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Birth Stories After the birth
"I didn't actually have to push, my body just did this itself" Emily with her second baby, May 2010
 “Hi Mia, Our baby daughter was finally born on Saturday morning 4.15am 29th. She is lovely and looks just like Eva did when she was born. I had a lovely calm birth at home, the hypnobirthing techniques and all the reading I did really helped me to stay relaxed throughout the birth. I loved it all and didn't feel very much pain apart from the rather intense final hour. It all went far faster than I had anticipated, I went from 6cm dilated to baby born in 45 mins, so we didn't get to use the pool. Chloe was born on our bed in just 3 pushing contractions. I didn't actually have to push, my body just did this itself- amazing and so peaceful! Chloe came out with the waters still intact and she was calm and relaxed right from the start. We are all doing well and trying to catch up on sleep whenever possible. I am so thrilled to have had another wonderful birthing experience. Thanks for your help and support Mia.” I don't need time to recover, just time to get to know our new baby"
Sarah with her second baby, April 2010.
 Hi MiaFirstly I just wanted to say thank you, my second birthing experience was so much better than my first and I feel that hypnobirthing played a big role in this, I feel so much better about the whole thing this time, Tim said it seemed a lot easier (he thinks it just happened like that) but like I said to him it was very well planned out this time, I spent 3 months doing hypnobirthing, 2 months doing yoga and a month of acupuncture to try to prepare my mind (and body) to ensure the birth was a positive experience and do you know it really was! I cant say it was pain free or enjoyable but it was hard work for less than an hour and I honestly feel great. I was having strong braxton hicks for days but by wednesday afternoon they were 10 mins apart, we took Alex to the park and I was loosely timing them in case it was contractions and not braxton hicks, we were playing football at 5pm (the braxton hicks/ contractions were now 5 mins apart but not painful).Our daughter was born 5 hours later. I called the hospital and they said come in for a check, we dropped Alex round at my mums then went to hospital (we even parked 10 mins away and walked in). We got seen at 7pm and the midwife said she would check my contractions, they had been about every 5 mins, but the midwife monitored me for 10 mins and I didn't have one so she said she didn't think I was in labour and was going to send us home. She offered to do a sweep to see if that would help, which she did and found I was 4cm dilated. She went off to check if I could stay. As soon as the midwife leftthe room I had 3 contractions in a row, typical!! She came back and said it was ok to stay, we went down to the birthing room and off she went to get my antibiotics (I had GBS), Contractions were stronger butstill ok (not really painful). The midwife came back and tried for about half an hour to get a canular in for the drip, She couldn't, so had to get a doctor, it must have taken about an hour for then to sort it out but I eventually got hooked up to the drip, I lay on a giant bean bag for half an hour while they filled the pool and my antibiotics went in, the contractions were pretty strong but not too painful and still 2 mins apart to plenty of time to rest between. I was concentrating on relaxing and breathing during the contractions when my body decided it was time to push, this is the only time it got painful, I was trying to do the opposite to my body, it was pushing and I was trying to get it to relax and stop, once I told Tim I could feel the head and the midwife that I couldn't stop my body from pushing she quickly unhooked me from the drip, got me up and clothes off then helped me into the pool, which was really nice as I could kneel (I was on the Gas and air by this point, only for the last 5 mins of labour tho) As soon as I got in the pool I felt between my legs and felt the babies head crowning, had to actually hold it in during the next contraction as my body was pushing so hard, i didn't want the baby to shoot out and tear me, next push the babies head was out (the midwife was out of the room), I checked and the cord was round her neck so lifted it over and 2 more pushes she was out! The midwife was back in the room at this point. I was in the hospital for 3 hours before Evelyn was born, and they wanted to send me home! My labour was recorded as 6 and a half hours and pushing stage as 2 mins! I feel sooo much better this time around, I don't feel like I had just has a baby. When I had Alex my body was in shock, I had 12 hours of the worst pain I have ever experienced, I was smashed to bits, mentally, physically and emotionally. This Time I can honestly say it was hard work for less than an hour and painful for less than 30 mins, I dont need time to recover, just time to get to know our new baby. She is beautiful(looks loads like Alex) and so content, she hardly cries and is no trouble at all, Tim' s around to help, Alex is enjoying her new role. Im sure it will be hard some days but at the moment its easy going, she has just fitted right in. Thank you again Mia you showed us a possitve birthing experiance is possible. Best wishes Sarah x Hester did the HypnoBirthing course for Madeline's birth and for John's birth came to one of our Mindful Mamma classes. Here is their story. "How great it feels to know what my body can do and to feel so "together" after birth. No pain relief needed. Above all just thrilled to have a lovely little boy!
