Miaja’s Empowering Hypnobabies Birth Center Birth
I was laughing and making jokes. This was such a far cry from the sheer panic that I felt in transformation with my previous birth. I felt like I was in total control and understood everything that was happening.
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I can’t even explain how extraordinary this entire experience has been! On January 3rd I woke up at about 7am with some calm waves (Hypnobabies term for contractions). I decided to take a shower and put on my Hypnobabies tracks in my headphones so I could finish packing up some last-minute things. I was about 5 days past my EDD and was really hoping that this would turn out to be it, but the waves were still so calm that I still wasn’t sure.
Around 10:00 things had started to pick up and I called my midwife to check in. She said not to rush but to make our way into the birth center since we had a 45-minute drive and with the weather it would likely take us much longer. I moved between Birthing Day Affirmations and Easier First Stage (Hypnobabies main birthing day track) this entire time in my ear buds and was just so comforted by them. When we got into my husband’s truck to head over my waves started to get much stronger.
Still, I continued to listen to my tracks. I remember listening to the affirmations on the way over and hearing the one about being so comfortable that every 20 minutes feels like 5 minutes (or something to that extent) and when I opened my eyes, we were nearly to the birth center. It honestly felt like we had just got in the truck. I couldn’t believe how quickly and easily the drive went because with my last birth, the waves during our same drive became excruciating and it seemed to take forever to get there.
We arrived around 12:30 and our midwife and two students met us at the door. I was just so happy to be there and didn’t feel at all scared or nervous. My waves continued to be strong, but I felt like I could easily get through them with some moans and counter pressure. I still continued to listen to my Hypnobabies tracks. Our staff was so awesome and didn’t interrupt me at all. They would quickly check vitals and then leave us be.
Around 2:30 things continued to pick up and my midwife asked if I would like to get in the tub. I was still easily able to talk between waves. The water felt amazing, and I asked my husband John to put on the pushing track. I just remember feeling so present during everything and like the sensations in my body were incredibly heightened, but the pain was minimal. It was like I could feel everything my body was doing and everything my baby was doing inside of me. I asked my midwife to check me, and she said that Simon still needed to descend a little, but I was getting so close. I couldn’t believe that I was on the verge of having my baby!
I was deep in transformation (Hypnobabies term for transition), but I was still able to talk to my midwife and husband. I was asking for another candle to be lit and my salt lamp to be placed in a different area. I was able to express that I wanted the window open and that I needed more coconut water. I was laughing and making jokes. This was such a far cry from the sheer panic that I felt in transformation with my previous birth. I felt like I was in total control and understood everything that was happening. When a pressure wave would start to build, I would say out loud that I could feel a wave coming and found myself doing various things to move through them. Sometimes I would kick my legs pretty hard like I was swimming.
Afterwards my birth team and I would be laughing about how much water got out of the tub. Each time a birthing wave would come my husband would use the Peace (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) and Release (Hypnobabies cue to instantly enter hypnosis) cues while I held on to him. I couldn’t believe how much it helped. Sometimes I would join in with him or I would say VERY loudly, “this wave is just a giant hug, it’s just a giant hug, it’s just a strong hug.” After each wave I would rub my belly and cheer Simon on — telling him how close we were, how amazing he was doing, that I was proud of him and that I trusted and loved him. I just couldn’t help but shout out, “We’re doing it Simon! It’s just you and me and we are doing it!” over and over again. I remember thinking, even during transformation, that in some way these birthing waves felt good! 
At 4:30 I was ready to start pushing. Honestly, pushing was the only difficult part. He had a pretty large head and crowned twice. My midwife said the second time he crowned for a few minutes. I made the decision that I just wanted him out and began pushing with all my might. At 4:50 he was born. In spite of getting worked up during pushing I was so calm and completely full of joy immediately afterwards. I did end up with a pretty large clitoral tear that took some time to heal from. One of my biggest fears was hemorrhaging due to my experience with my daughter. My team helped me move to the bed for my placenta birth and everything went so smoothly! After about an hour we were joined by my daughter, my sister, my mom and my mother-in-law. My sister was so scared because when she came in after my last birth, I was pale, incredibly shaky and beyond exhausted. She kept saying over and over, “I just can’t believe how great you look! I am so happy for you!”
We spent time with our family, and they were all there while we had dinner and did the newborn exam. Simon weighed 8 lbs 12 oz. It was crazy because in my head I had convinced myself that I was having a 6lb 8 oz baby. When he came out, I just kept saying how tiny he looked while everyone said that he looked pretty big. I said no, he weighs 6 lbs 8 oz. As soon as they told me how much he weighed it was like I blinked my eyes and all of a sudden, I saw a near 9 lb baby, haha!
Breastfeeding happened so easily! He has continued to be a calm baby who eats so well! I had formula on hand because with Sadie I was supplementing by day 2 because I couldn’t take the pain anymore. I am so proud of both of us because we are 5 weeks in, and I still haven’t had to open the formula! We did have two mastitis infections already and that was not fun to deal with, but I was able to keep nursing and pumping through it and healed up fairly quickly with some antibiotics. I just can’t believe how joyful these past 5 weeks have been. Even with my mastitis and healing from my tear I was just so happy and very rarely felt overwhelmed. Simon has been so calm and easy. I credit so much of my experience to Hypnobabies and how hard I worked to learn the program. This was the most empowering and redemptive experience I could have ever dreamt of.
With my previous birth, I took a few classes, practiced meditation and had the same incredible and most supportive birth team. The only thing I did differently this time was Hypnobabies, and it made all the difference in the world.
Sometimes I still put on my deepening hypnosis tracks when I need to bring some calmness into my space. I feel like I will hold on to these skills for life.
Thank you!!
#hypnobabiesworks
