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26 Jun 2020
Our Induction using hypnobirthing & our faith
My baby wasn't due until 13 July 2020; I had just started maternity leave and thought I had 3 weeks before meeting my baby girl.
Within days of my maternity leave I was recommended to be induced due to an increased risk of stillbirth. Due to the pandemic I was by myself at the hospital so I used the BRAIN tool that Anna had talked about in her course, this then allowed me to speak to my husband so we could make an informed decision together.
The midwife told me a bed was ready for me. I confirmed that I needed to go home to my husband and discuss this prior to making a decision. I had used the BRAIN tool to make this decision and I had also learnt from Anna's course the importance of a calm clear environment when giving birth.
I came home and was emotionally and physically tired. My husband and I didn't know what to do, we are both such big planners and felt like we just weren't ready for this, our bags weren't packed and neither was the nursery. We called the hospital and confirmed I was very tired and were not physically or mentally ready for an induction today and needed to think about it overnight.
The midwife was clearly stressed and kept saying it was against medical advice, the bed was ready for today and she can't guarantee a bed tomorrow. At this point I was so upset I wasn't ready to labour, I knew I wanted to be induced but just not tonight, my bags weren't ready either (although I was getting told induction doesn't usually start immediately and I'd probably be in hospital for days I just didn't want to take the risk as I wasn't mentally prepared).
I needed food and a good night sleep, this is when we texted Anna because she always knows what to say, Anna took time out of her own private schedule and face timed us. Anna said she couldn't tell us what to do, but to use the BRAIN tool and not to worry about the hospital not providing a bed they have to give a bed if they deem it necessary. She advised if we do decide to take the night we should prepare the hospital bags, and really increase our oxytocin levels, she reminded us of our affirmations and our faith, which we included in the affirmations, she wished us best of luck and asked we keep her posted.
Following our chat Anna sent us some positive induction birth stories, which I ready throughout the night and the next day.
After speaking to Anna we felt even more confident to wait a night at home and relax, pack the bags and enjoy each other’s company. We knew we could call triage if we had any concerns. I said my prayers and asked God protects my daughter in my womb for the night.
We then called the hospital and told them we will come tomorrow for induction; they asked we call in the morning for bed availability. We packed our bags and I felt confident I had everything I needed, we then put on a diffuser, watched our wedding video and then fell asleep to ocean sounds which reminded us of our honeymoon.
The next morning I felt confident and ready to meet my little girl, my bags were packed and the oxytocin was flowing. I woke up at 8am and called the hospital, they said they didn't have a bed yet and if I can call again at 1pm. We decided to not over think it and enjoyed a lovely breakfast and then went on a walk to our favourite park. We had always said we would walk this route in early labour if things had proceeded naturally so it was great to still be able to do that. When we got home we called the hospital again, they confirmed they still didn't have a bed and they will call me when they do.
We decided this was a good sign and we couldn't control what time the bed would be ready so we were going to use the time to enjoy one another's company. We talked about our baby girl and how excited we were to meet her but also how nervous I was to do the initial labour myself, my husband reminded me that he will be there for the hard part. I then took a long warm shower and prepared my body for labour. It was about 4pm.
When the hospital called and said my bed would be ready at 8.30pm. We spent the next 4 hours going through our new birth plan as the old one had changed due to my pregnancy moving from low risk to high risk. We then just relaxed and went through the bags one last time.
We arrived at the hospital at 8.30pm. I had to bid goodbye to my husband at the doors of the antenatal ward so we had a cuddle and he again reassured me he would be with me soon.
As I got to the antenatal ward the ladies had their curtains opened and were all chatting, I introduced myself and my situation. I was told one of the ladies had been induced twice with pessary but had no luck so she was now going to have her waters broken when they had availability. I therefore prepared myself for the long haul.
As I waited to be monitored, I listened to my affirmations. I went and prayed my five daily prayers as usual and I put a little clary sage on a tissue and just inhaled it in.
It was about 2am, my next prayer time was around 4am. I decided to sleep as they would likely induce me tomorrow, however the midwife came and apologised for the delay she said she was now going to give me the pessary. She left straight after the procedure.
