We
both want to sincerely thank you for teaching us the skills to allow us to have
the most wonderful birthing experience, just as we had imagined. We would
recommend your course to anyone, and if ever anyone wants to talk to someone who
has done the course, then tell them to ring us or email us and we would be happy
to tell them about our positive birth experience. Trent
& Lizzie, May 2006.
The
following birthing stories are from three women who, using the BirthSkills
techniques were blessed with wonderful birthing experiences.
Karen
I started
the BirthSkills classes at 35 weeks and sat through the sessions waiting for the
‘magic’, when was she going to tell me exactly how to have a pain-free
birth? I was anxious about the pain and about tearing but by the end of the
classes had faith that the hypnosis had worked, something had sunk in and I
would be okay. At 36 weeks we decided to have a home water-birth and frantically
set about finding a private midwife and hiring a birthing pool.
About 4
days before my due date we were having dinner and I started to feel surges, no
pain or anything and I though it must just be Braxton Hicks. We put our daughter
to bed complete with story and songs, and I did the dishes and the whole time
the surges kept coming but still no pain. At about 10pm I asked my husband to
fill the birthing pool and I got in as soon as I could and put on the CD and
practiced the breathing techniques, ‘just in case’ I was going to have a
baby that night! My husband said that he was going to call the midwife but I
told him to wait because it felt nothing like the first time, there was no
urgency, there was no pain with the surges, and I felt calm and relaxed.
Finally, my husband rang the midwife anyway but by the time she got here there
were already three of us in the pool, we had birthed our baby our selves 10
minutes earlier with no pushing, no pain and no intervention – it was the most
beautiful experience I could ever have hoped for. I tell everyone about
BirthSkills, we ask friends who are pregnant ‘would you like to have a
pain-free birth?’!
Nicola
As
planned Darcy was born at the Birth Centre without any intervention. Labour was
so much harder than I could have imagined (especially second stage) but a drug
free birth was the first gift I wanted to offer my child and thanks to the
hypnosis tools we learned I was able to successfully do it.
I
believe our calm birthing experience has had a huge impact on Darcy's
development. From the moment he entered world he was very alert. I managed to
breastfeed him immediately and he has continued to thrive. Tim and I are so
grateful for the knowledge we gained from you. We felt so prepared and never
once throughout my long labour (21 hours) did we have any fear.
It
makes me happy to know that thanks to you and the BirthSkills classes other
women will feel empowered enough to have wonderful birthing experiences and
bring into the world calm and happy babies.
Diane
Jack
arrived 2 weeks early, weighing 7lb and 9˝oz. I am really pleased – and proud
to say that the birth was totally drug and intervention free.
My
waters broke the night before – which was a bit of a shock, but I had a bit of
a show the day before so thought that maybe things would happen sooner rather
than later. Unlike my fear of the actual moment, the drive to the hospital,
which was around 30 – 40 minutes away, did not happen in rush hour, I was not
in any pain and lots of the lights were green!! We had a very nice run up there,
chatting about what was going to happen, baby names etc – it was lovely. At
the hospital I was hooked up to a machine and was having contractions but
couldn’t feel them. We both stayed in a room overnight and I got to sleep
around 11pm. At 1am I woke as I was now feeling contractions, however I just
kept sleeping through them, breathing and going to the loo every so often as
sitting there seemed to be more comfortable at times than lying. I decided not
to time them or get hung up on time and how long it was taking, just go with the
flow and do what my body wanted to do. At 7- 7.30 am the nurse came to wake me
up and I walked through to the Birthing Suite and was pretty sure that I was
quite far along as I felt sweaty but cold and just a bit odd, which I think was
actually transition. When I got to the Birthing Suite the midwife examined me
for the first time and couldn’t believe I was actually nearly fully dilated!
All my plans for massages etc, went out the window as all I was really
concentrating on was breathing, relaxing and some visualization. The midwife was
amazed that while checking the baby’s heartbeat, lying flat on the bed, I had
a really large contraction, and was so relaxed, but it actually felt easier
lying down than standing, maybe because I have done yoga and relaxation
exercises mainly lying on my back. The obstetrician arrived and I decided to be
on my knees at the side of the bed, leaning towards my husband, who was holding
my hands. The midwife and obstetrician were sitting on the floor. I don’t know
how long I pushed for, it didn’t seem like anytime at all, and out came Jack
at 10am, 9 hours after I felt the first contraction– crying almost before he
got out! I had my music playing, which was about the only thing I did manage to
use! It was all very peaceful and relaxing, I didn’t really say much to
anyone, except to tell them when a contraction was coming – there was no
screaming, swearing or shouting at anyone. I was really surprised at myself and
how I coped as the pain didn’t seem nearly as bad as I thought it would be, I
am so pleased that I did the BirthSkills course and learnt more about the body
and not to fight the pain, I think that really helped me.
Erika
Well,
it was all a success! After a
6-hour labour and no drugs or interventions I gave birth to Kate - 8lb 10oz.
Shari’s BirthSkills course was fantastic.
