A positive natural labour: Phoebe’s birth story
I feel it important to say that Phoebe was a surprise and not planned! So our preparation was little to NONE! HPHB helped us connect with other expectant parents and introduced us to this new, exciting (but scary and sudden) change of life style! My pregnancy was generally easy and we had lots of fun going to the classes and enjoying my maternity leave to relax and prepare. We both felt really comfortable and at ease feeling like we knew what we had to know for birth and baby life.
My birth was also quite easy (as easy as child birth can be!!). I had no pain relief other than gas and air. I went in to the situation well prepared and my mind was set on the end goal. In the class we had explored not really having any set plan and my plan was ‘no plan’. When my waters broke we were rushed over to the high risk side but I still felt very calm and although in pain all these situations had been explained to me, so I wasn’t surprised! Pushing out a baby though...nothing can prepare you for that!
I don’t remember how I felt the first moment I saw Phoebe - I felt like she wasn’t real? It’s a lot to take in during that short moment. I don’t think women or men should be prepped for an overwhelming love moment, because sometimes it happens slower. I had a new baby and the instant, unconditional, maternal feeling but the feeling of deep, intense love came later!
HPHB gives you practical knowledge. I was asked to change my baby’s bum at 5am in the dark at hospital and I remember panicking! But I reverted back to our lessons! HPHB classes helped me a lot with the breastfeeding at first - that was a big challenge which I didn’t realise before our classes was so in-depth and complicated?
We would definitely recommend the HPHB course - there’s SO much to learn when having a baby, most of it you’ll learn on the job but HPHB classes help you learn what you can, pre-baby! Which takes the edge off a bit. Also it’s great to have friends with babies your age! And it’s so exciting when all the babies start being born. Our group meet up regularly and we line the babies up in birth order and take pictures, we’re hoping they’ll all be great friends!
Top Tip
Take each day as it comes
