The birth story of Elijah

I had the honour of supporting Esther and Elliot during their second pregnancy earlier this year. After a difficult first birth, the couple wanted to feel much more confident and in control this time around.

Told in her own words, Esther shares her empowering Hypnobirthing birth story. After initially accepting an induction of labour, Esther's labour progressed so quickly that she ended up birthing her beautiful baby boy before the induction process could even begin.

Discover exactly how Hypnobirthing supported Esther and Elliot to both feel calm, confident and empowered during the birth of their son, Elijah.

I sang The Greatest Showman to help with the pain

I officially started early labour on 2 April when Braxton Hicks turned into real contractions - but they only stayed for a few hours and then stopped. Based on what you taught us, I tried to relax as much as possible from then on, have a shower or a bath when things got really bad and listened to the hypnobirthing track you gave us.

I also got into singing The Greatest Showman tracks to help with the pain.

I went to the Pregnancy Assessment Unit twice when the pain got bad, both on 10th and 16th. I was told I was only 2 cms and to just go back home and try to continue to relax.

There was a change of plans

I went for my 40 week midwife appointment where the midwife told me that I need to be booked in for an induction for 21st April at week 41 because there's a higher chance that baby will be stillborn if I continue with the pregnancy and I just agreed to it on the spot.

I spent the weekend before reading everything you gave us about induction and decided that the only thing I would agree for them to do is break my waters and then ask them to see if labour comes on naturally.

Little did I know that going to the hospital for 5pm for an induction was exactly what Elliot and I needed!

We got our safe space in the room we got, we got to walk around the hospital, we brought in all our creature comforts to make the room as homely as possible and actually decided to relax and make it a little "date night".

I felt so empowered

I felt so empowered by all that you've taught me that I didn't even need to give the midwives my birth plan. I told them clearly what I wanted and my ground rule was avoid anything that would result in a catheter.

I also mentioned that I now know that getting in a pool would probably not be possible, but my midwife actually came back and said that they think if everything looks okay after breaking my waters they will try to get me in a pool too, which I was so pleased about.

There were so many mums in natural labour at the time that after I was assessed as still at 2cms we were told that we would have to wait until a doctor consult. That happened at 1am where we were told that I could have my waters broken.

However, I was then told I would have to wait until they could do so because of all the other mums in labour at the time, so we were told to try to get some sleep.

All of a sudden, my contractions intensified

The midwife woke us up at 7am to say they were ready to break my waters but if we wanted to have tea and toast first which we decided to do. While finishing my tea she came back to say we got bumped down the list again, so we would have to wait for the shift change at 8am now but she would pop me in the monitor to get everything ready.

As she asked me to turn on my left side the contractions intensified all of a sudden to the point that she got me off the monitor so I could move around and use the birth ball they had in the room.

After she left things got much more intense, I was crying to Elliot when the contractions came and used my birthing comb as a chewing toy instead of its intended use. By the time my new midwife, Alice, arrived I was in agony.

We got me on the bed to get me assessed and I asked Alice to just tell me if these contractions will get much worse. She said she didn't think the contractions were going to get much worse after she finished her examination as I was at 9cms. So cannula went in my hand quick (a planned step to help with the blood loss I had with my first delivery) and I asked for gas and air.

A few minutes later, my waters broke

A few minutes later my waters went and the contractions got much closer and much more intense. Elliot and Alice were absolutely brilliant, supporting me with words of encouragement and Elliot knew exactly what to do and say thanks to you. So he became my anchor through it all. While being in so much pain I concentrated on him holding my hand, his voice and how much I love him.

When it came to pushing Elijah out, I found myself in a downward dog pose on the bed which Alice was a bit worried about how she could catch Elijah then so I moved down from the bed to the floor. I felt confident enough to ask Elliot to hold my gas and air for me and to put our wedding song on on repeat in the background.

I've never felt stronger

Elijah's head appeared and Alice encouraged me to just listen to my body and do what feels right: which was doing a headstand under the bed with bum high up in the air! With the third push Elijah arrived at 9:58 and I've never felt stronger than at that moment.

After getting Elijah on me for skin to skin I got on the bed and got the worst shakes and cold shivers so after Alice cut the cord I've asked Elliot to take Elijah and the instant connection they formed was the most beautiful thing to witness.

In the meantime Alice tried to help deliver my placenta and after some initial struggles I asked for a new nozzle for my gas and air that I remembered Elliot asked for before I pushed Elijah out and my placenta came all naturally.

Turned out I needed stitches and while waiting for the doctor, Alice offered to show me my placenta and how it all worked, which I unexpectedly accepted and actually loved learning about.

I had the most incredible, amazing and empowering experience

We got to enjoy so much time by ourselves in the same room afterwards, which was lovely, Alice and a colleague of hers pampered me with a bed wash after I was all done while Elliot got to enjoy some skin to skin with Elijah.

I never thought I would use these words for a birth after what we went through with our daughter but I had the most incredible, amazing and empowering experience this time around that has shown me how strong I actually am and how empowering it can be when I advocate for myself and when I have Elliot in my corner.

You have helped us immensely and we truly are so grateful: our bond is stronger than ever and we've got to enjoy this experience all thanks to what you've taught us. I never in a million years would have expected this was possible after our experience with my daughter, but you made this all possible.