The Birth of Sebastian

It all ended up different to how I imagined as I went for a stretch and sweep on Tuesday. I lost the ‘plug’ and had mild surges Wednesday/Thursday. They were mild but the perfect opportunity to practise my breathing techniques, listen to affirmations and bring everything we had learnt on your course together. I felt really calm and prepared through the surges.

On Friday baby wasn’t moving at all, all day. So we came into hospital for checks about 5pm. They discovered I had an infection as my waters had broken perhaps two days before and I had no idea. I was 3cm dilated. Baby was really stressed and at one point his heart rate plummeted.

He recovered again and stabilised, never quite to the ‘normal’ rate but really close. I felt uneasy but again put my breathing techniques into play and my visualisations, which were also seeing me through more mild contractions.

The doctor explained I would have to have emergency c-section. My partner and I were calm and used BRAINS to give ourselves time to think and process. The doctor gave us an hour, monitoring baby after we had asked all the questions we possibly could.

It felt like a calm discussion rather than a rushed decision forced on us, as we knew from the course we had the right and the time to think things through. In that time Rob and I talked and decided that we ‘chose’ to follow that procedure rather than let it be something that ‘happened’ to us. It was an informed decision that brought Sebastian to us safely.

I breathed through the theatre prep and I have no doubt that hypnobirthing allowed me to take it in my stride. I always felt empowered even if I couldn’t follow the original idea of what a natural birth would have been like.

Despite things not going to ‘plan’ we are both totally in love, had the right birth for our baby and we wouldn’t change a thing. Hypnobirthing gave me confidence and techniques which brought Seb to us safely and calmly.

Hazel and Rob, Leeds