Charlotte’s Snow Storm Hypnobabies Birth on Super Bowl Sunday
“I really enjoyed practicing all the Hypnobabies techniques and I started to feel more and more confident about how our birth would go.”
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.
My husband and I decided soon after we got pregnant that we wanted to have a natural birth with little interventions. After some research, we found a midwife and she suggested we use Hypnobabies! We started the courses at 34 weeks. I really enjoyed practicing all the Hypnobabies techniques and I started to feel more and more confident about how our birth would go.
I woke up at midnight on February 1, 2015 to use the bathroom. I noticed that my water seemed to be leaking slowly. I called my midwife after sitting around anxiously for hours while having very mild pressure waves. I finally called my midwife around 4:30 am and told her that I thought my water was leaking and I was having small pressure waves. We knew a snow storm was coming our way so she said she would leave soon. She lived an hour away, so she left as soon as possible and arrived finally just before 8am. My husband and I live with my parents, but we had all planned that once I would go into labor, my parents would get a hotel for the day and give us some privacy. Well the snow storm that was coming snowed them in, along with my older brother, his girl friend, and my younger brother. My sister called around 5am to ask if her and her husband could come up for the birth (they live two hours away). I told her, “why not”, and they came up as soon as they could in the snow. So, our plan for an empty house didn’t happen, my entire immediate family was present!
While waiting for my midwife and her assistant to arrive, I labored on the birthing ball and my husband blew up the birthing tub. I listened to my Birthing Day Affirmations CD as well as my Hypno Anestesia CD. I was able to relax and breathe through each pressure wave easily. My husband held my hand as the pressure waves grew more intense. I kept picturing my special safe place and felt very calm. Soon after my midwife arrived, the power went out and the house got cold quickly- especially since we live downstairs. So, with the power out and the tub not filled, my dad started calling around for a generator. We live in the country so we had a farmer family friend that had one and a large truck to get through the snow to us. Again, I remained calmed and focused on each pressure wave instead of focusing on the chaos of trying to get the generator hooked up. My dad and husband got the hot water heater going with the generator and started filling up the birthing tub. By this time, my pressure waves were strong enough that the heat of the birthing tub sounded nice. After filling the tub up once, it was only 85 degrees and my midwife then told my dad it had to be 102 degrees. So he attempted to empty the tub with a water transfer that would suction the water out quickly so we could add more hot water. The transfer pump was broken, so he and my husband started to take the water out with a saucepan and 5 gallon bucket. I still remained calm and just watched them as I labored on the birthing ball- craving the heat of the water!! After a second fill up of the tub, the water still wasn’t warm enough and they had to repeat the process again. Third time was the charm and the water was finally warm enough to get in! By this time it was around 1pm and I had been waiting for the tub for a few hours. The heat felt good and I sat back and held my husband’s hand as I labored. I started to have that “bear down” feeling, so I started to push. I stared making the “OHHH-AHHH” sound to help my cervix open. My midwife then checked me and informed me that I wasn’t ready to push, so I had to get on all fours in the tub to stop my body from wanting to push. I was in the tub for about an hour when the water got too cold (because the power was still out) and I got out. Since we were in the basement, with no bathroom, I had to take many trips upstairs where my whole family was- watching the Superbowl! My midwife had me labor on the toilet for a while, then back downstairs to walk around and labor standing up. My birthing waves were 5 minutes apart the whole day! I did some lunges and then was moved to the upstairs shower when the power came back on. I had a few birthing waves in the shower under the hot water. I then moved back downstairs to our bedroom and got in bed. I laid on my side and the pressure waves intensified, I still remained saying “OHHH-AHHH” through each wave. After some time on my side, I felt like I needed to push really hard, so I bared down and WHOOOOSH! My water broke, finally! It was 8pm by now. I now started to imagine my baby moving down the birth canal and out. My midwife had me move to all fours on our bed and I continued to push with each birthing wave. Each wave reminded me that I was that much closer to meeting our baby! I was getting so excited because we didn’t know what we were having. With each wave I told myself to let my body do it’s thing and naturally my body was baring down so hard. The last pressure wave I had, had started to end and I told myself that that was the last one and willed my body back into a contraction and there she was!! My sister had come in just minutes before Charlotte was born and had gotten a video of her crowning and being born! I was still on all fours so they slipped our baby under me so I could see. I frantically started looking to see what we had. Once I saw, I didn’t say a thing but smiled and laid down. They placed our girl on my chest and I looked around to see my sister and husband both crying. I was so in shock and excitement! Charlotte latched on quickly and nursed easily. She was 7lbs 14 oz, and 20 inches long! She was born at 9:18pm, just after the Superbowl ended! My whole family was waiting outside the room once they heard Charlotte’s first cry and they all got to meet her right away. It was so special to have everyone there, and it honestly didn’t bother me one bit while I labored! It was an amazing experience, even with all the hiccups!
Hypnobabies was such an awesome tool during my pregnancy and birth. During my pregnancy, Hypnobabies built up my confidence about how the birth would go. During the birth, I was able to remain calm and relaxed during the chaos of the day. Not once did I feel afraid or worried. I took advantage of the CDs to stay calm and they really put me at ease.
PS. I attached a picture of my husband’s face while I labored, as well a picture of my husband and I right after she was born, two skin to skin pictures of Charlotte and I and a professional picture of Charlotte.
Melana Bucher
