Kristen’s Accidental Hypnobabies Home Birth

Hypno-mom Kristen and her partner sitting in their bed just after birth smiling and holding their newborn.

Kristen’s Accidental Hypnobabies Home Birth

“Moments later during the next wave, I again felt my body pushing. Stronger this time, and at its peak, I felt my water break. After the wave, I told my Doula “water” and she started to bring my water cup to my mouth; I pointed down to the birth ball and said, “No, WATER!” She called to my husband “Let them know that her water broke and that the baby is coming.”

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.

Eric is my 2nd baby, 1st Hypno-baby. I decided to use Hypnobabies to have a more calm and positive birth experience. My first birth was long and included many unwanted interventions; I could have been more prepared. I also chose to have Midwives this time. I preferred a home birth, but my husband was more comfortable with the free-standing Birth Center so this was our plan. I consistently listened to the Joyful Pregnancy Affirmations plus the daily Hypnosis track each night. I had MANY practice waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions) throughout this pregnancy. Whenever able, I used these to practice my hypnosis and relaxation. 

On Wednesday 6/5 at 38 weeks and 3 days, I took the day off of work for a mommy/daughter day with my 2.5-year-old daughter. I thought we’d go swimming, or go out to a new park somewhere, but I woke up sort of tired and pretty consistently having “practice” waves 7 to 10 minutes apart. So, we stayed home and read books, played toys and just relaxed. (Looking back, it’s so nice I got to spend that whole day with just her!) During her afternoon nap, I lied down and listened to the Maintenance practice, then Deepening Your Hypnosis (Hypnobabies track to deepen the level of hypnosis), then Joyful Affirmations and took a short nap.

In the evening, I made an easy pasta and veggies dinner for us and my husband. After that, I noticed the waves were a little stronger and perhaps closer together. I timed them from about 6:15 to 7:15 pm; they were 6-7 minutes apart. I did not think it was birthing time (Hypnobabies word for labor) though because I’d had so many practice waves recently and I was still very comfortable. I was able to sit and read my daughter books, and just press start/stop on the Hypnobabies timer app. 

I thought it would be a good idea to go to bed early, just in case, things started to happen the next day. I had been sleeping in our guest room/soon to be the nursery for the last few weeks of pregnancy; it was more comfortable with all the pillows I needed and helped me focus through my hypnosis tracks each night. So, I went to bed around 8:45 pm and listened to Visualize Your Birth (Hypnobabies track that goes through a birth visualization), then Peaceful Sleep Now, then the background Meditation Music as I was trying to sleep. I think I was able to sleep on and off (or maybe I was just in hypnosis?) for a few hours. 

By 12:30 am on 6/6, I was not able to go back to sleep and I was beginning to think it was my birthing time. I was still able to lie on my side in bed and listen to my tracks, so this is what I did. It gets a little fuzzy here remembering which tracks I listened to, but I was consistently listening to them. Looking back at my Hypnobabies app, I started timing waves again at 2:38 am and they were about 2.5 to 4 minutes apart. In hindsight, maybe this is the time I should have woken my husband, called our Doula and our Midwives. But the waves were still manageable on my own so I thought I had a way to go. I figured we’d have plenty of time to take my daughter to daycare when it opened at 6 am before heading to the Birth Center. One of my biggest fears going into this was having everyone meet at the Birth Center way too early when I still had hours or days left to go. 

At this time, I did start my “Early/Possibly Birthing Time” playlist that I made which started with “Your Birthing Time Begins.” After a few minutes, I felt like I could not focus on this, so I skipped to “Birthing Day Affirmations.” This was better. Things were feeling more intense around 3:15 am. I could no longer stay in bed, so I sat on the birth ball leaning over a small table with a pillow on it. Each wave seemed to be getting more intense than the last. By 3:30 am I still didn’t know if I should wake up my husband, so I just loudly walked into our bedroom and master bathroom to get the squatty potty and brought it back to the guest bathroom. I thought I might find a comfortable position sitting on the toilet with the squatty potty (I did not).

