Amanda’s 10 LB. Baby’s Birth Story

10 lb newborn baby looking into camera

Amanda’s 10 LB. Baby’s Birth Story

“There was a lot of excitement surrounding his birth weight because my midwife said, “oh my goodness he’s a heavy boy!” when she had him in her hands! Everyone was very impressed with my birthing once we had his birth weight of 10 lbs 4 oz! I think I’ve made them all believers in the program!”

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I elected a sweep at my 40-week appointment hoping to help my body begin my birthing time (Hypnobabies term for labor) as my baby was very low already and I was dilated to 3-4 cm. I had thought I was in my birthing time after my 38-week appointment which turned out to be the first of many pre wave clusters I experienced in the three weeks to come. After discussion with my doctor, I decided to schedule to be induced at 41 weeks on August 4th. I felt it was best for myself and my baby which was not my original plan for this birth, but I felt like it would be the best for me and my baby.

Newborn baby nursingOver the next week, I did a lot of sitting on my birth ball doing different exercises on it, curb walking, walking, went to my chiropractor who performed acupressure, listened to Come Out Baby (Hypnobabies track to encourage baby to be born) after my 40-week appointment, did the miles circuit etc. to help make sure baby was in the best position. I baked and baked some more and rested as much as possible.

The closer we got to the 41 week mark the more I accepted the change of plans and did a few sessions of Fear Clearing (Hypnobabies track to release fear) and Visualize Your Birth (Hypnobabies track to help visualize your birthing). By the evening before I was going to be induced, I was happy and excited to be meeting my baby soon and felt very calm and at peace.

We got checked in and to our birth room on Wednesday 8/4 and I was excited to see a beautiful picture of a beach scene that was similar to what my special safe place had been. We got all the admittance done and the midwife on duty came in to get things started.

I had visualized being open and my son being very low to allow for the option to rupture my bag of waters and not need to have any other interventions. I knew the risks associated and was comfortable that IF baby was low enough and engaged this option would be my preferred method.

To my pleasure, the midwife suggested this as the first option upon checking my cervix and baby’s station. I was thrilled that my visualizing worked and felt very calm and at peace with this course of action.

I had my Covid swab and was on a wireless monitor and everyone was excited I was using Hypnobabies. I opted for a saline lock and was able to use my Finger Drop Technique (Hypnobabies technique to enter hypnosis) during this plus I was having some intermittent pressure waves as well, so it helped get me into a good frame of mind.

My midwife broke my water around 9:00am or so and there was meconium in the water which made my decision to go forward with being induced at 41 weeks feel like it was definitely the right one for us. She explained that there would be a couple neonate nurses in the room when he was born but if he cried after birth then he’d be fine staying on my chest. I was able to stay calm and at peace and affirmed to myself that he would cry and be healthy.

Once my water was broke, I took a few minutes to use my finger drop to go to off again and focus on deepening my hypnosis and get back into center. My pressure waves started almost right away so I put on my Easier First Stage (Hypnobabies main birthing day track) on my portable speaker.

It didn’t take long for my pressure waves (Hypnobabies term for contractions) to become regular and were getting closer together and stronger. I found I enjoyed sitting on the bed with the end a little lower or swaying/leaning over the bed. I used my Peace Cue (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) which was really helpful in directing my hypno-anesthesia and said it over and over again during my waves.

About 45 mins later my midwife came in and kindly waited for my pressure wave to end and informed me my Covid test was positive. This threw me because I am vaccinated and had zero symptoms. This was really difficult to hear, and I had to really work on my mindset in order to remain calm and have the birth I wanted regardless of this new information. I leaned into my husband who poured positive affirmations into me telling me it was going to be okay.

I struggled for a few minutes with whether I had the strength mentally/emotionally to keep going and thought about asking for an epidural because I was having a hard time with the Covid test results and being able to focus and stay in my special safe place. I worked hard to reset my mind and get back to hearing my track and focusing on the positive words flowing. I was able to get back to a good place and take one wave at a time which were becoming closer and more powerful rather quickly.

I felt the need to go poop which I knew was a possible sign I was moving into transformation (Hypnobabies term for transition).

I had a few waves that moved me from saying peace to using my “aaah” and “oooh” along with “Peeeaaaace”. Hubby also helped by giving me the Relax cue (Hypnobabies cue to deepen hypnosis) and pressing my forehead or shoulder. So, all of this gave me the thought that I was either in transformation or it was very very near.

While I was on the toilet, I had a few pressure waves and was able to have a bowel movement. Sitting on the toilet was helpful in releasing my pelvic floor and moving things along because once I finished, I started feeling more pressure and my waves became even closer and more powerful.

I got back into my comfortable position and a few waves later my midwife came in to see if she could assist me with anything and suggested the shower (I was still on the wireless monitor). I had a couple pressure waves that I needed to vocalize through before I was able to get up to go into the shower.

I only made it to the bathroom door before another wave came and I felt so much pressure in my birth canal. I never made it to the shower and knew for sure I was in transformation and my baby boy would be here very very soon!

I got back into the bed and into the position I felt best in (sitting on the bed with the end down) and started to feel pressure again so much that I felt like I needed to bear down. I had a couple waves very close together and allowed my midwife to check since I was feeling so much pressure and somewhat pushy. I was about an 8 and she stayed with me through 3-4 more waves and checked again and I was complete.10 lb newborn baby looking into camera

Things moved so quickly but I managed to tell hubby to get the Pushing Baby Out track (Hypnobabies track just for pushing) on (which I wasn’t able to get on with my previous hypno-baby). The entire time he had been giving me my Relax and Peace cues which were so so so helpful. Just his touch helped to keep me calm and focused through the strong, powerful waves.

I began pushing and was only given some coaching on trying to help me get into a better position but was respected when I said no which I appreciated. My midwife was doing perineal stretches and I was pushing and vocalizing through this stage to the point I could not hear the Pushing Baby Out. Between one of the waves, I even asked my husband if he put the right track on because I couldn’t hear most of it!

My waves were very powerful, and I could feel my sons head come down and then scoot back up a little with each wave/pushing. At one point I remember saying his head is right there isn’t it? And tried to reach down to feel but I couldn’t get my hand down far enough to feel his head before another wave came. When I pushed during this wave my sons head was beginning crown and I knew we were almost there. I had one or two more waves and was able to push his head out. I immediately felt his shoulders come down and then they rotated, and his shoulders slipped out. I looked down and was able to see him being born the rest of the way which I had not seen with any of my other three.

As soon as he was born, I was able to pull him up on my chest because he was crying, and I knew he was okay! I was overcome with so much emotion and love in that moment that nothing else mattered. His APGAR scores were 8/9 so the meconium in his water was not an issue!

We spent the next two hours skin to skin while I birthed his huge/healthy placenta and hubby cut his cord after a good 5-10 mins! He latched on to my breast and nursed while my midwife sutured my one small 1 degree tear and I felt so much support from the entire room.

There was a lot of excitement surrounding his birth weight because my midwife said, “oh my goodness he’s a heavy boy!” when she had him in her hands! Everyone was very impressed with my birthing once we had his birth weight of 10 lbs 4 oz! I think I’ve made them all believers in the program!

Thank you Hypnobabies for giving me another beautiful birthing!

***baby and I are doing fine. He’s tested negative for Covid twice and the only symptom I have is a loss of most of my smell.

Here is Lizy’s hospital birth story!