Christina’s Empowered Hypnobabies VBAC Birth
“It was truly THE most wonderful and relaxed birth that I could ever imagine. I knew I could do it and I did!”
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.
This is my second pregnancy/birth (we have a 2-year-old little boy) and we welcomed our baby girl on December 3, 2018. After a traumatic emergency cesarean with my son and mourning the ‘natural’ birth experience I dreamed of having with him, when I became pregnant again I was adamant about finding every possible opportunity to have the best birth I knew my body was capable of having.
Finding a doctor that was supportive of a VBAC was the first task. And bless my supportive and amazing husband but the next thing on the list was that I knew I wanted a doula- and thank goodness I found one who introduced me to Hypnobabies! She had a previous client who used Hypnobabies and was telling me all about how amazing her birth was and I knew right then and there that Hypnobabies was what I was going to do.
I immediately started the course (I think I was just into my second trimester) and absolutely LOVED the affirmations. I craved these positive messages on a daily basis especially before falling asleep. I would also watch live births every night before going to sleep (believe it or not I had still never seen/watched a live birth before, and I already had a baby-crazy!) this would help me begin to visualize MY body opening and giving birth. I loved learning about my options in the coursework and was so surprised at how much I didn’t know having already gone through a pregnancy and birth before! I was also seeing a prenatal chiropractor which was a huge help was as well.
So, as we got closer to our guess date (Hypnobabies word for due date) I was extremely upset to find out that my doctor had scheduled me for a cesarean on our baby’s ‘due date’ (guess date)!!! I was SO disappointed in the doctor especially since I had chosen her because she was pro VBAC! She told me she had to schedule it as a precaution because VBAC patients have a higher risk for uterine rupture (which I already knew from Hypnobabies was not a significant percentage) but I realized it was more of a protection for her and the practice that she had to do this- I was still extremely upset and anxious.
I had told my husband that there was no way I would show up for this scheduled c-section, that it was my body and they couldn’t tell me what to do. I even asked the wonderful midwife that worked at the practice what would happen if I didn’t show up and she said I could do that, of course, it was my body but that after the birth the doctor would no longer see me as a patient- and to be honest I was fine with that. I decided losing a doctor who couldn’t give me the birth I knew my body could have wasn’t a doctor I wanted to keep anyway.
Fast forward to my last weekly checkup before our guess date (it was a Friday and our guess date was the following Wednesday) I was extremely emotional and so the doctor offered me the option of stripping the membranes and after much thought and consideration, my husband and I decided that I should do it. I was already feeling some birthing waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions) and knew our baby was already so low that even I could feel her head! So, the doctor stripped the membranes (during which I used Hypnobabies hypnosis) and after some discomfort and cramping, I went through the weekend with not much more progression.
If it hadn’t been for Hypnobabies keeping me calm through all of this I’m sure I would have been way worse emotionally, but I was still in floods of tears before having to go into my appointment that Monday seeing as nothing had progressed over the weekend. I was happy when I was met by the midwife and not the doctor this time, she was frank with me and said that the doctor wasn’t great at membrane stripping and she would go ahead and do it again. Well, as I was leaving the office the cramping became more intense and birthing waves became more consistent.
Throughout it all, I was listening to my affirmations and birthing day tracks and continued to use my breath during each wave. I drove to see the chiropractor and the birthing waves got stronger and now about 10 minutes apart. I drove to see an acupuncturist and there on the table with needles in place I had an urge to throw up, the acupuncturist removed the needles and began to time my birthing waves- they were now 5 minutes apart! I called my husband and had him and my son meet me there as I could no longer drive. As we walked down to the car together I had to stop at least 5 times for birthing waves. After much protest and wanting to take my son to the park my husband convinced me to go to the hospital. When I was checked in at 4:30 I was 6cm dilated!
Below are the notes from my doula from that time forward as I was in deep hypnosis and her notes are much clearer as far as times than I could ever remember:
6:00 pm – I arrived. Christina is now 9cm dilated. She is calm, relaxed, focused, and seems to be comfortable. She is excited and very happy to be in her birthing time (Hypnobabies word for labor)! At this stage of her birthing time, she prefers to be out the bed swaying and moving around the room. I use double hips squeezes which helps her pelvis open and makes the birthing waves stronger.
7:00 pm – Water begins to break ….
7:05 pm – Bag of water fully breaks!
7:20 pm – Christina says she feels like she needs to push. She is becoming uncomfortable with each new wave of pressure and is using her deep breathing and focusing beautifully. Her and Duncan are holding hands and he has his eyes locked on her.
7:45 pm – Christina is dilated to 10cm and begins pushing. She is pushing extremely well and making amazing progress quickly. April, the midwife, offers Christina to touch the top of her baby’s head and experience her coming into the world. Duncan is beside his wife as he watches in awe and encourages Christina with every push.
8:25 pm – Baby girl is BORN! ALEXANDRA GRACE
The cord was wrapped twice around the baby’s neck. April had to cut the cord, but thankfully, there were no complications.
9:15 pm – Alexandra is breastfeeding already. She is calm and very peaceful (just like her mommy).
It was truly THE most wonderful and relaxed birth that I could ever imagine. I knew I could do it and I did! I even said to my husband at what usually is the most uncomfortable part when the baby was ‘crowning’ I looked up at him and said, “I’m doing it!” and he said “You are! And you are doing an amazing job”. Everyone said how calm and relaxed I was! And if you know me that is not what any of my close family and friends would describe me as! I want to tell every Mama-to-be that it is TOTALLY DOABLE!!! There is nothing to be scared of and to stop listening and watching things that create fears around childbirth. We need to change the way we think about birthing for good and Hypnobabies is a huge step in helping to make that happen. Thank you Hypnobabies and all of you Mamas our there for sharing your stories! 🙏
