"The labour itself was absolutely PERFECT & that’s all thanks to you & your hypnobirthing course. "

I ended up having my little boy on the 2/9/22 at 39+5.

The labour in itself was absolutely PERFECT! And that’s all thanks to you and your hypnobirthing course. Leading up to the labour I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to zone out and stay in that bubble of comfort but on the day I was so focused and relaxed the whole time.

It started off with my hind waters rupturing on the 1/9 at about 7am and then mild tightening's happened straight away. They were every 10minutes at the start and very bearable so I went on a small walk and then spent time leaning and bouncing over the fit ball, completing a puzzle. I did the Myles circuit in attempts to rotate baby as well. I think I put the TENS machine on about 2pm. About 3pm they dropped down to about 5minutely and I continued using the TENS and doing forward facing movements and moving my hips and body. I also started using heat packs as well and grabbed my birth comb at some stage. I hopped in the shower for a little while and then out and put the TENS machine back on. I also intermittently listened to the Hypnobirthing tracks and a labour playlist I made.

Things really ramped up at about 10pm and I felt they were quite strong, I hopped in the bath for a little while and then got out and hopped in to bed with the TENS and heat packs. I stayed in bed till 1am swapping between left and right lateral and on my knees remaining relaxed and in my zone. At 1am I went to the toilet and found my disposable underwear quite soaked in blood not mucous and I wasn’t sure if my fire waters had ruptured and were blood stained or what was going on so decided it was time to head to the hospital.

We arrived at hospital at 2am and there was only a small amount of loss. I opted for a vaginal examination at 2am and we found that I was 9cm with forewaters still intact. The midwife had the bath all heated and ready for me but baby was unfortunately still ROT so I decided to take off the TENS and hop in the shower for a little while so I could lean over the birth ball rocking my hips, trying to turn him. After about 90 minutes i still felt that he was ROT but I hopped in the bath for a position change. (Birth comb still very firmly in hand this whole time!)

At 5am I knew my waters still hadn’t ruptured and I wasn’t feeling any change in pressure so opted for another abdominal palp and examination. On examination I decided to have an ARM and was fully dilated. Baby was still ROT and we were hoping that when I had the urge to push it would help baby move position. My forewaters has me oniom but I opted against a CTG, I was also considered prolonged rupture at this stage but I opted against antibiotics and was well supported in both these decisions.

Shortly after I got the involuntary urge to push and it got stronger over time. I started off over the bed doing figure 8 hip dips attempting to rotate baby. I then hopped back in the bath. After pushing for nearly 2 hours in the bath and standing/squatting I could tell that he was not moving down and hadn’t in a long time. I hopped out of the bath for examination and it was found that he was still ROT. We tried some different positions on and over the bed and I could still feel him not moving down. The midwives had politely informed of the time I had been pushing and that the recommendation was for the doctors to come in. At 07:45 I allowed for a CTG and for the doctors to come in.

An ultrasound later showed he was still ROT which I could feel. The doctors attempted to rotate him in the room however my urge to push was too strong as I had no pain relief. They attempted to give me the gas however it didnt stop the urge.

Given the time I had been pushing and the lack of change I knew he wasn’t coming out on my own. I even pushed with my finger inside a couple of times myself and could feel that he just wasn’t moving. Despite all this I remained very relaxed and in my zone and was able to remain calm whilst also being aware of the options I was facing.

The recommendation I was given by the obstetric team were to go to theatre for a spinal anaesthetic and to attempt to rotate again and if not successful to have a c/section. I informed them I was happy for this to occur but did not want a trial of forceps and would prefer to have a c/section if that was the option. Throughout this whole time I was still involuntary pushing and beginning to feel quite distressed at the fact I knew he wasn’t moving and I was just pushing on his head however I got myself back in the zone and was able to remain focus on breathing the best I could.

We went to theatre and I was given a spinal anaesthetic in-between pushing and the staff were all respectful and ensured to only speak to me in my rest period.

Now that I was completely numb the urge was gone and they attempted to rotate again. The obstetric team felt that he was rotated in the right position and ensured me he would be able to be delivered vaginally but with instruments. It was now 09:30 and had been 4 hours since I first had the urge to push. I did not want an episiotomy but given the length of time I had been pushing they strongly recommended it and I reluctantly agreed. After 3 pulls of the vacuum he unfortunately still was not out and not at a point where he would come with 1-2 of my own pushes. I then had 1 pull of the wrigleys forceps and his head was born and our little boy Chase Daniel Weiher arrived at 10:02 am 2/9/22 direct posterior much to everybody’s surprise.

With a little bit of stimulation on my chest he was crying and well.

Despite all the horrible interventions to him he is absolutely kicking goals and had no signs of pain and has breastfed amazingly, he was back over birthweight already on day 5.

I have been left quite heart broken and traumatised by it all. I also really struggled the first week with bruising and pain from the episiotomy and wondering whether I would have just preferred a 3/4th degree tear but this is something I’ll never know.

I believe that I did everything I possibly could have to avoid the instrumental as I had no pain relief and had been performing spinning babies and saw an osteo prior to the labour but for some reason he remained in an ROT position which he had also been in all pregnancy.

Although the birth was not great your hypnobirthing techniques allowed me to have the most perfect labour and throughout the whole birth process I was able to remain very relaxed and in my own bubble because of the techniques you taught us. Dan was also an AMAZING support person who never left my side and knew exactly what to do and that was thanks to you.

Thank-you so much for this course Shari, it was absolutely amazing and I’m so thankful for it and so proud of myself still even though it wasn’t the complete outcome I wanted.

To book into a Hypnobirthing Course on the Gold Coast with me CLICK HERE

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