..."this part was the most wonderful feeling" Chloe talks about how she enjoyed giving birth!

Welcome to the world Marley Kenneth Cole, breathed in to the world, born in to water at Truro Birth Centre on 14th December, weighing 6lbs 10oz.

Huge congratulations to Chloe and Olly, who were on my August group Hypnobirthing course - they are first time parents. Chloe outlines her birth journey here for us.

"6am-I began to loose the plug which I was so excited about as until now I hadn’t had any signs!

7pm- Irregular mild surges began, at this stage, bouncing on the fitness ball and using breathing techniques we had learnt really helped. The surges became more regular and intense as the evening went on.

12pm-After speaking with midwives on the phone we decided they were regular enough to head down to Truro Birthing Centre. Upon arrival, the midwives were very welcoming and I was happy to have a vaginal examination to check on progress but unfortunately I was only 1cm so we were told to head back home to try and get some rest. The surges carried on and even got stronger into the night...

7am-Surges completely tailed off to around 1 every 30 minutes and throughout the day slowed even more and they were very irregular.

6pm-More regular surges again, Yay! Ollie made a really lovely space in our snug for me to sit on the ball and lean forward onto a pile of cushions, had the curtains closed and fairy lights and diffuser on while I breathed through the surges. As they were getting more and more intense I used the tens machine to help manage the surges.

10pm- Back down to the birth centre again, and again I agreed to a vaginal examination and was absolutely delighted when the midwife said I was 6cm! She showed us to one of the rooms and checked baby’s heartbeat, absolutely fine which really put me at ease after such a long time at home not knowing how baby was doing. The room was amazing, really made the whole experience for me, as well as the midwives who brought us both drinks and snacks. I used the gas and air and tens machine to manage the surges as they became more intense and Ollie put on some of my favourite music.

1am- At this point I felt ready to get into the birth pool as was feeling a lot of pressure down below now, the midwives sorted this out straight away and put pretty fairy lights around it too. Getting in the pool felt absolutely incredible and really relaxed me. After some time, my body felt an urge to push, so I went with this. My waters broke which relieved a bit of the pressure as well. For me this part was the most wonderful feeling, I could actually feel baby move downwards from my tummy into the birthing canal, I knew I would get to meet him/her soon! Ollie and the midwives were so supportive through this whole stage, I did have moments where I doubted myself but they kept on reassuring me that I was doing brilliantly and that I could do it !

3.15am- Little Marley Kenneth Cole was born in the water, received by Ollie! Exactly as I had wanted ! He passed baby between my legs and told me it was a little boy, an absolutely overwhelming amount of emotion as I saw his little face in the water, we lifted him out and put him straight onto my chest, once the cord had stopped pulsating, Ollie cut it and took him for skin to skin while the midwives helped me birth the placenta and then out of the pool. He latched on almost instantly for his first little feed and we were left to bond as a family of 3. The whole experience was absolutely incredible thanks to the midwives who followed our birth plan exactly as we wanted and couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful, and Terri for the Hypnobirthing knowledge and birth preparation, knowledge is power !"

My Hypnobirthing course will help you to better understand your body and what is happening during the labour and birth process. This knowledge will help you do release your fears and surrender to trusting your birthing instincts. As Chloe says - knowledge is power. Take control of your birth experience, don't just leave it to chance. Book on to my next group Hypnobirthing course in March 2021, or contact me to book a private hypnobirthing course face to face or via Zoom. You are worth it! You deserve the birth of your dreams!

Hypnobirthing Completely Changed Our View on Birth!

Welcome to the World Tommy Ryan Darbourne - born 07:36pm at Penrice Birth Centre, weighing 8lbs 7oz.

Beth and Dean outline for us the birth of Tommy; how they worked together as a team, made decisions that were right for them, how hypnobirthing supported them through their journey and how the amazing midwifes at Penrice provided them with wonderful, person centred care.

"Details of labour

- It all started at 5pm with my Uterine seal (Mucus plug) came away.

- Membranes released (Waters) at 2.30am, and irregular surges started immediately. I used the Calm breathing technique at home whilst using a birthing ball to get comfortable whilst watching trash tv!

-6am we started timing surges and they were lasting up to 40 seconds and coming at least every 5 minutes. I started running a bath and played my hypnobirthing affirmations..

8am - we made a call to the triage line, as surges were now lasting 60 seconds. As I was feeling calm and well, we requested a transfer to Penrice Birth Centre (this was a spontaneous decision as our mind had not been made up between there and Truro Birth Centre - Terri had told us how wonderful Penrice was)

9.00am - greeted at Penrice Birth Centre by the loveliest midwife Lizzie. I was happy to accept a vaginal examination to determine active labour. I was 4cm open and Dean was able to then join me in the “snug”. We were offered food and beverages, and offered the use of the units Tens Machine - midwife Lizzie guided Dean how to use for effective pain relief and also suggested various comfortable positions to try. Blends of essential oils recommended by Lizzie, prepared and provided by the unit for Dean to perform massage techniques learnt on the course.

12pm - we decided to move into birthing suite, and the midwives had the pool prepared, dimmed lighting, fairy lights providing a very calm atmosphere. Dean began playing our “Feel good” playlist and we both felt so excited under the realisation we would be welcoming our baby boy in the most calming environment with assistance from outstanding midwifes (community midwife Tamara joined to look after us, I was familiar with her as had met her at maternity appointments in the Bodmin clinic).

2pm - I consented to another routine examination which confirmed I was 8cm open. I was full with overwhelming emotions that I had got to this stage with only the use of hypnobirthing breathing techniques, tens machine, essential oils and the pool. I felt SO in control.

