Rebecca McKay wrote:

I am writing to say how invaluable I found hypnobirthing to enable me to have the birthing experience I wanted.

I started having surges watching the TV at 8 o’clock at night. I was able to breathe through and that night, my waters broke at 2 in the morning. I managed to go back to sleep as the contractions/surges were a few minutes apart. The next morning, I called the midwives at Chipping Norton to let them know. They told me to have a breakfast and a bath and then call back. I did so and we arrived at Chippy at 11.30 am. The contractions at this stage were 3 minutes apart. I was able to breathe through each surge, using the breathing techniques we’d been taught on the hypnobirthing course.

We were assessed and told that labour hadn’t properly established and so were told to go and have a walk and some lunch. However, just walking down the hospital corridor, I realised I wasn’t walking anywhere as the contractions were getting closer together and increasing in their strength. I continued to breathe through them. Their intensity increased and as I was beginning to think I was struggling with the discomfort, we were able to get into the birthing pool – which was blissful and was scented with lavender and rose – which was lovely. The surges stopped for a few minutes, giving me chance to catch my breath. And then labour intensified.

I continued to use the breathing techniques taught from the course and could feel and visualise my baby coming to me.

Whilst the surges weren’t pain free, I felt able to manage them with the breathing and was able to keep calm. Whenever the baby’s heart rate was monitored, she was deemed to be very relaxed – which again reassured me that what I was doing was right.

The midwife left us to continue with the labour, popping in and out to check on us from time to time. She was also experienced with hypnobirthing and so knew how to be with it. My husband was my brilliant birth partner. Telling me to breathe through the surges when I needed reminding. The midwife suggested the reading of the rainbow relaxation script towards the end of the labour and it was magic. All those hours of listening to it prior to the labour really paid off. I really felt like the baby was coming to the sound of the colours. My husband read and re-read it.

Towards the end, when I was at the point of “I can’t do this,” my husband asked about gas and air and the midwife asked me directly if I wanted it but I knew the baby was imminent and said no. I felt like I was in control at all times. I was able to breathe my baby out – at no stage did I feel the need to push, I just kept breathing (as reminded by my hubby). The midwife brought in the opening flower visualisation towards the end which I focused on and the midwife also reminded me about the J-breathing. These prompts all helped, along with my husband getting a glimpse of the head and returning to say to me, ‘I can see our baby’s head’, with tears in his eyes.

Eva arrived after 3 hours 20 minutes of ‘active’ labour and we were able to wait for the cord to finish pulsating before cutting plus natural delivery of the placenta. We had lots of skin to skin, both Mum and Dad. Our beautiful girl gave a small cry when she arrived and then settled on my skin. Magic. The birth wasn’t traumatic for me or for her and she is a joy in our lives. The midwife who came to check on us the next day said that she could always tell a hypnobirthed baby because they’re so calm. Eva is still calm and I’m sure that a lot of this is because she didn’t have a traumatic start to her life.

Thank you Naomi for teaching us the hypnobirthing techniques which in turn helped to allay my fears about childbirth and enabled me to have the birth experience I wanted.

Kate Evans wrote:

“Our birth experience was really positive and so reassuring that we were right to believe that labour and birth can be a calm, controlled and un-traumatic experience!

The first part of my labour was spent on my own as Will was stuck between our home and London! I am convinced that if I hadn’t done Hypnobirthing I could have spent the six or so hours panicking and getting myself in such a state.....however, due to understanding what was happening to me, what my body and baby were doing and how to handle to surges, I was able to calmly assess the situation and think through what I needed to do....i.e. walk the dog, have some breakfast, pack my hospital bag and begin the relaxation techniques.

By the time Will got back I was having regular surges 6 minutes apart and had just finished listening to the Rainbow relaxation CD and affirmations. This had obviously done the trick as within an hour I was having contractions 2 minutes apart and felt it time was time to get to the hospital! All this time I did not feel scared or frightened by what was happening to my body....I totally trusted that it and my baby knew what they were doing and I was merely there to facilitate the process!

Once at hospital I was shown into the water birth room which I was so pleased about as I wanted a water birth but was worried it would not be available. However, due to the fact that I was so calm, the midwives presumed I was not as far along as I was- so showed me out to a “waiting ward”. They quickly realised that things were further along than they first thought and got me back to the delivery ward. Annoyingly – in that time the water birth room had been taken so I had to go to a standard delivery room.

For the next few hours things are a bit of a blur- not really sure why- nothing bad happened....just lots of surges! At 6pm I started to push and carried on pushing for the next 3 ¾ hours. This was unusual as it is not standard practice that you push for this long, but because I was so calm and my baby was so calm- I was left to it. I was just using gas and air and had the affirmations playing all the time. There was no significant pain....just strong surges which I worked with to push my baby down. She got a little stuck which was why it took so long...but at no point was I scared or panicked....there was no reason to be...she was calm and was making her way into the world in her own time- she was not going to be rushed!

Once our baby was born, she was put on my chest where she cooed and grumbled interminably for the next ¾ hour as we sat back and took it all in that she had arrived!!!

Learning how to Hypnobirth was a totally invaluable experience and I am so proud of us that we were able to do it and it meant that my birth was a peaceful and positive experience. It is also invaluable for the birthing partner; my husband was a calming, reassuring presence throughout, due to the fact that he understand what was going on and could therefore be of maximum support to me. I am so relieved that I don’t feel traumatised every time I look at my baby due to a horrible birth or that I have to dread having more children. I could not recommend the course- or working with Naomi enough. Her calm, practical and totally reassuring approach to birth was wonderful....and so refreshing in contrast to societies’ obsession with telling you how horrendously painful and traumatic child birth can be. Of course it can be....but it doesn’t have to be- and out experience totally endorses that.”

Emily came into the world at 19:42 on Friday 29^th June after about 9 hours of “active” birthing.

 It all started when I had some leaking at about 2am and with my slow breathing managed to fall asleep again, sleeping through most of the contractions until about 9am when we decided to get up and call the midwives. I showered stopping to slow breathe for each surge. The midwife on call arrived at about 11:30am and examined me. I was already 5/6cm progressed which I definitely put down to non stop opening rose visualisaion! I was therefore progressed enough to get into the birth pool, which Steve filled up and I hopped into at about 12:30pm.

 I spent the rest of the 1^st stage in the pool having the most amazing Hypnobirthing experience. I have a video clip of one of my surges which was in fact two back to back, very strong and about 2.5 minutes long. I hardly move in the clip. It WAS like one of the video’s I watched during the course and aspired to achieving! My rock was listening to Comfort Zone and slow breathing – and Steve! We didn’t use any of the other techniques although Steve did try to read me the Rainbow relaxation script but I found it too distracting. I preferred to listen to my Affirmations and Slow Breathe.

The visualization - of what was happening inside me, with my baby and my body - was an incredible help. I kept reciting the birth affirmations to myself, which I knew off by heart at that stage, and telling myself my baby and my body knew what to do and I was not scared at any point, just entirely relaxed. I did feel the surges to a small degree (more back ache at one point) – but managed the whole birthing from start to finish with no pain relief at all!!! It didn’t even cross my mind! My uterine seal came out and my membranes released in the pool – with a “pop” - and I progressed through, without so much as a “transition period” to the bearing down stage.

 This stage was a lot harder in terms of energy expenditure and I did feel it more. I do feel however, that the only reason I felt the surges more was because I was asked to get out of the pool to help speed up the second stage. The move broke my relaxed state entirely which meant I panicked a little and felt them more at that point.

 I had also by that point been brought out of my relaxation a few times in the pool. Unfortunately the midwives equipment broke which meant I had to lift myself out of the water in order for my baby’s heartbeat to be monitored!! This broke my concentration somewhat!

 Since the midwives were concerned about the time the second stage was taking I also became concerned and decided to follow their direction to “push” which I had not planned on doing. I had really wanted to breathe my baby out, and had been until that point. I really believe if I had not “pushed” so hard the second stage would have been as great as the first!

 I eventually delivered Emily on my sofa at 19:42. The second stage really took every bit of energy I could muster. She came out shoulders square on which slowed her delivery but the midwives were absolutely amazed that my perineum was in tact (I put that down to being in the water for so long and following every direction as she crowned!).

 Her heart rate was constant right the way through the birthing (only slowing a wee bit towards end of second stage) and the midwives were so amazed and kept commenting on what an amazingly chilled out and happy baby she was. Again I put this down to Hypnobirthing and to my calmness virtually all the way through the birthing.

 The midwife and the student midwife with her were both amazed by the hypnobirthing and spent most of the time (nearly all of the first stage) sitting next door chatting and it was like watching paint dry when they were watching me! All they did was take my blood pressure, pulse and temperature and listen to the baby’s heart rate every 15 mins during 1^st stage. They did seem a bit bored! : ) For a while, the student sat treading my Hypnobirthing book and chatting to me between contractions about it all!

 Having Steve there to support me made my birthing experience! I couldn’t have done that long a second stage without him. He was my rock and I am so glad he was there. He ran around helping all day – keeping the pool at the right temperature, making me and midwives tea and toast, getting towels ready and heated etc etc etc. Yes, I was eating toast in the pool for lunch at 1pm!!!!

 It was the most amazing experience and Steve and I both cannot thank Naomi enough for what she did for us. Our Hypnobirthing course led to us changing our us changing our birthing location choice from hospital to home, which was one of the best decisions we could have made. Whilst everyone is different, we felt that the comfort of our own home was the right place for us. 

Thank you Naomi and Marie for giving us this gift of Hypnobirthing, allowing us to have a pain free, amazing birthing experience!

The birth of Emilia Ada Lamb – 14^th November 2007

It all began in the early hours of Tuesday 13^th November. My partner Nick and I had been to our final Hypnobirthing class on Monday; we came home to bed but instead of sleeping as usual, I was uncomfortable, with a stomach ache that wouldn’t go away. I did not associate the discomfort with my baby; the feeling was too high up, a bit like hunger pangs, so I ate some toast. The tenderness didn’t really ease and it was hard to find a comfortable position, but eventually I slept for a couple of hours.

Although I woke feeling much better, my membranes released as soon as I got out of bed. It happened to be my 38 week check-up that morning so we drove to Chippy Maternity Hospital, where I was planning to have my baby. I was bitterly disappointed to be told my blood pressure was suddenly very high, and I would have to go to the John Radcliffe Hospital, instead of delivering at Chippy. All my mental plans for the birth were spoiled and I no longer felt confident about what to expect.

After being assessed at the John Radcliffe at about midday, I was admitted with pre-eclampsia and told my baby would be induced the following morning. I had been feeling calmer until I realised Nick would not be allowed to stay overnight with me in hospital, and I became upset and apprehensive. Things started to move more quickly, however, when the results of my blood test showed I had HELLP syndrome (this explained the strange pain I had experienced in the night, which turned out to be my liver complaining…). We were quickly taken to the delivery suite and told that our baby would be induced that night instead of in the morning. I actually felt much happier and calmer then, because I knew Nick would be allowed to stay and I wouldn’t be left on my own to worry.

We settled into the delivery suite at about 7.30pm and met a lovely midwife, Julie, who was working with an equally lovely student midwife called Clare. I gave them my birth plan and we discussed Hypnobirthing, which Clare did not know about. Julie said she would do her very best to be quiet in the birthing room, as she was usually very chatty. Because I needed to be hooked up to a monitor throughout labour, I was not allowed to use a birthing pool, but apart from that, the midwives did everything they could to ensure I had the calm, quiet birth that I had planned. They found a mobile monitoring machine so Nick and I could walk about outside the room as much as possible, and as soon as I was attached to it we could see on the monitor that there were little contractions occurring. I couldn’t feel them at all. Julie explained apologetically that because of the HELLP syndrome, I would need to be properly induced at 10pm if labour was not properly established by then. So I kept moving, either walking or rocking from foot to foot, feeling happy that Nick was there and confident that all was going well. I visualised my baby moving down and down and this must have been incredibly powerful because I gradually began to feel the surges strengthening, and soon Julie said there was no need for me to be induced as labour was progressing well.

We had brought our Hypnobirthing CD with us to listen to but I didn’t need it, preferring a quiet environment. I was given some aromatherapy – lavender and frankincense – which was also particularly calming. The midwives gave us lots of privacy and I found the sleep breathing came naturally. I kept moving about, leaning on Nick during surges and breathing through them easily.

From this point, I lost track of time; the surges became more powerful and it was difficult to get comfortable. I lay on a mat on the floor with my head on Nick and it was so peaceful and comforting there that I could rest deeply – even sleep a bit – between surges. I did feel a bit nauseous but lying down helped. I then became aware that I was making very primal, groaning noises through each surge and when Julie examined me, I was 10cm dilated and ready to birth my baby.

I was asked to lie on my back and although I did fight this initially, it was actually quite comfortable and felt natural. My birthing experience was amazing. I visualised my baby moving downwards in a J-shaped movement and I found that the birth breathing came naturally. Bearing down during each surge was a wonderful, powerful feeling. It might sound peculiar but I really enjoyed myself. Nick was cooling my forehead with a damp flannel and soon Millie was born at 3.15am, weighing 7lb 5oz. I had wanted the cord to be left to pulsate and to deliver my placenta naturally, but due to the HELLP syndrome, the cord had to be cut immediately and my placenta delivered without delay. I did not mind about this in the slightest, as I was enjoying a quiet, restful time with Nick and our beautiful daughter.

Thankyou Naomi

I admit I was sceptical about hypnobirthing when I started the course: my first labour had been unimaginably painful, so I didn't really buy the theory that birth could be anything other. However, I found the deep breathing techniques and visualisation incredibly helpful. So much so, in fact, that when labour finally began I didn't believe it was the real thing. I walked the dog, I played with my toddler, I met my brother for coffee, breathing my way through contractions (or surges, as they are known) all the while. By the time I got to the hospital, I was already fully dilated. I was expecting another several hours of labour, so couldn't believe it when the midwife told me she could see the baby's head during surges. All in all my labour took less than three hours: I was amazed!
I would honestly recommend hypnobirthing to anyone. And Naomi is a wonderfully calming teacher - just listening to her voice has a hypnotic effect."

My experience of giving birth was completely brilliant, and I would attribute a huge amount of my confidence and ability to my hypnobirthing training. I had a very long pre-labour, with prelabour warm-ups then surges for 72 hours before active labour started which made me quite tired though I was still very active and using the surge breathing towards the end. At this point (around 2.30pm) my surges were regular and intense. I lay on the bed and listened to the rainbow relaxation CD. At this point I felt calm, but the surges were very intense, and slightly startling each time, and I admit to worrying that my hynobirthing practise had not worked and I was in for a difficult time! This made me tense up, but using some of the techniques I had learned I was able to get back into deeper relaxation. For the next few hours I moved between the bed and walking about, plus cuddling with my partner and chatting with my mum who was my birth partner. Around 6.30pm my membranes released, and the surges got even more intense – at this point I found I wanted to be walking around, and spiralling / circling my hips during surges. I also found I no longer wanted to speak, so I instructed my mum who then dealt with other people and arrangements. From this point, I listened to the comfort zone CD until about an hour after the baby was born. Once my membrane released, she called the midwife and my partner started filling the birth pool. The midwife arrived at 8.30pm and examined me, which was the only painful moment during the birth. However, I was able to draw back into deep relaxation after my mum did some light touch massage with me. Around 9pm my acupuncturist arrived and did some energy points to prepare me for the final stages and I got into the pool, squatting and holding onto the side whilst my mum massaged my hands and kept my face cool. I spiralled through the surges, and was told later that I was smiling at the end of each one. I changed over to birth breathing as I felt the NER take over, and the midwife (who had been advised not to tell me to push or similar) noted that the “contractions were doing all the work for me”. After some time, when the head had almost crowned, the midwife checked the heart rate and said that it was dropping, and they would have to get me out of the pool if the baby didn’t arrive soon. I talked with my baby and the final surge birthed him fully, around 10.30pm. I had one small tear, which I attribute to the quick final surge which I had felt necessary birth my baby before intervention.
My son Mekhi Daniel was born weighing 7lb 7oz. When he was born he didn’t cry for a few minutes, I cuddled him to me and my partner came back into the room and cuddled us both. The midwife respected all my wishes for waiting to cut the cord, and my partner had skin to skin time with the baby whilst my acupuncturist helped me birth the placenta. The birth took around 8 hours, which was the length of time I had decided on in my visualisations! My mum said that the experience was incredible for her – she had difficult births with us children because of medical intervention she felt was unnecessary. Through being my birth partner, she said she now feels healed from those experiences. My husband, who for cultural and personal reasons did not want to be very involved, was able to be part of the birth when he was comfortable, and has bonded brilliantly with our son.
Mekhi is a very happy, healthy baby, and people comment on how calm and relaxed he is, as well as being very alert as soon as he was born. Feeding and sleeping has been going really well, and we still listen to the comfort zone CD when we need to relax. Thank you all so much for this wonderful gift.

