Rachel, Mike and Milo Watson, Brighton

I got pretty much exactly the birth I wanted to have, which is amazing and I feel very lucky… I went in to labour in the early hours… Not much really happened for quite sometime…I was completely exhausted, so decided to go to the labour ward to be assessed… Then was extremely disheartened to discover I was only 2cm dilated despite being in labour for nearly 24hrs… After trying to get some rest (whilst listening and practising my hypnobirthing techniques) I decided to have a bath to try and relax and suddenly got the uncontrollable urge to bare down and push… a home birth midwife came to see us. At this point I was only about 7cm and still getting the urge to push that I couldn’t control. She told me that this was potentially turning in to an abnormal situation, and was concerned this was endangering the baby and potentially me, so I was transferred to hospital… I wasn’t at all scared or worried, just completely accepting of the situation and prepared to do whatever needed to be done, none of which is remotely characteristic of me if I am honest, I am usually very much worse case scenario! Turned out that everything was fine… got in to the pool. I felt truly AMAZING as all the weight, tension and tiredness was lifted from my body as the water was so warm and soothing… it all felt very primal, instinctual and empowering. I took my time and listened to my body, trusting my instincts and gave myself time to breathe him out. After 36 hours, Milo had turned from back to back and was born!… I wasn’t afraid, I just trusted and knew that everything would be fine, which thankfully it was! I can honestly say I loved every moment of the last phase of giving birth, I didn’t find it painful or anything other than empowering and natural – I felt like a true warrior, ready and equipped for every and any eventuality with no fear at all. I have never felt more empowered and brave in my life. I truly feel very lucky, to have had no tearing, bruising or stitches and without any drugs or intervention… Overall had a really beautiful amazing and positive experience, and achieved a near perfect birth plan… I truly believe that hypobirthing really helped to relax and equip me both before and during my birthing experience and feel it was an invaluable tool… I most likely wouldn’t have coped as well without it… It’s quite amazing how none of it was how I imagined or feared it would be, considering I used to break down and cry in fear at the prospect of birth in my early pregnancy, and I was convinced it would be unbearable/awful etc. The pain really wasn’t that bad at all and certainly nothing I felt needs to be numbed etc, I just knew and completely trusted myself, my body and my baby…all very primal – as it should be!