The birth of Grace was induced as Mum Charlotte developed raised blood pressure in pregnancy - this is a wonderful story of how the process of induction can be positive with HypnoBirthing techniques! (Find out more about induction here) This is their story as told by proud Dad, Gavin:
I'm completely delighted to let you know that Grace was born on Thursday night at 9.42, weighing 7lbs 1oz!
I think you were aware that Charlotte was being induced on Wednesday, but we were able to use what we had learnt to make it as natural as possible despite that. The second gel was applied about midday on Thursday, and after some walking and a bath the tightenings began around 4.30 / 5ish.
Everything happened very quickly and it was a short and intense labour with everyone surprised about how quick the surges were coming.
Charlotte was amazing (she will deny it, but she was awesome) and used the breathing and relaxation techniques really well to deal with the first few hours. To the extent that they were surprised when they saw the CTG as to how well she was coping. One of the midwives whispered to me in the lift down to the delivery suite that "she was amazing as was she using HypnoBirthing".
The only pain relief Charlotte used was gas and air - and I'll let her tell you about that experience as she got quite spaced out!
Because of the intensity and frequency of the surges they were worried about Charlotte trying too many times at the birthing stage and causing distress to her and the baby, so they decided to do a ventouse assisted delivery. Quite a dramatic situation with lots of extra people coming in and out of the room!
But just as they were about to start that, Charlotte made the breakthrough and the midwife was able to send everyone else away!
So not the fully natural birth at a birth centre that we had hoped for, but we were still able to apply lots of the techniques! In particular, had we not spent the timing thinking about our birth preferences, it's pretty likely we would have been induced last weekend when the doctor first started, so that decision may well have helped avoid a syntocinon drip and assisted birth, etc!
So thank you for all your help, we really have appreciated it and looking forward to introducing you to Grace soon."