Just wanted to let you know that Paul and I welcomed John to the world on 5th September. He is lovely, healthy and we are thrilled!
I also wanted to say how much the Hypnobirthing course that I did when I was expecting Madeline and the mindful mamma one day course day did for me. John was 8 days "over due" and I remembered conversations we had had Sophie about the relevance or not of due dates as I was waiting to meet him. During the pregnancy I got in touch with QMC and talked through the implications of the STREP result from last pregnancy and did all I could to ensure that I could still have the comfortable and supported birth I hoped for, including using water. I practised my breathing, perineal massage and positive thinking and did some yoga. I didn't have loads of time for this with looking after Madeline but a little bit every other day helped my frame of mind. I thought about our basic instincts and the power of our body and when contractions came I tried to tap into the pleasure area of my brain and not the pain, moved around and used the bath at home. I think this all really worked because I was quite surprised when John was delivered in the Labour suite at QMC just 18 minutes after we arrived there. I hadn't felt that things were "painful" enough for him to be so close to coming along as Madeline's birth had felt like a real effort and quite overwhelming at times, particularly the second stage ( which had concerned me a bit as I thought about delivering again). John was born in just under four hours all in all. I know second births are supposed to be so much quicker but I really think that even if he was always going to come along that quickly the experience was so much better for me having done your courses. The Midwives were great and I delivered as I got into the room pretty much, standing up and with them talking me through breathing down etc ( which I was able to do having practised this). So thank you for all your support, I know when lack of sleep catches up there will be some hard days but how great it feels to know what my body can do and to feel so "together" after birth. No pain relief needed. Above all just thrilled to have a lovely little boy! Thanks again, I will always recommend you and your courses. Hester, September 2009 "it seemed to do the trick!" Rebecca with her first baby
September 2009
Hi Mia
I just wanted to let you know that I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on 26th August and we have named her Madeline. I had a completely natural birth and only used a TENS machine for pain relief.
I had been listening to my CD every day for the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy and I sat on the birth ball every night whilst watching the soaps.
i played the relaxation music whilst I was in labour and it made me feel so relaxed. I focused on my breathing and tried to remain calm and relaxed and it seemed to do the trick!
I was in labour for 7 hours and the 2nd stage only lasted 40 minutes.
I continued to play the CD for an hour or so after the birth whilst I breast fed and Madeline was so relaxed. I now play the CD in the mornings whilst I am giving her a wash and getting her dressed.
I just wanted to thank you for everything I learnt on the course and i felt it really helped me during my labour. I have been telling all my friends and family how the CD and course made all the difference so hopefully they will pass on the message to their pregnant friends and family.
Thanks again Rebecca
Elizabeth with baby Niamh "Despite being induced for a medical complication..."
July 2009
 Hi Mia,
Just dropping you a quick line to let you know that we had our baby 2 weeks ago. A little girl born at 38 weekscalled Niamh weighing 6lb3oz born after a 2.5 hour labour!
Don't know if you remember but the baby was breech when I did the day class at the end of June. I credit the hypnotherapy with turning her, I felt her move when you did the creative visualisation with me and she completely flipped the following day! So was all set for using the birthing centre. However my BP shot up spectacularly which ended up with me being admitted to hospital when I was 38 weeks and after a scan showed the baby's growth was static I very reluctantly agreed to being induced. 2 hours after my membranes had been ruptured I'd had enough, was only 4cm and completely exhausted and struggling to cope with the contractions. An hour and 15 minutes later I wanted to push and had gone from 4cm to fully dilated with head descending in the space of an hour!Despite being induced for a medical complication in some ways this was my most 'normal' quickest and most straightforward birth. I did try to use the relaxation and hypnosis during labour. When my BP was hovering at dangerous levels in early labour after listening to the tracks on my IPOD my BP dropped to ok levels. I was much calmer during the second stage than in my previous two births with a sense that I knew I could do it and I don't really remember the pain then. I remember a midwife commenting that they didn't know I was pushing and had delivered because there was no noise or screaming coming from my room and I remembered what you said at the class about hypnobirthing mums being quite quiet. I have let my community midwife know how much I enjoyed the Mindful Mamma class and how useful I found the hypnobirthing techniques not just during labour but in the few weeks running up to it. "I thought I had hours to go" Kath and Tim had baby Ella two days before Christmas, at home.
