How Hypnobirthing Can Help You Have a More Relaxed Birth

Jude's Birth Story

"Evening Jackie. I thought I’d let you know that Jude arrived on Tuesday at 39 weeks!  

Luckily I’d been practising breathing every day. I’d had what seems like contractions for a three hour period early hours of sunday, but fell asleep and woke to nothing more. Had them period type cramping but infrequent sunday/Monday. Tuesday though the cramps were happening all the time but very period like across my back as well. After the school run I went to bed for a few hours for breathing and with the aim of a nap, I was tired! I woke as the cramps had changed to something more labour like so started timing them at about 10 minutes.

By 7pm I was pretty sure it was all happening and so called the midwife and my mum. Shaun got kids to bed and the homebirth went ahead. At 8pm I was in the bath and about 9.20 the midwife checked to find I was 5/6cm but she could stretch 7. I all of a sudden just felt so tired and so lay down with a hot water bottle on my back, low lights with just the one midwife and my mum in the room being very quiet. I continued to use breathing and during contractions my mum would rub my back.

Around 10ish laying felt uncomfortable as things got bigger and so got in the pool which Shaun had only just managed to fill in time! I used sleep breathing so well and tried to stay focused on myself, each surge held my hands out to Shaun but remained focused on breathing as well as I could and not grabbing him to avoid all tension in my body, my mum poured water over my back. I felt I went slightly flaky towards the end but kept breathing and I must say I was totally oblivious to they midwives really! They understood I think that I was doing well and stood back other than to check the heartbeat and they helped encourage me when it got to the final stage. Jude was born at 11.05 in his sack! I love this point as I’ve always wanted it to happen knowing my waters have only ever gone during the pushing stage. 

I am absolutely thrilled at how well I coped during the birth of Jude and the use I made of breathing to relax in between the surges and the focus I had on my body doing what it needed to do and just allowing it too. It all seems like so long ago now despite it only being 48 hours!! It’s amazing and I feel that the breathing with my body is what helped the birth progress so well. Also could the birth breathing be responsible for the sack being intact and that in turn has led to very little impact on my body with regards to such low level grazing??

Anyway Jackie I am just amazed at how proud I feel of myself! Thank you for reminding me the power our bodies have.

Thank you,

Gemma" 

If you, like ZenMuma founder, Jackie want to help women in your area have calmer, more relaxed pregnancies and births, enrol in our hypnobirthing teacher training course. The course can help you develop your passion for pregnancy and birth, and help women and mothers at the very beginning of their parenting journey.