I’m very happy to report that our little boy has arrived – he was born on my birthday! His birth was much sooner than expected at 34 plus 4 days, and we spent 10 days in hospital in neonatal, but are now home and he is doing incredibly well.
His birth, although early, was beautiful and I would do it all again.
I was taken to the consultant-led unit rather than our planned midwife-led unit. Many of my birth wishes changed in an instant, but the principles that I’d worked on radiated through. I adapted to the changes so his birth was calm and peaceful, for him and me.
I was hooked up to monitors so movement was limited but I managed to keep active, mainly standing or sitting, using a birth ball on a chair as getting on the floor was hard. The relaxation and breathing techniques you taught me in yoga and in our Active Birth course got me through and kept my 20-hour labour a tranquil, serene, meditative and calm one.
The pausing at the end of exhaling worked wonders and the coccyx massage you taught birth partners in the Active Birth class saved me and my back!
Afterwards, the buddha rest pose really helped me to sleep in the hospital ward when I couldn’t be by my baby’s side.
I felt empowered and confident for his birth… so thank you for your part in that.
Charlie