 "We had Ella 8 days early on the 23rd December at home. All happened very quickly – waters broke at 6.30am, mild contractions started about 10.30am then were more noticeable at 1pm. At 2pm they had got more intense so rang the midwife and she said she’d be there in an hour. By 2.30pm I decided I wanted to go to hospital as it was hurting and I thought I had hours to go. The midwife arrived at 2.45pm examined me and I was 8/9cm dilated so there was no going anywhere. Ella was born after about 8 pushes at 4.20pm! No time to get the birthing pool set up, which Tim managed to puncture when he was trying anyway! She didn’t really cry for the first two weeks but has found her voice a bit now. That said, she’s still pretty good really. I think the course definitely helped us, so many thanks".
"Although I didn't get my home birth, I still managed to have the total natural experience that I wanted" - Sarah and Dave, with Baby Molly, December 2008.
"Hi Mia,
 We attended your one day mindful mamma course in November and I wanted to share the experience of our birth with you, as it was due to the techniques that we learnt that day that we were able to have completely natural birth, despite circumstances not being as we wanted.
Although she was past her due date, when I went into labour on Boxing Day, I was still all set for the home water birth we had planned. I had my show at about 6.30am and mild contractions started around 7am.
Throughout the day I had more 'show' and intermittent contractions so we decided to call our Doula and the hospital to let them know. The midwife came round at about 2pm and said that this stage of labour could last a while so I should have a bath and rest and call them if things changed.
After I'd had a bath, around 5pm my contractions started to get closer together and more intense, so I got onto my ball and spent my time bouncing/twisting and inhaling lavendar oil whilst watching bits of 'Madagascar'!
By 8pm the contractions were about 3 mins apart and so we called the hospital and our Doula so that they could be here. The midwife examined me at 9pm and I was 3cm so things were going well and she said that she would stay as the baby was going to be born that night. I was coping really well and managing my contractions with breathing, inhalation of lavendar oil and moving around.
At about 12pm Dave got the pool ready and started to fill it as I was beginning to feel the need to get into it. Jenny the midwife examined me at 1am and I was 6cm so she agreed it was time to get into the pool. However as I got up to go downstairs my hind waters broke and they had meconium in them.
Unfortunately this meant we had to transfer to hospital and would need to go under consultant care which would require constant monitoring. I was upset but knew that we had to go for the babies safety.
On arrival at hospital I was hooked up to a monitor and brought a rather flat ball to use!! It was really difficult to move around as I had before as everytime I changed position the monitor fell off! After an hour and a quarter the midwife asked if she could examine me and I was still 6cm and they discovered that the fore waters hadn't yet broken. The consultant wanted to break my fore waters and give me syntometrine to speed things up as they were concerned that the baby may swallow meconium. As the baby was fine at this point, I politely refused the interventions and my waters broke on their own 5 minutes later. (The consultant wasn't particularly happy with me at this point!).
From about 4am til 7am I found that my breathing and lavendar oil weren't quite enough so I had gas and air. At 7am, as it appeared things weren't moving and due to my moving around they were struggling to keep a track of the babies heart, it was suggested that I was examined and a monitor put on the babies head. I agreed to examination but again politely refused the monitor and Dave and our Doula said they would try to hold the monitor in place as I moved around. Unfortunately the examination showed that things still hadn't progressed and I was starting to get tired and stressed at this point, so again I was offered syntometrine and we were given time to discuss things.
I was certain I didn't want the intervention and so Stephanie suggested that we ask if I could be taken off the monitor and move into the bathroom to try and regain some focus and hopefully take my mind off being in hospital which is why I was struggling. Although the consultant was very unhappy with this decision, our midwife was very supportive and spent a lot of time sat on the bathroom floor listening to baby with a sonocaid!!!
During this time, Dave worked with me to talk me through the contractions with visulations and breathing techniques we had learnt from the Mindful Mamma course we did. This really helped, however after about 3 hours the consultants were very insistent that I needed to be constantly monitored as they couldn't fully assess the baby.
We moved onto the bed and Dave continued to talk me through my contractions. (The monitor still wouldn't stay in place as I was moving so had to be held on!). About half an hour later Donna the midwife asked if she could examine me again. I had reservations as I'd had quite a few since my waters had broken but I also knew that we needed to know progress as I had been told that if things hadn't moved along by 1pm, I would have to have a section.
I was beginning to feel the need to push and when Donna examined me she found that my cervix was fully dilated and the babies head had started to move down. We then commenced pushing during which I continued with my breathing and visulisations. Apparantly just before Molly was born I had begun to have enough and as her head crowned I asked for ventouse to get her out!!! However a couple of pushes later both her head and body shot out very fast!
A baby doctor was on standby but wasn't needed as she was absolutely fine!
I had a physiological third stage and delivered the placenta about 15 minutes after Molly was born.
