{"id":1848,"date":"2012-03-02T22:42:20","date_gmt":"2012-03-02T22:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.organicmamacafe.com\/?p=1848"},"modified":"2012-03-02T22:42:20","modified_gmt":"2012-03-02T22:42:20","slug":"jessicas-story-a-hypnobabies-birth-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.organicmamacafe.com\/home\/2012\/03\/jessicas-story-a-hypnobabies-birth-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Jessica’s Story: A Hypnobabies Birth"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Hypnobaby Birth<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Jessica Pirkle Callan $\"\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n

We had been preparing for Maureen\u2019s birth using the Hypnobabies program for months and part of the program is visualizing the birth in detail. \u00a0With an estimated due date of 2\/15\/11 we decided that 2\/18\/11 would be the perfect date. \u00a0Maureen would be fully cooked, my mother-in-law would be in town, Alex wouldn\u2019t miss as much work on a weekend, and I liked it being an even number. \u00a0We wanted labor to be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. so we wouldn\u2019t miss any sleep. \u00a0And I really really really wanted it to be rainy!<\/p>\n

When we originally decided all of this in early January, there was no rain forecasted. \u00a0A few weeks away from the date, they predicted a slight chance. \u00a0As the big day drew closer, the chance of precipitation increased until it was highly likely!<\/p>\n

Friday, February 18th, we all got up, Alex getting ready for work, Lila (age 3) getting ready for school. \u00a0At 7:30 as they were about to leave, i hugged Alex goodbye and felt a contraction. \u00a0I told him so, but said to go ahead and carry on since it could be braxton hicks like i\u2019d been having for weeks. \u00a0They left and I went about my morning and chatted with my mother-in-law who had been staying with us the last couple days.<\/p>\n

She had come down with an awful case of the flu right after she flew in town, the likes of which we were all just getting over. \u00a0I didn\u2019t want to tell her about the contractions, afraid that she might either disparage or freak out, but I was definitely contracting every 10 minutes! \u00a0I showered and dressed, thinking secretly to myself that this was the day; making sure I had comfy yet photo-worthy clothes on, legs freshly shaved, and water-proof mascara on \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

I tried to call Alex, around 10 a.m., but didn\u2019t get thru. \u00a0I emailed my cousin, Sarah to giver her photography instructions adding a postscript that it might be today. \u00a0Alex emailed back saying he was on a conference call and I told him I was contracting regularly. \u00a0He said he\u2019d come home if he needed to. \u00a0It was so weird being unsure about everything (my first daughter was born after I was induced \u201cfrom scratch\u201d). \u00a0Some women contract regularly for a day, then stop and resume a week later. \u00a0Sometimes labors come on quickly and baby is born a few short hours later.<\/p>\n

I told him to come home despite my fear I was jinxing it. \u00a0He picked Lila up from school at 12:20 (normal pick-up time) and came home. \u00a0I went to an already scheduled chiropractic appointment (for an adjustment and to help my transversely inclined baby move into a more optimal position). \u00a0The chiropractor worked on some induction points for me and even marked them with a pen so I could continue to stimulate them at home.<\/p>\n

I picked up some lunch and came home right as my sister-in-law picked up my mother-in-law (she was in town to help with the new baby, but we had planned to not have her at the birth). \u00a0We ate, Lila watched a movie, and Alex and I retreated to the bedroom to \u201capply some natural prostaglandin\u201d \ud83d\ude09 Having contractions during sex was a unique experience!<\/p>\n

We spent the rest of the afternoon feverishly cleaning and unpacking (we had just moved into our mostly remodeled house 2 weeks before). \u00a0I remember cleaning a toilet and having to rest next to it on the floor during a contraction. I also had candles lit, yoga chanting cd playing, and a homemade aromatherapy blend on, expecting active labor to start any minute. \u00a0I can\u2019t remember at what point I\u2019d texted my midwife that morning, but she sent her assistant over at 5 p.m. when my contractions were 5 minutes apart.<\/p>\n

All of the hypnobabies newsletters I\u2019d been reading are replete with stories of quick, sudden births-Mom arrives peacefully at the hospital and no one realizes she\u2019s in active labor until baby starts crowning in the waiting room \ud83d\ude42 \u00a0I was sure that would happen to me, so i was incredibly disappointed when I was told upon my requested cervical check that I was only 2-3 cm dilated and 70% effaced.<\/p>\n

I just couldn\u2019t understand why the assistant midwife was giving me early labor tips instead of preparing for my baby\u2019s imminent arrival. \u00a0I wanted so badly to be done by then, not necessarily because I was having a hard time but because I had a plan and things were not going as planned. \u00a0Also, I HATE having my sleep interrupted and absolutely dreaded the idea of having a baby in the middle of the night. \u00a0So the assistant left at 6 p.m. and we ordered Thai.<\/p>\n

