Asher’s Unexpected Hypnobabies Home Waterbirth

Asher’s Unexpected Hypnobabies Home Waterbirth

“Carrie arrived at 9:04 pm and came in and sat with me while I was in the pool. She turned on the hypnosis track Easy First Stage (Hypnobabies main birthing time track), was coaching me through my pressure waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions) and showering me with beautiful affirmations to keep me calm and confident.”

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Starting around 4 am on the morning of January 22nd I started having pressure waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions). They were about 10-15 mins apart. I turned on my Hypnobabies Deepen Your Hypnosis Track (Hypnobabies track to deepen level of hypnosis) and “slept through” the majority of the pressure waves. I also alternated and listened to the Turn Posterior Baby hypnosis track to get lil Asher to move because he, like his older brother, was in the posterior position!

Our friend Cait came to our house around 9:30 am to sit with our son Aksel so Bjørn and I could focus on getting me through the pressure waves and seeing if it would potentially ramp up and be time to birth our precious lil Asher. My pressure waves were 10-15 mins apart. I slept for a few hours and relaxed in bed with Bjørn while Cait took care of Aksel in the living room as we knew the time would come quickly where our lives would change forever.

We figured getting some much-needed rest would be a great idea together and I was able to listen to my hypnosis tracks and essentially “sleep” through the pressure waves. Cait put Aksel down for a nap and headed out to get lunch and brought me back a Superfood Bowl from Nektar. She put it in the fridge for me until I woke up.

I texted my hypnosis doula Carrie Cesario Mendes when my pressure waves started at 4 am and kept her posted. After my nap with Bjørn, I told Carrie that since my pressure waves had slowed down I was going to go to the chiropractor and get an adjustment since I knew that would be beneficial for when Asher decided to come. She agreed it was a great idea. So, I took my Nektar Superfood Bowl in the car and Bjørn drove us to the chiropractor as Cait stayed with Aksel. The bowl tasted so amazing and gave me a nice burst of energy without weighing me down. I also made sure I was drinking tons of water.

I had a few pressure waves in the car. Once we arrived at the chiropractor I had a few more pressure waves while on the table to get adjusted. I got an adjustment from my amazing Dr. AJ who had been treating me my entire pregnancy and I told him next time I saw him would most likely be with a baby. He said it was good I was getting an adjustment while in active birthing time (Hypnobabies word for labor) as it would help with alignment when Asher decided to come. We headed back home and I had a few more pressure waves in the car but they were all very spread out.

Once we arrived home around 4pmish we sent Cait home and told her we would call her if we felt like things were ramping up again. I went back to the bedroom to lay down and listen to my hypnosis tracks and Bjørn took care of Aksel in the living room. I slept for a few more hours while listening to my Birthing Day Affirmations and Your Birthing Time Begins (Hypnobabies reminder of what tools and tracks to use during birthing time). It was so relaxing in my room as I had my salt lamp on and all the lights and shades made the room dark. I was snuggled up with my Comfort U birth pillow and was very relaxed through any random pressure waves that came through.

At 6:17 pm I texted Carrie and told her that I just had 4 really intense pressure waves and with one of them I felt Asher descend down into my pelvis. I wondered if Asher also had changed positions because I was listening to my hypnobabies Turn Posterior Baby track! Each pressure wave was about a minute and a half long and they were about 5 mins apart. Carrie told me that the longer, stronger and closer together waves are what was going to bring Asher into my arms. I put on my Deepening Your Hypnosis to re-focus me and keep my pressure waves at bay. At 8:09 pm I texted Carrie that I think she should come over as I could use more focus and Hypnosis support. She said she was putting her son to sleep and then was on her way. She told me to smell or diffuse lavender essential oil and if I hadn’t already submerged myself in water, then I should do that as water is nature’s natural epidural.

Man was she right! I bought a kiddie pool off Amazon to set up in our living room to soak in as our bathtub in our apt was too small and had a sliding glass door which was difficult to maneuver considering the size of my belly. Bjørn then called Cait to come back as things were starting to progress and she arrived within 15-20 mins and would stay the night with Aksel when we decided to go to the hospital to birth Asher.

