Angelique’s Hypnobabies Home Waterbirth
“I was on all fours, so it took my midwives a second to notice that she was completely out, and the first thing I heard anyone say was my midwife saying, “Ope, there’s a baby in the water!” which my husband and I now laugh about all the time. I leaned back and started to bring her up, and the first thing I noticed was her bright eyes looking at me even while she was still submerged in the tub.”
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On 3/9, I’d woken up to some powerful waves (Hypnobabies term for contractions), about 10 minutes apart. I was very worried because I wasn’t eligible for my full 12 weeks of maternity leave until 2:15pm that day. I sat down for a little while, talking to my baby, and asking her to slow down and stay put long enough for mommy to get through most of her shift. I’d woken up too late to listen to a track, but I turned on my Hypnobabies music and had my husband read a mini script to help me relax and connect with my baby more. While the script calmed me down and my waves didn’t increase, they stayed at about 8-10 minutes apart, and I knew with certainty that it was baby day. My husband drove me to work, and I listened to my Birthing Day Affirmations while imagining baby staying where she was long enough for me to get my full maternity leave. By the time 2:15 rolled around, my waves had increased to 6-8 minutes apart, but I cried with relief that I’d made it. My husband picked me up at 2:30, and we called our midwives and photographer to let them know I was on my way home.
We decided that one of my midwives would come check my cervix to see where I was since my birthing times (Hypnobabies term for labor) tended to go q
uickly once I hit 6 cm. She came and checked, and I was at a 5.5 with a bulging bag. With my history, we were concerned that if my water broke, I would have an accidental unassisted home birth, so I opted to start taking herbs and pumping to get things moving more quickly. I used this time to listen to my hypnosis tracks. When she returned a few hours later (around 8pm) to check me again, I was frustrated because waves hadn’t increased in frequency or intensity, and I felt like nothing had happened.
I was extra worried because my photographer had another birth to attend, and she wasn’t sure who would go more quickly. All of that worry was for nothing because she checked me again and I was at a 9. I was shocked because I hadn’t even been feeling a lot of discomfort during my waves, certainly nothing that was hinting that I was near transformation (Hypnobabies term for transition). My other midwife, photographer, and assistant all came and started setting up the birth tub in a flurry, thinking that this would be like my other birthing times and she would be born any minute.
Hours later, midnight rolled around, and I was exhausted. And frustrated. My photographer had sent her backup to the other birth and missed it, and I felt so bad, even though she assured me that this was an occupational hazard. My team could tell I was close to tears, so they told me to try to rest and cuddle with my husband and they’d come up and see how we all felt in an hour. I thought there was no way I’d be able to sleep, so I put on Special Safe Place with the intent of talking to my baby or maybe falling asleep. I came out of hypnosis (or a nap) at the end of the track, feeling super energized and ready to have my baby.
I had a very strong feeling that all I needed was for my water to break, so I went down and talked to my midwives about my feelings and fears, and they agreed to break my water. One of them popped my water, and things really started to pick up. I eventually got into the birth tub, and my waves really started to intensify. The music used in Hypnobabies was on in the background, and I was too focused inward to have my husband put on any specific track. At 3:30, I broke out of hypnosis to tell my husband that I couldn’t do it. At 3:31, Millie was born all at once into the water. I was on all fours, so it took my midwives a second to notice that she was completely out, and the first thing I heard anyone say was my midwife saying, “Ope, there’s a baby in the water!” which my husband and I now laugh about all the time. I leaned back and started to bring her up, and the first thing I noticed was her bright eyes looking at me even while she was still submerged in the tub.
I had such an amazing, wonderful birth, and I really have to credit Hypnobabies. I truly think I wouldn’t have been able to remain calm enough at work to make it through my shift without my Hypnobabies tools and visualizations, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to feel confident and energized enough to make it through the second part of my birthing time without listening to my Special Safe Place track.
If you enjoyed this story, check out Megan’s story HERE
