A SPEEDY HYPNOBIRTHING HOME BIRTH (HBAC)!

​My partner and I took the Flutterby course as third time parents -- Our first was a planned cesarean, second was a home birth transfer for pain management (VBAC/vaginal birth after cesarean), and third was a planned home birth (HBAC/home birth after cesarean). I went into this third birth wanting to focus on mental preparation thru hypnosis to increase my chances of a successful home birth.

I started early signs of pre-labor/early labor at 39 week + 6 days. My primary goal and focus during this time was to continue listening to affirmations and labor preparation (hypnosis) tracks in order to stay calm and not 'chase labor.' Spending time with friends and family along with the hypnosis tracks helped immensely during the 36 hours of prodromal labor -- when surges were feeling a little more intense, I would pop in my headphones and my mind instantly shifted into perceiving the sensations as pressure vs pain.

At 40 weeks + 1 day, at 1am, I awoke to two strong surges back-to-back. I woke up my partner to monitor things as I put in my headphones.  I had one more surge, and instantly knew I needed to be up and moving. Surges were very inconsistent in timing and intensity, but I was remaining calm and positive thru it -- I then quickly moved to laboring in the shower, where things continued to be inconsistent in timing and intensity (I really feel all those affirmations and tracks helped prime my brain for that moment which I soon found out was transition!).

At around 2am, I started to notice my breathing patterns change (automatically pulled out the horse lips and toe wiggles!) and by about 2:20am, noticed a little 'pushy' noise on my exhale.  Our birth team was already on the way, but I knew at that moment things were going to happen quickly! I was able to get on my hands and knees in the shower (I was NOT moving from that spot!), and after a few surges of the fetal ejection reflex, my daughter was born and caught by my best friend and husband at 2:29am with the support of our birth team by phone and en route -- all with minimal blood loss and no tearing!

During this wildly quick active labor, I remained calm and only perceived 'pain'/moment of doubt once for a BRIEF moment (that initial ring of fire is no joke!), and attribute that to the affirmations and hypnosis. It was such a lovely experience to be home in our own space and have our other two kids wake up the next morning to meet their baby sister!

Even as third time parents, we learned a ton from Erin's course and really enjoyed the content (and her personality-she's great!) and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who's considering it!

- M, J and Baby Girl

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Flutterby is located in the Twin Cities, and provides Hypnobirthing classes for expectant families. Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified Hypnobirthing Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and supported hundreds of families... Email her at [email protected] with any questions!

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