Are you hoping for a positive, beautiful, natural childbirth in Lisbon or wherever you are? My clients' birth stories will inspire you!
With the right preparation, bringing your baby landside really can be enjoyable!
I have helped hundreds of couples in Spain, Gibraltar & now here in Lisbon, Portugal to prepare for and achieve a positive & empowering childbirth. Some births have been incredibly fast, others pain free, some have managed a natural birth against the odds and those who needed a c section due to special circumstances felt more prepared, calm and recovered quickly. HypnoBirthing helps in all births.
"It was because of the techniques we learned from you that we remember Adela's arrival to this world as a magical experience." Joanna 2016.
Mums are energised & recover quicker as they have not endured the length of labour and difficulties often experienced in childbirth. We also find that HypnoBirthing babies tend to be calmer, feed better, sleep better and experience less trauma, because they benefit from a calm, healthy pregnancy & usually a gentle & natural birth.
Classes offered online if you do not live locally & also during the Coronavirus epidemic.
"HypnoBirthing is without doubt the most rewarding experience you could possibly share in life and we are now blessed with the most beautiful, calm little girl … who from day one has been our world!" Tanya 2015
My HypnoBirthing experience - Victoria and baby Melissa.
I couldn't imagine a natural birth without drugs a few months before giving birth to my 3rd child, I was planning for an epidural.
However, things changed when I heard about HypnoBirthing and Rose.
I was really skeptical but wanted to explore all the birth options as the birth of my second child had been very traumatic.
After attending the 5 sessions with Rose, my view of natural birth changed. I gained confidence and let go of my fears.
Rose is simply teaching you how to get back to basics and to nature and to listen to yourself and your body.
I learnt two very important things which allowed me to avoid a c-section and birth free from drugs. These 2 things are to trust in yourself and your body, and have the confidence to challenge doctors.
In my case, I had a low lying placenta and until the last minute, doctors wanted to perform a c-section. I challenged them and asked for more time to allow for my placenta to move naturally.
My placenta did move a bit, but I was lucky to meet a doctor who believed in natural birth even with the low lying placenta. (The other doctors were still insisting on a planned c-section). She supported me in my choice of HypnoBirthing.
The labour began naturally and this time I felt ready.
I did what I could to relax, considering my circumstances, where I had 5 people around me preparing me for a c-section as my baby's heartrate kept dropping and they were worried about my low lying placenta and possible excessive bleeding.
During all this time, I tried to listen to my relaxation music with the scripts and my husband kept talking to me.
I really didn't want a c section so kept asking for more time.
The doctor said that he would give me 30 minutes, then he would come to perform a c-section.
I really focused on my hypnosis, shut everything else out and silently kept telling my body to speed up the process. I was so determined. Amazingly, the surges became much more intense and I managed to give birth in 45 minutes!! Wow, the power of the mind and hypnosis in incredible.
I'm eternally grateful to Rose and HypnoBirthing!
Victoria & baby Melissa. Gibraltar. May 2016.
Melissa
I just wanted to say thank you again for the course and your support - my natural birth experience this time around with Daniela was amazing. I must admit I was skeptical beforehand but everything I learnt, particularly the breathing techniques was invaluable. I was in labour for less than 2 hours (compared to 17hrs with Grace) and I felt so in control all the way right until the end. I am still amazed at how straightforward it all was, and delighted with how strong and calm I felt before, during and after. Most importantly I am so thankful at how healthy Daniela was when she arrived, again a complete contrast to my experience with Grace. I have already been recommending HypnoBirthing (and you) to anyone who will listen, and will continue to do so! I have absolutely no doubt that my easy labour, natural birth and healthy baby were a direct result of the course and the techniques that I learnt.
Sally
If you’re anything like me, being pregnant for the first time, my initial thoughts when asked about my birthing plan were… “How am I going to deal with the labour pains and what kind of relief is available?” A natural birth was out of the question! It seems that when you’re pregnant you’re flooded with negative stories, instilling fear into what is an inevitable process. Saying that, it was something I pretty much ignored until 8 weeks before my due date, that’s when the anxiety set in. How can I possibly give birth to a human being and cope with the pain? That’s when my sister, who had taken part in the classes 8 months before I did, recommended HypnoBirthing.
