Shontae and Luke were expecting their second precious baby girl. After a fairly traumatic first birth experience, Shontae knew she wanted a different journey this time around. She knew she could, and she knew how to REGAIN HER BIRTH!

This is their story.

I knew from the day I found out I was pregnant that I wanted this birth to be different, I didn’t want it to go the same way as my first birth.

I needed a better birth this time for myself and for this baby. Which is why we decided to hire Jackie – a Doula and we also decided to participate in Hypnobirthing classes.

The whole pregnancy went pretty smoothly with no complications apart from a low lying placenta, which did move by the 32 week check.

Wednesday the 19/12/2018.

40w1d, I’ve been having period like cramps for about a week, and had lost my mucus plug about 2 days ago. I had a hospital appointment today and knew they were going to push induction as I was past my due date. I felt confident going into the appointment as Jackie had given me lots of information and I had made up my mind that I wanted to wait until I was 41w5d before I consented to an induction.

At the appointment I was talked through all the different induction procedures. I consented to a stretch and sweep and found out I was already 4cm dilated!

Those period cramps weren’t for nothing!

I got back to my mums house where I had dropped my daughter off earlier that morning. It was around 11am when I started getting surges, I texted my partner Luke, and he left work. He went home to shower and grab a few things and then headed over to my mums house.

At 3pm we went to the shops to get a few things for my mum. As soon as we got there my surges began coming on more regularly.

We got back to the house around 4pm and my surges were getting stronger and more intense. I put the Tens machine on which took the edge off them but by 4.30pm I knew it was time to head to the hospital.

Arriving at Hospital

We arrived at around 5pm, as we walked into the hospital I had to keep stopping and really concentrating on breathing through the surges, I wrapped my arms around Luke and just closed my eyes until it passed and then continued to walk into the hospital.

I think we got into the birthing suite around 5.15pm and shortly after Jackie and our student midwife arrived.

Luke made sure the lights were dimmed, and everyone knew we were Hypnobirthing so I could stay in my zone.

I was offered gas on arrival which I accepted – although I don’t think it helped much with pain it did help me to remember to keep breathing through each surge. I had to do the routine checks upon arriving, which meant an internal exam and CTG monitoring- it felt like I was hooked up to it for ages.

While it was on Jackie was doing acupressure points on my shoulders to help with pain and she also had set up some fairy lights and put on my affirmations.

Once the CTG was taken off I found it hard to get up from the bed as I wasn’t getting much of a break between surges. Eventually I got off the bed and got down onto the CUB where Luke was helping by doing hip squeezes.

I don’t think I was there very long before I felt my body take over and start bearing down which felt like I needed the toilet so we moved into the bathroom. I don’t think I was on the toilet long before I reached down and could feel baby crowning.

Within minutes I stood up and with the next surge my baby was born and I caught her myself!

I felt incredible, strong and couldn’t believe what I had just done!

I feel like I had regained my power with this birth!

Miss Kai Ashleigh was born 6.30pm on the 19/12/2018 weighing in at 4.07kgs, only an hour after arriving to the hospital.