#1 Positive Birth Story

As a teacher ( hello ), I am always grateful and truly inspired when our expectant mums and their birth partners are willing and commit to putting in the practice to help create their positive birth.

The positive birth story below gives you an insight into how YOU CAN get into the right mindset and use the techniques that you learn and practice in our weekly class and workshop to create your positive birth.

I just wanted to email you to tell you that I had an absolutely beautiful positive birth and it was thanks to you and all the yoga, guidance and also couples workshop that we went to that really prepared us. I even had all the midwives from all different shifts come in, introduce themselves and say that they've heard that my birth was such an empowering one, that the midwife who delivered my baby felt so honoured because they haven't witnessed a birth that was drug-free and so in control in a really long time.

I literally used all the tricks in the bag from blubbering my lips, too tippy toes, to figure 8's. Knowing baby wasn't at the station I remembered to do my bottoms up and the BREATHING my god!!! what a lifesaver. And thank you so much for the couples workshop. My husband was an excellent birth partner. He was there reminding me all the way, saying affirmations to me, being the protector of my peace and creating lots of moments of oxytocins for me.

First baby

Birth Centre

5 hours from active labour 

Pregnancy

I felt really sick in my first trimester, lack of energy, always wanted to sleep, nauseous all the time. I couldn't stand the smell of any sort of cooking at home so ordering in was something that happened often during the first trimester. The only things that I would crave for and could take were greasy fried chicken and MacDonalds, ice lollies and lots of Lucozade. The second and Third trimester was brilliant. Had loads of energy and time to prepare for the birth of our little girl. Went for walks every day, did pregnancy yoga from 20 weeks pregnant and kept myself as active as possible.

Labour

I started having birthing waves on the 21st at around 8pm at night. They were about 30 minutes apart from each other and very light so I could still relax and sleep through them. They were consistently half an hour apart for most of the day on the 22nd. So I decided to have an early night (around 8pm). At 10pm I woke up and the birthing waves got really strong. I also felt like I needed to go to the toilet to do a number 2. This happened a few times. The waves came more and more frequently and they were getting stronger and stronger from 10pm to 11:30pm. They were around 5 minutes apart and lasting more than a minute. I thought it was probably not time to go to the birth centre yet as my up breath was keeping me in control. My husband called the birthing centre a few times just to update them. At about 11:30pm I told him to run the bath as the waves were getting more intense and coming more frequently. At 12:00am we decided to go to the birth centre, even though my contractions were not 3 minutes apart yet. We didn't have a car and by that time my husband thought I wouldn't be able to make it in an Uber, so we asked our neighbour to take us which he was more than happy to do. All the way down to the carpark, I was in hypnosis and using my up breath which helped me to get from the apartment to the carpark.

By the time we got to triage and did a sweep it was around 12:45am and I was 7cm dilated. They kept me at triage for about 45 minutes so they could set up the birth room for me. In that time, the birthing waves were almost at it's strongest. I really felt like I needed to go on all fours but my head was telling me to wait because the floor is probably not as hygienic in triage. I stood for the remaining of the time and leaning on the bed where I had my sweep until the room was ready. They had a wheelchair ready to transfer me but I couldn't sit, so I decided to walk to the birth centre/ room from triage. Felt like the longest/ slowest walk there.

When I got into my birth room, it was very tranquil and immediately calmed me. I saw a big bean bag and mattress on the floor and was immediately drawn to it. I went on all fours and decided to ride the rest of the waves in that position whilst they ran the tub just in case I wanted a water birth. By 2am the waves were at it's strongest and I really felt like this was the end of my pain tolerance. I wanted to give up. I had let go of my breathing for a bit, thankfully my husband/ birth partner was there to remind me of my breathing and hypnosis cues. He played a key role in helping me to stay in control at this time, tapping me on the forehead and shoulders and reminding me to relax into my up breath. This was the stage where I wanted to pack up and go home and wish this had never happened. My husband also reminded me to use my affirmations and reminded me that the stronger my waves the sooner I'll see our baby. That was the one thing that kept me going. Knowing that soon it'll be over and I'll be able to see my baby girl.

At about 2:50am those pressure waves felt different. They made me feel like pushing. I just remember saying 'I need to poo' but I didn't feel like a poo was going to come out. I just allowed my body to do what it needed to do. I let my body push and started using my down breath and yoga technique of releasing my pelvic floor further. In between pushes, I stayed hydrated, had my husband help me to get back to 'green' on the traffic light system by massaging me and getting me up in different positions and movements to move baby down further. I ended up being really tired although the pushing felt good, so I decided to rest on the bed on my side and prop a pillow between my legs so that I was in squat position. I felt I needed to push again and then suddenly I felt and heard a 'pop'. My water broke. I remember getting up immediately because I didn't want to get wet lying down and announced that my water had broken.

My husband held onto me and we swayed from side to side and doing some figure 8's, whilst he spoke affirmations into my ear. At the next push, I said to my husband that I needed to push so he told me to hold onto him. It felt good being able to stand up and squat down as the pushing sensation came.   I suddenly felt something coming through. I remember yelling 'I can feel something coming'. The midwife shone a torch under me and the next thing I know she says to us 'the good news is that she has lots of thick black hair'. I felt excited, but it was also the sensation of something was coming out but when the pushing waves stopped the baby went back in again. The midwife asked how I wanted to deliver the baby and immediately I was drawn to being on all fours on the bed. I got on all fours on the bed and as the pushing sensation came I just allowed my body to do what it needed to do. A few pushes later I felt what everyone had been describing as 'the Ring of Fire. I remember pushing the head through and then catching my breath for a moment and waiting for the next pushing wave. Then at 3.44am, the next push, the rest of my baby girl's body came out. I remember feeling this relief, the pressure waves sensation completely disappearing and all I wanted to do was hold my baby girl.

We laid there skin to skin for about 7 minutes before my husband cut her cord. I had no more pressure waves to birth my placenta, and I refused to have the injection, so I asked the Midwife whether I could just try pushing it out. She said just try. I focused on the yoga technique of squeezing my pelvic floor and then completely releasing and releasing some more. On that release, I pushed and in minutes my placenta popped out. Our little girl was born with her hand by her head, so I had a second-degree tear from it but otherwise have healed and no other intervention was necessary.

The midwives commented that they have not seen a birth like mine in such a long time where it was drug-free and where I was so in control. They said it was an honour to witness my birth. Looking back it really was an amazing birth, I felt really in control but I have to say that my husband AKA my birthing partner played a key role in helping me to maintain that control and to remind me to come back to that space. I couldn't have done it without him. 

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We have LOTS more positive birth stories from our mums-to-be; read them here.

I wonder what your positive birth story will be?

Pregnancy Yoga with Hypnobirthing for expectant mums (in-person & Livestream available)

Calm Birth - practical workshop for couples (in-person)

KG Hypnobirthing Book - get your copy here