In 2020 we were expecting our daughter. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and told it’s likely I would be induced because of this. It was an awful experience that lasted for days and resulted in not dilating at all and a c section. I was devastated that the experience wasn’t at all what I thought it would be. Fast forward to the summer of 2022, we found out we were expecting again and as excited as I was, I felt full of anxiety for what the birth would be like this time round. The c section recovery was very hard and so I knew another c section is not what I wanted - especially with having running after a 2 year old this time.
With our daughter I never went to any classes and the only birth education I had was one born every minute and my mother in law! I had heard many positive things about hypnobirthing - mainly about having a calm and positive birthing experience so I searched and found Julia’s hypnobirthing course.
Julia and I had arranged a video call and I told her about the first experience and how worried I was, she instantly put me at ease and for the first time since finding out we were expecting, I felt I wasn’t alone. Most of my friends, family members and even medical professionals prompted me to have another c section but Julia understood and respected my wishes to have the VBAC.
Julia came to our home and we talked, laughed and completed the sessions. On our first session with her I had told her that a consultant had said he doesn’t recommend me going over 39 weeks and suggested a c section by then if Labour had not happened naturally. These sessions helped to build not just my confidence in the process but also my partner’s. The more time we spent with Julia in sessions, the more we believed we could do this without the offer of a c section dangling over us.
I realised that I didn’t have to agree to what the medical professionals have said, I don’t have to go for the c section just because there was a 0.01% chance of uterine rupture. In the end my partner and I made an informed decision based on all the information given to us - that I would be induced by 39 and a half weeks if Labour had not happened already. I was induced with balloon and was 1 and a bit centimetres dilated when it came out. I had to wait days for a bed on the Labour ward, at that point I started to doubt whether a VBAC would happen - I contacted Julia and she gave me some comforting words of support and finally the next day I was told there was a bed and my waters were to be broken. Things didn’t progress naturally and 4 hours later I was put on the oxytocin drip, we were so happy and grateful to have got to this point as with our daughter I hadn’t got this far in labouring. Throughout the whole process I was constantly listening to the hypnobirthing affirmations track. A consultant came and told us if the drip didn’t work I would have to have a c section but with the powerful affirmations I was listening to, I knew I could do this and my body was made for it.
Surges started properly by 7:30pm, the midwife we had was very supportive of our decision to practice hypnobirthing and she got us into the room with a pool and dimmed the lights. I continued listening to the hypnobirthing affirmations tracks and put up the affirmation pictures which helped me stay in a positive mindset throughout. By 11:30pm active labour had started and I felt exhausted, surges were very powerful and it was overwhelming so I made the decision to opt for morphine and gas and air. The midwife told my partner that she expected me to Labour for a while yet but half an hour later turns out I was ready to have our son. Aiden was born at 12:55am weighing 8lb 3oz! It was an incredibly powerful experience and one I am so so proud of.
Midwives and doctors have told me it’s a medical miracle that I was able to have a successful VBAC. I do believe that had it not been for Julia’s hypnobirthing course and all the support she had provided us with - it would not have been the same outcome. The hypnobirthing course allowed me to have the knowledge I needed to make my own informed choices about my birthing experience and also give my partner the confidence he needed during Labour and to support the decisions I made. This in turn totally transformed our mindsets from the negative experience we had into positive - regardless of the outcome.
At the start of the course if you’d have asked me if I thought I could have such an incredible and amazing birth after the first one, I would have been doubtful however now? I look forward to the next one!
My one piece of advice - do it, do all the homework, ask all the questions and most importantly - believe in it.
xx
Leila & Matt
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