4pm - at this point my Surges changed and they were feeling more and more intense, so I requested gas and air at this point to take the edge off.

6pm ish - this was when my transitioning phase started. I began to feel very tired and doubted myself. I had constant reassurance from Dean and the midwifes. Routine monitoring of baby’s heartbeat accepted, baby remained calm and well all throughout. I decided to get out of pool and asked the midwifes to recommend different positions. I must admit panic mode started to set in as things seemed to slow down and I wanted the help of the midwifes at this point to guide me on how to birth him safe and well, however, both Dean and I stayed very calm as we were fully aware of what my body was going through to birth our baby.

07:36pm our precious baby was born and passed straight to me for immediate skin to skin. We had the delayed cord clamping that we had requested and Dad (Dean) cut his cord. Active management of the placenta was recommend afterwards, this was clearly explained and accepted. Dean remained with our baby and had his precious skin to skin time.

We then all left for an hour of bonding and family time which was so precious - Tommy latched for his first colostrum feed, and we were on our way home as a family of three around 10.30pm.

We will never be able to thank Terri enough for her support, guidance and generosity provided throughout our pregnancy preparing for the birth of our baby. Hypnobirthing completely changed our view on birth, and empowered us to make decisions that were best for us and not based on fear. You cannot put a price on delivering your baby feeling so in control and aware of the physiological process of birth. Every time I think back to our experience I feel so emotional to have been blessed with a tranquil environment at Penrice Birth Centre, a team of amazing compassionate midwifes, the support of my Husband who was able to remain calm throughout and this is all thanks to the decision we made to sign up for Terri’s informative Hypnobirthing course which we will forever recommend."

Huge congratulations and a massive THANK YOU to Dean and Beth for allowing me to share their experience with you.

Beth - you are a true birthing goddess and I'm so pleased that you had such a wonderful birth experience at Penrice. Dean - I always knew you would be the most amazing birth partner (Dean and I have been friends for many years!). Tommy - you are a very lucky boy to have such wonderful parents.

If you are working towards a birth experience like Beth's then you can start your journey by investing in one of my courses. I promise you it will be the perfect investment! My January group Hypnobirthing course has some spaces available, and I'm taking bookings for February onwards for private courses. As I type this I have ONE late minute availability for December for a private course due to a cancellation. Don't delay with making contact if you want to grab it!

"I felt so brave and almost primal as I breathed through the surges and our little son arrived"

Huge congratulations to Sally and Richard on the wonderful arrival of their son Fox Michael Laity,

Born 9.00am at Helston Birth Unit on the 16th October 2020, 8 days before his EDD, weighing 7lbs 10 ounces. Below Sally shares her birth experience, and how Hypnobirthing and the amazing Midwives at Helston Birth Unit played an important role in her having the birth she hoped for and worked so hard to achieve.

Birth story

On the 15th of October I woke up with some cramping pains in my back that felt a bit like period pains and a strange feeling like I knew I was going into labour soon. I felt really relaxed about it and chatted with my partner Richard about what we would do if it happened today. Both of us kept getting excited and then saying 'it probably won't happen right now' and decided to go about our days as normal. I did some chores and things around the house until around 4pm when i started to feel some light surges coming on. I set up our birth ball and asked Richard to come home from work and cook me some snacks. We set up a space in the living room, popped some music on and started using the birth ball with some positions where Richard could support me. I used them alongside the breathing techniques from the hypnobirthing classes and it made me feel so in control of my surges. We both felt really relaxed and completely focused on the labour.

As the surges got stronger I went up to bed and got comfortable there, the midwife came out at around midnight and examined me to find out that I was 7cm dilated. I cried with relief as was so happy I had stayed at home until I was dilated. She commented on how calm I was and asked if I'd like to have the baby here at home as he might arrive soon, I said 'No thanks, Get me to Helston please! and we all drove over there.

When I got in the water it was such a relief, it took a lot of the tension away but it did start to feel like it was slowing my surges a little.  The midwives said it looked like the babies head was coming so we continued for some time pushing until I felt like I needed a rest and laid back in the pool. I think I had a lull at this point as my surges slowed completely and I couldn't seem to get his head down any further which was a getting frustrating! 

At 6am a midwife did a check on my progress and noticed that the babies head (which I felt I had been pushing down) was actually stuck behind my waters. She said the water sack had been stopping the babies head from emerging and I agreed to have the waters broken at 8am. I settled into a left lateral position out of the water and a new midwife gave me a good talking to (in a good way!) and started gearing me up for the final stage. I think I really needed someone to do that at this point in the labour as I had started to feel a bit frustrated and kept saying I couldn't do it. She told me I absolutely had this and I dug deep and pushed the babies head and then the body out at around 9am.  I felt like I had a real team around me, with Richard and the midwives all cheering me on which was amazing! I felt so brave and almost primal as I breathed through the surges and our little son arrived. It was such a positive experience and I look back on it now in awe of what my body has achieved, its truly the most phenomenal feeling! 

The hypnobirthing techniques I learnt with Terri, combined with pregnancy yoga and the support from Mazey/Helston midwives, has really transformed my birthing experience into something incredible. I've felt my birthing wishes were respected throughout and I was in complete control of my labour, which was really important for both myself and Richard. Hypnobirthing certainly made my birth a really positive experience, I feel very lucky to have found Terri and learnt about it, I definitely couldn't have done it without her. I have suffered from anxiety before and found Hypnobirthing so useful." If you are pregnant and wanting to achieve a powerful, positive birth, Hypnobirthing can help you to achieve your birthing goals. My next group course is in January 2021 and I have 2 space available for private courses in December. Visit my website (www.cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk) or email me to book your space (info@cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk).