Welcome little wonders

I came across hypnobirthing when I was pregnant the second time around. My first born, Odin, came very naturally into this world within only 12hrs. Although he was born peacefully in water, I didn't really know what was going on. I didn't know about certain birth positions, breathing techniques or about techniques on how to stay calm when sensations become too strong. To know how to keep breathing through strong surges isn’t easy, which is why I panicked during my first birth experience towards the end of labour, having had the feeling that I cannot breathe anymore. I also didn't know what positions are "allowed" in the pool, which is why I ended up not being on all fours like I wanted to. The midwife advised me to turn around on my back (probably so she can see better...). That wasn't a pleasant position and didn't serve me well. When I fell pregnant with Órla this memory came back to me and with it the anxiety to give birth again. To feel overwhelmed, unprepared, uninformed and out of control again. 

I wanted to get rid of this fear to be able to enjoy this second journey. My husband Seán on the other hand was super relaxed and pointed out that it went all well the first time - quick, EASY and calm. He wasn't aware of my struggles I suppose. Being in the middle of Covid-19 in 2020 I didn't have so many choices. Almost all classes were either cancelled, postponed or online. So I decided to read a couple of hypnobirthing books and listened daily to my MP3 relaxation and affirmation audios as recommended and it honestly reduced my fear. The more I listened and the more I focussed on being calm and training my meditation, the more relaxed I became. With the hypnobirthing books / courses I gained knowledge about birth, labour, baby's journey, about how women are designed by nature to give birth peacefully, how the birth partner can support a positive birth journey and how a relaxed and calm state and positive mind-set can supprt good birth hormones that help you to birth efficiently and with less strong sensations. By gaining knowledge about my own body - about how the uterus works, how muscles and hormones work I learnt how they can make it happen for me to experience a truly positive birth. Furthermore hypnobirthing taught me how to be in charge of the production of good birth hormones and how to reduce the adrenaline or get rid of it entirely during labour. 

Órla arrived like a wrecking ball: BOOM - and she was there. I felt the first surges at 2 a.m. on the 2nd of January 2021. So strong, that I decided to wake my husband at 3 a.m. Within one hour only, I was in active labour. My water broke within the next hour and we called his parents to come over to stay with our son Odin, who was still fast asleep. Lucky him! Around 5 a.m. I tried to get dressed and make my way downstairs to get to the car - but it took forever since the sensations were so strong, that it was hard to walk at all. I used my hypnobirthing breathing techniques throughout the surges and between them too. I was focussed, but also looking forward to using gas & air and the pool in the birthing center. We arrived in the midwife led unit around 6 a.m. I think. By then I was almost 7cm dilated. I finally got to use gas & air - and it really took the edge of. I breathed through my surges while breathing gas & air. I was so relaxed, I felt high. I used the birth ball to sit comfortably and to do little hip circles to relax my pelvis. I even managed to eat some toast. Around 7 a.m. or 7.30 a.m. I entered the pool as I felt the transistion coming on. Surges changed and I felt the need to bear down and at the same time I felt like I needed the toilet. I knew that was a good sign. No midwife was around as they were giving us peace and space - I said to my husband to perhaps get the midwife as I started to push now. Within half hour or so Órla was born in only 3 or 4 pushes in the water. My labour took only half as long as the first time around, but the surges came on stronger and more intense. The breathing and the knowledge helped me to enjoy my birth and to really do well. I decided to accept a little help birthing my placenta as I didn't want to sit in the pool for much longer. I just wanted to hold my baby outside the pool and enjoy cuddly moments in the bed. 

Although it makes sense to attend a hypnobirthing course with your birth partner (as he or she benefits from learning about birth, too and about how to be able to support you best), hypnobirthing techniques are more for the birthing mum. YOU are the one who needs to breathe... to stay calm... to bring back the calm and peace when needed. It's YOUR subconscious mind that needs convincing that birth and labour can be the most positive experience. Hypnobirthing is truly a wonderful thing - but you need to be prepared and commited to practice and work on a positive mind-set daily. Hypnobirthing changed my life and taught me how to enjoy pregnancy and have an amazing birth experience. That is probably why I became a hypnobirthing teacher myself - to share the wonderful knowledge with other women.