At first I have to admit, as I’m sure you may be, I was sceptical. I believed there was no way labour could be anything but excruciating and all I hoped for was that it would be over quickly. In my experience most women, me included, consider seeking pain relief from the outset. But … I’ll let you in on what HypnoBirthing taught me and my partner … ready? To start, our female bodies are designed for this and you CAN cope with labour even without pain relief! The very personal classes really helped set our mind at ease, giving me confidence in my body and allowed my partner to share the process and the anticipation.
I was able to prepare for our little ones arrival by practicing a number of relaxation techniques that have proven to be invaluable not only during labour but also before and after the birth (granted, what I really wanted to know about is ‘the during’). The basic principal of HypnoBirthing is ‘mind over matter’ and as it can be applied to multiple other situations it was also beneficial for my partner who played a vital role in keeping me from freaking out. Aside from learning to focus and cope with pain better; discovering the magnitude of benefits that are also linked to a natural birth, such as a lower risk of developing post-natal depression, shorter labour times, a less traumatic experience for both baby and me, faster recovery, superior bonding (I could go on) all created the desire to have a drug free birth.
Having a detailed understanding of what to expect during labour gave us a sense of comfort, I was able to focus on each stage as it unfolded and meet it with the appropriate relaxation technique. For this reason I managed to get through the early stages with little discomfort, riding out most of the surges at home and believe it or not, even managed to sleep in between them. Much to my disbelief once we decided it was time to go to the hospital (trust me, even as a first time mum you can tell when its time) our baby girl was already crowning, leaving me with the task of breathing her out, and the midwife with the amazingly simple task of catching her! Not only was I amazed by my body’s capabilities, I never felt more proud to be a woman. The feeling of empowerment that comes with finally meeting someone you’ve been growing for 40 weeks is indescribable! A totally natural birth, without so much as gas and air … there she was.
Now I can’t stop talking about how positive my experience was, and I don’t think it would have been possible without the skills both my partner and I developed over the weeks practicing HypnoBirthing techniques. It’s safe to say I would do it all over again (drug free) so here’s hoping all of you will have a similar positive birth experiences with the help of HypnoBirthing. It is without a doubt the most rewarding experience you could possibly share in life and we are now blessed with the most beautiful, calm little girl … who from day one has been our world!
Tanya, Gibraltar. July 2015
Hi Rose,
I'm Ricardo, Soraia's husband, we did the course on June with you and I have to say, it was amazing.
Soraia kept practicing the breathing and being able to relax in a profound way, and both of us discussed a few things that we would like to follow during the labour so I would know what to tell the midwifes.
On the day of the labour, her waters broke around 7.30, at 12ish we got back to the hospital on an already advanced labour stage and by 1.39 our daughter was born on 7th of September.
Soraia was very focused and I was always discussing with the midwife all the steps of the labour.
The only thing that happened outside of what we planned was that at some point the surges started to slow down, meaning less intense and a bigger interval between them. The midwife allowed Soraia to "push" for 1.30 hours but nothing changed so the doctor prescribed a medicine to get back on track.
All the labour was done without the need of any pain killers and there was no rip.
The midwifes were impressed since it was her first labour!
Our daughter, Alice, is now breastfeeding well and she's a sweet girl, she only "cries" whenever she's hungry or something is not right.
In resume, thank you very much for guiding us on this important part of our lives in such a pleasant way.
Hope everything is great with you too.
Regards,
Ricardo
The Birth of Alice. St Bernard's, Gibraltar. September 2016
Hi Rose!
I hope you are well.
Just to say that Alex Laith was born heathy and in the most magical fashion on the morning of the 25th of July! (Same day as my brothers wedding)
It was an intense yet ecstatic natural birth experience and I was delighted to avoid any pain medication. I spent a good two hours in the birth pool which aided relaxation. Just in the last 5 minutes I did need a little aiding (ventouse) but other than that I had a very gentle, amazing & natural birth. He was born and still is a very calm baby! Breastfeeding alright too so am absolutely delighted!
I felt it was the ability to know I have the power to ride with this very visceral journey whilst submitting myself only to Mother Nature vs other people. This kept me strong and in line with the core principles of HypnoBirthing. A fantastic experience all the way! So many thanks for all your help!
