Kirsty's Birth Story

My birth story really began when I was around 20 weeks pregnant and attended our first Hypnobirthing Australia™ class at Geelong Born under the guidance of Rosie Fitzclarence. Feeling blessed we attended so early which allowed ourselves plenty of time to practice the methods that we were taught and letting it sink in how capable we as women are of birthing!

Our 'guess date' was the 26th October 2017.

On the 25th my body began showing early labouring signs, not being able to keep anything down and the infamous water breaking (which in all honesty could and did feel like a bladder control issue so I wasn't too concerned), I was just going with whatever pregnancy threw at me.

I woke on the 26th at 6am to be greeted with a show and what an exciting one it was.

Calling the hospital to confirm I was in labour at 7am, I was calmly told to come in when I could to check and see if my waters had broken. So I called my partner and he left work in Melbourne, we were in hospital by 10:30am to confirm that my waters had in fact broken and it wasn't my pregnant bladder after all.

Leaving the hospital around midday after being told I would have to be induced the following morning at 6am, I felt slightly un-empowered. I was constantly trying to remind myself that my baby will ultimately decide how he or she will enter this world.

As we walked out through the hospital doors my first surges started. Quote "Ohhh I wonder how intense these will get" (what a joke aha).

On the way home, we stopped at the supermarket to stock my partner up on snacks as I was told by numerous labouring women that hubbies get very bored in hospital. The fact that I cared how he felt while I was in labour was humorous to say the least.

Things I did when I was labouring at home.

1. Left my phone in another room to help remove myself from the awareness of time and other pointless places your brain goes whilst on it.

2. Sunbaked/walked around in our garden.

3. Had an extremely long bath listening to my birthing affirmation tracks.

4. Let my body do what it knows... bring my baby girl down to enter this world!

Something that really helped me through labouring at home was to not feel sorry for myself, the pain had a massive purpose and repeat the pain has purpose.

After my partner called the midwives every hour for the last 3 hours of labouring at home whilst timing my contractions, somewhat like the Charlie Chaplin Show as I couldn't speak during surges, we finally made the call to head into hospital around 8:40pm. "If we get there and I'm only 4cm dilated book me in for a caesarean" I calmly suggested to my partner as if that was an option. The transition period was setting in. So off we went.

The drive into hospital from home was bullsh$t thanks to the minimal legroom in my i30... moving on.

As I slowly walked through the halls of the University Hospital Geelong labouring we were greeted by spritely midwives.
 
We were shown to our room and I my body immediately pulled me down to my knees and I leant over the bed. I completely surrendered and let my body do what felt right.

Cue the bodies instinct to push and wowza game on! Just let go and leave that dignity at the door, after all we're all just animals, right? Right! I actually enjoyed it (sick I know), NOT that it was easy but the endorphins that came between each push was a lifeline!

After 1.5 hours in hospital our daughter was caught by her dad and came into this world all purple and red, singing!

Shock and awe. What did I just achieve?

Maxwell Violet Foley was born at 10.26pm on the 26th October, 2017.

​Birthing my placenta was liberating, I feel like this isn't spoken about as much as it should be. Two babies within the hour, good lord, one miracle after another.

Recovery was okay, I'm not going to lie a few stitches and other fab things that come with labour took a while for me to accept once the adrenalin had subsided.

Special thanks to my supportive partner, switching out the CD in the hospital CD player from 'DJ Havana Brown - Crave' to 'Birth Affirmations' (there's a time and a place) and for leaving our car in the drop-off area for 3.5 hours including all snacks. Fair to say he wasn't bored, sorry babe.
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To our amazing midwives at Barwon Health who were accepting of our birth preference as we were open minded with whatever needed to happen for the safe arrival of our baby but had a goal for a more natural delivery. We were so blessed to have you there to help us through the birth. Thank you.

​To our gorgeous birthing photographer Jessica Henderson, being pregnant herself she managed to get to the hospital in time for my quick delivery and she came bearing snacks for post birth! LEGEND!!! Small plug *Miracle of Birth Photography*.

Moral of the story is women are f$&@ing amazing. However your little soul makes his or her way into this world know that you single handily housed, grew and nourished the hell out of it to make your baby even exist!

Now let the parenting begin...

Kirsty, Kyle and baby Maxwell
Geelong, VIC

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​My name is Rosie Fitzclarence and I am a Registered Midwife, Registered Nurse, Childbirth Educator (Geelong Born) and Hypnobirthing Australia Certified Practitioner. I am based in Geelong and can be contacted by email by rosie@geelongborn.com.au or phone 0419170783.
 
To find out more about my Hypnobirthing Australia classes CLICK HERE