GREYSON JOHN
Born November 1, 2013
Submitted by Jacki McPherson
Keywords: Hypnobirth, homebirth after hospital birth
This was my second pregnancy and I was really motivated to find ways to enable my body to labour without my “head” getting in the way. So, I read a lot about relaxation techniques for labour, including hypnobirthing, as well as every birth story I could get my hands on. The stories showed me how different each birth can be and also gave me a peaceful feeling of community with those women before I gave birth.
At 11 days overdue, I was ready to meet this baby but still had no sign that he was ready to make his move. Finally, on October 31 at 2am I woke up to my first contractions. They continued every 12-15 min for 30-45 seconds for 5 hours, then stopped. Using wave visualizations, calm breathing and conscious muscle relaxation really helped make the contractions quite manageable. My husband Mike stayed home from work, we dropped our daughter Genesis off at daycare and then went to the Midwives office to check in with Dianne and do a Non-Stress Test. The contractions had stopped, so I had my fifth stretch & sweep while we discussed doing castor oil in the evening if things hadn’t started, as well as an ultrasound scheduled for the next day and an induction consult and additional ultrasound soon if he hadn’t arrived yet.
We then headed to my chiropractic appointment and I was encouraged by her positivity about my pelvic alignment for labour. Contractions started again after we left the office for home. They became slightly stronger than they had been at night, occurring about every 13 minutes and lasting about 45 seconds. Calm breathing and conscious muscle relaxation were key, and the flower opening visualization started to come to mind as well as the waves. We came back to the house and, on Dianne’s advice, enjoyed a yummy lunch together. Then out of the blue, my lovely friend Dawn Dawson, a massage therapist and midwifery student, called me out to ask if I’d like a massage on her pregnancy massage table. I was still experiencing contractions, but was there in a heartbeat and appreciated every second of it.
My husband took Genny trick or treating on our street while I stayed back to give out candy through contractions that were getting stronger. At around 10:30 we decided to try to get some sleep, but while laying in bed I had a contraction that included a weird popping feeling and I knew my water had broken. The contractions were suddenly intense in pain and speed,, so I got into the shower and Mike called Dianne. These were the contractions I remembered from my labour with Genny, which only started when my water broke at 15 days past my due date.
While I was oblivious in the shower, Mike and the midwives filled the birth tub and the rest of the night was a blur for me. Mike says I rolled around in the tub, but I mostly I remember leaning on the side and hugging him hard. We did walk a bit, stopping so I could lean into his chest and hug his shoulders with contractions while he reminded me of the positive phrases and inspiring thoughts I wanted to hear and had posted on the walls in my birth space, but most of the time was in the tub. I can’t say I ever looked at them – my eyes were shut most of the night. While working through contractions, I used up a tank of gas that helped me deal with the pain. The midwives didn’t have a second tank, and I seemed to have a few more centimeters to dilate, so Kimberly (the student midwife) left to pick up another tank from the midwives office. Shortly after she left, I heard Dianne saying something about an ambulance, and I jumped to attention. She realized I thought she was saying something was wrong, so she let me know that she was actually just telling Mike that if he was nervous that only one midwife was there we could call an ambulance to hang out in driveway if he wanted back up. He said we didn’t need it, I agreed, and then Dianne said she thought we’d still have a few hours anyway. That comment made something snap in me. I knew I couldn’t do this for a few more hours – the contractions were just too intense, and I asked if I could start pushing.
His head was still at the top of the birth canal, but Dianne said that if I felt like pushing I should go for it, and only twenty minutes later Greyson was born into the tub. During my last push, I could hear Genny’s door opening and she rushed into the room just as her baby brother was born. Her dad intercepted her, just to be sure she understood what was happening, but she figured it out and was just as excited as all of us to meet her healthy new sibling – even though it was 3:45am on November 1. We all examined every inch of this lovely new addition to our family, until around 6am we all headed to bed for a sleep with our wonderful new boy.