Maria
Maria. Ceram, Marbella July 2016
Isabel has arrived! I refused 3 inductions as I was sure she would come in her own time and when she did it was fast. At 9.30 I was gardening, I got into my swimming pool around 10pm and she was born at 2am! I did a few lengths of the pool between surges. Iggy didn't want to take me to the hospital at midnight as he thought we would be sent home but when I got there I was fully dilated and was taken straight to the birth room. I had no drugs and she is a very chilled out baby. We are very happy that we did the course, I'm sure this is why the labour was just 4 hours (first baby). I'll do you a video when I have time xx
Sophie, Malaga July 2016
Hi Rose,
Our daughter Sara arrived 10 days earlier than expected, we're all doing amazingly. We didn't make to Costa del Sol in time so we ended up in the better of the 2 local hospitals. My baby was posterior but I still managed without any painkillers at all and I can't imagine what it would have been like without the HypnoBirthing training. Rafa was incredible and that is certainly all down to what he learned on the course. Can't thank you enough for making the experience a whole lot better than it otherwise would have been and I'm sure my newly learned relaxed attitude is why I'm feeling fantastic now and why Sara so far seems like an angel baby. xxx
Kim, Puerta Santa Maria July 2016
Hi Rose
Hope you remember us - Joanna and Adrian - we 'graduated' from your HypnoBirthing classes over a year ago.
The first months after the birth were strongly hit by our inability to organise ourselves in the new situation and writing emails was one of the things to suffer. Not that it is a good excuse, apologies for not contacting you earlier.
Our daughter Adela just had her first birthday today and we were remembering the events of the last 12 months and we realised we never got to thank you.
It was because of the techniques we learned from you that we remember Adela's arrival to this world as a magical experience.
In spite of Joanna being given oxytocin - (we were told that would mean an epidural) the whole labour (from first surge to birth) lasted only 4 hours!
Joanna managed without painkillers & Adela is a happy, healthy baby.
Hope you are well and are continuing your mission of empowering women in their pregnancy journeys
Many thanks,
Joanna and Adrian
March 2016. Adrian, Joanne & Adela
Hi Rose,
We are delighted to let you know that Clementine Josephine Facey arrived this morning at 11.40am weighing 6lb 3oz, we are completely in love!
Your script below actually bought on my labour, I had a full night of surges, Josh didn't come back as the midwife thought I wasn't in established labour & when I was checked by the doctor this morning I was 10cm dilated!! I had the smallest amount of oxytocin possible & Clem was born about 2.5 hours later, completely naturally, no pain relief or tearing etc. I am sure I would be telling a very different story has it not been for your guidance through the HypnoBirthing course, I'll fill in the online survey when we're back home. Clem is very alert & taking to breastfeeding well!
Thank you so much again, I'll send you a piccie on whatsapp now too.
Lots of love,
Amy, Josh & Clem xxx
Amy, Gibraltar. April 2016
Rose, this post is well over-due, but I wanted to thank you for everything you taught my husband and I (about this time last year!). Two friends of mine recommended you after successful births, and while my Husband was incredibly sceptical about HypnoBirthing, he wasn't going to argue with his hormonal wife. We unfortunately did not get to have the natural birth we were dreaming of because my waters suddenly broke at 29 weeks. However I will always be grateful for the visualisation techniques, breathing techniques and rainbow relaxation that helped me to maintain a calmness throughout my six weeks on bed rest. When it came to the induction my husband practised the light touch massage on my arms (even he was converted in the end!) and I practised the relaxation techniques. My baby is so easy-going and happy despite an unusual entry into this World, and I can certainly thank you for giving me the skills to maintain a calm and positive outlook throughout a challenging time. I would thoroughly recommend this course to every Mum. Thank you Rose x
Polly, Gibraltar
My previous labour had gone on for two days so I was determined the next would be an elective c section. However, I am a friend of Rose's and many people had told me to give HypnoBirthing a try. I really enjoyed the course and the daily relaxations. I awoke with surges in the night which quickly became regular and I was soon heading off to the hospital in Estepona with my birth partner/friend. I could not get comfortable in the car and by the time we got there I was in agony. At 7.15am the midwife examined me & told me I was just 1 cm dilated and that it would be at least 5 or 6 hours until full dilation. I told her to prepare the epidural as I could not take much more. She told me to have a bath and try to relax. I put on the rainbow relaxation cd and told myself that I really had to make a huge effort to get into relaxation or all my HypnoBirthing tools and months of practise would be wasted. I managed it and the pain dramatically reduced and became manageable. Incredibly just minutes later I felt my baby move down into the birth canal. My friend rushed to find the midwife but before she made it to the room I had birthed my own baby! I placed a pillow beneath me and he came out onto it! It was 8.04am and I had gone from 1 cm to birth in 40 minutes! The midwife could not believe it and is now fascinated by HypnoBirthing and says she will recommend it to all her clients. I am still amazed at how my mind and body had been conditioned into performing such a fast birth. I was half joking when I stated that my labour would be 1 hour during a class hypnosis session. HypnoBirthing Rocks!
