Dean's Birth

Here is my birth story I think with
all that happened after it is hard to even write about it, but I did
want to encourage all those out there that hypnobabies really helps
things along. I definately did not practice enough, but I had a very
supportive husband and listened to the scripts during most of the
birthing day.

So my pressure waves started at about 2:45 am. They started out
pretty close together (about every two minutes) and i woke my huband
up at about 4:00. I tried a bath and shower and all that but found
that being in my rocker listening to the birthing day affirmations
was most comfortable. We stayed home until 6 and then headed to the
hospital (I thought I might be farther along since the contractions
were so close together)

I was three centimeters when we checked in. My water broke quickly
after that and I progress to 9 centimeters by 11:30. Things were
manageable but I found that whenever I felt more than pressure I
would get nervous that hypnosis wasn't working, but then I would
listen to the tape and repeat it and calm down and things would move
along better. I think that for me I had to keep telling myself the
things on the tape to make it real for me.

The hardest part for my hubby was getting me to drink because I did
not have an IV. In fact i had no intervention what so ever, no
drugs, no IV, no vaccuum. nothing (which is what i wanted).

The pushing phase was very long because i still had a lip left on my
cervix, so they wanted me to stop pushing after my body had been
doing it for a while. It is hard to stop pushing. It is an automatic
thing (I wish that the nurse would have held the lip back but oh
well)

I tried a few pushing positions (on the ball, hands and knees) but
ended up slightly on my side but mostly on my back but in a semi
reclined position. I encourage others to be more vocal about things-
but it is hard when you are in the situation and ready to get the
baby out (not because it hurts but because they start talking about
deadlines and all)

Anyways Dean was born at 5:58 pm weighing 9.3 pounds and 21.5 inches
long. Because there was meconium in my water they had the
neonatologist there and he was taken immediately to him and
suctioned and all that. The neonatologist said that he looked good.
His apgars were 8 and 9 and left never expecting to see us again.
Then while they were cleaning him up he had some seizure activity
and the doctor was called back and he was taken away before I could
even touch him. I didnt get to see him for a few hours and then
there was nothing I could do. We couldn't hold or feed him for the
first few days. But God has helped us through this hard time and he
is home and healthy.

I did not have an episiotomy but I did tear. I am not sure how much
but the wound never realy bothered me. I also earned some
hemorrhoids out of the deal.

My best friend came out from California and was so helpful and kind
especially afterwards. She helped me go the bathroom and clean up
throughout the night (what a great friend).

The whole birth experience was fine, but so clouded by the later
evets that it is hard to be happy with it. It was just not what I
expected, but that is how God works. And this is what God wanted and
what me and my hubby needed. We are the parents that Dean needed and
I hope that we are able to be the best parents for him.

I think that one of the best things about the hypnobabies program is
the education about normal birth. I really think that this is vital
for all mothers and at times more important than the relazation and
hypnosis, because if you are not educated you can be scared into
things you did not want.  For example the midwife had offered to
have a ultrasound to see if i wanted C section for big baby - and i
think about it now and if he had been born C section then the
meconium would be more likely to be in his lungs because he would
not have the time in the birth canal to get it out and if he had the
seizure activity I would have been even more distant and unable to
be with him for longer and who knows how the drugs would have
affected him.

I know that I did all that i could to give him the best start
possible with the birth education and studying parenting styles and
with a natural child birth. The rest is in God's hands. I can only
do what i can do, and I encourage everyone else to do what they can -
 practice when you can, eat well when you can and trust that the
rest is in God's hands.