“we felt empowered, active in the decision making. The energy of that day will always stay with us.”
You might think you know what a “good birth” or a “bad birth” is You’d be wrong.
Birth is about SO MUCH MORE than location, how long or how short a time it takes or how a baby is “delivered”.
It’s about feeling powerful, present, engaged, supported and cared for.... The facts of a birth can’t begin to reflect the emotional side of experience and it’s that which remains with a parent for the rest of their life.
I’ve been blessed to meet many, many wonderful people through my sharing of hypnobirthing. Léa is one of the most inspiringly positive people I’ve ever met. Having had a miscarriage and ovarian cancer she’s had quite the journey to trust her body again.
I ask the expectant parents I work with to bring THEMSELVES to their births; as professional dancers I think you’ll agree this couple move beautifully through the dance of birth to bring their boy Earthside. Her birth story had me in tears and I know you’ll be inspired too. Attitude is EVERYTHING.
Hello Kat!!
I hope this finds you really well :) Gaspard was born 2 weeks ago! 18/04/18 at 14:08 (perfect numbers!), 2.7kg and 48cm of love, joy and wonders!
See... we were so afraid of him being super “early” that we didn’t think once he could take his time! He arrived +11 days after the d date and fair enough; he was so tiny, he just needed more time!!
The birth experience was surreal and totally FUN!
It all started on Monday night. By the Tuesday afternoon, the surges got me into an other world, I felt like I was tripping every time one was happening..until they got even more intense during the evening. I was trying to let go, to breathe, to let my body lead... the intensity was so strong! I jumped into the shower for the warmest water. I couldn’t even stand Guillaume’s hands on my skin; every part of me was burning (the fire of life I guess!!).
Once the surges were 3 minutes apart for more than 1h, we booked our uber and off we went to Homerton. There, a midwife examined me. It was the most painful vaginal examination ever, I begged her to stop and to give me a minute. Which she did. Eventually, she started again to tell us I was “only” 2cm and I had to go back home. No need to say I was determined to NOT go back home, I couldn’t stand the idea of that long walk again to the hospital exit, and that uber ride, the stairs leading to our flats etc. Guillaume and I had decided we’d stay at the hospital. Even if it meant sitting in that waiting room for 3 hours. I kept on breathing.
She came to find us 10 minutes later, she had read my health history and said she had a chat with the co-ordinator: they accepted to admit me under the condition that if the evolution was too slow they would break the waters and induce everything. Deal.
I opted for an epidural and was able to walk around, rock around and dance around throughout the morning. Even the epidural was a fun moment.. Just when the doctor was placing the needle in my back I had a contraction. Guillaume, who was holding the gas and air for me, always hated needles. Of course it had to happen: he nearly fainted. Our midwife got him on the floor like a judoka and I had to stay super concentrated not to crack up laughing..
2hs after we got into our room my dear cervix was 4cm, 2hs later it was 7cm. They didn’t need to do anything - my body knew and I secretly hi-fived both my baby and my body. Our night-time midwife was an extraordinary woman. I feel lucky to have met her on that very special day.
Around 12, when I was close to the « magical » 10cm; I got a lot of fever, started to shiver, layered up my jumpers and cardigans, stuck my hot water bottle on my back.. doctors arrived after my temperature had reached 39.3; they were categorical, the baby’s heartbeat was high and the risk of infection too: emergency C-section. Let’s do it.
They checked whether we could try to get the baby out vaginally first but his head was too high. I was born through a c-section so it was strangely serene and natural for me to go for the c-section too..Once we arrived in the « theatre » I asked one more time to try a vaginal birth. While the excellent and super friendly team of doctors were getting me ready for the cesarean, my legs were lifted, I asked to be sat as much as possible.... and secretly re hi-fived my baby “let’s do this” I remember thinking. That’s when all the visualizations, the hours of dance training and of abs made sense!
I remember you saying about that powerful place above the uterus, the journey and the strength needed to breathe our baby out... I was ready. We were ready.
The team around me transformed in football team supporters, they cheered me up « go mummy!!!!! Push that baby out!!!! Imagine you’re having a massive poo!!!!!! GOOOOO » All this happened very quickly, in such a wonderful team effort, we felt surrounded by joy, excitement and love!
No c-section, Gaspard was out in 2 minutes - with the help of a forceps but I was lucky to only have a small tear and he only got a red mark on his cheek...which made him look like a badass boy during the two first days of his life.
We had the most beautiful day. First of all because we got to meet our son, who is healthy! And because that day, there was so much love, care and fun around us. Wonderful human beings helped us get our baby safe in this world.
Kat, we felt empowered, active in the decision making. The energy of that day will always stay with us. When I think about it, i realize it is the image of our life: fun, improvised, human and always ending up in a theatre..
This is what hypnobirth did for us: we were ready for the most magical day, we knew it was going to be the best, we were open and curious about the form it would take. That was the only thing we didn’t know and we let ourselves be surprised.
:)
Thank you :)
Léa, Guillaume and Gaspard
