Lauren and baby Sienna
Myself and my husband found out we were pregnant right before we got married in May 2021 and it all came as a little bit of a surprise.
I decided that as I am an anxious person who often thinks the worst of every situation it would be beneficial for me to do hypnobirthing. I told my husband and he went along with it however it came to light once we started the course with Jade Edwards at Embrace Hypnobirthing that he was under the impression that hypnobirthing was having someone in the room with you during labour and they would be waving a pendant in front of your face however in his words “what we got was even better”
We found Jade after doing some research online and really liked how she came across from the onset. She was super friendly and informative. The course itself was incredible and really helped us prepare for the birth of our daughter and ensured we were as ready as we possibly could be.
Throughout my pregnancy baby had been measuring small and we were having regular growth scans. At 38 weeks pregnant we had our final scan before my guess date, the previous scan showed she had grown and the obstetrician was happy with how things were progressing therefore upon attending this appointment we were extremely calm and felt in control of the situation however within 20 minutes of being in the scan room everything changed!!
We were told to make our way to ANDU at East Surrey where we would need to speak to a consultant because our baby was now showing under the 10th centile which we knew meant they would have to intervene.
Using The Calm Birth School breathing techniques, I managed to remain calm allowing me to remain in control of the situation and fully explain my birthing choices to the midwives.
It was agreed that I would be admitted into hospital that evening to start the induction process. This was NOT part of my birth wish list however having assessed all my options at that time using the BRAIN method Jade had taught us we decided this was the right decision for us and our daughter.
Throughout my induction Jade remained in contact with me. She went out of her way to send me valuable information that helped me remain calm, informed and ensured that I knew I had a choice about my care which proved invaluable as after four long days my induction was deemed as failed. This was even more distressing as I was told we had a covid positive patient on our bay which meant my husband could no longer be with me and I could not leave the bay however I once again used my breathing techniques to get me through when things became overwhelming.
The failed induction left us with a few options we either started the induction process again, the consultant could possibly break my waters (despite my cervix not being dilated enough) or we had an abdominal birth which would still be deemed an emergency. The consultant insisted on breaking my waters and measuring me again. Having completed the Calm Birth School course I knew the decisions regarding my birth were mine to make and I wasn’t going to be forced into a procedure I didn’t want. The consultant didn’t take kindly to this and walked out of our consultation without another word. Another consultant arrived who advised me to get on the bed so he could examine me prior to breaking my waters, I once again refused and explained I had a choice about my care and after 4 days I wanted an abdominal birth to ensure the safe arrival of my baby.
An hour later I met my husband in the corridor after 2 days of being apart and we made our way to theatre. Upon arrival I was greeted by the friendliest team of theatre staff who instantly put me at ease. I explained this birth was as far from my birth wish list as possible but I was hypnobirthing and had some wishes I would like to be granted. They met my request of having Christmas music playing, the screen to be lowered as my daughter was born, my husband to cut the cord and delayed cord clamping. They explained they would be happy to do this.
As I was having my spinal I used my breathing techniques once again with the assistance of my husband. This allowed me to remain calm and although she was “coming out the sun roof” I still felt in control so much so that I asked when they were going to start and they explained I would be meeting my daughter in a matter of minutes.
Sienna Grace Iris entered the world on 23rd December 2021 at 17.07 weighing a tiny 5pound 6ounces. The theatre staff and midwife were outstanding and ensured that even though this was not our “plan a” our birth experience was incredible.
We cannot thank Jade enough for everything she has done for us throughout our pregnancy journey. I would highly recommend anyone to do hypnobirthing and for them to contact Jade at Embrace Hypnobirthing if they want a truly positive experience.