myself and Beau’s daddy that – due to the possible damage from the fall to my previous scar – a C-section would now be the safest option for us. 
 
So here we were – this perfect birth I had planned for and wanted so badly was not to be. I was going to have another C-section and I was completely thrown. 
 
I contacted Charlotte for support and a slap of positivity. Charlotte had been super supportive and on-hand throughout our course, checking-in between sessions to see how bump and I were doing. Charlotte – who was out with her own family at the time – stopped everything she was doing to reassure me and keep me calm. She brought me back to a place of ‘I can do this’. We are forever grateful to her for our positive birth experience and the kindness and care shown. I consider joining Charlotte’s class one of the greatest decisions we made and wish to thank her 1000 times over.

On the day

I was prepped for surgery and down we went. The wonderful team on duty were extremely understanding of my need to play my affirmations throughout our time in theatre. They were also completely on board with my birth plan to avoid a repeat of my previous birth experience, which helped to keep me calm. 
 
I breathed through the prep using the techniques and tools provided on my hypnobirthing course. Keeping myself in a place of calm, I refused to let anything around me in and instead focused on my affirmations and meeting our Beau. I envisaged him being placed on my chest.

In stark contrast to my previous birth experience, the procedure felt like it took minutes and there he was! My beautiful baby boy, being placed on my chest just as I’d pictured. I looked at my partner – tears of joy streaming down my face and said, “we did it again, he’s ours, that was the best experience of my life.” 

Thank you!

Thank you again to the wonderful team at Hinchingbrooke Hospital. Also to Charlotte for supporting me through my birth experience, ensuring this time it was a positive one.