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Cassandra’s Birth Story

Cassandra and Mitchell were on my first ever group zoom course and joined all the way from sunny California- such is the magic of technology. I’m thrilled to be able to share their birth story to mark their beautiful son Remington’s first birthday.

Happy birthday Remington and happy birthing day Cassandra and Mitchell!

February 21st around 4 am my water broke... I knew I would be meeting my baby boy soon. Sleep, hydrate and eat was what I was instructed to do but I couldn’t help but have excitement mounting. Then the “when you know, you know” contraction hit and I knew I needed to rest. A marathon was ahead.

I had contractions 7 minutes apart throughout the day. The slow build of intensity, peaking then slowly dissipating. I remember the breathing while holding ice cubes challenge during pregnancy, which helped me through these early contractions. Low belly breathing. We walked our dogs, watched movies, napped and ate some empanadas. Mitchell did clean the entire condo too. Night time rolled around and contractions were the same. Phone calls to the midwife and doulas suggested we should try to sleep. So we did.

An hour or so later the contractions went from uncomfortable to what felt like unbearable. To the point where I felt like I couldn’t do a home birth anymore. My midwife assured me this was transition and to use my tools I learned to get through the period of time without my birthing team. Breathing techniques from hypnobrithing class and running water on a birthing ball in the shower were the things that immediately came to mind. While holding Mitchell’s hand, I breathed through contractions. When he was needed to assist setting up my birthing tub, I held my doula’s hand through contractions.

From there, it was somewhat of a blur. Movement kept me pushing through. Whether that was by hip squeezes, various squats, walking or swaying. At first, I kept resisting bone broth, water and other natural remedies. I also had moments where I said “I can’t do this”. With the encouragement from my birthing team, the reminder of meeting my son soon, as well as being able to now labor in water, I placed myself into a transformative mindset. Saying yes to nourishment for my laboring mind and body, running water and slowed breathing during rest, and affirming that I can in fact do this! So I kept breathing through one contraction at a time. Time became nonexistent.

The next thing I remember was feeling the need to push and the desire to feel if my baby was close. That's when I touched my baby for the first time! My midwife confirmed I could now begin to push and my energy changed. Remembering one contraction at a time, one contraction at a time. At one point my midwife said “look at all that hair!” and I couldn’t believe, in moments, that I would be holding my baby. One last push and Remington Reese was brought earth side at 4:31am on February 22nd 2021.

I brought him to my arms and this sense of overwhelming happiness filled me. Mitchell and I were in aw. We sat there for some time taking in the moment. Then as the birth team cleaned up, we had some time as a family alone to savor the preciousness of a new family.

Sophie’s Birth Story

We decided on a home birth quite late - although I'd been keen from early on my partner Dan didn't think it was the best option for us until we went through the options in detail in our hypnobirthing class. So it was around week 30 of my pregnancy that I asked to be transferred to the home birth team. From the first phone call with Harriet I felt confident we'd made the right choice and it made such a difference to have my appointments at home and for Dan to be involved in them. Harriet was so lovely and very thorough, we looked forward to her coming each time. 

At 40 weeks + 2 days we went for a long walk after lunch. I had tried to stay active throughout my pregnancy but after walking for a couple of hours I was exhausted! When we got back I noticed what I thought was a bit of my mucus plug and I felt a bit weird and said to Dan that I thought the baby was on the way. I was still completely comfortable though and so had a nap on the sofa. I then started to experience a sort of mild period pain which was the beginning of my surges. 

We ate dinner around 8pm and my surges started to intensify a little bit and I had to keep going and leaning over my birth ball. After dinner I went and rested (kneeled) on the edge of the bed in the dark and listened to a couple of relaxation mp3s that I'd used a lot during late pregnancy. Dan used an app to track my surges which gradually intensified but were not that consistent in hitting the 3 in 10 mins for at least 45 seconds goal! Dan held off calling the midwife for quite a while, basically until I was begging him to do it. Dan spoke to Abby around midnight who said we should wait another hour or so and suggested that I have a shower to help me to get more comfortable. I got into the shower which felt good but after a short time I found it really difficult to stand and so ended up kneeling at the edge of the bath. It was at this point I felt a change in my surges and it felt like my body was starting to push and I became really scared. Dan called Abby again who then set off, whilst he was on the phone my waters broke which felt very intense. 