We all deserve a positive birth journey.      

When I was pregnant with my fourth child, Tarje, I knew that I wanted him to be born at home. I gave birth to my first three children in small hospitals without any complications, but this time around I wanted something different. I wanted to be at home in my own surroundings in my own bed afterwards. During this pregnancy I consciously prepared for the birth for the first time with hypnobirthing techniques, meditation, and visualization. It gave me an incredible amount of security and confidence to deal energetically and physiologically with my breathing and the birth process itself. The labor went smoothly, quickly, and almost like a dream. Everything went terribly fast. Tarje was born in the pool in our bedroom just after midnight after just three hours of initial labour. The midwife and my husband at my side, the other three kids fast asleep and my mother in the kitchen baking cakes. I am very thankful for this peaceful and beautiful experience in the water. Hypnobirthing has not only given me the chance to understand my body, my hormones, and the birthing process itself, but also the confidence that I can trust all of it unconditionally. Breathe, relax, and always visualize your own birth in a positive way - taking time every day and preparing for the birth in a meditative manner has contributed a lot to this peaceful birth.

Alfie was born at 42 weeks plus 4 days. My waters broke in the early hours of the morning. We had planned a home birth and were fully prepared with a pool, candles, aromatherapy, snacks and everything else you might need. I was concerned though as the fluid was yellow/browny colour. My surges came on very strong and felt really ill at that point. I worried that something was wrong, so I followed my instincts and we made our way to the hospital. The midwives identified the fluid as meconium. The baby was showing signs of foetal distress. All very worrying, Paul started my MP3 and I started listening to my audios. I was able to take a deep breath and to calm my mind. I asked for an epidural as I needed to be as calm and pain-free as possible. I wanted to be able to deal with possible interventions, to be able to make informed (calm) decisions and to really stay relaxed and clear. My birth plan didn’t work out at all and changed from one side of the spectrum to the opposite side of it. Paul set up the room in meantime and made it a bit more “homey” and comfortable. I continued my deep breaths and tried to breathe through my surges. Tried to embrace them and listen to my instincts. Alfie’s heartrate was a concern and there were talks of an assisted birth or even a cesarean birth if needed. Paul did most of the listening and asking and tried to shield me from it all.

As I wasn’t progressing well I was given a hormone drip. I focused on breathing calmness and love down to my baby. I also visualized my baby being birthed. Just shortly before they wanted to bring me into the theatre I had fully dilated. My body took over and made me push through my surges. Before I knew it Alfie was out and on my chest. I had done it! I couldn’t believe it. What an amazing feeling that was just followed by the feeling of pure happiness. Paul but also the team of midwives and consultants were amazing and very comforting the whole way through.

The effect hypnobirthing had on my birth experience was profound. I felt confident and informed and was able to connect with Alfie when it was needed most. Also Paul managed to stay calm and focused. He was an amazing brith partner and help – we couldn’t have done it so well without the hypnobirthing course.   

I have never been anxious about birth, but when I fell pregnant everything changed. Although I was relaxed at first, after the third month of pregnancy I felt nervous and anxious all the time. It started as a general underlying worry with occasional panic attacks and developed into more constant and pressing anxiety. All I could think of was the birth pain – of course, because everything my mum or granny ever told me was the enormous pain during birth and the blood loss etc. All I ever heard when I felt any kind of other pain like headaches or a burn e. g. was “that’s no real pain… wait until you birth a baby!”. I couldn’t sleep well, and I worried more than I enjoyed my pregnancy and my happiness about the baby. So, I looked for alternatives in birth preparation courses and came across Hypnobirthing! Within the 1st session of the course, we learnt the physiology of the uterus and how birth works, how our good birth hormones work in our favor and how to increase them. Why relaxation during pregnancy and birth matters and how staying calm is a skill and can be trained. I felt calm just by listening to all that and I couldn’t wait to start my own practicing at home. After the course I felt even more calm, I felt confident, and I even started to feel excited about birth. It all made sense and helped me to realize that my body is perfectly designed for birth and that it would be safe and absolutely positive. We practiced daily with our breathing techniques, the audios and the soft touch massages. We wrote our birth preferences together and after a few weeks we found ourselves booking in for a homebirth. I enjoyed the rest of my pregnancy being calm and relaxed.

