A positive due date delivery: Cora’s birth story
I had a fabulous pregnancy, no sickness, no complaints, just love for my baby and respect for my body.
My partner and I were very keen to do a course together to prepare for baby. HPHB prepped us for all sorts - normal baby poo's, first aid and what a c section might look like. Things that could cause worry and stress if you're seeing them for the first time in the moment.
My fiancé and I were hoping for a natural drug free home birth. I had been practicing breathing techniques each day, watching positive birth videos on You Tube and listening to positive affirmations morning and night. Essentially brain washing myself with all the positivity surrounding birth, fully trusting my body by understanding how it naturally made changes and got ready for birth. My take home message was to stay relaxed and allow my body to birth my baby.
I cannot recommend hypnobirthing enough, it's not as hippy trippy as it sounds. The HPHB Hypnobirthing Masterclass was the perfect prep for our birth experience.
My waters went at 4:30am. I got up for a wee and it was like someone tipped a pint out of me. I was so surprised I burst out laughing... I tried to go back to sleep but water kept coming, so I crept down stairs for breakfast knowing I probably wouldn't want to eat when the surges kicked in. I called my midwife, let her know my waters had gone and sat eating breakfast watching Netflix until 7:30am when my fiancé woke up. Surges were regular but very mild. We were so excited that baby was coming! At 8:30 we went for a walk. Very slowly and stopping when I needed to breathe through the next wave.
By 9am things were getting more intense. The time at home was so chilled. I kept swaying & moving slowly round the house. I tried to eat again at 10am but was sick straight away. We waited one more hour for my surges to get longer and closer together before we left for the birth centre. I was 4cm when I was examined at 11:40am. I got into the pool as soon as it was full - it felt amazing.
I had a natural birth with just a bit of gas and air as the head was coming out. It was an intense experience but not painful like if you cut yourself or get injured. For me it felt like a huge build up of pressure. My partner was amazing and I clung to him throughout.
I did my best to stay calm and let me body do its thing. I never actually pushed, but my body was sort of convulsing towards the end, each surge my body tightened and pushed her a little further down. At 1:50pm Cora was born. I had done it! No drugs and had the water birth I had wanted.
Unfortunately, it was a very short cord that snapped when I birthed her body... and my placenta wouldn't come out. I ended up in theatre with an epidural to have it manually removed. I'm grateful for the medical interventions that were necessary, but am not focusing on it.
I still feel like I had a positive natural birth experience and I gave birth exactly on my due date!
When Cora’s little body was passed to me for skin to skin I was totally overwhelmed with emotion. I'd had a short labour so wasn't exhausted, just instantly in love and a bit in shock that I had done it, that this tiny human had grown inside me and now she was here and we could see her; I cried and was shaking from the adrenaline.
Because I had to go to theatre to have my placenta removed , I had to stay in hospital for 3 days while they monitored my blood pressure and Cora’s temperature. Every 2 hours! I had a catheter which was uncomfortable and made sleep difficult the first night.
Putting the hospital stay aside and focusing on being a mum, the first few days were actually bliss. Just a huge love explosion, learning how to look after my beautiful tiny daughter, learning how to breastfeed and hold her properly, just staying in bed and cuddling her all day. It was wonderful.
When we came home altogether it was how it should be. I was extremely tired (sleep on a maternity ward is a rare thing!) but it was just so exciting starting this new adventure as a family.
My fiancé totally supported me. He cooked and did everything as I was busy feeding baby a lot. I recovered quickly.
The HPHB course meant I had a support network of local mums. Some who had already had their babies and others still pregnant. Everyone is very supportive of each other and it's great to get knowledge from those a few weeks ahead of you in their parenting journey.
I have already recommended the HPHB course to friends. They cover a wide range of topics and it's great to have different tutors for each specialist area.
It provides a safe space to ask questions and learn with other first time parents.
Top Tips:
I would say do your research. Learn about your body and what it has been designed by nature to do. It's truly amazing and fills you with womanly empowerment.
Take a HPHB course. Listen to podcasts, watch positive birth videos. Surround yourself with positivity and don’t watch One Born Every Minute or other shows that are designed to dramatize birth.
Stay calm, relax and respect your body. Know what sort of birth experience you want, prep for it and aim for it, but be knowledgeable of other potential decisions you might have to make.
Be mentally and physically prepared for any birth situation you may find yourself in. Make sure your birth partner knows what you want, they may end up speaking on your behalf.
Oh and prep freezer meals for the first few weeks/days. Then you can focus on feeding and cuddles!