Abby arrived around 2am and came and crouched with me in the edge of the bath. I immediately felt reassured and safe having her there. Philippa arrived a little while afterwards. After a little while Abby asked to do a VE, we moved to the bed to do this and Abby said I was fully dilated. I stayed on the bed on my side for a little while and actually dropped off between some of my surges. At this point I felt like I didn't have any energy left. I was also desperate to get in the pool but it was taking ages to fill (we have very low water pressure and the pool was on the third floor!) . Eventually the pool was ready but I had to go upstairs to get to it, this felt like a mammoth task but I managed with Abbys and Philippas help! 

I got into the pool around 5am and it was such a relief as i was able to get onto all fours without hurting my knees. As soon as I got in, the pushing intensified. I have a vague memory of hearing the shipping forecast and Abby and Philippa saying that the baby was nearly there. Dan was at the edge of the pool holding onto me during each surge and reassuring me. Philippa said that if i reached down during the next surge i would feel babys head, i did this a few times and each time felt more. Finally Abby asked me to adjust my position to a lunge and then to stand for the final push and baby came out into Abbys arms and into the water where she passed baby to me. We sat there in absolute awe and relief just holding and staring at baby for quite a while until we even thought to see if it was a girl or boy. Then we had a look and it was a girl. Our little baby girl, Orla!!! 

The rest passed in a bit of a blur, i lost quite a lot of blood (700ml) and had a second degree tear but it all felt fine now that little Orla was with us. We moved to the sofa where i had a managed 3rd stage and then in between skin to skin with Orla Abby gave me stitches whilst I enjoyed some gas and air. It turned out Orla was really big at 4.1kg/9lb 1oz and had come out with her hand on her face! 

We stayed cuddled up on the sofa for hours, all day actually. We felt so lucky to not have to move from our home, it has made the first few weeks feel very calm and natural and my recovery has been really fast because of it. I'm in absolute awe of the midwives and how calm they made me feel and how they seemed to know exactly what was happening just by the noises and movements I made.

Thank you so much Abby, Philippa and Harriet! And to Anna (Hackney Hynobirthing) for preparing us so well! Xxx

Katherine’s Birth Story

This is a story of incredible power, strength and an awesome birth partner…. when you read her story I think it’s very obvious that they’re gym owners/personal trainers! 

I started worked with Katherine and Matt on my Essentials Course when they were 38 weeks pregnant as they prepared for a homebirth. 

I wanted to flag a content warning that their beautiful baby girl suffered from a rare complication called Meconium Aspiration syndrome (MAS). This is where the baby inhales meconium, or their first bowel movement during birth.  If you want to know more about MAS I highly recommend this article by Rachel Reed.

Due to the great care and attention of the Royal London homebirth midwifery team they transferred to hospital to give birth and spent a few days there after her birth to recover.

Please know there is no such thing as a “failed homebirth”… it’s just a very smart use of resources.

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I just wanted to drop you an email as I’m sat in the hospital after giving birth on Thursday (my due date, can you believe it?!)

Such a quick birth considering we ended up having complications…

We started at home, I was 3cm dilated at 3pm, by 5pm I was 10cm and about an hour or so after that we started the transfer to hospital and she was born at 8:20pm.

So I had no idea I was in labour at the start, and just thought I had back pains and some downward pressure….spent the morning getting a bikini wax and my eyebrows done!

At about 1pm I called my midwives to put them on standby and let them know I was possibly in labour but I wasn’t sure.

They came out around 3pm to see me…I was in the bath by that point and 3cm dilated. 

I said I was fine to be left alone for a bit and that I would call them to come back later…just under 2 hours later, Matt was starting to get a bit worried about how powerful my surges were (and I had started to get really frustrated with him not pushing on my back hard enough!) and the midwives came back out…by which time I was already 10cm.

I know that it moved along so quickly because of the breathing and the understanding of what was happening in my body, and the techniques you taught Matt and I for working together. With every surge I was just thinking 

‘I Exhale, and I open’

I got out of the bath and onto the bed with the TENS which by that time felt AMAZING, lucky I had this as it took Matt about another 45 minutes to get the pool downstairs to the right temperature!