At just over 40 weeks at 4 in the morning I woke as I felt my water releasing. I got up, found a towel, and went back to sleep as I didn’t feel much at this stage. When I got up in the morning, I didn’t feel any surges yet. So, I called the midwife to let her know that my waters had went and got on with my day as normal as possible. I took it very easy: my husband stayed home that day and we went for a nice forest walk in the morning hours and then had a late breakfast or early lunch in our favorite Café not far from our house. By 5 p. m. my surges had started but were not regular at all. I knew the clock was ticking since I had to be in active labour within the next couple of hours since my waters had gone the night before.

I kept going with my calm breathing and tried to relax as much as I could. I tried to trust nature, trust my own body – and baby… that it will be on its way downwards. When I went to bed at night, my surges became more regular and frequent but not too strong yet. I managed to dose off for a while. Just after midnight my surges came on stronger and closer together. I knew I was in active labour, and we called the midwife. Our midwife arrived just within the next 30 minutes or so. My husband got the pool ready in no time and I just kept sitting and circling on my birthing ball. Very quickly the labor progressed and soon I was ready to breathe down our baby. I entered the pool at this stage, and I felt a shift in my surges. My primal instincts had taken over and within 40 minutes I felt the head crowning. One more push and our little baby girl floated out and into my arms. It was the single most incredible, empowering experience of my life.

I fell pregnant with our Henry last year and bar from some typical pregnancy related symptoms, I had a very easy pregnancy.

I should probably start by saying that I’m not the type to research an awful lot and I tend to ‘go with the with the flow’. However, I have heard my friends talking about hypnobirthing, so I decided to give it a go with Wiebke at Blissful Birth.

Throughout our course, I have learnt a lot about the birthing process, which made me realise how little I actually knew.  We practiced different breathing techniques, talked through different positions and very importantly for us, what role the birthing partner can take.

Upon completing the course, I felt very prepared and looked forward to meeting our little bundle of joy until I was 36 weeks. Unfortunately, we received some devasting news about my mum and all my calmness and joy about the birth disappeared and anxiousness and stress took over.

I couldn’t fly over to be with my mum and she was not able to come over to be with us. Devasting situation for us all.

At 38 weeks, we ended up in hospital as I couldn’t feel Henry anymore and the scan showed that Henry had turned and was in breech position.  A good family friend and trusted midwife explained to me that this could be due to my stress and that the baby decided to turn away from the birthing canal.

We were given an ECV appointment, where they would also discuss the caesarean option. They also offered us an induction, as the midwives felt that this may benefit us. Neither were an option for me and thanks to some exercises and positive reinforcements, Henry turned himself back into the correct position.

My due date came and went, and I was booked in for an induction.

Luckily my labour started by itself and the first examination showed that I was 2 cm dilated.

This was the beginning of two long days... Thanks to Wiebke, I knew exactly what was happening with my body and felt at ease. With the help of the breathing techniques and the great support of my partner, I was able to stay at home for 2 days, whilst my body was preparing itself for the miracle called birth. We went to hospital at 11pm on the 29th March and had to be seen at the induction ward first, since my waters hadn’t broken yet. At the routine examination my waters broke and to my delight, I was 5 cm dilated. After that, we were given a private room at the Home from Home unit and I was over the moon to leave the induction ward.

Upon entering the room, I felt an instant calmness due to the low lights, soft music and essential oils.

During the second day at home, I was sick quite a bit and I was unable to eat, which left me with low energy levels. I felt I needed a little break from the pain and after discussing different pain relief option with Wiebke, I decided Morphine was the best option for me.

