Baby Avalon

 

Hi Lyn,

 

We wanted to say a huge thank you to you, Avalon was born naturally without intervention or medication (other than gas and air and paracetamol). I have to say it was against the odds too, Steve broke a contact lens in his eye on Saturday night and I had to drive him to A and E at which point my waters broke and the stress of it all caused baby to turn back to back after being examined (both Steve and I) I was told she would most likely need to be induced in the labour ward (not what we wanted at all) we had a calm and reasonable discussion with the midwives and decided we would wait it out we went home and I spent hours in the bath listening to my affirmations and using all the relaxation techniques you had taught us.

 

I felt the baby turn and by this time my contractions had started to ramp up, after a few more trips back and forth to the birthing centre I finally got to established labour by 7pm on Sunday (which the midwives at Ashurst had thought was highly unlikely) Steve ! and I then made the decision to have her at Broadlands (low risk midwife led ward) in Southampton hospital as we felt that we were actually less likely to have any intervention there, it was the best decision we could have made. I spent 4 hours in the birthing pool breathing through the contractions and I actually fell asleep in the pool on several occasions. We had a marvelous midwife who really understood and respected our birth plan and did not intervene unless necessary.

 

By midnight I wanted to push but unfortunately my cervix wasn’t quite ready so we had a few hours that were hard work (I was very tired at this point having had minimal sleep since Friday night) Whilst it was three hours that I didn’t find to be a walk in the park, there was a little voice in my head the whole time repeating the affirmations and an inner knowledge that I would get there.

 

Avalon was born at 3:15 on Sunday morning weighing 9lbs 4 oz she didn’t cry she just cooed and nuzzled, she’s a beautiful, alert, healthy and happy baby girl. We both feel really really grateful that whilst we may not have had a textbook hypnobirth we were able to take a great many skills that you had taught us and we had what I would consider a perfect birth which I look back on with a great deal of happiness and elation I feel I’ve had a right of passage that many women feel so sad about and thanks to you I just feel pride.

 

Looking forward to bringing Avalon along to the next coffee morning.

 

Lots of love from the Osborne Clan