Bjørn was amazing in inflating the pool and filling it with hot and warm water for me to sit in. It felt amazing. Through each pressure wave, Bjørn would put warm water down my back or on my belly and it felt incredible. I took a break from my hypnosis and listened to a playlist of songs I created on Spotify, that inspired me. Oceans by Hillsong United was my go-to song and really made me emotional and excited to meet my little boy. It also gave me confidence and joy to embrace the journey of working together with Asher to bring him Earthside with my faith in Christ that he would be with us every step of the way.

Carrie arrived at 9:04 pm and came in and sat with me while I was in the pool. She turned on the hypnosis track Easy First Stage (Hypnobabies main birthing time track), was coaching me through my pressure waves and showering me with beautiful affirmations to keep me calm and confident. I brought the lavender diffuser and the salt lamp to the living room because that environment kept me very relaxed. Cait also arrived around the same time and helped Bjørn continuously fill the pool with hot water to keep it warm and comfortable.

Aksel was already asleep in his room so no one had to worry about him. My pressure waves continued to ramp up and were about 3 mins apart and around 9:55 pm I told Carrie I felt like Asher was coming. Bjørn immediately said then we should head to the hospital to birth him. I told Carrie I didn’t think I would make it. I took off my bathing suit bottom and Carrie looked and said Asher was in fact on his way and she could see his head. I knew he was coming. At 10:00 pm we all acknowledged that this was, in fact, happening right then and there. Bjørn asked Cait to call 911 to get an ambulance to our house asap to assist with the birth. So, she got on the phone with them right away. Carrie asked if Bjørn wanted to catch the baby but Bjørn said no he thought Carrie was going to do it. Carrie turned to me and said she thought I should do it. I told her I was a bit scared that I would do it wrong, she said to use my Mama instincts and it would be amazing and she would coach me.

She told me to get on my knees and put my arm down to feel for his head. I did that and I felt his head, it was so soft. I also held my perineum as I held his head. Carrie did an amazing job at coaching me for pushing. She told me to just relax and let my body do what it’s supposed to and to make deep moaning sounds and work with my body instead of against it. That’s exactly what I did and after a few pushes when his shoulders came out I pulled Asher up to my chest and welcomed him into the world at 10:15 pm. And guess what, he came out anterior in the perfect position!!!!!!

Around 5 mins after Asher was born the paramedics showed up. They waited until the cord turned white and stopped pulsating to cut the cord and Bjørn cut the cord. They wanted to get me and Asher to the hospital asap to get checked out but I had not yet birthed the placenta. So, they put me on a stretcher and in the ambulance and took me, Bjørn and Asher to Kaiser. Carrie followed us in her car and Cait stayed at our apt with Aksel. I was having some pressure waves in the ambulance which told me the placenta was ready to come out soon. Once we got to Kaiser (about 10-15 mins later), and the paramedics took me straight to Labor and Delivery, I was transferred from the stretcher to a bed in triage. I immediately told them I felt the placenta ready to be birthed and that’s exactly what happened.

It felt amazing to expel it from my body. They checked it and actually complimented me for the color and look of my placenta (which they also did when I birthed Aksel). I think it was because all of the Ningxa Red I drank during my pregnancy haha. They did Apgar while Asher was on me and we declined the Hep B and Eye Ointment administration. Asher weighed 8lbs even and 19 inches long. Both Asher and I were healthy and I didn’t tear at all!!! I was stitch free which was incredible because with my first son I had a fourth-degree tear.

The doctors kept pushing me to sign up for a C-section to avoid any potential tears with Asher but Mamas it’s possible to have a 4th-degree tear and not tear the next time! I’m living proof of that. Go with your instincts. I did some preventive things to try and help my body with elasticity, however. I took vitamin c and collagen the last month of pregnancy. also, we got the kiddie pool for me to soak in because I know that helps with tearing as well but didn’t know Asher would decide to come there! 😜

It was an incredible euphoric experience to birth my own child into the world in a relaxing environment with my husband in our home drug-free and naturally. We are beyond blessed. Our bodies are incredible and you can do anything if you believe in yourself. Thank you, Carrie and Bjørn for believing in me so I could believe in myself!

Below are some pictures we had at home and some pictures of our lil Asher now at 4 months. He’s a big healthy boy weighing 19 lbs. at 4 months. He loves Mommy’s milk!!