This story was originally shared to our Hypnobabies Twin Cities Facebook page and is reposted here with permission. You'll have to jump back over to the post here to watch the amazing video! 

So I'm finally writing out the birth story of our beautiful #rainbowbaby 🌈 daughter Lyra Joy born 7-12-17 at 42 weeks in hope of encouraging some mamas who are feeling pressured when they are past their guess date.

No BOP needed this is a joyful story of how well hypnobabies worked even when passed a guess date. Give yourself some space and grace and maybe a nice bubble bath. You got this mama!

My guess date was June 28, 2017 that was the day I had my membranes swept in hopes of having my birthing time start...... ​

​My name is Brooke and I had two boys delivered using the induction process and epidurals. After both deliveries I had lower back pain, wasn’t very happy, and it hurt to move around.  We had a family doctor who we love help deliver Wyatt and Ethan. However she wanted to raise her own family so she cut back her hours and no longer did OB/GYN care.  So for my third pregnancy we had to find a different provider. We originally went with a doctor in the same clinic however we just were not clicking, our personalities clashed and I didn’t feel like I was being taken care of. So a friend of mine told me about midwives so we decided to check out this type of care and fell in love with them. We were so happy with how much care they provided both for me and for my baby. This same friend also recommended Hypnobabies as well to make the birthing a special positive experience. ​

Because of my preeclampsia diagnosis, I couldn't have a natural birth. On the day I was being induced, Lee and I buttered up the hospital staff with cookies from the bakery I work for. We attached the birth plans and hypnobabies info sheets to the box. That immediately started things off really well. Nurses and midwives were very receptive and curious about Hypnobabies.

At 37 weeks, I had to be dilated with a balloon catheter and then induced with pitocin. The Hypnobabies scripts helped me a lot to relax enough through the balloon dilation and then the first stages of pitocin labor.  However, once the full pitocin took effect, I couldn't stay focused enough to be in a deep state of hypnosis. The discomfort became too great and I opted for an epidural. I was given a light epidural where I could still feel my legs and other sensations.

Despite the change of plans, Hypnobabies still helped me to stay focused and relaxed enough through my birthing time. I was told by the midwives that I would still feel the pressure waves after the epidural, but I felt no sensations whatsoever. I think it was because Lee and I had primed me by reading scripts and listening to the Deepening Your Hypnosis on my iPhone prior to it. I even slept for several hours leading up to pushing. 

When it came time to push, I pushed her out with every wave in 20 minutes with minimal tearing and no discomfort. Once my baby came out, it became clear that she was much younger than we had estimated. Instead of being 37 weeks, she appeared more like 35-36 weeks. She was small, but healthy and strong and we were able to go home a week later.

The hospital staff was really surprised how quickly I pushed her out, how very little tearing I had, and how I was already moving around literally within 3 hours of birthing her. Even after the epidural wore off, I felt no discomfort. I credit that to being relaxed with the hypnosis scripts beforehand. 

In the end, I don't see the inability to stay focused through the pitocin labor and getting an epidural as a failure with me or with Hypnobabies. In fact, it was because of Hypnobabies that my birthing time went as smoothly and quickly as it did. I think that having these tools helped me stay calm and brave. Even now, nearly 3 weeks later, I am almost completely healed. 

I use the scripts now to relax through breast pumping sessions and to stay at peace through late night feedings. 

Things didn't turn out the way I wanted at first, but the midwives and nurses really respected as much of my plan as possible and the Hypnobabies scripts helped me to stay calm and accepting of the changes. It all added up to a successful birth of my beautiful Mika! 

When I was 34 weeks pregnant, my blood pressure was becoming more and more problematic.  I was already on “take it as easy as possible” bedrest for two weeks at that point, so I was kind of annoyed.  At my weekly appointment that Wednesday my blood pressure was 170/95, and my doctor was like hmm, that’s not good.  So we ran some tests, and when I got a call back directly from my doctor (instead of his nurse), I knew that was a bad sign. 

During my pregnancy I felt great and everything was going good besides some minor swelling in my feet. One particular thing that I will always remember was sitting down each evening and watching the little one in my belly stretch out. I could feel his feet pushing out on the one side and his butt and back pushing out the other. My whole mid-section would go lopsided. This would go on for an hour some evenings and I started looking forward to it each night toward the end of my pregnancy.

I went into my 36 week appointment at Morning Star Birth Center feeling good and continuing to prepare for our little one’s arrival. During my  appointment we had discovered that I was experiencing some high blood pressure. The midwives monitored it while I was there but it was not going down. 

Our Birth Story
It all started on November 6th 2012 at about 4:30 pm. We were 41 weeks along & going to have a biophysical profile done. While we were at the ultrasound the technician said my fluid was low & that I needed to go have a non-stress test done to monitor myself & the baby. We went up to the hospital (which I thought was just because the clinic was closed) & the nurse hooked me up the monitor & said the midwife would be in shortly to see me. When the midwife came in she said everything looked good on the monitor but it looked like we were staying & going to have a baby the next day. I was VERY caught off guard because this was NOT how it was supposed to go, even though I was 41 weeks along I was just shocked! We had plans to stay at home as long as possible & to have our doula come to our house & go with us to the hospital. 

Here is Amie's birth story.  Just a month after giving birth to Sawyer she told me (Anne) "I seriously can't wait to do this whole birthing process again!  It was fantastic!"

My journey to a calm and comfortable childbirth was not an easy one. I was the girl who said she would never try a natural childbirth. Why, you may ask? Let me start by saying that I am a Registered Nurse. I remember back to my nursing school days very vividly. I remember watching and assisting women with the birth of their babies, watching them scream and writhe in pain. To me, that was no way to welcome the birth of your baby. I knew from that point on that I would be getting an epidural when the time came for me to have babies. I wanted to enjoy the birth of my baby and that did not appear to be possible without an epidural.