Matilda’s Birth Day
A beautifully crafted account of Matilda's birth by her māmā Kate, who narrated the story exactly as it unfolded. What a special letter to share and give to her; the story of her birth.
Initially envisioning a home birth, Kate meticulously planned and visualized the experience she had dreamed of. However, when circumstances shifted, her resilience and comprehensive understanding of the options available to her allowed her to adapt without losing her positive and empowering outlook. It was truly a pleasure to accompany Kate and Tom on their pregnancy journey.
Bec + Pia’s Positive Home Birth
I am so honoured to get to share Bec’s birth story with you. Bec and Aaron knew what they wanted really early and took charge of their pregnancy and birth from the get go. Bec had one concern with sharing her story, that it sounded too good and in some ways might not portray what birth is like for others. I reminded her that this is birth, that it comes in many forms and each and every birth is so different, and that you have every right to be incredibly proud and share how birth can be swift, calm, empowering and positive. It isn’t luck, it is because you invested time, energy and preparation. I know by sharing your story Bec you will help another couple. I was so hoping to get to see Bec in her power and support her and Aaron during birth, but baby Pia had her own plan. Heres their story…
Jaimee + Marli’s Positive Home Birth
Everyone left Arus and I for a moment. We agreed that she suited the name we had kept secret for months and told everyone in the room. We got out of the pool so she could be kept warm enough. I lay down on the floor and she latched on straight away. Arus, still there right by our side. The midwives offered me synthetic oxytocin to help deliver the placenta more quickly but I had thought about this and had it in my birth preferences, I said "let's see if my body can do that too", I was feeling very powerful! Plus, my baby was in my arms enjoying her first feed. Within ten minutes, I felt my final contraction and the placenta came out. Everyone was having a look at it and I loved hearing all the comments about how amazing it was - "the tree of life." We kept it for burial. The whole room was filled with love, all those hours and here she was! I'm still elated by the fact my birth dream came true!
Sarah + Blair’s Positive Home to Hospital Birth
I am so honoured to be able to share the beautiful birth of Sarah’s and her sweet boy Blair. I am forever grateful to all the mamas who are able to share these intimate stories with me on this platform. Sarah’s story I am sure will help others, maybe a mama who is stuck in those agonising days of being ‘over due’, navigating the ‘big baby” dilemma, contemplating home birth or just normalising birth itself! What I love most about Sarah’s story is that her transfer from home to hospital during labour never felt remotely like a “failed home birth” but more like a birth where she felt in-control, supported and calm despite all the twists and turns that came her way.
Heres her story…
Hypnobirthing - A Dad’s Perspective
Read how Blair went from thinking hypnobirthing was all about chakras and chanting, to instead realising that it gave him a very real understanding of how birth works and his role in the birth experience. When this email hit my inbox I instantly knew it was the news that Chelsea and Blair’s baby girl had arrived. I breathed deeply, prayed that it was news of empowered parents and clicked to receive this…
Shamatay + Sofia’s Positive Birth
I started to move into ‘my zone’ and as a result it felt like I was not mentally or emotionally present in my surroundings, I was so focused on surrendering to each surge, knowing each one got me closer to meeting my baby. I listened to the hypnobirthing tracks on repeat and I kept repeating in my mind “I’ve got this”. This resulted in me not being able to communicate much at all to my partner but he knew what steps to take and how to help because our hypnobirthing course prepared him for this moment.
Daina + Porter’s Hypnobirth
Tuesday 17th August 12.30am, I woke up and noticed I had a ‘bloody show’, without letting myself get too excited (I’d been wanting her earthside for a good week prior), I said to myself-‘remember, people can have their ‘show’ a good week or even longer to the main event. I went on back to bed, and started getting period like cramps but on a small scale. I didn’t need any strategies here. These went on for an hour, so I thought ‘this may be for real’. I started timing them and they were regular, but at about 5-6 minutes apart. I didn’t sleep from then on and continued in the same fashion up until around about 5am when they begun to slow. I was a little bit annoyed by this because I know people who have had surges (contractions) for days! I got up, told Marty about it all and he excitedly said oh so it’s ‘go time’ then. I had to explain that this could go on for days. He went off to work.
Greta + Ava’s Positive Hypnobirth
While my birth preferences of immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding were not able to occur, in my opinion, by keeping a positive mindset, when Ava and I were both stabilised, our reunion was magical and she latched on perfectly, something I could only dream of. Ava weighed in at a very healthy 4.9kg (10.8 pounds), exactly the 99th percentile she was predicted. I was reminded of the affirmation blue tacked onto my bathroom mirror - "My baby is the right size for my body". Something I now fully believe, understand and appreciate. Ava at birth is the same size as a one-month-old baby, yet my body was able to birth her without induction and without needing intervention to induce or help her be birthed.
Andi + Alfie’s Hypnobirth
I could feel the stages my body was moving through and found this comforting because I knew if I kept it up it wouldn’t take long. I kept focusing on all my affirmations, repeating them in my head - ‘my mind leads my body’, ‘the sensations are never too strong for me because they are me’. I used my surge breathing - visualising my uterus working just like it should be; strong, rhythmic, efficient. The back pain I was experiencing was unbearable at times but I had trained my mind to stay calm and just embrace each surge like a wave; coming and going.
Andi + Belle’s Hypnobirth
I went into labour on the 29th of November 2016 (4 days before my guess date) after experiencing 12 hours of pre labour. I managed to have a proper dinner and Michael and I got out for our typical evening walk before I thought “hmm these surges aren’t going away”. I hate to cry wolf, but after experiencing pre labour contractions I really doubted whether this was actually the real deal. So, from 7:30(ish) till 11:30pm I stayed at home with Michael and started to practice all my hypnobirthing strategies.
Embrace
How do we find the motivation to embrace the experience of birth rather than simply endure it? The good news, and what our culture has largely forgotten, is that labour and birth are not illnesses but instead are healthy life processes. The sensations and surges we experience is exactly what our bodies are made to do, we just have to restore our trust.