Although I didn't get my home birth, I still managed to have the total natural experience that I wanted, although I hear that my hospital notes are full of comments about my refusal of everything!!!
Thank you so much for the course, we would recommend the techniques to anyone, as they are so good and effective.
Dave, Sarah and Molly xxx
August 2008 - Maia's birth "It was fantastic and amazing!"
 Hi Mia and Sophie!I'd like to introduce you to our second little bundle of joy! We waited an extra 5 days for her, but she was definitely worth the wait! She's a gorgeous little girl, weighed in at 7lb 8.5oz, born on the 7th August 2008 at 3:11pm after about 3ish hours of labour! We were in the birthing pool for most of that (from about 1:30) and she came out swimming! It was fantastic and amazing! I really felt so much more in control and comfortable - a true testimony! I'm hoping to write up my birth story soon and then I'll send it to you - but I must admit that it was a truly incredible (although not orgasmic!) experience and I feel wonderful about the birth and now! Although I can't honestly say it was completely pain-free, I was in control of the level of pain and felt I could manage it well. We're still deciding on her name (or at least trying to agree on a spelling!) so will let you know shortly. Kind regards, Claudette, Darren, Amelie & Baby 'M' xxx December 2008 - Louise, first time mum "I could do it. I could deal with it. I could cope. I had a really positive experience".
Alexia, Lee, Lauri and Louis "It felt like the baby just slid out without any actual "pushing"
I was 40weeks +4days pregnant on sunday 18th January, and feeling quite down because I had been unwell and the baby did not seem to ever want to come out! To cheer me up, my husband took me and our first son shopping, we ate out and had a lovely day. I had no signs whatsoever that the labour would be near- in fact I felt better than for days! That evening my husband and I made love, just in case it would get things moving. Soon afterwards, around 10pm, I started having regular contractions, they came about 4min apart right from the start and were'nt exactly painful but quite strong. I didnt think anything was going to happen though, because I had had similar contractions before after having sex, but they had always stopped in few hours. After about 20minutes I had to ask my husband to time the contractions as they were taking all my attention now, I had to walk and walk around the house everytime they came. I tried to concentrate on taking long breaths and relaxing myself when they came. Midwife was on her way and my husband started to fill the birth pool. Meanwhile my contractions were now coming almost every minute (or so they seemed, all I could do was to walk and walk, at quite a pace, back and forth in the house and try to concentrate on taking long breaths). Between contractions I felt I needed the toilet and tried to empty my bowels but with no success. The pressure felt quite intense and I worried about soiling the pool once I would get in. Then just as I was coming out of bathroom my waters broke, I realised that the urge to go to toilet had in fact been the urge to push for the baby! I realised I did not have much time, and decided to go in the pool straightaway (I wasn't supposed to, until the midwife had examined me, but she was not there yet and I am so glad I followed my instincts as I would had missed the pool otherwise!) I climbed in the pool which was only half full, and it felt really heavenly - finally I was able to relax and the pain almost totally disappeared. I had been in the pool only few minutes when the midwife arrived. I told her I felt like I needed to bear down and she quickly examined me and said she could feel the baby's head right there. My husband was halfway going downstairs for another bucketful of water, when I felt the next contraction. I called him to come quickly or he would miss the birth. He ran upstairs and at the same time I felt enormous urge to bear down. With three huge bearing down breaths, Louis was born at 11.50pm in the pool, and his dad just managed to get to see him coming out! It felt like the baby just slid out without any actual "pushing", I only took the huge breaths and exhaled all the energy down. It came very naturally and effortlessly, I could have not stopped this happening if I tried. I did not feel any pain during the second stage but as it was so fast and powerful I was worried I had torn myself. Luckily apart from a very little scratch i was fine. We spent some time in the pool just taking it all in, and I got out to deliver the placenta on the bed. The second midwife turned up but left soon as there was nothing for her to do. The first midwife, who had arrived just minutes before Louis was born, was absolutely wonderful. She took care of all the practicalities and prepared a bath for me so I could wash myself and get dressed. I was shivering a lot - apparently it was very normal after giving birth- but felt absolutely wonderful. The whole experience was wonderful and even though the pain in the first stage was very intense, it was bearable. The whole birth took 2h and 20 min from the start of the contractions, and I could not wish for a better birth experience. Laura, Nathan and Rowan. "I knew that labour was progressing well, but the midwives had no idea"
Although we had decided to have a homebirth, at 42 +1 I felt that I needed to go in to be induced. I didn't intend to have any intervention, but I felt instinctively that I needed to go in to be induced.
