Jess’ Successful Hypnobabies Hospital Birth
“I turned on my Easy First Stage track (Hypnobabies main birthing day track) and listened to it while on my birth ball as I waited for each wave. My Peace cue (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) and my husband’s Relax cue (Hypnobabies cue to deepen hypnosis) were so helpful as I rode each wave with little discomfort.”
I need to preface my story by telling you a little bit about my first birth. I had my first baby 2 years ago. I wanted my last birth to be a natural Hypnobabies birth, but due to a matter of life circumstances I did not finish the program and did not have much of any practice with my tracks and cues before going in for my induction at 39 weeks due to my gestational diabetes. I had a very difficult birthing time and to be quite honest, I later realized I was quite traumatized from the experience.
When I found out I was pregnant this second time, I soon started realizing I was not over my first birthing experience and I started realizing I would become quite anxious every time I had to go in for any doctor’s appointments. I knew that if I was going to have a successful Hypnobabies birth this time, I needed to make peace with the experience of my last birth. I sought a hypnotherapist who helped me work through my first birth. That was by far one of the best decisions I had made!
I began my home study Hypnobabies program at 28 weeks without any fears of my past experience and had a positive mindset that this would be a completely different experience. Soon after starting the program I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes again. I knew this could be a possibility this time around and was ready to do all I could to not have another Pitocin induction. I was insulin dependent this time, making me at a higher risk than last time. I knew there was a chance an induction could happen again, but I continued to stay positive and “visualize” the birth I hoped for thanks to the Hypnobabies program.
At my 37-week appointment, I expressed to my doctor my concerns about being induced again. He checked me and I was at 3cm already. We both agreed on and I was very much at peace with getting my membranes stripped the following week in hopes of baby coming on her own versus through an induction. At my 38-week appointment, I was checked again and I was at 4cm. The doctor felt confident that the membrane sweep would be successful.
Sure enough, the following morning, on February 14th at 6 am I started feeling waves (Hypnobabies word for contraction) coming every 10-15 minutes. I began listening to my Birthing Day Affirmations and went back to sleep for another couple hours. Later in the morning, my family and I decided to go for a walk around our local mall to help things move along. Around noon we came back home and had lunch, my pressure waves were now 7-10 mins apart lasting 45-60 seconds.
I turned on my Easy First Stage track (Hypnobabies main birthing day track) and listened to it while on my birth ball as I waited for each wave. My Peace cue (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) and my husband’s Relax cue (Hypnobabies cue to deepen hypnosis) were so helpful as I rode each wave with little discomfort. Around 3 pm, things picked up and I was now having pressure waves 4-5 mins apart lasting 60 seconds long. At this point we knew it was time to head to the hospital, luckily we only lived 2 minutes from our hospital.
When we arrived at the hospital, they checked me and I was at 7-8cm and completely effaced. My pressure waves were now much stronger, and I needed to really use my hypnosis cues to stay focused. I would release and then turn to center (Hypnobabies technique to be moving and have eyes open while still deeply in hypnosis), imagining my orange hypno-anesthesia where I needed it. I continued using my Peace cues and said “peeeeeeeeace” aloud through each wave. Within 30 minutes, my hypno-doula arrived and she was able to continue helping me through each wave as she reminded me of each cue and she reminded me that each wave was bringing my baby lower and lower in my birth canal.
Discomfort from the waves was increasing, so at some point, I switched over to the shower and let the warm water help me through each wave as I leaned on my husband for support and I continued using my Hypnobabies cues. As I was in the shower I began feeling pushy, so we switched over to the bed. I alternated resting on my birth ball while on my bed on all fours and being on my back in a reclined position. At this point, the pressure waves were the strongest I had felt.
I very much started losing focus. I am so grateful for my hypno-doula who helped me keep it together. The last 40 minutes were definitely the hardest, but there is no way I could have done it without Hypnobabies. My baby girl was born completely natural after just 2 pushes and I only had a tiny tear. I can’t say the last 40 minutes were without discomfort and I certainly did not look calm and peaceful, but it was manageable and I am quite happy with my results and the fact that 90% of my birth was calm and mostly with very little discomfort until the very end. Looking back, I still can’t believe I did it. I am still amazed at what our bodies are capable of and I can honestly say I could not see myself birthing again without the Hypnobabies program and my hypno-doula.
