Birth Story: Isabelle’s powerful birth
Hi Claire!
Firstly Bruce & I want to thank you so much for the support you have shown us from day 1 of our meeting, in your Westmead Hypnobirthing Australia™’s Positive Birth Program classes.
I am so glad we were able to get to the end destination together and that you could meet Charlotte in the hospital. It was a full circle moment.
Your classes helped me to remove the fear I had surrounding childbirth and opened my mind to seeing the experience in a different light. I was listening to my positive affirmations in the weeks leading up to my due date and really feeling the positive energy. Although my birth strayed slightly from the “plan” we originally had, I was still able to get through 12 hours of labour using the hypnobirthing methods taught to us by you. Bruce was an amazing birth partner and took onboard all the different tactics he learnt and helped me get halfway there. (Photos of the set up attached) we were able to get in the shower and apply warm water to my back, I even got into the bath and tried to ease the strength of my surges there. We had several different massage devices with us that Bruce kept swapping out and using on different areas.
Once I knew I had reached my threshold after 12 hours and felt I was losing my focus I didn’t feel afraid to ask for the epidural (something I was very against due to my fear of needles and everything I had learnt about them - however I knew if I wanted my birth to continue in a positive direction, I needed some assistance getting back on track). The anaesthetist was amazing and talked me through everything, once it was in, I felt confident to continue with my birth back in the mindset I started with. I continued to labour for another 4 hours and then I was ready. I began to push and for 1 whole hour I focused my energy on getting my baby out, at 9.08pm our beautiful baby was born and it was a girl. Bruce was able to cut the cord when it was at the appropriate time and we enjoyed the golden hour together.
Thank you again for all the knowledge you shared with us, as first-time parents we felt that much more ready going into the birthing suite.
Warmest regards!
Isabelle, Bruce & Charli xx
