Alyssa’s Hypnobabies Birth Center Waterbirth
“The midwife placed baby on my chest and I couldn’t believe how small and perfect my baby was! Or that I felt so good after the process of birthing my daughter!”
Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis really does help you enjoy a much easier and more comfortable birthing! Use code hypno1528 for 10% off our Hypnobabies Home Study Courses.
Thursday night, 3 days after my guess date (Hypnobabies word for due date), I was feeling pressure waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions) that were more noticeable than BH, so I relaxed with a movie and went to bed.
At 11 pm I noticed they were regular as I listened to my maintenance tracks, and at 12 started timing them at 10 mins apart for about two hours. I texted my doula and SIL/photographer telling them it might be baby day, and I went to sleep after listening to Your Birthing Time Begins (Hypnobabies reminder of all the tools to remain comfortable during birthing). I thought I would have hours to progress before needing to call anyone.
From then on I was listening to the Deepening Your Hypnosis track (Hypnobabies track to deepen the level of hypnosis) and was able to sleep through each wave. I woke up after 3 am to more powerful waves but they were still 10 mins apart and didn’t seem very long. I moved from lying on my side to the yoga ball, resting with pillows stacked at the edge of the bed and listening to Birthing Day Affirmations. I loved these and this was probably my favorite part of my birthing time (Hypnobabies word for labor) as I was happy to know my girl was on her way!
Just after 4 am, they got to 5 mins apart and strong but not very long. I turned on Easy First Stage (Hypnobabies main birthing day track). I woke up my husband at 4:30, told him I was calling the doula and getting in the tub because I couldn’t lie down anymore and the yoga ball didn’t feel right either.
I called the doula at 5, then the waves were 3 mins apart! This is when the waves took a lot of energy and I used my Peace cue (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) in low tones. It was exciting because occasionally I could really feel my cervix opening, but I mentally prepared myself for another 6 hours of birthing time once I arrived at the birth center. I was also waiting for them to be 5 mins apart, lasting 1 min for 1 hour but once they got to 3 mins apart I could feel my body telling me it was almost time to go.
I told my husband to get MIL over to care for our 3-year-old so we could leave at 6 am for the birth center. I should have said ASAP but didn’t want to push it because they were still only 30-40 seconds long 3 mins apart and I was really able to rest between. He finished packing bags and getting the car ready while we waited for MIL.
My husband called our photographer and the doula to meet us at the birth center, then we got in the car for a 30-minute drive! Called the Midwives on our drive to meet us there. As I got out of the water at home and into the car I wondered if Transformation (Hypnobabies word for transition) was happening. I had my Easy First Stage track and was very vocal during waves to focus the energy, but I relaxed between and the waves actually spaced out so I only had 4 or 5 in the car.
6:30 we got to the birth center. I walked in slowly, stopping for pressure waves and squatting low while leaning on walls/benches for support. Got inside, checked in with a wristband for me and a tag for husband. The midwife met us and guided us straight to our room. I walked to our room, still stopping to squat and use my Peace cue with each powerful wave.
I immediately got on the yoga ball, leaning on the bed as we got settled and let the midwife know I wanted the tub filled. I waited for meds for GBS and the nurse could NOT get a vein to inject it. She poked me twice before I got annoyed and almost asked for a new nurse to place it. They filled the tub, and without me asking got a new nurse to inject the meds. Time started going quickly by and I was shaking with each wave and needed counterpressure on my hips. I vomited a couple of times and that confirmed to me that transformation was underway.
The tub was full of water and I emptied my bladder then got in. My doula arrived and used the Relax cue (Hypnobabies cue for deepening hypnosis) and I immediately softened and felt more calm/comfortable. I needed counterpressure on my back, my doula mentioned it was because I could feel baby turning and pushing in my pelvis. At this point, I wasn’t very mentally present because the waves took so much energy each time, but that comment helped me realize my baby was closer to birth than I thought. Next, I noticed really low pressure waves down near my pelvis so I thought I might be pushing soon.
The first pushing wave was intense and overwhelmed my mind as my body began bearing down and I immediately felt huge pressure in my perineum! I wasn’t ready for it at all and started roaring and struggling to keep my breath steady. I pulled off my headphones and told my husband to turn on Pushing Baby Out (Hypnobabies track just for pushing). I focused on the track and it helped me to release my body between pushing waves so I could rest and reset my breath. I think it only took 4 waves to push her out but they were each pretty long and I was loud and trying to hold onto a steady breath each time. The second push I felt something move out, her bag of water was hanging out still intact and her head was close to emerging.
The midwife directed me to lie sideways with my left leg up to open my pelvis and that felt much better with the pushing than my squat. I wasn’t present enough to be doing the pushing myself, it felt like I was observing my body do the work and focusing my mind/breath to release the energy with loud roars each time. And then when the water broke I could feel the release of pressure and her head and body slipped out during one wave at 7:32 am. My girl was just 6lb 13 oz and 19” long, smaller than her sister by a couple of inches and almost a full pound.
The midwife placed baby on my chest and I couldn’t believe how small and perfect my baby was! Or that I felt so good after the process of birthing my daughter! We waited for the cord to finish pulsing, and my husband cut it. I relaxed in the water, willing my body to release the tension from my muscles.
We moved to the bed and the placenta came out in one wave, it felt bigger than I thought it would as it came out. My body had a tiny tear on the perineum that didn’t need any extra care and hasn’t caused any discomfort.
The birth was so fast, only an hour after we arrived, and I immediately felt so good and happy to meet my baby! Recovery has been so easy and I’m grateful I can continue using my peace cue with uterine cramping and latching. Hypnobabies helped me feel powerful and in control of my daughter’s beautiful birth!
