Amy’s Beautiful Healing Hypnobabies Waterbirth
“I was still in the water and when baby’s head was coming though, my midwife asked me to stand and push the last few times. It only took about 7 or 8 pushes total and I had my boy in my arms! I got to hold him on my chest and sink back down into the tub and RELAX. Best feeling ever!!!”
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As a second time Mom (my first hypno-baby) my main goal this pregnancy was simply to NOT have as frustrating an experience as my first little guy’s birthday was for me. Here’s a quick recap of what happened: Hospital. Induction. Not feeling my wants/needs being respected by my care providers. Wanting a natural birth yet coming into my birthing time under-prepared with tools to help myself overcome fear. Overly pushed epidural. Being overwhelmed and caving to the pressure to be medicated. Purple pushing. Having skin to skin time neglected for hospital baby procedures. Walking out of the hospital 2 days later feeling bullied and that my magical loving birth was stolen from me.
So, I sought out a 180-degree turnabout for baby #2. I found a beautiful and welcoming birthing center with midwifery care, Hypnobabies online courses and a fantastic Hypno-Doula ♥️ I’m so lucky these pieces fell perfectly into place to help me have my healing birth.
It all started on a Wednesday morning…I had overdone it on a walk with my son the day earlier and woke at 6 am with terrible discomfort in my right round ligament area and just couldn’t find a comfortable position whatsoever. I decided to hop in the bathtub and a few minutes in, I was puking. Pressure waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions) started. They were very inconsistent as far as timing went, but strong. I felt like I didn’t have any relief in between waves, they were almost constant. I tried to lie down and listen to a few tracks to get comfortable, but I struggled. I couldn’t stop puking and feeling like there was just no relief. My hypno-doula came over and tried to help me get comfortable.
She was great, suggesting tracks and reminding me to stay as hydrated as possible and to eat if I could keep anything down (but I couldn’t). I was lucky to have already had a regular 37-week appointment with the midwives scheduled for that day, so we decided I should just try to rest until it was time to go in (around 3 pm). When we did make it to the clinic, the midwives hooked me up to monitors to check baby’s heart rate and my pressure waves. Baby looked good, but they decided to give me IV fluids for being dehydrated, anti-nausea medicine, as I still couldn’t even keep down water, and a sleeping pill to try to get some restful sleep. We went home, the pressure waves subsided, and I did sleep pretty well that night. But the next day, my entire body felt like I’d been hit by a truck! My hypno-doula suggested making an appointment with a chiropractor, and after a few days of serious discomfort I finally did.
I got in last minute to see a very nice chiropractor on Saturday and she helped get my back feeling a lot less tight. I saw another chiropractor the following Tuesday and he was incredible! He specialized in pregnancy and pediatrics and really took his time pinpointing my hip issues and helping with the round ligament discomfort (that had continued on since Wednesday). I walked out of his office feeling like a new woman, and finally feeling optimistic about my birthing time (Hypnobabies word for labor) again (because I was really struggling; doubting my ability to pull off an unmedicated Hypnobabies birth when I felt as bad as I did prior to my birthing time even starting!). That evening I noticed mucus in the toilet. Over the next 48 hours I lost my mucus plug and began having menstrual type cramping.
By Thursday morning, I was feeling pressure waves starting again, but thankfully without the ligament pain. I began timing them and contacted my hypno-doula to let her know something was happening. She was great, reminding me to stay hydrated, change positions/activities often, and pay attention to their consistency. I stayed relaxed listening to my tracks and even got some short naps in. I felt good enough to go to Home Depot and out to dinner with my husband and 2-year-old in the early evening.
I continued listening to tracks on and off , just Special Safe Place (Hypnobabies track that creates a special place for mom and baby), Fear Clearing (Hypnobabies track to release any fears), and Deepening Your Hypnosis (Hypnobabies special track to deepen the level of hypnosis) and by 10 pm I called the midwife to see if it was time to go! Things were consistent and about 7 minutes apart. She told me to stay and keep timing. Try to get some sleep if possible. We kept checking in over the next few hours and at 2 am decided to head to the birth center, as my waves were very intense and 5 minutes apart, and my nausea was back with a vengeance. Water wasn’t even staying down anymore.
I did my best to stay in hypnosis/center on the ride to the birth center. I definitely remember being comforted by the track, but still feeling all the bumps in the road! Once we got to the birth center, I was so relieved. It was a beautiful place with amazing staff, and I got my room of choice! My husband and hypno-doula were fantastic at suggesting water, snacks, and movement. Honestly, all I wanted was to relax in the big birthing tub. So, I did! And listened to my tracks from there with a speaker (I forgot my Zenbands headphones). I stayed in center (Hypnobabies technique to remain in hypnosis with eyes open and being able to walk, talk, etc,) and was pleased with my ability to manage the pressure waves. I chatted with my husband and doula in between.
After being checked again by my midwife, she suggested a walk to encourage more birthing time progress. I walked a bit with the help of my husband. I tried to drink apple juice and promptly threw up…again. I went back to my room and decided to try sitting backwards on the toilet in hopes of finding a comfortable place to sit through waves. As I was sitting, my water broke! It couldn’t have been a more perfect time for that to happen! My nurse enthusiastically said, “let’s have a baby!” and I even more enthusiastically agreed and headed back to the birthing tub! (Which was exactly where I wanted to be, anyway.)
Again, I used my Hypnobabies tracks and tools (my hypno-doula was in charge of which tracks I was listening to and did a fabulous job) to stay still and calm as the waves got more intense. I kept waiting for the FER but I don’t think it happened as I had imagined it would. Saying “Peace” (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) and imagining my bright orange hypno-anesthesia through my intensifying waves really helped. My hypno-doula was wonderful with the “Relax” cue (Hypnobabies cue to deepen hypnosis), massage, and pouring water on my back. I began to feel as though if I didn’t force myself to push, I’d end up being pregnant forever! I let my midwife know I was ready to push. Saying “Peace” became yelling “PEEEEEEEAAACE!!!” 😂 I was still in the water and when baby’s head was coming though, my midwife asked me to stand and push the last few times. It only took about 7 or 8 pushes total and I had my boy in my arms! I got to hold him on my chest and sink back down into the tub and RELAX. Best feeling ever!!!
We stayed at the birth center for just few hours, eating, drinking, checking baby and relaxing together. Then we took our beautiful baby home to meet his brother. I had him at 6:40 am and was relaxing at home by 11 am. No poking and prodding by nurses, no waiting for epidurals to wear off. It was exactly. What. I wanted.
I’m so glad Hypnobabies was suggested to me (in a random FB birthing group) and my husband and I did the prep work to have an amazing experience. I’m also SO GLAD I found my amazing doula, as she was KEY to helping me stay in hypnosis and reminding me to take care of myself before, during, and after our beautiful birthing time. ♥️
My Orion is 7 months old now and such a sweet happy little man. Thanks again, Hypnobabies ☺️🙏