I had read a few positive induction birth stories and noted everyone had preserved their energy for labour. I therefore wanted to preserve my energy for the day ahead, as it was late I did half hour on my yoga ball, I then put some clary sage on a hanky and listened to my affirmations in the hope I would drift off to sleep.
I immediately felt period like pains so I started walking around and using my ball. It was about 4am and the pain started getting intense, I took some deep breaths and decided to complete my morning prayer in the hospital prayer room.
When I got back, I continued to use my yoga ball and take some deep breaths but the pain was getting intense, I tried moving around but I just couldn't bear the intensity. I called the midwife and asked for pain relief, she gave me paracetamol, within 10 minutes I called her again, I told her the contractions were intense, she asked if she could examine me, which I agreed to. At this point she told me I was 5cm dilated and she will be calling the delivery suite, she offered me gas and air which I took.
I started using gas and air trying to inhale with each contraction. I suddenly felt sick and called the midwife, by the time the midwife came I was sick all over my nightie, she helped me over to the shower and the hot water really helped ease the intensity. I kept thinking of my affirmations and taking deep breaths. As I left the shower my water broke naturally, this was a huge relief and I knew I was one step closer to meeting my baby girl. I was offered more pain relief but I said I will wait. I didn't want to have any more pain relief until my husband was here as I wanted to use the BRAIN tool to make that decision. I continued to use my affirmations and deep breaths as my form of pain relief.
At around 6.30 - 7am I was getting wheeled to delivery, I remember taking deep breaths and using my gas and air. I had practiced deep breathing and keeping my jaw loose during my pregnancy as recommended by my yoga teacher and Anna, having something to concentrate on took away from the intense contractions.
Once we got to the room, I asked if I could have a water birth because water helped pain, but they said as I was high risk they needed to monitor me continuously which wasn't possible in a water birth. Anna's course had prepared me enough to know that not everything goes to plan but you can still make your experience positive.
When my husband arrived I was pretty out of it but was so relieved to see him, I grabbed his hand instantly, he started giving me water and isotonic drinks, stroking my head and repeating my affirmations to me. We did some deep breathing together, I leaned on him when the pain was intense and he encouraged me to get off the bed and move around, he was so amazing though it and made sure everything was as close to how we wanted it, he was prepared for this due to Anna's course and he was an amazing birth partner.
There were discussions about doing another examination because of the blood loss. I started to panic; I hated the feel of the examination. I thought please God let this be 7 or 8cm at least! As they did the examination I felt pressure to push but held it in as I didn't want do anything while the midwife was checking. It was at this moment the midwife told me I was 10cm dilated. I couldn't believe it, I had only been told I was 5cm dilated 3 hours ago, I burst into tears, I knew it was time to meet my baby girl.
They asked me to push when my body told me too, for some reason I initially lost my concentration and screamed, both the midwife and my husband reminded me of the power of deep breathing. The midwife worked with my body encouraging me to push when I was ready I was 3 pushes in and was told I was so close. With some help via suction, I did one last push and there she was my beautiful baby girl on my chest.
I was overwhelmed with love and joy and as I enjoyed those first few moments with my daughter my husband reminded the midwife that we wanted to wait for the cord to turn white before he cut it (everything was so fast we hadn't given them the birth plan so the fact me and my husband went over it the night before helped). We both just watched our little girl in awe and before the cord was cut. I enjoyed an hour of skin to skin following which my husband also enjoyed skin to skin.
The staff were absolutely amazing and I couldn't believe I had given birth to the my gorgeous daughter at 8.20am on 26 June 2020 after only being induced at 2am using deep breaths, affirmations, my faith and gas and air. The experience was truly better than I had imagined.
I truly believe the oxytocin was flowing between myself and my husband, the deep breaths, energy drinks, affirmations and prayers really helped and had we had gone in the night before as advised it may have been a different story.
I now look back at my birth story as a fond memory and wish more people spoke about the positive aspects of giving birth.