Dafna. Hospiten, Estepona. July 2014
Hey Rose, I'm so sorry for not getting back to you sooner, I'm really bad at checking my Facebook messages at the moment- I've got a quiet moment now so thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up! Was so lovely to see you last Saturday, I can't thank you enough for preparing me for Noah's birth. In all honestly in my cynical mind I never imagined it could work for me, but as soon as I met you and started the course I knew it would change my birth experience in the most positive way possible, and it did!! 26 hours before I needed any kind of pain relief and that was purely down to exhaustion. I have been raving about you to all my pregnant friends, both in Spain and back home and they have all said how refreshing it is to hear someone speak so positively about childbirth, despite the fact it didn't go to plan. Thank you so much Rose Xxx
Catherine. Hospiten, Estepona July 2014
I wanted the birth of my third child to be more of an "experience" and less clinical than my previous births. I'm so happy that a friend recommended HypnoBirthing in my final month of pregnancy. I was uncomfortable in my last few weeks and was frustrated when there were no signs post due date. Rose did a reflexology induction and my husband read me the Balloon Script to try to encourage my baby out. The next day I felt some period like pains whilst watching television. As they were coming every 10 minutes my husband suggested we go to the hospital to get checked out. I said it was nothing but I think he had an incling. We arrived at the hospital at 11.30pm. I was comfortable and happy. The midwife told me I was just 2 cm but allowed us to stay at the hospital as there was no one else there. I got into the bath and concentrated on my relaxation with the Rainbow playing and my husband showering my tummy during surges. My surges were never painful, just intense. Incredibly, after just 50 minutes I felt my baby move down into the birth canal. My husband called the midwife in who was shocked and quickly got me out of the bath. I got onto the bed and she told me I was indeed 10cm. I had gone from 2-10cm in just 50 minutes! The labour rested and she asked me if she should break my waters. I firmly declined and said my baby would do this in her own time. Just a few minutes later I changed position and immediately felt a very strong downwards movement of my baby through the birth canal. My membranes released and within 10 minutes of breathing down she was born. No pushing, no stinging as she reached the perineum, no pain, no stitches. I just tuned in, listened to my body and talked to my baby throughout the labour. She came out sleeping (at 2am) and didn't make a sound until later when the midwife weighed her. My husband, the midwife and I could hardly believe how perfect it was. We have no doubt that HypnoBirthing not only affected me but also my baby. She is 1 week old and is so calm, comfortable & sleeps for 5 or 6 hours straight at night. Never in my life would I have believed that I would have had a childbirth like that. Even when I took the course I believed that HypnoBirths could be really good but my experience was way beyond that. We now truly appreciate the immense power of hypnosis! I'm hugely grateful to the program and to Rose.
Michella. St Bernard's, Gib. February 2014
'When I first found out I was pregnant despite obviously being extremely excited I also felt very anxious and somewhat scared about the actual process of giving birth. Some friends recommended HypnoBirthing and having done this course I would recommend that all expecting couples explore the option of HypnoBirthing. It is a hugely positive course that first of all educates you about all the things to expect during the pregnancy and birth and teaches you how to deal with any apprehension you may have about giving birth or being a parent. It is a great chance to spend quality time with your partner and for him to understand what us women have to go through to bear children! It will give him a chance also to to learn the best ways to relax and soothe you on your birthing day. Everything you learn including relaxing, breathing, fear releasing & self-hypnosis techniques you can use not just on your actual birthing day, but on a daily basis in every aspect of your life. Also I have found them very useful when I have felt a bit worn down or not so good during the pregnancy. The breathing and relaxing technique really works when you are completely exhausted and helps to get back to your normal condition! My day is in 10 days and I am really excited to become a parent!'
