Only between 4-6% of babies are both on their due dates! So it’s much more likely that you will have your baby on some other day. That’s why I prefer to call it a guess date or refer to baby’s due date as a range – for example “around the beginning of June” or “baby is due around the middle of October”.
That being said = sometimes babies do show on right when they are expected. This is what happened for Lindsay.
Here is her story….
I had an amazing pregnancy and stayed active throughout as I worked in a physically demanding job. I was due March 20 so was exactly 40 weeks pregnant when I delivered my baby Lia.
In the days before, I had no signs that Lia was ready to come as I was still very comfortable and had not experienced any contractions or Braxton Hicks throughout my pregnancy.
At my doctors appointment the morning before I was 2 cm dilated.
That evening our basement had finally been completed so my husband and I wanted to get some furniture down there before Lia arrived. Together we moved down a bed as well as some other things that I found when cleaning the closets.
I had to stop for quite a few breaks as my back was killing me because I had been cleaning and organizing all day- it was my first day of maternity leave.
I woke up at 7:00 am the next morning having a minor contraction.I thought it might be a contraction but wanted to wait a few more before waking my husband.
Then I had 3 more contractions which were 10 minutes apart lasting anywhere from 30 -50 seconds. At this point I woke my husband informing him that I was pretty sure I was in labour.
We decided to get everything organized to go to the hospital and then try to lay down and get some rest before heading to the hospital.
My contractions progressively got stronger and closer together. By 11:30 am we went to the hospital because my contractions were 3 – 4 mins apart.
Once at the hospital the nurse completed a cervical exam and I was only 3 cm dilated. I was not impressed as I thought I would have been further along. If I knew I was only 3 cms I would have stayed home longer.
In the mean time my sister (who has two children of her own) met my husband and I at the hospital so she could be in the delivery room with us.
Once I was settled in my room I put on the birthing visualization recordings to keep me relaxed.
I walked around the room a lot and when a contraction came I would rest my elbows and head on the bed for the duration of the contraction then continue walking and talking after the contraction. I also like the hip squeeze that my husband had learned to do for me.
Once the contractions intensified I went on the bed on elbows and knees and became much less interactive. I had imaged myself using the birthing ball and a squatting position during labour but I found both of these positions very uncomfortable. The elbows and knees position felt so much better – so I stayed there.
At this point I was in my own little world, not responding to anything going on around me.
Marie’s Note: This going inward during labour is one of the hallmarks of this method of birth preparation. The brain training done during pregnancy creates this deep internal connection and focus.
Once I felt the urge to push there was no stopping me. The nurse advised me to roll over to my back so I did. I feel good in the semi-reclining position so I stayed there. And this is the position I delivered in.
The nurse and myself did everything we could to break my water but it was not budging. Once the doctor arrived, she broke my water and I delivered Lia within 5 minutes.
I did push a little too hard, too quick, causing me to tear.
The entire labour was ten hours long from the first contraction till delivery, which I felt was quite quick for a first child.
Working with Marie helped me achieve the things that were most important to me during delivery; which was a natural, calm, quick, smooth birth.
It kept me relaxed and breathing throughout the contractions.
I think the contractions would have been much more painful otherwise.
I would highly recommend this program as it gives a very positive approach to delivery.
I also feel that you get what you want from the program depending on what is important to you and how much time and effort you put into it.
– written by Lindsay Irwin
You might enjoy reading more birth stories from some of my hypnobirthers so that you can an idea of what a gentle and calm birth can be like. https://birthbliss.ca/category/birth-stories/
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