Mama D says: “I wanted to start giving thanks to you Claire – for the hypnobirthing lessons and the yoga classes. They really helped me to be positive and overcome the last-minute twist to the birth plan and the recovery.”

Hi Claire,

I haven’t been to yoga because baby was born last Tuesday!

I would like to say hi to all the girls in the Pregnancy Yoga.  Please can you tell them all the best from me and hope to see them in Baby Yoga later on. Also, I wanted to share with them the joy during birth.  Whatever shape it takes, it is the most deep feeling I ever had, and the little one is so cute that your heart melts instantly. We have had them inside for 9 months and then finally they come to the world to meet us! 

birth story: emergency caesarean due to baby been breached and waters having broken over 24 hours ago

I wanted to start giving thanks to you Claire – for the hypnobirthing lessons and the yoga classes. They really helped me to be positive and overcome the last-minute twist to the birth plan and the recovery.

My waters broke on Monday at 18.30 while I was sat down on the ball listening to an online session of a breast-feeding workshop! Suddenly, I leaked and for a moment I panicked worried something was wrong with baby. We called MLU and they very calmly confirmed it was quite likely to be that my waters had broken and to pop there without rushing to confirm and discuss. I knew then that the clock was ticking to be in active labour due to the risk of infection and that they would recommend an induction after 24 hours. I found calmness in myself by the time we headed to hospital.  It was very quiet there, only couple of staff around.  The midwife was very kind and calm. They let us relax in the room and checked baby’s heartbeat. Everything was looking good.  They did all the checks and after discussing with doctors we went home with an appointment for next day.  We decided to consider induction only after 48 hours and I was happy with that decision.  Somehow, I was calm as our little one was coming in 48 hours and it was very exciting!

So, I was in joy when surges started that night.  I thought to myself, I can make this without induction, and then went back to sleep through the rest of the surges. They stopped during the morning but, after a warm relaxing shower, they started again, became stronger and continuous. I can honestly say I enjoyed the process.  My partner put his warm hand in my low back and hugged me while encouraging me to breathe in a calming voice.  It was so soothing as this was just like the Hypnobirthing scripts we practised together. I enjoyed the sensation of the surges coming and going as I was deeply relaxed.  The visualisations of the Hypnobirthing ‘Up’ Breathing really help taking my mind away from the body.

Once the surges got longer and closer together, we called MLU and they said to go in. As soon as we arrived, they put me on continuous monitoring due to waters breaking the day before.  I didn’t like been on the bed though as it made the surges more painful. I kept sitting down when surge came and rubbing my low back strongly, this really helped. I had 2 vaginal examinations and one scan to confirm baby was breached and caesarean was the recommended procedure. I already knew that I would agree to a caesarean birth if baby was breached – we had learnt about this from all antenatal classes and thought about how we might feel in this situation already, so the decision was easy.  However, I was gutted I wasn’t having my water birth. Somehow all the last-minute plan made surges a bit more difficult to cope with, but everything moved swiftly, and I was moved to theatre. Such was my surprise that when I had the anaesthetic, I recovered my mood and was so happy to meet the little one. Everyone was so nice and calm, I knew everything was going to be ok and I trusted them.

See you in January on the baby massage lessons.