Our daughter, Liv, was born at home on International Womens Day, assisted by the most amazing team of midwives. Our little pisces came swimming into the world weighing 4.3 kilograms and I really felt like she and I (with support from her Dad) worked as team through the birth.
I had been listening to birth affirmations during my pregnancy and the one that resonated with me the most was to trust my body and my baby.
The affirmations were just one tool I used to re-frame my perspective of birth as a normal physiological process that my body was capable of, in order to go into labour genuinely without fear, but with confidence. I also did this by avoiding conventional birth education, and instead taking a hypnobirthing course, attending prenatal yoga, listening to positive birth podcasts, and researching evidence based practice in birth. I also had the most incredible primary care midwife who I trusted absolutely.
Secure in the knowledge that my midwife would make sure my baby and I were safe, but would not unnecessarily interfere, I was able to focus on getting through each contraction as it came. I naturally fell into a rhythm, visualising breathing into my abdomen to a count of four, then out again. This helped me to stay in the present and not worry about what was to come or how much time was passing.
Throughout the day, I moved around between my bed, the couch, the birth pool, shower and toilet as I pleased. I felt completely supported by the people around me, and was able to retreat into my own experience and get through each moment as I needed to.
Approximately eight hours into established labour, I started pushing at the end of contractions. I hadn't been instructed by anyone to do so, and wasn't even aware that I was going to push! It just happened! Two hours after that our little girl was born in the birth pool.
Less than an hour after that our little family was tucked up in our own bed with tea and toast prepared by the midwives. We were so excited to meet our baby, but it was also a wonderfully calm and peaceful atmosphere.
Hypnobirthing helped me to have faith in my body, get into a positive mindset, address my fears and go into labour with genuine confidence, leading to a truly amazing birth.
I absolutely love this birth story! Well done mama and welcome baby Liv! Thank you for sharing your birth story. Birth story shared with permission.