Victoria
Hi Rose
Sorry for not getting back to u sooner. We've been so busy since getting back from the hospital.
Surges started at 1am on 23rd May. I went into hospital at 8.30am knowing that I may have to be induced.
The MW examined me and found that I was 2cm dilated and she was happy with the progress I'd made, so they respected my decision to allow my body to do its job without the need for the drip etc even though my waters had gone more than 24hrs earlier.
However, when she examined me again after 4 hrs I was still at 2cm and they were beginning to worry about the risk of infection so it looked like I'd have to face the drip.
The drip was pretty vicious! I wasn't able to use the breath or the visualisations on their own to help me through the surges so I ended up having a shot of diamorphine and I also used gas and air. I went from 2-10cm in 2 hrs. Then Sienna was born 45min later at 5.50pm no stitches! She weighed 6lbs4oz and she was alert as anything. She took to the breast immediately The actual delivery wasn't uncomfortable at all.
The birth went very smoothly and we remained calm throughout. J was very composed but my sister ended up flaking in the end! The breathing came naturally. I ended up using a combination of the surge breathing and brahmari (the humming bee). I didn't consciously think about it, it's just what came. Interestingly, whenever I had a surge I found that I had to stand up and lean against a wall, relax my upper body and sway my hips from side to side.
The midwives thought it was a really good labour and very straightforward.
Sienna is a little star. She's so chilled. The breast feeding is going well and she seems v happy
So there's our story! As you know, I was dreading the drip, but I think that we did everything so calmly and I was so focused on working with my body that it was all plain-sailing in the end
Oh, I forgot to mention; J helped with the delivery and he cut the cord! Haha, and I thought he was going to faint!
Anne xxx
Anne. St Bernard's Hospital, Gibraltar. May 2013.
Hi everyone! Me and baby Oliver are home now :). He was born by emergency section on 8/6/12 01.51 weighing 5lbs 15oz ( was definitely a well grown baby ha!) I had a bad bleed and so was admitted into hospital on the Wednesday. I was having regular surges then and also found that my waters had gone. I used all techniques and felt extremely calm and comfortable throughout the whole experience. Scan showed that my placenta had ruptured and had formed a clot but that I could still continue to carry on birthing baby naturally. I took on all info and then used affirmations on my phone to bring me back into a calm place, this worked a treat. Reached about 3/4cm's but unfortunately Oliver became distressed and within minutes was delivered. This may have not been my dream HypnoBirthing experience that i sooooo wanted but it was still an amazing experience. HypnoBirthing helped me through all parts of Oliver's birth from the ambulance arriving right through to him being born and even after helped me through being apart from him while in scbu. I couldn't be happier and feel even more passionate about HypnoBirthing and how it can be used no matter what special circumstances come your way. Hope you are well xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Emma PL
The final weeks of my pregnancy were far from organised and relaxed. Our builders were still in our house. We had been staying in temporary accommodation & just before I went into labour we had to move out again and into my sister's spare room. All of us. My son was v unwell and my sister was also getting building work done, so I had to have my contractions in the spare room but with builders walking in, my son wanting cuddles etc etc. Needless to say, it was quite difficult to totally concentrate on relaxing. Having said that, my contractions started at 8pm on monday night and I used the Rainbow Relaxation CD to get me comfortably through the night. We went into hospital at 3pm the following day and I was 3cm. I had to sit on a monitor from that point on due to my previous caesarean, again this affected my ability to get into deep relaxation. However, I progressed very quickly and I only had ten minutes of the birthing stage! I believe this was very much down to the HypnoBirthing. I had focused on a quick, easy birth and I knew the best way of breathing her out rather than relentless pushing.
So all in all, everything going on in my life at the time prevented me from getting into the deep relaxed state that I wanted to, and therefore prevented me from having the "textbook" HypnoBirth. However, HypnoBirthing definitely helped me achieve a natural birth after my caesarean which I'm thrilled about. My baby girl is lovely and calm and a v good feeder, she regained her birthweight within 4 days. Thank you.
Anna
My husband and I really enjoyed our HypnoBirthing classes with Rose. She was very informative, used a wide range of relevant materials and gave me the confidence to believe that I can manage my upcoming birth without any pain relief!
