One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “Can I hypnobirth through an induction?”. The answer is a very big YES.
Inductions can be difficult because you’re often starting off with very low levels of the natural hormones which are usually responsible for kick starting your labour. More often than not, they are also more medicalised births with a need for continuous monitoring usually meaning that a Delivery Suite or Consultant Led Unit is recommended over the more relaxed birthing centre or Midwife Led Unit.
The lovely Abby & Olly came back to me recently for a refresher course. They had previously given birth to the beautiful Francis and had wanted to freshen up their hypnobirthing techniques ready to welcome their new addition to the family. Here is their birth story, detailing how hypnobirthing helped them through a medicalised birth on the delivery suite at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester.
Abby writes:
““When we became pregnant with our second son we were certain that we wanted to do a Hypnobirthing refresher course with Sam. We did our course over zoom at around 30 weeks and got back into the rhythm of practicing the techniques.”
Abby & Olly prepared for the birth of their second son and waited for their medical induction at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester.
“As the baby was measuring big on scans, we made the decision to be induced at 38 weeks. Having had an induction with our first we knew what to expect, but I was sad that I wouldn’t get to labour at home as I had been looking forward to this. Sam was brilliant in arranging a further induction session with us and we discussed how I could add our home environment into my relaxing place and make the hospital seem more homely.
We went into hospital on the 27th December, at exactly 38 weeks. We were admitted to the induction ward and I had the first pessary inserted. After 6 hours I had dilated 1cm and was ready to have the second tablet. However, due to a busy delivery unit inductions had been paused. Two days later, when inductions resumed I had the second tablet and a sweep, which seemed to help light irregular surges to begin. We were added to the waiting list to move over to the delivery unit and have my waters broken.
Throughout that afternoon and evening we went for a long walk and had a dance party in our side room and the surges became more regular and stronger. We decided to try and get some sleep, expecting our baby boy to arrive the following day. However upon waking up the following day we realised that all the surges had stopped. This was really disheartening, but we tried our best to stay positive and spent the whole day walking up and down the hospital stairs and bouncing on a birth ball to try and restart the surges. We continued this way for the rest of the week but the surges didn’t return in the same way that they had. Sam was great at sending us some exercises to try and restart labour and we had a good laugh trying some of them, so if nothing else they increased our endorphins!
Finally at 1:30am on the 4th January we were called through to the delivery suite. Once on delivery we were introduced to our midwife who talked us through the remainder of the induction process, read through our birth plan and then took some time to discuss with us our specific preferences and answer any questions we had. It truly made us feel so incredibly in control of our birth. She also arranged for an anaesthetist to come and speak to us, as due to a potential genetic complication for the baby, we had some specific questions relating to what methods of pain management would actually be applicable to us. The anaesthetist was fantastic at helping us come up with a plan which would cover all avenues that the birth could potentially take.
Despite having an induction using pessaries and a hormone drip, Abby still used hypnobirthing strategies to keep herself distracted, relaxed and comfortable.
My waters were broken at 4:20am and as soon as this was done I got straight onto the birthing ball. Before heading to hospital we had downloaded some of our favourite comedy films to the iPad so we set this up. Sitting on the ball and watching a film with Olly by my side, it truly felt like I could’ve been at home. I told the midwife that I would not be focusing on the surges, rather on the film so not to ask me how regularly or intensely I was feeling them.
After 2 hours of irregular, light surges I made the decision to go on the hormone drip as I didn’t feel labour was fully starting. Once on the drip I moved to the bed which was placed in the throne position. Throughout the next few hours I alternated between this position and lying on my side, as these positions felt comfortable whilst also allowing for continuous monitoring.
We continued watching the films as the surges became closer together and more intense, using surge breathing where necessary. There was a shift change during this time and we were introduced to yet another lovely midwife and a student on her first day on delivery. I told them that my plan was to deliver the baby before the end of their shift - little did I know that just 2 hours later he would be here! As the drip increased the surges became much closer together, to the point where they were coming back to back with no break in between. After our discussion with Sam I knew that this was temporary and normal, and so was able to stay calm. I told the midwife, and asked for some gas and air to take the edge off the surges until they regulated again. She turned down the drip and passed me the gas and air. I was wary to be using it so soon into our labour, and so only tried to use it at the very height of each surge.
Not long after this, I felt a very intense surge almost entirely in what felt like my cervix, and was probably one of the only times in my labour that I would call “painful” rather than intense. With the next surge I felt a familiar pressure I remembered from my first labour, but I was sure that this early on in the process it must just be a need to go to the bathroom! I told the midwife who looked between my legs and told me that I could begin to push if I felt the need to as she could see the baby’s head coming. I couldn’t believe it! I had been labouring less than 4 hours, and regularly contracting for less than 2!
At this point we finally turned the iPad off and I listened to what my body was telling me to do. As with my first labour, I gave up the gas and air at this point so that I could focus all my energy into birthing my baby. With each surge I felt my baby move closer and it was such an incredible experience. I felt so calm during the whole process and was laughing with the midwives in between each surge. Olly was amazing, keeping me calm with the soothing strokes we learned on our course and reminding me of my favourite affirmations.
Just 15 minutes after feeling the urge to push, our baby’s head was born. Once his head was out, my surges stopped. The midwives encouraged me to move positions but that didn’t restart my surges, so after they had checked his shoulders weren’t stuck they gave me the all clear to birth him when I was ready. One more push and baby Teddy was born.
Due to a haemorrhage with my first son I had a closely managed 3rd stage. Although they required blood samples from the placenta they still allowed slightly delayed cord clamping as we requested and were happy to help us in using a handmade cord tie instead of the usual plastic clip. I also was placed on a preventative 4 hour drip post birth to help contract my uterus. This was a perfect excuse for 4 wonderful hours of skin to skin and breastfeeding, followed by more skin to skin with his Daddy.
Following our first birth, which although special in its own way didn’t go to plan, I wouldn’t have imagined that a birth like the one we had could ever have been possible. It was an incredibly healing experience and I now understand what people mean when they say they feel ready to do it all again the next day! I feel like the birth of baby Teddy was a genuinely enjoyable experience! Thank you Sam for everything you have taught us and your support through both our pregnancies and birth experiences.”
Thanks to Abby, Olly & family for allowing me to share their story here. It has been a pleasure to work with you again!
A beautiful family
However much you plan for your birth, some twists and turns are inevitable. In this case, the family opted for an induction after gathering all the information possible about the pros and cons.
Some hypnobirthing instructors will encourage you to turn down the offer of an induction. Yes, they pose added risk and statistically can lead to further interventions, but sometimes an induction is the right choice for you and your baby. Hypnobirthing can help you to feel in control and relax through what can sometimes be a long process in a medicalised setting.