"I kept reminding myself that labour is a marathon not a sprint and my reward is my baby boy&qu
Our little boy Riley Michael Kirkpatrick is here he arrived on 13.09.16, 7.3lbs - not the 'big baby' they told me about in the beginning despite being a week 'overdue'.
I started feeling small surges Friday 09.09.16 (2 days past due date) with things escalating Sunday evening after acupuncture Saturday but still wasn't intense so I went to bed. Monday things had calmed down again which wasn't what I'd hoped for as I was booked for induction at 4pm Monday arvo because of the GDM.
I kept talking to Riley asking him to come on his own before then but he was too comfortable and we headed to hospital for induction. Midwives told me my cervix had started thinning but was still closed and had a long way to go so we progressed with gel and informed me I'd have another set at 11pm that night, if things didn't kick off on their own. By 7pm I'd started feeling stronger surges, definitely more than braxton hicks and I was getting excited!! Each surge was progress towards meeting Riley. At 11pm my cervix had thinned a little more so I opted for more gel hoping to avoid Syntocin in the morning.
At 6am my regular midwife returned to break my waters however things had not progressed enough and I chose to go on the Syntocin... I was ready to meet my baby it's true what they say about surges being more intense on Syntocin! That being said, I remained calm and relaxed, and focused on my hypnobirthing breathing, affirmations and relaxation.
Fast forward 7 hours, my midwife told me I was 1cm dilated. Without your classes I would have been completely deflated and beaten after hearing this! Instead I refocused and turned up the affirmations and kept going. The whole time the back pressure was the most intense feeling of all after Riley turned face up so I opted for sterile water injections which worked amazing!
Riley became stressed after becoming stuck and needed to have a monitor attached to his head. Having this attached was not ideal as I had to lay flat on my back while they did it - my breathing and affirmations definitely got me through this part! I found out I had advanced to 2cm, it was slow moving but still, I had progressed! I kept reminding myself that labour is a marathon not a sprint and my reward is my baby boy.
Unfortunately the monitor kept coming off and had to be re attached several times consequently not helping him to turn back around. It was like a vicious cycle. I moved into the shower to help distract my kind from the pressure in my lower back. Next, his heart rate kept dropping and it was recommended I get rushed to theatre - This sounds dramatic however the atmosphere and myself remained calm thanks to my hypnobirthing, so much so I didn't even know the panic button had been pushed and all the doctors came in.
I remember them coming in and talking, and Ryan and I talking about surgery but I was not panicked, stressed, or nervous. Even during surgery I was super calm and just super excited to be finally meeting our little boy. Then at 10:14pm Tuesday night we met our darling Riley! He is a healthy, happy, super chilled and content baby, I know all parents say this about their babies but he is perfect! Thank you again from Ryan and I for the amazing course, I am certain my birth would not have been anything like it was without your course. I recommend you and hypnobirthing in general to everyone now! Lol. Xx
Chanelle& Ryan
Gladstone