It focussed on self-hypnosis or relaxation with affirmations for an
empowered birth. There was also a lot of information explaining the whole process
and explaining how to remain in control and relaxed at each stage.
For the weeks after the course I tried to set aside Daniel’s sleep time
so that I could go to bed and put on one of Shari’s hypnosis CDs - and usually
fall asleep! It seemed to work though as I got no blood pressure problems,
felt great, and as soon as I put one on in the delivery suite I became relaxed
just hearing Shari’ voice. I also
invested in some essential oils and an electric burner, and made up some massage
oils too.
So,
at 12.15am on Sunday 16th, the day before she was due, my waters broke.
I rang the hospital before 1am to let them know nothing was happening but
that I'd be in sometime then went to run the bath.
The phone rang - the midwife had checked my file and had to ask me to
come in for monitoring because of the c-section last time - but said I
might as well have a bath first and get organised!
So we got there about 2.30am, contractions were irregular and mild, the
midwife was one I knew and she let us set up the music and oils and left us to
it. She rang the obstetrician at
3.30, he asked her to do an internal and let him know what was happening - I was
about 3cm. She told us to order
breakfast and lunch as it could be a long day - that it would be about 1cm an
hour - like a first labour. Then
she left us again and I put the hypnosis CD on and didn't even notice time
passing until after 5am. I got up
then and had a walk around - and things really started becoming intense.
At 6am the OB arrived and put a line in my hand just in case (!!!) and
another midwife did a check and said I was about 4cm - but then at 6.30am when
the OB checked I was 8cm! He had
been planning on just checking on me before going for his Sunday morning walk -
he didn't make it out for that!
They got me back on the bed for those checks and
monitoring - but after that I couldn't get up because even trying to roll over
brought on intense contractions. Another
midwife I knew well came in for the birth and both she and the obstetrician were
really supportive and positive. Although I was on my back they tried to get me on my side -
it just didn't work - so instead they made sure I wasn't on my tailbone.
Unfortunately when she was crowning my body took over and pushed her out
- they were trying to slow things down - so she was born at 8.07am, and came
straight up onto my chest for a cuddle and feed while I was stitched - a tear
but healing well.
I
hope that isn't too much information for you! I'm certain that confidence plays
a huge part in going through with a VBAC.
More BirthSkills Birthing Stories
The
following birthing stories are from two women who, using the BirthSkills
techniques were able to remain calm and focussed despite the
difficulties they experienced during their birthing. Although the BirthSkills
program is appealing to women hoping for a natural birth, the
techniques are equally effective and perhaps more important to women who require
medical intervention.
Julie
Absolutely
nothing went to plan!! I started leaking amniotic fluid but after 24 hours
had no contractions… so we went into hospital and the obstetrician advised
induction asap. So an oxytocin drip was started. I requested an
epidural as well as many friends had advised me the contractions can be
particularly strong. The anaesthetist was caught up in theatre for the
first 3 hours so I used the BirthSkills techniques during all this time, which
was excellent - the contractions by that time were getting really painful but I
managed to stay calm. I actually dilated really well and after 7 hours had
fully dilated so we thought everything would be fine. But when the
obstetrician did an internal exam, the baby turned out to be posterior and her
head was flexed so her brow and eyes were the first thing he could feel instead
of the top of her head… so off for a caesarean.
BUT, through it all, I stayed really calm and focused. Theatre would have
been overwhelming if it wasn't for my relaxation. She came out really pink
and had very high Apgar scores. The nurses kept commenting on how she
wasn't like a "normal" Caesar baby, which are apparently pretty flat
for the first few days. She started suckling straight away and has taken
to the breast like a total natural. I think about 5 midwives commented how
unusual this was for a Caesar baby and I put it down to the relaxation and
staying calm during the whole thing. She has been so calm and contented
and so far has slept for 6-hour patches during both nights at home. We
have only really heard her cry on the first day home when everything was new and
different. The whole time I was in hospital, I could hear other babies
absolutely screaming in the other rooms but our baby has been a gem.
Kym
The
birth did not go according to plan as I had scar tissue on my cervix that would
not dilate. Thankfully my doctor who would have normally just performed a
c-section, respected my wishes to have as little intervention as possible &
I had a Syntocinon drip. Things progressed at a very fast rate with half my
cervix dilating to 9cm in 2 hours. I managed to stay calm & relaxed for most
of the labour, but then the pain had way outrun my endorphins & I found it
too much, so I opted for an epidural. As I was so far along in my labour they
only gave me a weak epidural. Once I had had the epidural they were able to
stretch the scar tissue on the other half of my cervix & 40 minutes later we
had our beautiful son. Although my plans for a natural labour did not eventuate
the BirthSkills techniques helped me to remain calm & relaxed through the
whole experience. Luke did not realise I was in so much pain until he saw tears
running down my face when I turned to him & said that I needed some pain
relief. My doctor has told me that now the scar tissue has stretched I will not
have the same problem with the second baby, so I am looking forward to trying
the techniques again then.
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