Jack Daniel, born at Nambour Hospital on 27 June 2012
“We had a baby boy born last night after only a 5 hour labour! Jack weighed in at 8 pound 3. It was a truly wonderful experience. The HypnoBirthing® is certainly what made my experience what it was and I’m telling everyone!
When it got hard Daniel just rubbed my back and prompted me to breathe but I was in control the whole journey and very calm. It certainly wasn’t pain free, I was aware of what my body was feeling but I concentrated on what it was doing and worked with it. I didn’t fear it at all. It was truly amazing and the feeling I had when I picked him up off the floor (yes the midwife guided him to the floor and left him under me so I could see him and pick him up!!) was priceless. I was so proud of myself and overjoyed that I did it all drug free.
Dan found the experience so different this time. Like me he was in control. He knew his role and he played it perfectly. When I started pushing the head I was making really loud moaning noises and he thought I was starting to struggle but I managed to get the words out that I was fine the noise was helping. It was like a meditation thing for me.
The midwife at the hospital made it for us. She fully respected all our wishes. There was no pre conceived judgement. She was really excited to be a part of a hypnobirth and a completely drug free birth. She said it’s been years since she’s had anyone not even want the hormone injection to birth their placenta. She said nothing to me through the whole birth. She didn’t coach me when I was pushing the head out. She just quietly stuck a mirror under me and stood back and watched. She saw I was doing what I needed to so she said nothing at all. She respected the dark room all the way to us leaving birth suite and worked with a little torch. She wouldn’t let the doctor come in the room, she made her stand in the doorway as she felt someone new coming in when the head was crowning might put me off. She politely explained to the doc we were HypnoBirthing® and her assistance was not required but she could watch. I didn’t know any of this until after.
My labour started after a trip to my acupuncturist. I got in the bath just before 6pm and had my first contractions just after 6pm. They went straight into 5 mins apart so I got out and had my dinner at 6:30pm. By 6:45 they were 3 mins apart. I got Charlee ready for bed, read her bedtime stories and tucked her in through all of it. Then when she was sorted Dan and I went into the bedroom and he read a script and I relaxed. About 8pm I needed to get up and move around so I went back out to the lounge and text a friend on my phone. Then it got a bit more intense at 8:30pm so I came back to the bedroom and sat on the fitball and listened to relaxation music. Then about 9pm I found it more comfortable to stand and rock with the contractions so I did that for 15 mins. Went to the toilet and got the bearing down feeling and decided it was time for hospital. We left at 9:30 with contractions 2 mins apart all the way in the car. The car ride was fine I just breathed. When we finally got to emergency and up to birth suite it was 10pm. The midwife did her introductions, checked bub was head down still and I laid on the bed. After 10 mins I was uncomfortable laying down so I went to the toilet. I had been pushing since we arrived at hospital and this time I was told to go with it. I came out the bathroom and looked at all the equipment set up and ready for me and tried to decide where I’d be most comfy. A contraction came so I fell on the closest thing which was the mattress on the floor with a bean bag. I fell to my hands and knees and that’s where I stayed. My water broke just before 11pm and Jack was born at 11:06pm! Although it was 5 hours I really feel like it was the last hour I was in labour when I was bearing down. The rest was labour but was very manageable and relaxing. Just amazing!
So thanks so much for your guidance in giving us the tools to make our birth experience the spiritual bond we wanted it to be.”
Michelle, Daniel & Jack, Eumundi, QLD