By the time I got into the pool it was so good and I just wanted to go to sleep in it to be honest, but it was time to push and I really did try, but I just couldn’t get her to move down enough. Her heart rate started dropping during surges and barely recovering before the next one started.

We got out of the pool to check where she was and she was still not budging so my midwives called an ambulance, during which time they saw meconium so it was just as well. I am so grateful they also both came with me and stayed throughout.

The whole ambulance journey and arrival in the hospital room is all a bit of a blur but mainly because I kept my eyes shut, and tried to focus on my body and my baby. They offered me a gown but I just wanted to kneel and be naked and try and get this baby out! The doctor arrived 15 minutes later and even though my surges were so powerful and I knew that the baby needed to come urgently, I was calm and in control enough to ask the doctor what my options were and what the stages after that would be (in between surges of course!). It meant that I wasn’t afraid and I knew what was happening so I was able to close my eyes again and focus on my body and the voices I needed to hear- Matt on one side, and my midwife in the other - whilst everyone else in the room was just doing their job. I think by this point there were about 9 people in the room and I was naked, on the bed, arms hooked around the back of my legs. 

I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery and although it wasn’t the birth I had wanted, I was confident it was the best and safest option we had and it was up to me to focus and do the work. 

When the doctor attached the Ventouse it took me 2 rounds of surges to push my baby out, and I visualised what you taught us about the muscles of the uterus coming up and pushing the baby down and focused all my energy on that.

That last bit, the actual giving birth and feeling my baby come into the world was such a powerful sensation, I hope I never forget it.

The mantras I found myself thinking in the ambulance and at the hospital…

• I can do it because I am already doing it

• The surges are not too powerful for me, they are me

• Every surge brings my baby closer to me

And then for the final bit, it was simply …

• I trust in my medical team

• I Am strong

Matts words that he kept repeating at the hospital:

• ignore everything else, it’s just us here, this is all you (this helped me keep my eyes closed and trust that everything was in control)

• You look amazing! (I don’t know what possessed him to say this on repeat but I know I definitely didn’t, legs up, pouring with sweat, but it really empowered me!)

• Just Let go

• And at the end…just fucking go for it, don’t stop!

He went into proper Personal Trainer mode like we were at one of our fitness competitions, ha!

As it turns out, baby girl swallowed some meconium on her way out and we are still in the hospital as she needed some extra help breathing for a couple of days and they need to keep an eye on her for possible infections. 

BUT I know that those first stages of labour and how it all went once I got to hospital, was all down to the choices we made for a home birthing team (and the continuity of care that comes with that) that kept me calm at the start, and the hypnobirthing that gave me the confidence through out. If I hadn’t done either of those things, I believe I would be sat here feeling powerless and also probably would definitely not have had such a short labour! 

It’s a long email, but wanted to let you know how just a couple of sessions with you helped me get through pretty much every stage of my birth. 

Fran’s Birth Story

I was thrilled to work with Fran and Joe in their second pregnancy. They were so fun, focused and clear about what they wanted (and didn’t want). With lots of focused hypnobirthing practise, amazing, respectful support from the wonderful Homerton homebirth team and the stars aligning.. they got exactly what they wanted. A calm and empowering homebirth.

I love Fran’s vivacious writing, she has that uncanny ability to sound in writing exactly as she is, so settle in for a lovely read!

On the Monday I woke up to mild period cramp pains, feeling slightly giddy with excitement, I told my partner Joe that today could “be the day”. The weather was perfect, endless blue skies, so we decided to get outside and enjoy it. Picnic in hand and an enthusiastic toddler in tow we set off to the park. As the day was progressing, so was the intensity of my cramps but all very manageable and we savoured our day in the sunshine, thinking this could be the last day as a family of three. Walking back from the park I had to stop and lean on the buggy a few times, calling on my trusty Hypnobirthing breathing techniques. 

Joe gave the Homebirth team a call when we got home and we spoke to the wonderful Francine who told us she was on shift and to stay in touch. We had dinner together as a family and I put myself to bed early, hoping I’d be able to bag a few hours of sleep for the night ahead. Our toddler was tucked up in bed and the birthing pool was ready to be filled in the living room…everything felt wonderfully calm and prepared. 