Very quickly after arriving at the Home from Home unit, I felt my contractions changing and quickly had the urge to push. Many women may think I’m crazy, but I actually enjoyed the contractions, as I knew each contraction would bring me closer to my baby.

We arrived at home from home at 1.15am and Henry was born at 7.23am.

My birthing journey did not have the best start and many obstacles but at the end, I had such a positive and beautiful experience .

When I fell pregnant with Odin I struggled for the first 3 months to stay sane - I felt sick, I had very strong migraines every day and thought it would never end. I am not sure if most people can imagine how torturing it is to wake up with migraines and go to bed with migraines EVERY SINGLE DAY. My senses were more sensitive too: I couldn't stand most smells from shampoos, to certain foods or drinks, my own hair or creams. Everything made me sick and my  migraines never got better. After weeks of being in such pain I wasn't pleasant to be around anymore. I was very antisocial and didn't even manage to do simple tasks such as going to the grocery store after work etc. My husband did well caring for me. The pains eased when I was 16 weeks pregnant. What a relief. I cannot express how much better I felt and how much life made sense again. I felt calm, I felt not worried at all anymore. Since this was my first pregnancy I didn't think much about birth or birth preparation to be honest. I went with the flow and decided to look for a lovely birthing centre because I really wanted to have a water birth. The birthing centre we wanted to have our birth in took on only risk-free women, since it was midwife-led without any doctors around. 

Odin was taking it easy in my belly and did not turn at all. He was still breech at week 38. Since this is a concern, the midwife-led unit wouldn't take us unless Odin was head down at some point soon. Even without hypnobirthing techiques I still felt relaxed and decided to go for a procedure to get Odin turned (after trying everything from putting frozen peas on my belly to up-side-down positions for hours...). So I was offered an external cephalic version (ECV). This is when a healthcare professional, such as an obstetrician, tries to turn the baby into a head-down position by applying pressure on your abdomen. Not a pleasant experience, let me tell you. It is amazing actually that such a procedure works... turining a baby from the outside. Very painful, but very amazing. It really worked, Odin was in the right position for birthing my baby vaginally and naturally. The discomfort lasted for days after the procedure, but it was well worth it. My due date was on 17.7.2017. What a great date for a birthday. Odin was almost on time: my waters broke that evening on the 17th after having a bath. I was still very relaxed and finished my dinner before my husband and I went to the birthing centre around 10 p. m. My surges came regularly and didn't feel that strong at that time. I was checked very gently and was dilated about 5 cm. I was allowed to stay so we moved into my room with a birthing pool. Since it was still very early, we decided to rest a bit. I wouldn't call it a good night sleep, but we were both dozing on and off. In the early morning hours of the 18th the surges came on much stronger and closer together. This is when I entered the pool. The midwives were brilliant... so comforting and friendly. But when we got to the pushing stage, I then wished I would have had a hypnobirthing course beforehand. I realised how little I knew about what was going on in my body. The surges were so strong, that I struggled to breathe calmly. The midwife tried to coach me regards the birthing positions, but wanted me with my back to the birthing pool, which didn't feel comfortable. I wasn't sure about how or if I was "allowed" to move. But at that point it didn't take Odin long anymore. He was born just shortly after 8.30 a.m. and all I felt was relief and happiness.

Although my birth experience was empowering and truely positive (I honestly felt like I've done the impossible, like a true hero), I felt like an inner panic snuck up on me within this last stage of labour. Breathing is so important - and if you don't know how to breathe calmly and evenly and somehow through your surges, they will feel more difficult than they need to be. I realised the difference then with my second birth, after I've done hypnobirthing during my 2nd pregnancy. Training yourself to stay calm and to breathe makes the birthing so much more comfortable and enjoyable. So I guess my advice is: even if you are super chilled and easy going facing your first birthing experience, it is worth checking out hypnobirthing and breathing techniques to prepare yourself for this beautiful first birthing marathon.