Alex went to pick up the food, while Lila and I stayed home. \u00a0I\u2019ll never forget how sweet she was when I was contracting. \u00a0I had prepared her a lot by watching lots of hynobirthing videos on youtube. \u00a0I\u2019d explained that my uterus was squeezing out baby Maureen and that I really needed to focus during the squeezes. \u00a0She knew to leave me alone if my eyes were closed or to say \u201cpeace\u201d or \u201crelax.\u201d \u00a0I was laying over the birthing ball softly moaning and she gently stroked me saying, \u201cpeace\u201d over and over. \u00a0My sweet sweet girl!!<\/p>\n

We ate dinner, although I didn\u2019t have much appetite, and Alex got Lila to bed. \u00a0I was hoping that things would either pick up or slow down so that I wasn\u2019t pushing a baby out in the middle of the night. \u00a0I called my midwife and she suggested doing whatever i needed to relax, like have a glass of wine.<\/p>\n

I decided to get in the heated birthing tub we\u2019d rented and I did have a glass of wine while Alex sat on a chair next to the tub holding my laptop while we watched 30 Rock. \u00a0What an incredible difference the water made! \u00a0I could feel nothing but pressure with each contraction.At around 10 p.m., Alex needed to go to bed.<\/p>\n

I took half of a unisom hoping to at least get a good night\u2019s sleep before what looked like a a February 19th birth by now. \u00a0We actually contemplated me staying in the tub, since every time I\u2019d gotten out to go to the bathroom, the surges were pretty uncomfortable. \u00a0Good sense prevailed and I set myself up to sleep on the couch-water, blankie, and pillow.<\/p>\n

Labor did NOT speed up or slow down. \u00a0I had contractions every 5 minutes all…..night….long….. \u00a0I found that the hypnosis I\u2019d practiced worked effectively as an anesthesia i if i went \u201cunder\u201d before a contraction started. \u00a0But that gave me only 1 minute in between the end of one contraction and the preparation for another. \u00a0So sometimes I spent the 3-4 minute interval sleeping until the pain of a contraction jarred me awake, and sometimes I used the hypnosis to enjoy a pain-free surge.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if it was the unisom or some primal power, but I could just lay my head back and conk right out until the next contraction woke me. \u00a0It was a very intense and primitive experience to labor all by myself in the quiet darkness all night long. \u00a0At around 1 a.m. I got some yogurt and granola- a very typical snack and timing for my pregnancy. \u00a0However, I ended up throwing it up a little while later.<\/p>\n

At 7 a.m. I decided I was done with my solo nighttime journey and woke Alex up with the request to open up the tub and keep me company. \u00a0Again, as soon as my body sank into the warm water, pain became pressure and felt instantly relaxed. \u00a0We called the midwife and my cousin who both arrived around 9 a.m.<\/p>\n

I requested a cervical check and was pleased to find that my night had been productive-I was now at 6 cm 90% effaced! \u00a0My midwife was also able to monitor my blood pressure, pulse, and the fetal heart rate while I remained comfortably in the tub. \u00a0What a luxurious difference from my hospital experience!<\/p>\n

My sister-in-law, Rachael came by to take care of Lila. \u00a0We had planned to have her there as the \u201cLila wrangler\u201d. \u00a0I wasn\u2019t concerned about Lila being for the birth, in fact, she and I both kind of wanted her to witness it. \u00a0However, Alex and I wanted to be able to focus on the task at hand while someone else entertained Lila and fetched her snacks or whatever.<\/p>\n

The next few hours are a blur for me. \u00a0Time was dragging and flying and standing still. \u00a0I know that I kept expecting to be done soon. \u00a0People kept plying me with food and beverage, but I had no interest in it. \u00a0I knew that I was supposed to keep eating to fuel my energy level, but nothing sounded good!<\/p>\n

I would go grocery shopping in my mind, racking my brain for something that sounded remotely appetizing. \u00a0Popcorn! Someone made some. \u00a0I ate a few pieces. \u00a0I realized that that did NOT sound good. \u00a0Tea! \u00a0Someone made tea. \u00a0I had a sip. \u00a0It was not what I wanted after all. \u00a0I had a few blueberries, a bite of pizza that Rachael had picked up to feed the crew. \u00a0Those who know me, know that I love eating. \u00a0When I don\u2019t want to eat, something serious is going down!<\/p>\n

The weariness of missing out on a night\u2019s sleep and exhaustion from focusing on the task of birth started to weigh on me. \u00a0I told my midwife that I didn\u2019t want to do this anymore, and she offered to check me. \u00a0I had originally planned to only get checked when I felt the urge to push in order to make sure I wasn\u2019t pushing before being ready. \u00a0Otherwise, I felt that checks are inconsequential and unnecessary. \u00a0I declined at first, but consented at 12:30 p.m. \u00a0My heart sank to find out that I was STILL 6 cm dilated and 90% effaced. \u00a0I felt devastated, like I had spent the last 3 hours doing absolutely nothing.<\/p>\n

