First time parents to the beautiful baby Matilda share their experience of welcoming their girl into the world…
“I was getting a little concerned when the midwife starting talking about inductions so was really lucky to go spontaneous and got my natural water birth. I was also a little worried she may turn posterior as she was staying put on my right side and my chiro mentioned she may corkscrew her way down via posterior, but… she didn’t, yay!
I laboured for about 8hrs active (gas and TENS machine) and there’s a new rule at Randwick where you have to push out within 1hr or Doctors need to be involved so that was hard, needed stitches as had to get her out before I felt like she was ready but overall happy with how it went.
Hypno I must admit worked up until about 5-6cm then I resorted to my own music &….vocalisation! I had read juju sundins birth skills so had some of those in my toolkit too, & never thought I’d use my voice like that in labour but it became quite primal to let it out, combined with a combo of hot water bath & cold shower head on my back.
But we got there in the end! My husband was amazing & so grateful he had learnt so much in the course to help me during labour.
I’m really good otherwise, baby blues are due tomorrow so am going to try and watch feel-good films & bunker at home with babe. Getting my head (and nipples!) around breastfeeding but she’s feeding well!
Mums Megan & Melissa attended the course with me in the lead up to the birth of their baby and below is their account of how helpful hypnobirthing is when circumstances change and decisions need to be made. This is a wonderful account of how achieving a POSITIVE birth is so possible with the right tools, support and mindset, regardless of the circumstances you get on the day!!
“Hi Kerry ! What a wild ride it’s been….
So I lost my mucous plug over Monday and Tuesday last week and my membranes ruptured/ leaking really started Thursday around lunch. I was induced with Oxytocin 1:30pm Sunday and went into labour.
I dilated to 10cm using a TENS machine, visualisation, Mel’s support only having her talk to me, and essentials oils. Transition was hard – heaps of vomiting. But I knew it would end and I knew it was a functional discomfort. I actually enjoyed labour up until then and even then I wouldn’t say it was terrible.
I pushed for about 2 hours and had to be checked – I was fully dilated but Stevie was high and not moving down as she was back to back (my back pain had been intense throughout labour) and she was trying to come out with her head not tucked. Option of high forceps delivery with associated risks to pelvic floor and Stevie or c-section.
Stevie was sooooo happy the whole birth – I allowed monitoring and she was so comfy in there. So I decided to do a c-section while she was still happy and with Mel’s support. I had been given a light epidural so I could stop pushing and discuss my options. The team around me were amazing.
Stevie was born at 4:43am Monday 31st weighing 3.39kgs and 52cm long! We stayed in hospital until yesterday. She had been cluster feeding most of the week so I am tired and still really sore and having ups and downs which are to be expected.
We both feel so empowered by the birth and have no regrets about any of our decisions. All thanks to hypnobirthing!”
Susan and David attended my hypnobirthing course with me in the third trimester of pregnancy. They had previously had a caesarean for the birth of their twin boys and were now planning a VBAC for baby #3. This is the story of their baby girl Isla…
“I got my VBAC! No intervention, completely natural. Private hospital and private OB. My little girl Isla was born on 8/8/20, 3.79kg, 53cm long, 35.5cm head circumference. 2017: Twins born via elective-c due to twin 2 breech early on and size differences.
This birth: I did so much research and decided from 30 weeks that I wanted a VBAC. Mainly because my boys being 3.5yrs old and the recovery would be better. I also wanted to give my body the chance to do what Mother Nature intended!
The plan was to go into spontaneous labour, as OB wouldn’t induce without breaking waters. I was fine with that and decided I didn’t want AROM and synthetics. Based on reading everyone’s experience, it was either spontaneous or I would tap out and elect for c section, so it would still be my calm gentle birth I wanted (and not end up in emergency c-section).
At 40+1, early on a Saturday morning at 4am, I started feeling intense cramping. By 4:30am, I felt a small gush of liquid and went to check, it was my waters but a small volume. I changed my pants and went back to bed. Contractions started after that and I started timing them on the app. It was intense but sporadic. I then had another gush after 5am, more volume this time and it was ON after that. Surges came hard, so I woke up hubby and we called the hospital. They advised to start making our way in. At this point, I had the TENs machine on to manage the surges and took it off to go in the shower. I called mum to come over and look after the boys and hubby got our bag ready.
