Seamus

The day after you sent your email I went into labour!! So it must’ve helped 🙂 In fact it possibly started around the time of your email. I just thought he had dropped as felt uncomfortable from the Friday afternoon and found it difficult to get comfy which got worse on the Saturday.

We just got on with our plans and Saturday evening watched one of our favourite films (Napoleon Dynamite) and I had to be on my ball as I couldn’t get comfy on the sofa. I went to bed and Kev stayed up watching match of the day. I listened to the Hypnobirthing CD but couldn’t settle and kept getting some surges. At 11:45 I came back down to talk to Kev as I wasn’t sure what the surges were and if I might possibly be going into labour. We decided I’d phone the midwives and ask them. When I spoke to them they immediately said start filling the pool!! And to phone back when I wanted them to come out.

We filled the pool which was quite good to keep my mind off things but by 12:15 I decided I wanted the midwife here so we called back. I started playing the positive statements part of the cd and then put the River Dawn music on which played the entire time I was in the pool. The pool was wonderful. Kev read me a couple of scripts I think it was the head relaxation one twice. This really helped. The other thing that was an immense help was the lavender. I had a diffuser burning but also had it on a tissue as needed it strong!

Seamus was born at 2:27am 20th December. About an hour after the midwife came. The experience was lovely and was so much easier than the first time round! He basically just popped out though the last bit was hard it wasn’t too hard if you know what I mean.

I really think the Hypnobirthing was a major help for both of us. It certainly helped calm us and I’m sure it contributed to getting Seamus out easily and quickly. Oh and he was born in the caul too, it only broke as his head emerged.

The midwives said that Seamus was the heaviest baby they’d delivered. He was 10lb 14. I only had a small tear and decided against getting it sewn up. We had a student midwife with us too and she couldn’t believe how calm it all was. I wasn’t sure it was that calm but maybe it was.

It was fab to be at home and able to go into our own bed. Greta woke a few times whilst I was in established labour but she thought I was just talking to the cats! She was so thrilled in the morning when she came into our room and Seamus was there. It was such a lovely moment. Seamus seems such a calm baby and I’m sure all the prep and the water birth had something to do with it.

Thank you so much for the lessons. It was such a worthwhile thing to do and really did help prepare us for the birth I so wanted.

Sam and Kev, Leeds