It was a 2 hour journey in the heavy snow and we reached the hospital at around 10am on Thursday . I was seen by the midwives and told that I would be given a pessary, it was put in at around 11am in the afternoon, but nothing appeared to be happening so at around 5pm I was examined and was given another. I was very relaxed just rocking on the ball and chatting with Nathan. After a couple of hours I started getting stronger sensations, I wouldn't describe it as pain, just very strong sensations, and I put on the cd and lay on my side on the bed just drifting in and out. Nathan dimmed the lights and then sat and did the crossword quietly. I used the counting down in my mind in time with my breathing and stayed really calm. I knew that labour was progressing well, but the midwives had no idea and I was happy to just focus and stay calm. In fact because they thought so little was happening we were hardly interrupted. As they got stronger I instinctively felt I needed to change my position and put all the cushions on the floor then knelt on them leaning over the bed. When the midwives asked Nathan how far apart they were he said “oh about 4 minutes” when in fact they were around 2. I continued to count down and breathe through my contractions as I had practised at home, listening to my cd though the walkman. At 9pm they changed shifts and as this point they had not put in my notes that I was in established labour. When my waters broke they even assumed that I was leaking urine, and asked Nathan if I had been incontinent during my pregnancy! I asked the new midwife if I could go in the pool – she said no as I needed to be 5 cms and there was no way that I was 5 cms yet. She said that she would run me a bath however, and that I could relax in there. I knew that I was much further along, being aware of what was happening in my body. As she was running the bath I called that they baby was coming and she quickly turned off the taps and called out for a birth pack. Rowan was born very quickly and easily in about 45mins. In fact in my notes they had to put the time I was in labour down at 55 mins! We waited until the cord stopped pulsating and Nathan cut the cord, then we had skin to skin contact straight away. It was a wonderful and amazing experience, I felt completely in control and am so pleased that I found a way that I could birth my son calmly. The midwives couldn't believe it and were all talking about it!" What People said After the class Natalie, third time mum, June 2010 “Dear Mia
I just wanted to say many thanks for the workshop on Saturday. I got a lot from it and learnt some really useful things. Dan enjoyed it too and thought that it was a very positive thing for us to do. In particular, the information you gave him about how to deal with ‘helpful suggestions' during the birth is very useful. This is empowering to me too as, as I mentioned I have felt a bit in ‘patient mode' before. I will be viewing this experience very differently!
The information about hormones / stress and fear was very enlightening. That is something which will definitely benefit me in the forthcoming months. Thanks for the birth plan suggestions too which are very useful. I have been listening to the CD and have found it relaxing, I am sure it will benefit me.
Thanks again, and very best wishes Natalie x "
Nikki found out about our course through our midwifery training days and is in her third year of training to be a midwife. "I just wanted to thank you, for such an interesting, relaxing, and Hi Sophie, February 2009 - Maria, pregnant with her first baby found us via the internet. She wrote to thank us following the class.
I just wanted to drop you an email to thank you for the fantastic course on Saturday. We have talked about almost nothing else since we left your home and both feel that we have gained so much from it. I came in with a very sceptical husband who was telling his mates on Saturday night how fantastic the course was and giving tips to those who are going to be Dads later in the year. We also learned so many simple things that we wouldn't have even thought about before like the fact that I find it so much easier to relax when Mike is touching me. You also dispelled so many of the myths around birth. So many people have talked to me about their labour 'stopping' and it doesn’t occur to you to question these statements but it is now so obvious and we have the tools to question what is being said to us. We have already done some practice with the Ibiza sunset and he is having a new tattoo next week so is going to try the techniques out himself to cope with the pain! I had thought that I would find it difficult to use relaxation on myself as I have such a busy mind but found it incredibly easy using the techniques you taught and am confident now that with practice I can do it. I really think is shows how comfortable I was with yourself that I was able to relax so easily and quickly. Everything about the course made sense to us and without it we don't believe we would have gained the knowledge, tools, confidence or strength to plan for and achieve the natural birth that we both want for our little girl and can never thank you enough for your help with that!! Mike & Maria
July 2008 - First time dad, Andy
"I would just like to commend you on designing and running such a really fantastic course! It really has empowered both of us,to the point where most of our fears about birth have disappeared already. We have always wanted to go down the natural birth route, but felt that there was not enough support & advice out there about how to do it drug and pain free. Your course, although short, covered pretty much all aspects that I felt were missing from our antenatal classes & many more. Vic now feels a lot more confidant, and I actually feel like I have a proper role in the whole event, other that driving her to the hospital & sitting on the rolling chair!"
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I have been meaning to email you and the September newsletter just reminded me!
Hi Sophie and Mia, 