Michelle
Hi Rose, Alexi and I wanted to thank you for the course and the fantastic time we had. The HypnoBirthing method is something that blew our minds and that we want to use completely for the good of our baby and for a greater bonding between the 3 of us (Alexi, the baby and I).
We will keep in touch and will let you know how it goes, for the moment we are practicing and enjoying the meditations, thanks again.
Ciao, Irene Gibraltar Hospital - Dec 2012
Hi Rose,
Well its been a week now since baby Marko was born. I have to say that without HypnoBirthing it would have been a whole different experience.
The first surges started last Thursday afternoon when I lost the plug. They were well apart and quite mild so I just continued with my day. By Friday afternoon they were every 30-40 minutes and started using the breathing. By 2:30 Saturday morning we started counting them properly not knowing how fast it was going to progress. At this point we were around 10 minutes apart. The surges were strong but the breathing was keeping everything under control. We went through a script with my husband to see how the surges would feel under relaxation. This was a bit of a dress rehearsal to see how it would feel. It was a success. This was the confidence boost we needed. We kept track of the surges all the way to the next day. By midday they were down to 5:50. We called the hospital to touch base and were told to come in once they had reached 3 minutes as it was my first child. The surges were much stronger now but the breathing was still working. I found out that they were much softer by soaking in a bathtub but I couldn't stay there for ever. By 18:30 Saturday afternoon the surges were down to 3:20 so we decided to finally head to the hospital. We did not know how much I had dilated so we were shocked to hear that I was already 8 cm! The midwife was quite shocked too as I was relaxed, in control & able to talk normally between surges as if nothing was happening. The step to 10 cm took a bit longer. The midwives said this was because I had not been able to hold any food down since the previous morning and consequently felt exhausted. Therefore they gave me some glucose & a couple of sweeps to speed things up. I felt stronger and I was soon fully dilated. Just 45 minutes later baby Marko was breathed out.
One thing to point out is that the community midwife and the delivery midwives happily accepted the birth plan and immediately referred to surges. They respected the delay in clamping and left us for a good hour so that baby, mother & daddy could bond. Baby was very relaxed and everyone noticed how pink he was with a nice round head.
IMPORTANT: The perineum massage worked and the midwives were extremely surprised that I did not tear, especially as Marko has a big head!
I put our fantastic natural birth experience down to all the techniques we learnt in HypnoBirthing classes. Everyone has different experiences but this was mine.
Thanks very much for all your help and support.
Irene, Alexi & Marko St Bernard's Hospital - November 2012
I truly believe that HypnoBirthing enabled me to have the birth that I wanted, that is to say, quick, without incident and drug-free. Incredibly, it took just 90 minutes from arriving at the hospital to the birth of my baby and I was able to remain calm and relaxed throughout labour.
The midwife who delivered my baby was very impressed with the speed of the delivery and also with the fact that I was able to manage the birth with no pain relief. She admitted she was sceptical when I first mentioned HypnoBirthing, but after witnessing my birth she read all about it. She then told me that she thoroughly agreed with the principles and thought it really made sense.
Thank you Rose for your invaluable coaching and for giving both my husband and I the confidence to face the birth of our daughter with smiles on our faces and a true sense of excitement, not fear. I can't speak highly enough of the HypnoBirthing method and I would recommend it to any expectant parents.
Madeline St Bernard's Hospital, Gibraltar. April 2013
This is the best money you will ever spend! Even today, nearly a year after I gave birth, I remain so thrilled that I did this course. I had a wonderful, natural birth and I can't wait to do it all over again. I couldn't recommend HypnoBirthing more highly.
Ella Hospiten, Estepona - October 2012
In the lead up to giving birth I had done everything I could think of to ensure it would all go smoothly. I practiced pre-natal yoga and pre-natal pilates, and practiced the HypnoBirthing breathing and visualization exercises. Not every day, but I certainly did have a go as much as I could and felt the benefit of the course in a general positive attitude toward the big day.
It was a Wednesday night, three days after my “due date”, when I felt what I was certain were proper contractions/surges, albeit they were not painful, just a lingering sore feeling in my back and light period pain sensations in my tummy. They kept me awake much of the night watching the clock, as they were fairly irregular, so, despite thinking this may be the start of labour I knew I was still a long way off.
