Sarah used our Online Hypnobirthing Classes to prepare for her labour. Her birth story is such a good read if you are considering a home birth without any interventions. She really wanted to experience all that labour had to offer, as she says ‘to be IN my body so I could feel and experience everything’. This is a wonderful birth story, so over to Sarah…

Birth notes: Labor was about 20 hours total, 4 hours of pushing.

Baby boy came peacefully at 7 lbs 13 oz.

Birth is magical

I am a badass*

As my due date (3/12) approached, I did everything to induce labor naturally.

Acupuncture, dates, pineapple juice, tinctures, teas and supplements.

My due date came and went and I was trying REALLY hard not to get impatient.

The next morning around 10:30 I started feeling cramps. I realized they started happening somewhat rhythmically and thought “well shoot! Is this labor?!”

I called Jerome (my husband) who was at his parents house running an errand.

“Hey, no rush or anything. But I think I’m in labor and you should just wrap up what you’re doing and head back over here please!”

I found things to distract myself. I loaded the dishwasher, tidied the house, meditated, started watching Lord of the Rings. You know, to get me in the right mindset for labor?

Jerome and I paused LOTR and went on a walk around the block to progress labor. At this point my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. I’d be walking totally fine and then have to pause, hold onto Jerome and breathe/moan through a contraction.

There was one point when a couple teenagers on skateboards came by and I think I freaked them out with my moaning. But I’m in labor! So deal with it!

By the time the evening came, my dad came over to drop off food for the midwives and to help Jerome set up the birth tub. They both had their turkey burners set up and their thermometer they use when they make beer together so that the tub was warm and ready in the living room when I wanted it.

Meanwhile I’m still having conversation with dad except the occasional contraction. Dad said “these are coming really fast now, Sar. Are your midwives on the way?”

So I finally came around to the fact that YEP this is happening TONIGHT. And I called the midwife!

She said “try to take a nap, I’ll be there soon!”

I don’t know who can take a nap during labor, but that was NOT happening for me.

I had been trying not to get my hopes up in case it was a false labor. But it DEFINITELY wasn’t.

I spent months practicing hypnobirthing, birth affirmations, prenatal yoga, ALL OF IT.

Because having an unmedicated homebirth was so important to me. I realize that to some that sounds like the worst thing ever. But it was important to me to be IN my body so I could feel and experience everything.

I wanted to see what I was made of. I knew my body could do it, so I just had to prep myself for the MENTAL game that is birth.

My doula and dear friend Marina showed up at my house around 7pm (the timing is all approximate since I was barely connected to time and space anymore at this point)

And my midwives came a few moments later.

Until this point, I primarily labored on my hands and knees leaning on the couch while finishing LOTR.

There was a point when my doula was on one side, and Jerome leaned on the couch and pinned my pony tail to it, and as a contraction started I turned into Gollum and yelled “GET OFF MY HAIRRRR.”

When it ended, I apologized profusely to Jerome.

It’s like when you’re in labor, or breathing through a contraction, the most primal parts of you come through. There’s no capacity for being polite or tactful or even replying to questions people ask you. It’s like you’re given laser focus to the task at hand.

At this point I had been in labor for about 12 hours. I felt poised and focused until about this point. I whispered to marina “this is starting to get really hard.” Even after 12 hours, I didn’t want to show or admit that I was getting tired.

And she said “that’s what people say right before they do something big.”

And she was right. I started moving around and trying different positions.

But after more than 15 hours of back labor (ouch) I couldn’t find a position that felt even remotely good.

I found myself in our bedroom on our bed on my back. This was definitely not the position I expected to give birth in, but I was SO TIRED. I needed a position I could rest in between contractions and pushes.

Marina was on one side of me, and Jerome on the other.

I heard my midwife say “see if it feels good to push.” And it DID!

So instead of the Hollywood style rapid breathing and pushing, it was a very peaceful experience with low, warm lighting and quiet music playing.

I pushed and pushed and felt the primal urge to make noise. There’s something to that, because I think it helped.

There was one push specifically where my midwife said “GET MAD ABOUT IT.” And that was one of the most productive pushes!

I felt bad for anyone in my neighborhood that heard the most intense and guttural noises. In this moment I also remembered that my dad was still here! He was sitting in the living room and it crossed my mind more than once “I hope I’m not scaring him. If I am, oh well! Sorry dad!”

My legs and feet kept cramping up (thanks anemia!) and my midwife said “you’re going to hate me, but drink this.” And it was apple cider vinegar with a little water. At that point, I would have chugged almost anything. It was nasty, but damn, it worked like a charm!

I pushed for so freaking long. And I never said it out loud, but I thought “I can’t do this anymore. I’m so tired.”

But what am I going to do? Stop!?

So I pictured the wall that I hit and pictured myself climbing over it effortlessly. I don’t care how “woo woo” that sounds. This was the turning point in labor for me.

I pushed some more. Between pushes I would almost fall asleep. The room was quiet and calm, and I’d grip marina and Jerome’s hands when I could tell another surge was coming.

Jerome eventually moved to see what was going on because I was stuck here for so long.

I got so frustrated and yelled “IS ANYTHING EVEN HAPPENING!?”

And Jerome said “oh my gosh Sarah. He’s right there. On your next push, put your hand down there and feel your baby’s head.”

So I did! And immediately started crying. This was my second wind. All this work and something was actually happening.

I was stuck in the ring of fire with him for a WHILE. We took a while, but after a lot of encouragement and a LOTTTTT of breathing and four hours and thirteen minutes of pushing, his head FINALLY came out. And like a freaking cannonball, his body followed suit.

YESSSS.

Forest took his time, but he came into the world peaceful and bright eyed and cleaner than I thought he would!

My midwife put him on my stomach and we just looked at each other totally in awe.

It was the hardest and coolest and best thing I’ve ever done. Nothing has ever made me feel like more of a badass than an unmedicated homebirth on my bed. I’ve never been more proud of myself.

Want to learn hypnobirthing with us?

Don’t forget that we have a full Online Antenatal Hypnobirthing Class that you can follow in your own time anywhere around the world. It is only £39/$49.
The Online Hypnobirthing Course

We also teach antenatal hypnobirthing classes in London in person with our One Day Group Hypnobirthing Class.
In-person Antental Hypnobirthing Group Class

If you’d rather prepare for your labour and birth solo with Melanie you can do so in the privacy of your own home in person if you live in London or via the Zoom platform wherever you are around the globe.
Private Antenatal Hypnobirthing Classes