We got to hospital just after 7am at which point I was doubled over in pain with intense surges. I was listening to my hypnobirthing affirmations in the car and had TENs on. The midwife checked me once admitted, she didn’t tell me how dilated I was, just looked over at hubby and gave him double thumbs up! She put monitoring tape on and dimmed the room as per my birth preferences.
I asked for gas pretty much straight away and stayed on my side on the bed.
By 8/830’ish, I moved from the bed to the bath and laboured in there until I was no longer comfortable.
I can’t remember what time my OB arrived, I was in the bath. He was very hands off until it was time to push, which I went on the bed for and leaned up against the head of the bed on my knees.
After an intense 40 minutes of active pushing, which I wasn’t even sure I would make it through, our baby arrived at 11:03am. My OB helped coached me through it with supportive language throughout (telling me slow down when needed to protect my pelvic floor), and the midwife used a hot flannel on my perineum to prevent tearing.
The Dr said “look down, and pick up your baby” and I collapsed down and held her. My hubby checked the gender and announced it was a girl! She came straight up on my chest, and I had two hours of skin on skin.
Once the placenta was out and my OB gave me a few stitches, they left us alone just the three of us. Midwife came back and did checks with bub on me.
It was the most incredible birth, and I was so relieved I got the calm and gentle VBAC I wanted.
My prep: RRLT, dates, epi-no, acupuncture, chiro, hypnobirthing course with Kerry Sutcliffe from The Hypnobirthing Mum.
I want to thank everyone for all their inspiring stories, advice and knowledge sharing in this group! It gave me so much confidence and positivity!
Finally, I had my VBAC at North Shore Private Hospital (NSP), with a private OB. We kept the same Dr who delivered my twins 3 years ago, as I trusted him and we had a great relationship.
Choosing your caregiver and where you give birth is a personal decision and I want to let people know that it IS possible to get your VBAC or have your preferences respected going private, and not just home births or public system – I later found out that my OB was reading my hypnobirthing notebook, while I was in the bath, and also joked he had memorised all my affirmations as I had it playing through the speaker on repeat.
Not once was I offered a canula, no mention of episiotomy, no distressing negative language was used. I was truly grateful!
For those still on their journey, know that you’ve got this! If I can (and I’m seriously the biggest CHICKEN in the world), then anyone can!
Our bodies are amazing, you will find an inner strength you never knew you had during birth!
Best of luck
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
When it comes to birth, does your partner know how to support you?
What emotional, practical and physical support to offer you?
The Hypnobirthing Australia program is designed to help partners feel a real part of the birthing process – no longer on the sidelines, but providing invaluable support to the birthing mother.
Here some of my clients tell us how their partners were able to provide support after completing this program…
Click the below links to also hear what some of my hypnobirthing clients have to say about:
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
Doing a Hypnobirthing Australia course with me is just the start of your birthing preparation.
It provides you with the knowledge, tools and techniques to prepare for birth but then it is important that you then take these and incorporate them into daily life to continue the preparation for your baby’s birth.
Here are the ways some of my clients have used the course to get ready to meet their baby….
Click the below links to also hear what some of my hypnobirthing clients have to say about:
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
Mums and dads attend my courses for a variety of reasons, you might recognise yourself and your reasons for doing hypnobirthing in here too….
feeling anxious or scared about birth
heard ‘horror stories’ about childbirth from other people and want something different
want to know how to stay calm and relaxed during birth
wanting an informed and empowered birth
to gain the knowledge and skills to have a positive birth
so that your partner knows what to do and say to help support you during birth
because they are excited about birth and want to know how to have the best birth possible!
Here is a short video with some of my hypnobirthing mums and dads telling you how they felt about birth before doing the Hypnobirthing Australia program with me….
Click the below links to also hear what some of my hypnobirthing clients have to say about:
Kerry Sutcliffe is an award winning hypnobirthing practitioner based in Sydney. She provides group and private hypnobirthing and childbirth education courses to pregnant women and their birth partner, and can also offer online programs. She has a background in counselling and psychology and currently works as a researcher in the school of medicine at a Sydney based university researching how antenatal education impacts birthing outcomes for mothers and babies.
You can find out more about Kerry and the courses she offers at:
xxx”
