Birth Stories

Lisa and Paul’s Birth Story

We began to explore the option of hypnobirthing in anticipation of the arrival of our second baby. Our experience with our first child had been pretty negative. It was a highly medicalised birth where we felt that events were completely out of our control. I knew in particular that I was carrying a lot of negative notions about labour and birth but equally felt that there must be an alternative. We found that in hypnobirthing. We began researching and eventually made contact with the wonderful Madina. We began classes in our home and Madina immediately made us feel relaxed and comfortable. We worked together on a number of fear release exercises which helped us to let go of the fear and anxiety we had been troubled by. Undertaking the classes alongside reading the Marie Mongan book was excellent – it makes so much sense! We practiced the techniques Madina had taught us and I went to sleep every night listening to the rainbow relaxation script.

Labour began 2 weeks over my expected due date – this was like with my first child but this time I didn’t feel impatient or too uncomfortable but put faith in my body and my baby that things would happen when they were ready.

Surges began and were intense but were very stop start over a number of days. I was starting to become pretty exhausted, as although my hypnobirthing practice was enabling me to remain calm and relaxed, I was unable to sleep. When at the hospital the surges began to slow for the third day I was offered the deliberate rupture of my membranes and I accepted. Although this wasn’t what we had planned I felt it was the right thing to do at that time and completely felt in control of my decision. When I was examined the midwife explained that the baby was not in an ideal position but ‘back to back’ which she described as ‘looking at the stars’ which I much preferred! At this point I almost lost it and was thinking that it was going to be a repeat of my first labour and birth but suddenly something just clicked inside me. I put my headphones back on and listened to the rainbow relaxation script. The surges grew in intensity and frequency and I stood over the bed convinced that I and the baby could do it. I used the techniques we had practiced with Madina alongside the gas and air and I felt as though I was completely within my birthing body. I entered the birth pool at 10 cm dilated. A little while later our beautiful baby boy Henry was born weighing in at 9lb 6oz!

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