Having all the knowledge really empowered us! Couldn’t recommend the Hypnobirthing classes enough.

My birth plan was simple and only had a few items.
We wanted delayed clamp, husband to assist with delivery, no morphine, avoid epidural if possible and no episiotomy.

At 40 + 4 I had decided I wanted a membrane sweep. Up until then I was hesitant for interventions but had decided for my own sanity I wanted to try.

I had the sweep at 12pm and it wasn’t painful just slightly uncomfortable. I went home and experienced period like cramps in the evening but nothing too bad.
I woke up at 11:30pm to more intense cramps but wasn’t sure if this was labour or a side effect of the sweep.
By 3:30 am I decided to wake the husband to put the tens machine on and see how we go.
By the time 6am came around I was very tired and still not sure if I was in labour or not so we went to the hospital to get checked.

At the hospital the midwives confirmed I was 2cm but my cervix had a long way to go, so we decided to go home and labour at   home.

Surges were intense for me where I struggled to relax between them. The tens was helping and my breathing was something to distract me but By 9am I was quite exhausted and overwhelmed, so we decided to go to hospital and ask for pain relief.

I was admitted and checked again, I had only progressed to 3 cm’s and I couldn’t get an epidural until 4cm.
So I asked for morphine (morphine was the one drug I didn’t want) but in the moment I couldn’t relax and focus on the labour.

Just after 10am I was given the morphine and it instantly helped me relax. I still felt every surge but was able to rest and be comfy between each.

At 2pm I was starting to feel the morphine wear off and asked for more. The midwife advised that was an option but needed to wait a little longer.

At 2:45pm before I got the next morphine my waters broke during a surge.

I went to have a shower and whilst in the shower I had the overwhelming urge to push.

We got on the bed and the midwife confirmed to everyone’s surprise I was fully dilated and ready to go.

I braced myself over the back of the bed on my knees and started to bear down. It took 1:45 minutes, my husband was able to support baby’s head and catch him as he was delivered. It was an absolute wonderful moment. Just me, husband, baby and midwife. Baby boy was born at 4:30pm.

We were able to sit with baby for 1.5 hrs where I delivered the placenta and had a good look at it before it was disposed of. Husband was able to cut the cord and we enjoyed the moment of being new parents.

During my experience my plan changed but having all the knowledge really empowered us and helped us through the process.
Couldn’t recommend the Hypnobirthing classes enough.