I managed to go in and out of sleep for a few hours and around 1am I suddenly woke up. Strangely the surges that had been building seemed to have completely stopped, all of my Hypnobirthing serenity seemed to desert me and I woke up Joe in a panic. I jumped to the conclusion that it was a false start and felt immense disappointment I had read my body so incorrectly, however my fears were unfounded and over the next hour the surges came back with fervour! Joe gave Francine a call and she told us to keep going and to call her back when the surges were more frequent. 

I visualised the surges as waves, that I knew I would come down from once I had reached the peak, this visualisation, coupled with the breathing techniques, provided a much needed anchor to manage the pain. Our bedroom felt like a safe cocoon and I found solace in the idea that we weren’t planning on leaving any time soon and giving birth at home was the plan. For my first birth I’m sure the hospital environment stalled my “progress” and I remember longing to be back in the comfort and safety of my own home. As night became morning I was gradually increasing the intensity of the Tens machine and asking Joe when the midwives were going to come over, things were heating up… 

Our toddler Lana woke up around 6am and poked her head around our bedroom door. As I was sat on the birth ball she came over and gave me the best hug, it felt like it was just what I needed at that moment and gave me an extra boost of strength. Amazingly at that point when I saw my daughter, the surges briefly paused, it was like I came out of the moment for a second, to be present with her. Joe’s parents came soon after to collect her for the day, she was very excited to see her grandparents so early in the morning and delighted in the fact she didn’t have to take off her pyjamas as she strutted out of the front door. 

Francine and Abby (the other wonderful midwife on duty) arrived around 7am and offered me gas and air, which I definitely felt ready for at that point. During my pregnancy I had analysed my first birth and came to the conclusion that I would refuse all vaginal examinations, based on my memories of them being utter agony, unhelpful and made to feel compulsory. Of course what’s the first thing I beg Francine to do on arrival… ”Please can you examine me?!” At that point I remember being desperate to hear that was 9cm and ready to pop, but of course she tells me I’m 4cm and that I shouldn’t get fixated on that as I was doing so well.  As the surges increase me and Joe stayed in our bedroom, while the midwives give us space and filled the birth pool downstairs, checking in every so often. 

A few hours passed and there was a slight concern I’d stopped being able to have a wee. Francine decides it’s a good idea to use a catheter to see that will help things. As soon as the catheter was inserted my waters broke and the pain levels cranked up to a whole new level. At this point I knew that the baby was coming…imminently! I instinctively started making my way towards the stairs and tell everyone with no hesitation “I’m getting in the pool…now!”. 

Being in the water felt like the most natural place for me and as soon as I was in I began to push! Francine worked some midwife magic and unhooked the umbilical cord, which had caught around the baby’s neck and then I suddenly felt the most incredible and intense sensation of the head crowning. At 10.58am the baby shoots out at speed and Francine scoops them up and places them on my chest…a beautiful, screaming baby girl with a big mop of black hair! 

I was guided to our sofa and used gas and air to help birth the placenta…focusing all my attention on the tiny, perfect baby on my chest.

Our home birth was such a positive experience and I felt such a sense of empowerment having the birth at home…in the way that we wanted! 

Stephanie’s Birth Story

Sometimes birth takes a while and sometimes baby’s come very quickly. Alma Tove, Stephanie and Sam’s second baby was in such a rush to meet her parents she arrived 5 minutes before the midwife and paramedics burst into the room!

Technically defined as a BBA (birth before assistance) this might have been incredibly anxiety inducing but Stephanie and Sam handled it all like absolute champs. Stephanie listening to and responding to her body and baby totally instinctively, Sam calmly supporting her whilst simultaneously speaking to the midwife en route and 999.

“Our experience with the Homerton homebirth team has been incredible. Our midwife Harriet, has been hugely supportive throughout the pregnancy and came to see us in her day off the day after Alma was born - the care and passion from all the team is huge and makes such a difference. This, plus using our Hypnobirthing techniques, knowledge and Anna’s reassurance that I could do it, made the fact that we gave birth without any medical assistance empowering, rather than terrifying.”

You can read their whole incredible story here

Holly’s Birth Story

This is a beautiful birth story, in fact it’s pure romance.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a couple as unrelentingly positive as Holly and Benji. From the minute Holly got in touch ahead of a Taster session to meeting them on my October group course they were just so enthusiastic, eager to learn and put everything we discussed into practise.

