A positive breech delivery: Noah’s birth story
I was very lucky throughout my pregnancy and had next to no symptoms. The birth was something I put out of sight for a while, but HPHB encouraged me think more positively about it and helped me adopt a calmer approach. It helped us to better prepare and know what to expect for all scenarios. I was so skeptical about hypnobirthing but the masterclass session with HPHB I found really useful and surprisingly relaxing. Although I could have practiced more, the breathing exercises certainly stuck in my mind and really did help during labour; my partner Alex was also able to remind me to breathe. All of the HPHB resources were so useful - acting as a reminder and often served as reassurance if we were ever in doubt. What has and will continue to be one of the biggest benefits of the course is the fact we've been introduced to a great bunch of expectant parents and we've all been able to share tips and continue to support and cheer each other on.
We approached the labour quite practically in that we were comfortable with intervention if necessary, as long as we understood the reasons why. The course also helped us not to fear the 'what if' and understand the different kinds of pain relief available.
When labour started, I paced out contractions at home until I needed some more support. We checked into the hospital at 1am and Noah arrived through forceps delivery at 12.54pm. I was thrilled to be at 4cm upon arrival. As soon as I stood up after the initial examination my waters broke - there was meconium in them and we were informed Noah would need to be born within a time limit and so I was put on a drip to intensify contractions and aid pushing. We then discovered that he was no longer head down and was now facing up and so a decision was made for a forceps delivery and if that didn't work they wanted to also prep for a c section. I was exhausted and disappointed that it came to this, however as soon as the local anaesthetic kicked in it provided some much needed respite from the pain! And I had so much determination to get baby out safely with forceps that thankfully it wasn't long before he was here and in my arms.
The first moment I saw Noah I felt both relief and absolute elation. I was overcome with emotion. And we both were just so incredibly happy and in love as soon as we heard him cry!
The early days at home were easier than we thought. Although the first night at home was completely unsettling and Noah really worried us that he wasn't feeding properly however the midwife instantly reassured us the next day and helped with breastfeeding. One of the best tips from HPHB is to not ignore a newborn’s cry and we recalled the breastfeeding techniques the feeding specialist had talked to us about - Alex was better than I was at enforcing these!
We would absolutely recommend the HPHB antenatal course. It’s a great way to meet people and so much is covered - learning more about birth, introduction to hypnobirthing, post-natal care and first aid for your baby.
Top Tips:
Don't worry about the unknown and don't hope for the perfect birth
Don’t let any changes that feel less positive overwhelm you
It really is best not to Google
If something doesn't feel right call your Midwife, no matter how small because that reassurance is all you need
