Birth during a Pandemic - Prepared, Positive and Peaceful
A Peaceful Arrival for Baby Vida
I have to say THANK YOU! Thank you to the GentleBirth Team!! I had the most amazing imaginable first homebirth 2 weeks ago. I downloaded the app around 20 weeks and started doing my own hypnobirthing practice from the beginning on. The app gave me a perfect daily schedule, so I felt so well prepared.
First of all, as you know, I prepared myself for the birth with hypnobirthing and that from the beginning of the pregnancy. I heard about 5 meditations every day, learned breathing techniques and prepared myself mentally with positive affirmations, etc. I read the book of Mary Mongan and downloaded the GentleBirth App, which I found fantastic. I imagined the birth every day and in the end it was exactly as in my visualisation.
We had set up my birthing room with a mattress, blankets, pillows, the birthing pool, and affirmations hung on the wall. music, fragrance and candles provided.
Friday to Saturday night it started with light waves. I would say from about 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. As soon as I got up, they were gone, which disappointed me a little at that moment. But I tried to see that as positive too.
My body was already working and preparing everything, so it was easier in the end. Saturday to Sunday the same.
From Sunday to Monday night, the waves were then slightly more intense and more regular, plus, SURPRISE: they did not stop in the morning. I was able to breathe the waves very well and kept falling asleep and waking up again. Although I didn't sleep really deeply for the third night in a row, I woke up on Monday fit, lively and looking forward to it. I was just about to get up when I felt the amniotic fluid drain, a slight amount. It was then clear to me that it was going to be THE DAY. Still completely calm and relaxed, with more waves, I got up, took a shower, drank coffee and of course let Aleks, my husband know. It was now 10 a.m. and I also informed my midwife, Lars. He just asked: Do you think today is the day? And my answer was short and sweet: YES!
We agreed that he would come at 1 pm because I still felt super fit and knew that nothing would happen earlier. I got up and wanted to go to the toilet, it was about 11 a.m. and a huge amount of amniotic fluid splashed onto the floor.
I breathed the waves while lying down with my meditations in my ear via Bluetooth headphones. I didn't even notice how time passed. When Lars, my midwife and Ines, my photographer arrived, I was completely in my world. They just said hello briefly and left the room again. Around 2 p.m. my husband came (who was always with me and coordinated everything with water in the pool, etc.) and said "So honey, we're going into the pool now" I just thought, how does he know that now is a good time , it could still be too early. But he couldn't be dissuaded. Then I put on my bikini and only noticed when I got up that it had to be a bit far, because walking normally was no longer pleasant. Then he had brought Lars and Ines too.
I went into the pool and felt an infinite relaxation. I continued to listen to my meditations (one and the same 4 times in a row😂) it felt like 15 minutes, but 2 hours passed.
I would really call these 2 hours labor. However, it was still easy to breathe and I didn't see it as pain. At around 4 p.m. the waves changed and I was breathing differently, I was told. Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Aleks fetched the children, plus the dog, and that gave me a lot of strength.
The last 5 contractions were the only ones I would describe as a bit painful or let’s say powerful, but I was also happy about that, because I knew the time had come.
Lars, too, gave me a glare to understand that everything's going to be fine. He didn't even intervene, investigate, or take me out of my world. He checked the baby's heartbeat so gently that I couldn't hear it. In the 4th, more intense wave, I had the urge to squeeze lightly and felt it slide down, I just said to Aleks: It's coming! Grabbed me by the edge of the pool and breathed down hard and pushed, then the head was already there. I said to my husband (very firmly): Pull it out !! And with the next wave the shoulders were out, I kept pushing and she was there. Oh, by the way, it was a surprise. We didn't wanna know the gender. ITS A GIRL 😍
All in all, labor was 2 hours and 5 more intense contractions. The birth was so incredibly calm, gentle and peaceful. I can't think of a more perfect way. I can still hardly believe that everything actually went like it did in my daily imaginations. I know even more than before that you can do EVERYTHING if you believe in yourself. You can only believe in yourself! Not what one reads, hears or is told by well-intentioned advisors. Always believe in you💖
Birth is portrayed much too twisted these days. I wish this could be changed again ...
(Forgot to mention the funny part, or lets say magical part..✨ The day when my little Vida came, I got the report that I listened to exactly 1000 sessions on the app. There is definitely no too much practicing. It helped me so much during pregnancy. Since I have two other small kids, I could relax so well with the meditations!!)