My husband got up and asked how I was doing, I just said: “I might need your help soon.” He asked, “Are you having waves?” (Well trained in hypno-language :)) and I didn’t answer him I just went back to the birth ball. He followed me there and sat next to me. I asked if he could time them. Strangely, the 2 waves he timed were shorter, farther apart, and not as strong. That was weird? I felt bad for waking him up. After those 2 he timed, he left the room (I now know he went to read up on Hypnobabies for a few minutes). During those few minutes, the waves quickly returned to being longer, stronger, and closer together. I asked him to come back here and push on my hips and massage my back. I asked him how far apart they were now, but he’d stopped timing them to squeeze my hips and massage my back! I got frustrated at him for not doing both. Then I asked him to let our Doula know it is birthing time, but we don’t need her quite yet.

2 intense waves later, I asked him to call the Doula and ask her to come now; I needed more support. This was 3:53 am. Now I had a feeling we would not make it until 6 am and we would need to call our friend to come over and stay with our daughter. I asked my husband to go make up the other guest bed.
While he was out of the room I was doing my best to stay relaxed, in hypnosis, and listen to Easy First Stage (Hypnobabies main birthing day track) on the birth ball. I was having trouble focusing so again went back to Birthing Day Affirmations which helped. When he returned, he did a good job using the “Peace” “Relax” and “Release” cues. By this time, I was beginning to shake uncontrollably during and between waves, but this would settle when he gave me a Hypno-cue with a hand on my shoulder. On one very intense wave, I began to make and “Aaaaahhhh” sound and this helped so much. 

My Doula arrived at around 4:25 am. She supported me through the next waves while my husband stepped out to call our friend to come over to stay with our daughter and call the Midwives to plan for meeting at the Birth Center. During the 2nd wave she helped me through, I felt my ribs clench in, my pelvic floor muscles relax and open, and I automatically made a loud, deep, grunting, pushing sound. My Doula, of course, recognized this sound and asked “Kristen, are you pushing?” I said “Yes” and went straight back to focusing. In the background, I hear my Doula tell my husband in the calmest Doula voice “Let them know that she is pushing.” The automatic “pushing” sensation during that wave turned any discomfort into just an urge to push, a pressure, an intensity.

Moments later during the next wave, I again felt my body pushing. Stronger this time, and at its peak, I felt my water break. After the wave, I told my Doula “water” and she started to bring my water cup to my mouth; I pointed down to the birth ball and said, “No, WATER!” She called to my husband “Let them know that her water broke and that the baby is coming.” After my water broke I ran into the bathroom, I felt like I needed to use the toilet. I told my Doula “Maybe it’s just poop.” (Lol!) They began to fill the tub in case I wanted to get in after using the toilet… at this point, we obviously weren’t going to the Birth Center.

The next wave started while I was sitting on the toilet, and I felt his head coming down and out. I was LOUDLY grunting; my body was pushing and all I could do was PUSH. I did not want to birth my baby on the toilet, so I grabbed the squatty potty, turned it around, and sat on it (sort of like a birth stool). My husband walked into the bathroom and was surprised to see our baby’s head was out! I had both my hands on baby’s head ready to catch him and continued to push and grunt between waves. My Doula encouraged me to RELAX and make a “puh puh puh” sound.

During the next and final birthing wave, my body pushed so strongly and I pushed along with it. The rest of his body came out and my husband was there ready to catch him. He immediately handed him to me and I placed him skin to skin on my belly (the cord was too short to reach my chest). Our Doula marked the time, 4:36 am. My husband and I looked at each other and our baby, smiling and laughing! There was no time for the tub or the Pushing Baby Out Track.. and my daughter was sleeping peacefully in the next room. Baby Eric began crying within seconds, and our Midwives arrived 5 minutes later to help with the rest. 

Absolutely the most amazing experience I will ever have!