Ruby’s Unplanned Home Birth
“I spent a lot of time practising my
hypnobirthing techniques and doing
relaxation daily for many weeks pre labour.
I approached the birth with no fear and
feeling very positive and confident.
When I had a show and my surges started I
attempted to begin my relaxation as planned and to use the deep breathing through the surges. However, after an hour or two I became very frustrated as I was finding it hard to do the deep breathing in time with the surges and I began to find them uncomfortable. I forgot to try and relax between my surges that were 10 minutes apart and dreaded each surge as it started. This went on over night and I was also pre-occupied with timing surges wondering when we would need to leave to go to the hospital. The result was no sleep and a tense body and uncomfortable surges. We went to hospital as my contractions got closer and I had a few very close together. They told me I was not very dilated and had not really started true surges! I was then sent home.
After an hours rest my surges were 4 minutes apart and my waters broke. 5 minutes later they were 1 and a half minutes apart and I felt the urge to push. The hospital sent an ambulance and midwives who decided to deliver me at home as I was now fully dilated. From this point on it took 2 1/2 hours
for Ruby to arrive. From the point the ambulance was called
I felt very calm and in my head I kept thinking the birthing
affirmations and I just knew my body and baby would know
what to do. It did not worry me having the baby at home
I just thought its coming right here and focused on my birth
breathing. I did start off with gas but then did the last hour with
no pain relief. The only bit of pain I recall was the head crowning. The breathing helped me focus and this is when the birthing affirmations kept me calm. I am by nature a worrier and would never have considered a home birth for fear of what could go wrong. I feel the hypnobirthing kept me calm and controlled in a very unplanned birthing situation. Next time I will choose a home birth and definitely do it without pain relief! Although hypnobirthing did not help me in early labour as I planned it too, I feel it made the birthing experience a good one. It also helped me relax and approach the birth in a positive manner. The classes also made me feel very educated about birth, medical interventions and brought me and my husband closer. I also feel baby Ruby has a very calm disposition. “
Katie, Mark and baby Ruby July, 2007, Brighton