Their story is absolutely about the power of the mind. Due to Holly’s gestational diabetes she made the informed decision to opt for an induced labour at 41 weeks. Weighing up all of the risks and benefits that was the right choice for them.

Holly had the Syntocinon drip, AKA the highest level of induction and this often leads to a cascade of interventions. Not in this case. They absolutely smashed it with hypnobirthing techniques and gas & air - no tears, no stress.

“The whole experience was mind blowing, it was the most empowering experience and as odd as this may sound both Benji and I genuinely enjoyed every second of birthing our baby. He said to me that the focus I had when breathing through the surges was another level I apparently looked like I was in another world and I remember feeling that. I felt as if I was in a happy place just me and my baby.”

I for one vow to be more Holly and Benji in all walks of life from now on!

Read their story here

Homebirth article on British Vogue.co.uk

I was thrilled to be asked to contribute to Jessica Salter’s fantastic and very personal article about opting for a homebirth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we’re in the second wave of the pandemic, I’m so sorry to yet again see homebirth as an option being taken away due to pressure on ambulance services.

I’ll be doing an IGTV Live soon about how you can take your home environment with you and how to advocate best for yourself, stay tuned for information on that.

Catherine’s Birth Story

 I loved working with Catherine and Sha in the preparation for the first baby’s birth. They were the dream clients: so much fun, so interested and keen to learn - asking really thoughtful questions and keeping me on my toes.

For me, this story illustrates how beautifully Hypnobirthing can help you to cope and calmly accept changes even when things don’t go exactly as you planned.

I worked with Anna from Hackney Hypnobirthing ahead of the birth of my son in Summer 2020.  As this was my first child, I was nervous about birthing, and wanted to equip myself as to how the process would work, and what I could do to make it easier and feel in control.  

Anna’s outline of how hypnobirthing could help seemed to align with my needs perfectly.  My husband (a sceptic, now convert!) and I had 4 sessions with Anna, and in understanding the benefits of birthing in a ‘safe place’ to help with a calm and relaxed birth, we opted for a home birth, ordering a birthing pool to help with pain relief.  

As the due date got closer we had a practice run with the birthing pool and I filled the lounge with giant post-its with the birthing statements that most resonated with me, which I kept reading in the days ahead of the baby coming.  I practiced my visualisations and breathing everyday and was listening to the audios each night.

A couple of days ahead of my due date I thought my waters had started to leak.  I spoke to my midwife who advised I go to the hospital to get it checked out; my waters were intact, but while I was there I was offered a sweep which I accepted as through my research and preparation I was confident could help bring on labour without affecting its course and driving a raft of interventions.  

I went to bed wondering what might happen, and noticed my baby was even more active than usual as I settled down to sleep.  I woke with some lower back pain in the early hours of the morning, I wondered if it might be the surges of early labour so got up, went downstairs and put on some comedy to help pass the time.  As the back tightening continued, I undertook the breathing and visualisations we had worked on with Anna, and things passed smoothly.  So much so I wasn’t totally sure I was in labour!  After about an hour and a half I started to time the surges I was feeling and realised I was having 3 surges in 10 minutes and it was time to wake my husband to call the midwife and inflate the birth pool.

The breathing and visualisations were giving me control through the surges, and my husband was surprised how happy and relaxed I was given the situation.  He was a little more tense as he undertook his prep on the birth pool etc.  The midwife was with us in less than half an hour and I agreed to a vaginal examination (VE), and she confirmed it was labour(!) and that I was 5cm dilated.  It was about 2.5 hours since the surges had been coming in earnest.  Whilst examining me, the midwife inadvertently broke my waters, and the surges instantly became more intense.  I continued with my up breathing through the surges, and hopped into the pool which was really soothing.  The medical chatter continued around me.  My husband was great, and was calm and helpful, conversing with the midwives and I to keep things light but focussed and ensuring I was well hydrated and comfortable.  He even managed to keep his cool with a door to door salesman who chose the wrong moment to visit!  

By midday the surges were coming quickly and the feelings were intensifying (though manageable) and I consented to another VE and it was confirmed I was fully dilated.  I was feeling calm and confident that the baby was coming soon.  