Just wanted to let you know that our little girl - Freya Mary Kiekie Morton was born last night 26th June 2009 (exactly on due date!!!) at 9.05pm at home in water. She was 7lbs8oz. We had 8 hours of active labour and all went as planned!!!

Hypnobirthing was definitely the key to allowing us to have the birth experiance we wanted - it was intense but truely wonderful and all the midwives were so amazed by how Matt and I worked together - we did the majority of it by ourselves (with the help of hypnobirthing music and reggea!) as by the time midwives arrived I was fully dilated (took 1 hour from waters breaking!) and my NER had kicked in!

We're tiered but feeling very happy with our beautiful daughter and very proud of the birth we had!I just wanted to pass on the positive story to you all and say good luck to you too! Looking forward to meeting up once you've both popped!Much love and thanks once again Naomi - I will be recommending hypnobirthing and you to all pregnant women I know!

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the support re: hypnobirthing. The techniques really worked and Neil was brilliant at keeping me calm and focused. Even though I ended up in theatre because Samuel's head was in the wrong position it was still a positive experience because I continued to use the techniques to stay relaxed.

Hi Guys, well Oliver decided to come into the world all by himself after Mummy got so cross about being given an induction date on the 16th August!!! He didn't want to wait that long either! Waters broke at home on Thursday night, had a little whiff of syntocinon from 11am the next morning, didn't establish until about 2pm, Oliver was born at 3.35pm on 7/8/09. Normal delivery, he weighed 8lbs 4 and a half ounces. James was totally amazing and Hypnobirthing was a must!! When the cd stopped I demanded that it was restarted! James used visualization techniques in his own special way all the way through! We laughed, I cryed, it was very intense at times but we did it and all is going really well. I still have very swollen hands but my blood pressure is behaving now. Came home on Saturday. Oliver can't wait to meet you all! Have a great holiday Naomi, but please come and see us when you get back!

Our daughter Ella was born 2 year's ago through our local maternity centre. She is a fantastic girl and I strongly believe the no drugs approach to her natural birthing that her mother chose has benefitted her, as well as us. We were however (even with NCT classes) virtually unprepared for the birthing experience, however great the midwives were. It was the usual "out of mind until the waters break" approach. Afterwards I remember telling my wife that I could not see her go through that again.
18 months later and we were expecting again. My wife heard about the HypnoBirthing and we decided to go for a different experience. You'll hear a lot about it from others, so here it is from a father's perspective. I never truly understood my role until after Jack was born. We embraced the experience of the preparation because we wanted to be in control. Also, I wanted a role during the birthing instead of being a scared man by her side. During the birthing, my wife was in such control of herself that she made almost no sound above controlled breathing and I had nothing to do but sit back and admire her, knowing I was ready to and prepared to assist her if she lost control. My role therefore was less about helping during the birthing and more about supporting my wife during the preparation. That's the key word. Preparation. We were ready for the birthing and knew we would be in control. My wife knew I had supported her and any doubt that she would be in control was countered by my preparation and ability to assist her. As it happened, we had a 3 hour birthing experience which was a joy for us both and for the midwives. No drugs for either child, but two very different experiences. So, from a father's perspective, be Prepared as you can and be in Control of your birthing experience. I would recommend the HypnoBirthing experience to anyone. Thank you Naomi.