Hypnobirthing - Birth Centre

Early labour started at about 3am on my due date just with some period pain like cramping and I lost my mucous plug. The cramping continued throughout the day without really getting stronger or more regular and I was expecting this to go on for days. I had thankfully booked a labour focused massage which I feel really helped relax me. I kept saying to Gary I think this is going to fizzle out. At about 6pm I had my bloody show and wow that wasn’t what I expected (no idea what I expected but that wasn’t it). I decided to try and get some sleep in case things did ramp up

At midnight I got up as I need to start concentrating through the surges. I popped the tens machine on and listened to some hypnobirthing tracks. I spent the next 2ish hrs kneeling over the sofa and breathing through the surges. I absolutely loved the tens machine at this point and found the boost really helpful. By about 2am I needed a change so I jumped in the shower. I lent over a yoga ball with the water running over my back. At about 3am I felt I wasn’t coping as well anymore and decided it was time to wake Gary (I think I was still in denial that it was really happening and wanted to let him sleep). Gary got up and started busying himself getting our things together (I had a list on the fridge of things he needed to get to take to the family birth centre) and would pop in and out of the shower to check on me. Just him being up help me calm myself again.

Heading to the birth centre

At 4am Gary phoned our midwife to let them know I was in labour and we’d keep them posted. By 4.30 I was ready to head to the birth centre, I just wanted to be in the bath. Gary phoned our midwife back and we slowly made our way to the car. Thankfully we are less than 10mins to the birth centre, I can’t imagine having to drive any further. The tens machine made the car ride just bearable. I was convinced once we got to the birth centre my midwife would say I wasn’t established enough to get in the bath so I was stoked when she said she would start filling the bath. I felt so much relief getting into the bath, I even said to Gary don’t be surprised if this slows things down. It definitely didn’t slow things down

After some time I started involuntary pushing so my midwife encouraged me to get out of the bath and try sitting on the toilet for a bit. She told me later she knew I was fully dilated yet due to the purple line (I had decided against cervical checks) and thought a change in positions would help. I moved back to the bath and starting bearing down and could feel the baby’s head. I felt like a long time and I kept thinking to myself they are going to make me go to labour and birth suite and have a vacuum extraction as it’s taking so long (reality was second stage was only 40mins). I remember the burning feeling as the baby crowned and then the relief when the head was born. After a full 2 minutes I birthed my baby, unwrapped the cord from around her neck and pulled her up onto my chest.

It was the most empowering and magical experience.

Maeve Isla was born at 8.12am on 12th May, weighing 3.39kg. I was convinced we had been at the birth centre for 12hours when really we had only been there for 3hrs! I had opted for a physiological third stage but unfortunately I started to bleed quite significantly so after 20mins or so I had the synto injection. Unfortunately that also didn’t work and I continued to bleed. We tried different positions but my placenta just wouldn’t budge. The doctors were called in and as I’d lost an estimated 1 litre of blood and it was off to the theatre for manual removal of the placenta. Thankfully they did this under spinal anaesthesia. It wasn’t the ending I was hoping for nor expected but it definitely hasn’t dampened the amazing birth experience. I had antenatally expressed so Gary was able to feed Maeve whilst I was in surgery. I spent one night in hospital and was home the next day. It’s been a week and my recovery has been pretty good. I also had a 2nd tear which was sutured but hasn’t caused much bother. We have just been resting and settling in at home as a family of 3, it’s been wonderful. Maeve is feeding very well and already above her birth weight.

Thank you again for teaching us hypnobirthing. It gave us the confidence to make our own choices and gave Gary the tools to support me. And thank you for the tens machine, it really worked wonders.

Kate Vivian is a self-professed pregnancy and birth geek who is finally learning to embrace the chaos of having 3 kids. It was the birth and ‘bringing baby home’ experience of her first baby, and the overwhelming guilt that went with it, that led her to start Bright Mums – and create a world where Mums matter.

A Certified Hypnobirthing Australia Practitioner, childbirth educator andbirth and postpartum doula, Kate works with Mums-to-be not only supporting them through pregnancy, and birth but also teaching them to honour themselves at a time when the world is telling them their baby is the most important thing.

With almost 2 decades in adult education, Kate has the ability to create a safe space, a non-judgey space. A place where Mums can relax and feel supported regardless of what their journey looks like.

A keen traveller in a former (pre-kids) life, Kate dreams of the day her kids are big enough to take skiing and they can completely show her up while she is busy falling down mountains.

You can find out more about Kate or how Hypnobirthing Australia classes by clicking below.

Hypnobirthing – Birth Centre

Heading to the birth centre

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