‘I had a beautiful home Hypnobirth in a birthing pool. My husband and I did a course with Lisa Cory at West Hove Hypnotherapy. We started the course about 6 weeks before Isaac was due and had one session a week for 4 weeks, Lisa was brilliant. I had already decided to Hypnobirth and I had read ‘Hypnobirthing – The Mongan Method by Marie Mongan, before being introduced to Lisa. The course really helped hone my skills and believe in my ability to achieve a deep state of relaxation which would allow me to birth my baby in the way I hoped to.
My surges began at midnight on Thursday, starting at 10 minutes apart and reducing to 6 minutes within a couple of hours, my Husband filled the pool and called the midwife, I thought it was going to be a quick labour but following an internal exam I found I was only 1cm dilated. I spent the night in the pool anyway because it helped with the surges (contractions) which felt like strong period pains while they lasted, I found the water helped me to get into the most comfortable position very quickly when I needed to. My labour continued for 3 days, waning in the day and getting stronger again at night, the surges were never unbearable and the time in between surges felt fine. I had several visits from midwives, they were all very respectful of my choice to hypnobirth. Eventually at about 7am on Sunday morning the feeling changed, I asked my husband to call the midwife again, I could feel a lot of pressure in my bottom and my stomach seemed to be rippling, I knew my baby was coming. I remember looking down into the water and seeing the morning sunlight rippling on the bottom of the pool and feeling that this moment was the most incredible moment of my life.
My waters broke as the midwife arrived, she was very calm and encouraging, she asked if I could get out of the pool to be examined but I declined, she monitored Isaacs heartbeat and told me he was very happy. I reached down and felt his soft fuzzy head emerging, Dawn called the second midwife!
I was deep in meditation, on all fours on the warm water and rocking back and fourth. I squeezed my husband’s hands and breathed our baby out into the water, I couldn’t say how long that part took, time seemed to bend though the 3 days but eventually Dawn passed our baby through my legs to me, I lay back against the pool wall and lifted him to my chest. He was beautiful and perfect, alert but tranquil, just like the Hypnobirth babies i had read about. I was exhausted but elated, and nothing else mattered at all.
It was such a wonderful experience I want all expectant mums to have the same opportunity, Hypnobirthing isn’t hocus pocus or smoke and mirrors, it’s a coping strategy, it’s knowledge and it’s hugely powerful! I’m just so elated that I got the birth I wanted and I have a happy healthy relaxed little boy to show for it!
I can’t thank Lisa enough for the time she spent with us, she helped me to build a huge amount of knowledge and confidence in a relatively short period of time, I felt completely empowered!
I knew the birth that was right for me and for my baby was totally achievable, and it was!!I have already recommended Hypnobirthing with Lisa Cory and would do again and again!
Baby Isaac Johannes Williams was born at home in a birth pool as planned at 10.41am on Sunday the 6th October 2013 weighing 7lb 9oz.’ – Sally, Haywards Heath.
