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26 Sep 2020
Our birth at 34 weeks
Very early in my pregnancy I found out about Anna and her hypnobirthing course and I signed up for a 1:1 course. At the start I was scared, anxious and apprehensive about being pregnant and even more so about birth. However with Anna's course I felt ready, strong, calm and informed when my waters broke at midnight on the 26th September. We had no bags packed, so my husband was packing our bags to the lists I had made.
On the 25th I had my 34 week midwife appointment and my final hypnobirthing session with Anna. I was getting bigger at this point and getting uncomfortable sitting down, so part way through the session I stood up to get more comfortable, I had no idea at this point that I was having contractions. I actually had no idea I was in early labour until midnight when my waters broke in my sleep. Thanks to Anna's course I didn't panic, I was in a way a little excited about the future. I called triage and they called us in to the hospital. Initially, I was forgetting about my choices as everything was going so quickly when we got to the hospital, but I took a moment to collect myself and then started to use the BRAIN tool in full force. Steroid injections were needed to remove the fluid from my daughters lungs and I needed drugs to try and stop my contractions, to give the steroids time to work. We had a second dose a few hours later but she was determined that she was coming before my second dose of steroids.
The contractions were ramping up during the 2h visiting slot, but my husband was supporting me following Anna's advice. I asked for a bath to help ease the pain as the contractions were coming stronger and there wasn't as much time between them. The midwife said she was worried I'd have the baby in the bath so it would be best not to. I was a little shocked, I didn't realise I could be that close to the main event.
My husband asked about gas and air while I was having another contraction, but they said not until I had an internal exam and they knew I was in active labour. Looking back I am annoyed that this happened as I felt forced into having the examination, however the relief was needed at this point so I consented. I was 4cm dilated, I had no idea I was this far along and was so happy that so far I was feeling good and I had got this far using just my visualisation and breathing techniques.
We were moved to the birthing room and it seemed like there was no let up between contractions, I was using visualisation and breathing techniques constantly. The sensations were so powerful now and I had a slight wobble, where I said I don't think I can do this. In my mind I had hours and hours left, only to be told she was crowning, how had I done this? How had I got this far? I was truly amazed with myself and the internal power of my body. I dug deep, I took myself to my happy place and I pushed, my baby arrived at 14.48.
However, this wasn't where my hypnobirthing tools got put back on the shelf, our baby was six weeks early and spent 5 days in NICU and a further 9 days in hospital on the ward with me. I used the BRAIN tool daily to help with decisions about my babies care and the breathing and visualisation for myself when times got mentally challenging during our 2 week stay. L
Anna was by my side the whole way through the stay in hospital and since being home. The knowledge she gave us, priceless, the strength she helped me find, immeasurable, and the calmness we both felt and still feel, endless. Anna you are an angel, Aimee, Adam and Imi x
Aimee and Adam - Stourbridge, Worcestershire