Teagan’s Hypnobabies Hospital Birth of Baby Jude
“It was time to go to the hospital. I put on my headphones and listened to my Easy First Stage track ( Hypnobabies main birthing day track) in the Uber on the way to the hospital.”
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Baby Jude was born during the wee hours of Saturday morning (his guess date), weighing a robust 8lbs 6oz. I had been practicing Hypnobabies every day since 29 weeks.
I started having mild crampy sensations (soon to be confirmed as early pressure waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions)) starting the morning before his birth. My mom called and asked how I was feeling that morning, and I casually mentioned that I was a bit crampy and noticed some other distinct body indications that birthing time (Hypnobabies word for labor) was near, but didn’t think it was actually my birthing time – she knew it meant something and insisted on picking up my daughter from nursery school. She also convinced me to alert my husband at work that my birthing time might be nearing. I felt bad alarming anyone because I really didn’t think that my little boy was actually on his way. My daughter ended up spending the night with her grandparents.
I pretty much did my hypnosis from 9am-4pm. Nothing seemed to be picking up and I was completely comfortable. I wanted to be in the zone and ready for the birth, if, in fact, this was the real deal. My husband came home early from work. I flipped my switch to center (Hypnobabies technique for being in hypnosis while able to walk, talk, etc.) and we walked and picked up some groceries. I was still very comfortable and still wasn’t convinced it was the real deal. Occasionally I’d have stronger pressure waves (Hypnobabies word for contractions) and I’d quickly use my Peace cue (Hypnobabies cue for instant physical comfort) to direct my hypno-anesthesia to the area of discomfort. It did the job.
When pressure waves didn’t seem to be intensifying, my husband and I went to sleep at around 9 pm. I fell asleep to my Deepening hypnosis track (Hypnobabies hypnosis track to deepen the level of hypnosis). I lined up the Special Safe Place and Easy Comfortable Childbirth track in my listening cue.
I woke up at around 11:30 pm that same day to a strong pressure wave and I felt a powerfully abrupt movement from my baby, accompanied by a distinct popping sensation. I quickly got out of bed. My water broke. Things went super-fast and became really intense from there. It was time to go to the hospital. I put on my headphones and listened to my Easy First Stage track ( Hypnobabies main birthing day track) in the Uber on the way to the hospital.
I didn’t have time to completely achieve the state of hypnosis I had hoped for, but things were pretty comfortable until I got to the hospital. The nurses were not particularly respectful of my attempt to maintain hypnosis at arrival. Though my husband did a good job speaking on my behalf and expressing my wishes to not be questioned during pressure waves, they pretty much ignored him and proceeded at their convenience. They tried to direct questions specifically to me, without my husband’s presence. I insisted that I would not leave him and I needed his support for counter pressure during pressure waves. I was not able to effectively use my Bubble of Peace to avoid irritation. I definitely used my voice though! When the nurses could tell that my pressure waves were on top of each other, they realized they’d only receive answers from my husband and zoomed me to triage.
I continued listening to my Easy First Stage track and kept my light switch in the center. My husband continued to use the Relax cue (Hypnobabies cue for deepening hypnosis) and applying counter pressure. It was hard to stay in hypnosis though. The medical staff was all over me. They could tell I was far along and there was clear urgency to check vitals and get me to the birthing area. They rushed me onto a bed and strapped me up to monitors for the baby. They had to give me a hep-lock but respected my wishes to remain detached from saline. My husband would provide water when necessary. Baby was doing great and it was determined that I was 8cms dilated and 100% effaced. I used my Peace cue during the check. It was helpful.
They quickly pushed the bed I was into the birthing room. My headphones were becoming uncomfortable and I was sweating bullets. I was pretty much constrained to the bed because of the monitors, which they insisted I keep attached because I was in transformation (Hypnobabies word for transition). My husband put on the Easy First Stage track through the speaker we brought.
There were at least 3 doctors who came in and tried to convince me to get an epidural because baby Jude was measuring so big and they thought they might have to do some crazy interventions to get his shoulders out. My husband advocated for me and insisted I didn’t want the epidural. We had complete faith in my body. Unfortunately, It was impossible for me to maintain my hypnosis with all the hospital craziness at this point. But did I ever use my voice and I had no fear! I was in serious discomfort, but I ahhhed and howled through the pressure waves. “Open, Open, Open, PEACE…”
My transformation lasted about 40minutes, I felt the urge to bear down and it was confirmed that I was at 10cms. My husband put on the Pushing Baby Out Track (Hypnobabies special track for pushing) through the speakers. It was time to push. I was using mother directed pushing for about half of the time, I used a bar for support. The doctors said Jude’s heartbeat was dropping and they told me to lie on my back. That actually felt fine. My husband fed me ice chips and rubbed the ice on my lips and forehead. The doctors said I was doing great and told me how brave I was. I didn’t feel brave…I knew my body was meant for this. They were very impressed. I continued to use mother-directed pushing, even though they attempted to coach me…I tuned it out. I listened when they told me to stop though. The cord was around Jude’s neck. They unwrapped the cord. I gave maybe two more full body pushes and he was out!!
I ended up pushing for 20 minutes…the most hardcore 20 minutes of my life and he was born. Comfortable…NO. Empowering and indescribably rewarding…YES. No interventions necessary and I had one 2nd degree tear (I had 2 tears with my older daughter who was a pound less).
After I’d pushed Jude out, the doctors quickly put him on my chest and let the cord pulse for as long as I wished. Jude latched easily and breastfeeding has been seamless.
One of the doctors extracted the placenta. I was unable to express my wishes to use a pressure wave to birth it myself. It was fine though and completely comfortable. I did have some resulting blood clots though, so the doctors had to be vigilant about removing them…at half an hour intervals, which was not comfortable. I used my Peace cue to lessen the discomfort. My husband held Jude and used that opportunity for bonding and skin to skin time. Jude was then placed back on my chest.
Med free birthing is definitely the way to go. All the right hormones are pumping and feeling mentally alert when you first meet your baby is indescribably amazing. Because of medical issues, my birth was considered high risk, so I couldn’t opt out of hospital birth. Though the lack of verbal support from the medical staff was not ideal, I am grateful for my hospital birth. As a firm advocate for myself and trusting the strength of my body, I had the unmedicated birth I wanted and baby Jude and I are both healthy and happy.
