Holly and Milah after their Positive Birth experience
I wanted to let you know Matt and I had our baby girl on Easter Friday at Cairns Private Hospital and I’m happy to report that we had a wonderful, positive, mostly natural birth. As is always the case, we had some unexpected trials pop up but we received the news calmly, made good decisions and still had the exact beautiful birth we’d hoped for.
We had a scan at 36weeks and were told our baby was small. She was tracking at 16 percentile for the whole pregnancy but now had dropped down to 5th percentile. The obstetrician was concerned she was a growth restricted baby and was recommending we were induced at 37 weeks. We were a tad frightened at this but talked it through thoroughly both as a couple and with the obstetrician (and midwife provided by Cairns Obstetrics). We decided not to be induced as long as all other signs of health were good and they were. We were monitored by CTG every 48hrs and she remained healthy so we waited until just over 38 weeks. I launched into my hypnobirthing tools, read all the induced birth stories on the website and did the baby come out meditation everyday while using the pressure points and clary sage. The obstetrician was super happy with all our mental prep and how open to self help we were and was pleasantly surprised that I was already 1cm dilated when I went in for the ‘sweep’. 48hrs later I had the gel inserted and went into 1st stage of labour that night. In the morning they broke my waters and 5hrs later gave birth to a very well positioned 2.4kg baby girl who seemed willing to come out. No gas or anything. All I had was a nausea injection first thing as I struggled all night with nausea (and couldn’t be bothered dealing with that as well all the rest).
Matt and Milah enjoying some skin to skin bonding.
We had the most profound bonding experience of our entire lives! Matt was the perfect birthing partner. He was so empowered after the hypnobirthing course. We did all the things! And it was really fun. We were close before but now we feel we could literally handle anything as a couple. From 32 weeks (after the course) I did a meditation every night/day. We practiced our soft touch massage. I drew up a positive affirmations fairy and had her on the wall in my bedroom which I looked at before sleep and first thing in the morning. Matt packed me a beautiful hospital bag with all my nik-naks (crystals, soft lighting, snacks, clary sage etc) and made me a beautiful birthing playlist. Matt listened to a lot of the meditations with me too (which really helped him with his language and positive affirmations during the birth).
I also wrote myself a birth diary in which I hand wrote all my personal affirmations, some drawings and a list of words I like hearing like calm, gentle, relax, soften etc. I gave this book to Matt and he studied it prior. We had it in the birthing suite and used it extensively. He even just read from it for me at times. He knew exactly when to say what. He even reminded me of my lotus flour opening affirmation when I had forgotten and really needed it! I feel like Matt basically delivered our baby and I was so proud of him. All the midwives at the hospital were also very impressed.
Personal affirmation and art hand written by Holly
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that the hypnobirthing course and the incredible work you are doing is empowering parents in a profound way. After the birth Matt and I talked extensively about how m, had we not done the course, we would certainly not had the wonderful experience that we did. It would have blind sided us big time. We literally used every bit of info and all the tools you gave us and had the most incredible birth we could have imagined. Not saying it wasn’t tough! It’s literally the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. Precisely why the preparation was so necessary.
We cannot tell you in words just how grateful we are to have met you and spent what seemed like an easy going fun weekend with you in Yungaburra, which turned out to have such an instrumental role in the beginning of our new lives. We became parents in the exact way we’d hoped for. We felt safe, empowered, and happy. From the bottom of our hearts Alana – thank you
Holly, Matt and Milah with their birth support team at Cairns Private Hospital.
Perfect baby girl Milah
