Emily’s Birth Story- Previous Traumatic Birth

I just wanted to send you an email to thank you for completely changing my perspective on labour and birth, and for not only helping me have a positive experience with my second son but for helping to heal some of the trauma experienced with my first. 

Last week I had an amazing birth experience. A sentence I never thought it would ever be possible for me to say. After my first sons birth which involved a drip induction to speed up my labour and ended in an episiotomy and forceps delivery in theatre I struggled mentally with ptsd. However with my second son I was determined to have a better experience, I stumbled across your course on Instagram and as a massive sceptic I thought what a load of rubbish but as my due date grew nearer so my anxiety grew and my ptsd returned with a vengeance and so I thought what have I got to loose.

At 42 weeks and after weeks of mild contractions and “maybe this is it moments” I agreed with my midwife to go into hospital to be induced, she said I was already 3cm and so hopefully all would be needed would be for them to break my waters. I went into hospital, had my waters broken and was then told I had 4 hours for labour to start so I spent the whole time on my feet or on my ball listening to my relaxation audio and focusing on staying upright and forward, contractions were mild and were not consistent so after 4 hours I was advised to move to delivery to be started on the drip. At this point I started to panic, my partner was not allowed in yet due to covid restrictions and I could feel myself already envisioning a repeat of my first birth. Once on delivery I had a little cry and a strong word with myself that I needed to focus now more than ever so back on went my relaxation audio and despite being told to lay still on the bed for 30mins monitoring I refused and told them I was remaining upright, so the midwives got a different monitor to allow me to do this.

To my absolute delight my contractions soon started to ramp up and I asked to be examined before the drip was started, I was 5cm! And so I continued without the drip and at this point my partner was allowed to join me. I changed position whenever I felt I needed to, I continued to drink plenty and my partner counted out my breathing techniques for me. During contractions I focused on relaxing and allowed my body to take over and just 2hours and 40mins later my son was born in the birthing pool, a birth which only a few hours previous had seemed like an impossible dream slowly getting fainter and fainter.

I had an amazing and empowering birth experience this time around and most of it is thanks to taking the plunge and doing your course, I kept the words from your videos in my mind at all times and every time I felt myself start to panic I refocused on relaxing my body and thoughts of having cuddles with my little boy. So thank you so much for making it possible for me to not only find birth less traumatic but to actually enjoy it and have nothing but amazing memories from that day.

For more information about The Bump to Baby Chapter’s Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Online Course. Know what you can do to stack the odds in your favour for the birth that you want. Videos, checklists, audios & a support group all created by a midwife to get you feeling excited, prepared and confident for birth.