"When I went into labour, they hadn't actually confirmed pre-eclampsia yet. I was due to go into hospital that day for a check-up, where I imagine they would have confirmed it, but by that point I was already around 2–3cm dilated! They only examined me once at that stage and told me I wasn't in active labour yet, but they didn't recommend sending me home because they could see I was getting close.
There wasn't a room available for me on the ward, so I ended up doing all of my labouring in a little side room in maternity triage. No pain relief, nothing. And just to add, that wasn't by choice! All I had was two rounds of paracetamol. So, I remembered all the hypnobirthing techniques you had taught me and completely zoned out into my own little universe… for SIX HOURS!
Apparently, every time Jake tried to speak to me, I'd just hold one finger up and ask him to be quiet because he was pulling me out of my calm space. Poor guy sat there in silence for six whole hours! Eventually, a room became available, so I waddled down to the ward. They checked me again (only my second examination of the whole labour!) and I was already 8–9cm and pretty much ready to push!
I had gas and air from that point onwards, so I don't remember a huge amount after that. But honestly, if it hadn't been for the hypnobirthing techniques you taught me, I genuinely don't think I would have made it to the end in the same way.
Thank you so much! ❤️ xx"
The thing I love most about this story is that hypnobirthing wasn't about having a particular type of birth or refusing pain relief. It was about having tools to fall back on when things weren't quite as expected.
She didn't choose to labour without pain relief, she didn't have the room she was expecting, and she certainly didn't have the birth circumstances she'd planned for.
But she had her knowledge, her breathing, her relaxation techniques and the ability to find her own calm space.
And that's what I want every woman I teach to take away from my courses.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful birth story Maisie and Jake!
