This mom's birth story highlights the importance of preparing your mind and body, building your birth team, and believing in your own power.
"In 2016, I delivered our firstborn son via an unplanned c-section after 30 hours of labor. Words are difficult to find to express the physical and emotional exhaustion I felt for several months after - Guilt, grief, confusion, frustration, betrayal, distrust, and disbelief come to mind most often. When I found out I was pregnant again, I quickly felt obligated to do everything in my power to change the impact that birth would have on our family." (continued below...)
I decided to take HypnoBirthing®, with my primary intention being to avoid the interventions I had with my first birth experience. The course and our instructor, Erin, connected me with the local birthing community, which in turn helped me find a doula and even change providers from an OB to midwives. Rather than take classes to be informed about what would happen to me, I was holistically empowered to make decisions about what could happen. In a sense I took back control.
HypnoBirthing® gave me tools that resulted in a positive and healing birth experience the second time around. I went into labor feeling strong, calm, and confident because throughout the pregnancy, I had a team of like-minded professionals who believed in me, my vision, my needs, and my desires. I felt free in expressing what was important to me. Rather than “allowing me to try,” HypnoBirthing® and my birth team helped me to succeed. Our beautiful daughter was born via VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), and I know that without HypnoBirthing® and all of the knowledge and tools I gained, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it alone. I will be forever grateful that I met our daughter in a moment of joy and triumph rather than fear. Thank you so much Erin for helping me change my narrative into a success story. - Ashley Sharing is Caring! Please use the social share buttons on the right to spread the joy from this story on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! ------- Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified HypnoBirthing® Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and assisted hundreds of families. Feel free to email her at erin@flutterbybirth.com with any questions!
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Many thanks to this first-time mom for sharing her triumphant birth story after a lengthy, medically-necessary induction!
Our little girl, Nova Therese, was born on October 6th after a labor induction due to preeclampsia. I believe that HypnoBirthing® made a day and night difference between the birth that I had, and the birth experience I could have had!
We were planning to have a home birth, and everything was set and good to go until my 38-week appointment, when I found out that I had preeclampsia. Everything changed in an instant and we found ourselves having to completely change our birthing plans and go to the hospital that day to get induced. Though I was upset, I was able to remember my Birthing Affirmations, and pretty quickly accept and step into the change that was about to happen. My induction took three days, with the last full day being on Pitocin and having very intense surges toward the end. If it weren’t for the things I learned in HypnoBirthing®, and the way I practiced daily, I don’t think I would have made it three whole days. Honestly, I was pretty much "losing it" at the end, but managed to have a completely natural, drug free birth (aside from a little bit of nitrous)! All of the nurses and midwifes that I had through those three days were very impressed with how calm I was, and how I was handling the intense surges from being induced. I am also proud of myself, and and so glad I chose HypnoBirthing®, because I believe it helped me have a WONDERFUL birth experience, despite all of the scary changes that I had to make! - Grace, Andrew & Nova Sharing is Caring! Please use the social share buttons on the right to spread the joy from this story on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! ------- Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified HypnoBirthing® Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and assisted hundreds of families. Feel free to email her at erin@flutterbybirth.com with any questions!
Many thanks to this first-time Flutterby family for sharing their story!
At 41 weeks and 2 days, it wasn’t unusual to have middle of the night surges. As much as I kept reminding myself that my baby doesn’t know what a guess date is, I was convinced I would be the first person to be pregnant forever. I didn’t think much of the first few surges as I was able to fall back asleep after each. However, when I woke at 6 am on July 4th, I noticed my membranes had released. I called the midwife who said that if I would like, I could come in, but she advised that if the membranes had released I would have to stay at the hospital. We agreed that I would labor at home and be in touch.
While Kyle and I were home, we did our best to make it a calm and relaxed morning. I focused my attention on breathing through the surges, and we even found time to do the Rainbow Relaxation together. Between tidying up the house, to focus my attention on things other than the surges, I read through my affirmations, walked around, and bounced on the birth ball. At this point, I was calm and really not convinced I was having a baby yet. Once the rain stopped that morning, I called the midwife to see if I could go for a walk outside. She confirmed if I was comfortable enough and the temperature was cool enough, I could go. We got the dog, Luci, excited to go but I quickly changed my mind. At this point, the surges were becoming more frequent and more intense. We agreed that a walk was necessary for Luci, so Kyle left, and I continued to labor at home. When Kyle returned I very calmly, but urgently, asked “How much longer until you’re ready to go?” This was the signal . . . finally . . . that we were going to have our baby! We arrived at the hospital around 12:30 pm and were admitted to a triage room. Monitors placed to check the baby and I confirmed what we already knew: that the surges were 3 minutes apart, increasing in intensity, and indicating that the baby would be joining us soon. Our midwife checked how far I had thinned and opened, but she did not tell me the result, as per our birth plan. After this check, we immediately transitioned to a birthing room. Once we were admitted to a birthing room, we continued using our Hypnobirthing tools - calm and surge breathing, using our key words and phrases to move me into deeper relaxation, and scents and sounds we utilized during surge practice before birth. I can honestly say I had never felt so relaxed as I was feeling between surges during our baby’s birth. Kyle was an amazing birth partner and fully embraced all the techniques we had learned with Erin and practiced at home. We labored at the hospital for several hours, and after 2 ½ hours of breathing the baby down, Vivienne Kate arrived - at 5:09 pm, 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 21 inches long on July 4 2018. It was the most incredible feeling holding our baby after a completely natural birth, especially considering that 24 hours earlier we were mentally preparing for an induction. Vivienne just seemed to be waiting in the womb for so long! I’m so thankful for the tools we were given in the HypnoBirthing® class and that we had a medical team that was very respectful of our birth plan. This respect emanated out of the fact that we advocated for our family and our HypnoBirthing® plans. We did this during the prenatal visits, during the nearly two week wait past our estimated date of delivery, and during the actual birthing day. - Kaitlyn, Kyle & Vivienne Sharing is Caring! Please use the social share buttons on the right to spread the joy from this story on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! ------- Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified HypnoBirthing® Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and assisted hundreds of families. Feel free to email her at erin@flutterbybirth.com with any questions! A perfect example of first-time Flutterby HypnoBirthing® parents devoting time and practice to help make their birthing wishes come true!
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January 2024
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