Born November 1, 2013
Submitted by Jacki McPherson
Keywords: Hypnobirth, homebirth after hospital birth
This was my second pregnancy and I was really motivated to find ways to enable my body to labour without my “head” getting in the way. So, I read a lot about relaxation techniques for labour, including hypnobirthing, as well as every birth story I could get my hands on. The stories showed me how different each birth can be and also gave me a peaceful feeling of community with those women before I gave birth.
At 11 days overdue, I was ready to meet this baby but still had no sign that he was ready to make his move. Finally, on October 31 at 2am I woke up to my first contractions. They continued every 12-15 min for 30-45 seconds for 5 hours, then stopped. Using wave visualizations, calm breathing and conscious muscle relaxation really helped make the contractions quite manageable. My husband Mike stayed home from work, we dropped our daughter Genesis off at daycare and then went to the Midwives office to check in with Dianne and do a Non-Stress Test. The contractions had stopped, so I had my fifth stretch & sweep while we discussed doing castor oil in the evening if things hadn’t started, as well as an ultrasound scheduled for the next day and an induction consult and additional ultrasound soon if he hadn’t arrived yet.
We then headed to my chiropractic appointment and I was encouraged by her positivity about my pelvic alignment for labour. Contractions started again after we left the office for home. They became slightly stronger than they had been at night, occurring about every 13 minutes and lasting about 45 seconds. Calm breathing and conscious muscle relaxation were key, and the flower opening visualization started to come to mind as well as the waves. We came back to the house and, on Dianne’s advice, enjoyed a yummy lunch together. Then out of the blue, my lovely friend Dawn Dawson, a massage therapist and midwifery student, called me out to ask if I’d like a massage on her pregnancy massage table. I was still experiencing contractions, but was there in a heartbeat and appreciated every second of it.
My husband took Genny trick or treating on our street while I stayed back to give out candy through contractions that were getting stronger. At around 10:30 we decided to try to get some sleep, but while laying in bed I had a contraction that included a weird popping feeling and I knew my water had broken. The contractions were suddenly intense in pain and speed,, so I got into the shower and Mike called Dianne. These were the contractions I remembered from my labour with Genny, which only started when my water broke at 15 days past my due date.
While I was oblivious in the shower, Mike and the midwives filled the birth tub and the rest of the night was a blur for me. Mike says I rolled around in the tub, but I mostly I remember leaning on the side and hugging him hard. We did walk a bit, stopping so I could lean into his chest and hug his shoulders with contractions while he reminded me of the positive phrases and inspiring thoughts I wanted to hear and had posted on the walls in my birth space, but most of the time was in the tub. I can’t say I ever looked at them – my eyes were shut most of the night. While working through contractions, I used up a tank of gas that helped me deal with the pain. The midwives didn’t have a second tank, and I seemed to have a few more centimeters to dilate, so Kimberly (the student midwife) left to pick up another tank from the midwives office. Shortly after she left, I heard Dianne saying something about an ambulance, and I jumped to attention. She realized I thought she was saying something was wrong, so she let me know that she was actually just telling Mike that if he was nervous that only one midwife was there we could call an ambulance to hang out in driveway if he wanted back up. He said we didn’t need it, I agreed, and then Dianne said she thought we’d still have a few hours anyway. That comment made something snap in me. I knew I couldn’t do this for a few more hours – the contractions were just too intense, and I asked if I could start pushing.
His head was still at the top of the birth canal, but Dianne said that if I felt like pushing I should go for it, and only twenty minutes later Greyson was born into the tub. During my last push, I could hear Genny’s door opening and she rushed into the room just as her baby brother was born. Her dad intercepted her, just to be sure she understood what was happening, but she figured it out and was just as excited as all of us to meet her healthy new sibling – even though it was 3:45am on November 1. We all examined every inch of this lovely new addition to our family, until around 6am we all headed to bed for a sleep with our wonderful new boy.