I stayed in the pool and was focussing on my breathing, visualisations and the building pressure as I felt the baby descending.  The midwives were keeping an eye on mine and the baby’s heart rate, but kept a respectful distance from coaching me, to allow me to practice the hypnobirthing approach.  Things progressed slowly and with time ticking on, the midwives suggested I try to birth the baby out of the pool as they worried the water was relaxing us too much and not enough progress was being made.  The midwife could see the baby and could see there was space around the baby’s head, but it wasn’t making progress.  She realised it had been some time since I had emptied my bladder and inserted a catheter to try and create more room for the baby, but nothing came – both my bladder and the baby were creating pressure that meant neither could release.   The baby turned back to back to try and descend, but it was not making progress.  The baby’s heart rate was still good, and I was still calm.

The midwives went into the kitchen to discuss the approach, and my husband and I quietly talked through the situation.  We felt a transfer into hospital was the best course as it maintained our options for a healthy birth.  The midwives came back to give their advice that we should go to the hospital – we were all in agreement but my husband and I felt we were still in control of decisions having had the time to discuss the situation and what felt best for us.  

An ambulance arrived to take us to hospital and I hopped in and continued trying to birth the baby on route.  We went straight to a maternity ward and were met by a consultant.  I and the baby were both put onto heart rate monitoring and whilst I didn’t feel stressed, the shift in situation was causing a change in my breathing, and I was advised the baby’s heart rate was dropping.  The fastest route to deliver the baby would be with an episiotomy.  I was getting tired having been actively birthing for 3 hours, so my husband and I agreed that we wanted the baby in our arms while I was still strong enough to deliver it naturally, so we agreed to the procedure and our baby was born moments later.  

As the baby was born, it was still calm and gave a squawk to let us know they were out (no crying) and the baby was placed on my chest for immediate skin to skin.  My husband checked the sex, we had a lovely baby boy.  

We had a few moments of peace as we all gazed at each other and felt that magic surge of emotion and love that goes with the arrival of the baby.  I also had such a sense of pride and elation that I had done it.  Pain relief beyond the birthing pool hadn’t even crossed my mind, I felt tension and pressure, but thanks to the breathing and visualisations, I didn’t have awareness of significant pain.  

The hospital staff were keen for me to birth the placenta quickly given the pressure that I had sustained with the baby in the birth canal for so long, so I was advised to have the oxytocin drip to hurry it along to ensure a safe delivery of the placenta.  The clock started on the 30 minutes that were allowed for it to take effect, and the fantastic midwives worked on me to try and release the placenta, advocating for me to the consultants to let me birth it rather than follow their preferred option to give me an epidural and transfer me to theatre for removal as the 30 minutes was reached.  I was determined that having had a drug free birth I wasn’t going to have an epidural after the event, so with some pushing from me and some pulling from the midwives the placenta emerged just before the consultant called.  The birthing of the placenta felt more painful than delivering the baby – perhaps the pressure of being on the clock and without the surge of joy that followed the delivery!

Given the trouble in birthing the placenta, there was concern I was at higher risk of PPH, so I was given the clotting drugs to ensure nothing happened.  I quickly went from happy and alert post birth to feeling woozy and foggy given the rush of drugs, but my husband had some skin to skin time with our son whilst I had a nap to bring me back to earth.

One happy, calm little family created.  

I am convinced that our happy, chilled little boy is the result of the calm, natural entrance he made into the world.  Whilst the birth veered a little from our home birth plan, the preparations we went through with Anna in our learning, practice and birth planning all contributed to our sense of control and decisioning throughout the birthing experience, and my ability to deliver our son without pain relief.   I am so grateful to Anna for the help and support she gave us in the lead up to our birth in readying us for the event, and in the warm support she has shown and great practical advice she has given in caring for myself and my baby since the birth.  Thank you Anna – you’re a legend.  Xx

Sha’s thoughts on hypnobirthing…

When Catherine suggested hypnobirthing, I was sceptical of the process and how effective it would be.  But upon meeting Anna, and giving it the time it deserved, I came to understand the logic behind the methodology and the info is very useful, both from a theory and a practical perspective.

My wife was super chilled, she was well prepped and confident ahead of the birth, and the breathing and visualisation practice meant she was in control of the situation when the big day came.  I won’t deny there were times I was worried, but it would have been worse without knowing what was going on and how to help; and seeing my wife give birth to our beautiful, calm little baby with no pain relief was so inspiring.