The midwife recommended get out of the tub and spending some time upright to move things along. \u00a0I\u2019d gotten out of the tub several times to pee (bladder space was at a minimum and I was definitely staying hydrated!), and the contractions I experienced during those potty breaks made me want to stay in the water forever!<\/p>\n

What a dilemma. \u00a0Labor pain-free in the tub, possibly forever; or labor painfully out of the tub, hopefully for a shorter period of time. At 1:15 p.m. I got out.I laid on my side in bed for the next hour and a half with Alex snuggled up behind me. \u00a0I was in such a sleepy daze in between contractions, but when they hit I sank into Alex as he rubbed my lower back. \u00a0It was a trance-like nap from which I eventually awoke in the sense that I become more aware of my surroundings and started to feel antsy.<\/p>\n

I wandered around the house, trying to find an activity or locale that \u201cfelt right\u201d but ended up back in the tub for some sweet respite. \u00a0That lasted only an hour, since I felt like I had to be \u201cdoing\u201d something. \u00a0So I spent some contractions standing up with my arms around Alex as we swayed together, some hunched over the birthing ball, some sitting on the bathroom stool. \u00a0Rachael returned with Lila in tow, bearing smoothies from Jamba Juice and I had a couple sips.<\/p>\n

At 4:30, Rachael took Lila to her house to eat dinner and hang out until birthing time or bed time-whichever came first. \u00a0I declared, \u201cI really need to eat something!\u201d and sent my cousin to the store for saltine crackers-the only thing that sounded good. \u00a0Alex suggested I listen to a Hypnobabies track on the IPod, which is something I should have been doing all along \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

So I found myself on all fours on the couch with earphones in, hypnosis settling over me, and my dear husband right beside me when all of a sudden… my water broke!! \u00a0Right at that point, I started to feel the urge push too. \u00a0With Lila, my water broke right as i reached full dilation and she was born 45 minutes.<\/p>\n

I reluctantly asked for a cervical check. \u00a0Sure enough, I was 10 cm dilated and 100% effaced! \u00a0It took a little while to completely register for me that it was actually time. \u00a0I don\u2019t run marathons, but I know that for people who do and for women giving birth that it is common to \u201chit a wall\u201d and feel like you can\u2019t go any further. \u00a0Usually, in the case of birth, reaching this point signifies that the end is near and once you break through the wall, it\u2019s smooth sailing. \u00a0I had these thoughts in the back of my mind, so when I was feeling like I couldn\u2019t go on, part of me was enslaved to the dejected feeling that it was true, but part of me thought that maybe that meant it was almost over.<\/p>\n

Only a few minutes earlier, I had whispered to Alex that I just wanted to go to a hospital and get a C-section. \u00a0I asked him if we would still have to pay for the home birth if we did that, and when he said yes, my frugality spurred me persevere \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Once I had shaken off all my doubts and discouragement, I set my mind to pushing out my baby! \u00a0My midwife suggested I do a couple pushes \u201con land\u201d first before returning to the tub. \u00a0I complied, but was very thankful to get back to my warm, wet sanctuary to begin pushing in earnest.<\/p>\n

I pushed peacefully, remembering the Hypnobabies directive to breath evenly and relax with thoughts of openness. \u00a0I was on my knees, with my arms folded over the sides of the tub-for some reason I had had a feeling all along that I would birth my baby while on fours, and although I did not consciously choose the position at the time it was just what came naturally.<\/p>\n

I felt Maureen moving further and further down, until finally-POP! \u00a0Out she came into the hands of the assistant midwife! \u00a0I looked over my shoulder in disbelieving ecstasy. \u00a0\u201cI did it!\u201d was all I could think \ud83d\ude42 \u00a0A few seconds later (after orchestrating the humorous process of turning around without tangling my legs in the umbilical cord) I held my brand new daughter in my arms. \u00a0It was 5:31 p.m., so she was born at exactly the time we had envisioned….just with an additional 24 hours of labor tacked on \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Maureen nursed very soon and very easily. \u00a0I immediately regained my appetite and phoned Rachael with a take-out request. \u00a0She arrived with Lila and dinner, and we all ate, drank champagne, and marveled at the new life that entered the world. \u00a0It was so incredible to go through the requisite post birth exams and everything in the comfort of our own home.<\/p>\n

By 8 p.m., everyone had gone and Alex, Lila, Maureen and I snuggled together, read a story, and went to bed. \u00a0Our first night as a family of four was so delightfully mundane, hinting at many more sweet nights to come.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Jessica is a former montessori teacher, a current yoga teacher, and a future doctor. She mostly spends her days at home with lila and maureen cooking, cleaning, studying, observing her children, playing, and reading. They occasionally venture out to go grocery shopping, hiking, or walking around the zoo.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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