Special thanks to Maggie for sharing her story with my blog!

Everything started on Thursday. I had my membranes stripped in the morning and by the afternoon I was having pressure waves that were about 20 min apart and lasting about 30 seconds each. They continued to get stronger and closer together until Friday afternoon when they started coming at 5 min apart lasting for 1 min.

They continued in that pattern for several hours but never got closer together. I stayed at home and continued using my birth ball and listening to my Hypnobabies tracks. I was staying very relaxed, switching off when a birthing wave started and continuing to move in between waves. My husband helped with the relax cue and everything was going well.

At 8:30p my water broke and since my pressure waves were now about 4 min apart and lasting close to 90 seconds we decided to go to the hospital. When we got there, they confirmed that my water had broken. But to my surprise, and dismay, a vaginal exam showed that I was still only 50% effaced and 2cm dilated.

My contractions continued at 4-5min apart, lasting for 90 seconds for several more hours. My pressure waves seemed to get stronger and stronger but they did not get closer together. I continued to use all of my techniques and they worked beautifully! I stayed so relaxed and was smiling and talking in between pressure waves and I felt great! I had another vaginal exam early Saturday morning and was really upset when I found I had not progressed at all. I was still only at 2cm.

My water had broken nearly 15 hours prior and I was up against the clock. I began to worry.  I did not want a c-section and at the 24 hour mark it was mandatory. (note from Sheridan: Some hospitals have this “rule”, but moms, remember it is your choice, if you and baby are doing fine, you don’t have to consent to this.)

At this point, I decided to change my plans. I decided to receive Pitocin and an epidural.  The Pitocin was started right away but I had to wait for the anethsesiologist for the epidural. I continued to use my hypnosis through my first hour on Pitocin. My pressure waves became very strong and I began “ahhing” on every wave as I went limp. My husband thought I was in pain but I told him in between my waves that as long as I was making that noise I was able to feel relaxed and comfortable.

My pressure waves became very intense and I was given the epidural. I wish that I had been checked first since the reason that my pressure waves were so intense was not because of the Pitocin. I was in transformation. So in reality I had been able to use my hypnosis through the Pitocin with no problem.

But still I do not regret any decision that I made during my birthing time. Just as my affirmations said, “I am ok with any path that my birthing takes because that is the right path for me.”*** Once I was checked a few minutes later, the doctor promptly started getting things ready and said that the head was right there.

While the epidural only worked on one side, (so ultimately, on one side I used my hypnosis only for the entire birth) it was enough to change how I could deliver. My right leg was totally numb. I could not use it at all. So I was not able to squat as I originally planned to. But my husband and one of our nurses helped hold my legs back so I was close to squatting but technically sitting.

I pushed for less than an hour and Mary was born. She slid out all at once. The best part is that my perineum remained intact. And even my doctor mentioned that because I was able to stay so relaxed it really helped things move along. Everyone mentioned how good I looked after and I swear it was all due to using my hypnosis. I felt great!

While my birthing may not have gone completely according to plan, I am very happy with my birthing. It was perfect for me.

***I love this phrase in the Hypnobabies scripts.  I think it is so helpful in letting moms be open to however their births end up going.