HypnoBirthing Stories

Hi Mia,

I had meant to be in touch before to thank you, but was interrupted by the early arrival of Millie May in the early hours of the 23rd!!

Just to briefly fill you in...my waters broke very early Tuesday morning and after speaking to several people throughout the day it appeared that this was normal and could, apparently, go on for weeks! After being checked at Peterborough they told me that they wanted to induce me the following morning. You would have been proud of me as I felt I asked all the right questions but it was felt that because of the fact that it was early, induction was the best course of action.

I was induced at 10pm Thursday evening, and Millie arrived at 1:44am friday morning! Poor Lisa missed the event as she went home at midnight after the midwife said she didn't expect much to happen until morning!!

The HypnoBirthing techniques that we had learned were invaluable and I know also helped speed things along. When I said I really felt I wanted to push at around 1am the midwife was very surprised to find that I was 10cm dilated! I think it was the fact that I was so relaxed and had gotten to that point using the sleep breathing, rainbow relaxation and had really got the hang of 'filling the balloon' when I had a surge!

Although it wasn't quite what we had planned, my HypnoBirthing techniques helped me to stay calm and relaxed throughout and it was an amazing experience with no artificial pain relief! I feel incredibly honored and proud.

Millie came out without making a sound and within minutes had her eyes open and was looking at us. Twenty minutes later, she had latched on and suckled for nearly an hour. Despite being early and little, she is strong, calm and healthy and I am also feeling great with no after problems at all! Fantastic!! My rose has blossomed!!!!!!!!

The midwife at Peterborough was wonderful and as far as possible under the circumstances adhered to all our requests (fortunately I had written out our birth preferences)!

I can understand why you feel so passionate about HypnoBirthing because I feel the same way!

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

—Tisha

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"It was truly a miracle—one that we will forever cherish."

We labored at home. It was a wonderful experience to have total relaxation. The mucus plug released and surges came every 10 minutes. Then, my membranes released and I used the polar bear position between surges while squatting during them. I knew it was time to go to the hospital when I felt the fullness of the baby's head at my perineum. We drove to the hospital and I gave birth to a beautiful girl 12 minutes after reaching the delivery room. There was no doctor present (besides me!) so my husband was able to receive the newborn. It was truly a miracle—one that we will forever cherish.

—Dr. Bethany Chernich, D.O.

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Pushing vs. breathing the baby down—

I just want to attest to the difference between pushing and breathing the baby down. I have done it both ways and let me tell you — breathing down was WAY better. My husband was totally shocked when our second baby came out because he was expecting a long bout of pushing just like with our first baby (pushed for 50 mins with the first). During my second birthing I went with my body and started breathing down with surges for a little while (don't know how long, maybe 15 mins?)

Suddenly the midwife prompted me that he was right there and if I gave a push he'd come out. Up until that point, I had no idea how close I was to birthing my baby but I knew he was moving down. With her suggestion about pushing (being in my hypnotic and very suggestible state) of course I pushed HARD and got his little head born. One more hard push and got his little body born (ok, not so little body — 10lbs!) I often wonder what would it would have been like if she had not prompted me to give a push.

But the breathing down part was so peaceful and SO different than the forceful pushing I had done for my daughter three years prior. Breathing down felt like I wasn't doing anything at all, just getting out of the way (staying relaxed) to let my uterus, my birth path, and my baby do what they needed to do. How liberating! Even with the two hard pushes I gave at the end, I was so grateful that I'd learned about birth breathing. What a difference it made. Thank you Mickey!

—Shay

Shaileen Pokress, Ed.M., HBCE
Peace on earth begins with birth!

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Tisha Bethany Shay Contact Megan	HypnoBirthing Stories Hi Mia, I had meant to be in touch before to thank you, but was interrupted by the early arrival of Millie May in the early hours of the 23rd!! Just to briefly fill you in...my waters broke very early Tuesday morning and after speaking to several people throughout the day it appeared that this was normal and could, apparently, go on for weeks! After being checked at Peterborough they told me that they wanted to induce me the following morning. You would have been proud of me as I felt I asked all the right questions but it was felt that because of the fact that it was early, induction was the best course of action. I was induced at 10pm Thursday evening, and Millie arrived at 1:44am friday morning! Poor Lisa missed the event as she went home at midnight after the midwife said she didn't expect much to happen until morning!! The HypnoBirthing techniques that we had learned were invaluable and I know also helped speed things along. When I said I really felt I wanted to push at around 1am the midwife was very surprised to find that I was 10cm dilated! I think it was the fact that I was so relaxed and had gotten to that point using the sleep breathing, rainbow relaxation and had really got the hang of 'filling the balloon' when I had a surge! Although it wasn't quite what we had planned, my HypnoBirthing techniques helped me to stay calm and relaxed throughout and it was an amazing experience with no artificial pain relief! I feel incredibly honored and proud. Millie came out without making a sound and within minutes had her eyes open and was looking at us. Twenty minutes later, she had latched on and suckled for nearly an hour. Despite being early and little, she is strong, calm and healthy and I am also feeling great with no after problems at all! Fantastic!! My rose has blossomed!!!!!!!! The midwife at Peterborough was wonderful and as far as possible under the circumstances adhered to all our requests (fortunately I had written out our birth preferences)! I can understand why you feel so passionate about HypnoBirthing because I feel the same way! Thank you, thank you, thank you, —Tisha (top) "It was truly a miracle—one that we will forever cherish." We labored at home. It was a wonderful experience to have total relaxation. The mucus plug released and surges came every 10 minutes. Then, my membranes released and I used the polar bear position between surges while squatting during them. I knew it was time to go to the hospital when I felt the fullness of the baby's head at my perineum. We drove to the hospital and I gave birth to a beautiful girl 12 minutes after reaching the delivery room. There was no doctor present (besides me!) so my husband was able to receive the newborn. It was truly a miracle—one that we will forever cherish. —Dr. Bethany Chernich, D.O. (top) Pushing vs. breathing the baby down— I just want to attest to the difference between pushing and breathing the baby down. I have done it both ways and let me tell you — breathing down was WAY better. My husband was totally shocked when our second baby came out because he was expecting a long bout of pushing just like with our first baby (pushed for 50 mins with the first). During my second birthing I went with my body and started breathing down with surges for a little while (don't know how long, maybe 15 mins?) Suddenly the midwife prompted me that he was right there and if I gave a push he'd come out. Up until that point, I had no idea how close I was to birthing my baby but I knew he was moving down. With her suggestion about pushing (being in my hypnotic and very suggestible state) of course I pushed HARD and got his little head born. One more hard push and got his little body born (ok, not so little body — 10lbs!) I often wonder what would it would have been like if she had not prompted me to give a push. But the breathing down part was so peaceful and SO different than the forceful pushing I had done for my daughter three years prior. Breathing down felt like I wasn't doing anything at all, just getting out of the way (staying relaxed) to let my uterus, my birth path, and my baby do what they needed to do. How liberating! Even with the two hard pushes I gave at the end, I was so grateful that I'd learned about birth breathing. What a difference it made. Thank you Mickey! —Shay Shaileen Pokress, Ed.M., HBCE Peace on earth begins with birth! (top)