Just to be sure, I visited the hospital in La Linea the next morning and lo and behold, I wasn’t at all dilated and was sent home, told to walk, walk, walk!
That day, Thursday, I walked all I could, bounced on my ball, took warm baths, rested in bed and listened to my HypnoBirthing affirmations and relaxation CD. The surges increased in strength, enough so that I felt better using the surge breathing techniques I’d learned in my HypnoBirthing class, but didn’t get any more regular. In frustration, I called Rose, and she suggested some reflexology to get things moving. Whether it’s a coincidence or not, I don’t know, but after she poked and prodded my feet that evening, things finally started to happen!
My contractions became more regular throughout the night, and were every 5 minutes at 6am. I took a bath to relax and they finally really increased in intensity! My surge breathing was a life saver. Right, it was hospital time!
At 9am, I was checked internally and told that I was still only 2 or 3 centimetres. However, at 10.30am the surges really started to kick in again. I found that when my husband did the Light Touch Massage that we had learnt in the HypnoBirthing class, it really took my mind off the pressure and was very comforting.
Around 12pm, I had the surge of all surges. The world went black, I couldn’t think straight. Once it finished, a good two minutes or so later, or so it felt, I announced to my husband the midwives were going to check me whether they liked it or not.
I got up and straight away my waters broke. This was it, I was sure. I had to be 9 or 10 centimetres, I was certain of it. My midwife came to examine me, and told me I was 8 centimetres. I was a little disappointed, but in the minutes she left her hand in place to check my dilation I went from 8 to 10 centimetres! This baby was about to come!
With the first few surges I tried birth breathing, but also felt the need to actively push. It was a fairly natural and unconscious urge to push down so I went with that feeling. After a few pushes my 9lb 1ou little boy was born. He was passed straight to me and we both enjoyed a lovely skin to skin cuddle and a bit of a well deserved feed.
My labour took a while to get going, which I have to admit was frustrating, but eventually once it finally did start it progressed incredibly quickly. I was thrilled at how open to HypnoBirthing the hospital was, as I was not expecting that, not in Spain, not in La Linea to say the least. I think all that I did beforehand prepared both my body and mind perfectly, and resulted in the lovely, relaxed, intimate and positive birth of my beautiful son.
MM November 2012
I practiced HypnoBirthing for the arrival of my first baby, using a combination of home study and practical sessions with Rose. My baby arrived 3 weeks early – just 2 days after I completed the course, and although I hadn’t had as much time to practice as I had expected, I had a wonderful positive birth experience thanks to the HypnoBirthing techniques Rose had shared with me and my partner.
When surges woke me in the night on 17th October, I wasn’t sure whether this was the ‘real thing’ or just the practice contractions I had been told about. I decided to go into the hospital to get checked out, and when I calmly walked into the maternity unit (with a smile on my face!) the midwife said she would put me on the monitor for 30 minutes, implying that I would be sent home straight afterwards. I was relaxed and happy. When she came to check the results of the monitor, she seemed shocked and immediately gave me an internal examination. She called in another midwife. I was 9cm dilated and progressing fast. They couldn't believe how comfortable I was. They whisked me straight to the delivery room!
My partner was able to manage the situation and leave me to completely focus on my body and relaxation. He informed the midwives of our HypnoBirthing preferences, and set up the room with the comfort zone CD, and my favourite incense. He was able to assist my relaxation for the (short) duration of my labour and I can honestly say we couldn’t have had the calm natural birth we wanted without the skills we had both learned in the previous 2 weeks.
In total, my labour was just under 6 hours (just as I had imagined it to be during hypnosis!) and I had no pain relief at all, not even gas and air, despite being offered by one of the midwives (against our birth preference sheets – be assertive).
The midwives were astonished that I had done it all without pain relief, and we were definitely the conversation topic on the ward that day.
I love sharing my positive birth story with others and I am very proud of myself for bringing my baby into the world in a natural drug-free state. I recommend Rose’s HypnoBirthing classes to anyone. The hardest part is having the courage and confidence to choose to do it your own way and not be coerced into making your birth a medical event, HypnoBirthing study and classes gave me this confidence and courage.
I hope to be lucky enough to have another baby as I’m already looking forward to doing it all over again!
Thanks Rose!