By Mimi Gonzales

I’m sitting here at my computer, with a delicious baby sleeping peacefully against my chest in his Moby wrap, and I can hardly believe that two weeks ago he wasn’t here; it seems impossible.  The birth of my son was life changing. It is as though I was reborn the day he was born. Everything that came before him seems so small in comparison.  I am just over the moon with baby bliss and I am eternally grateful to the Hypnobabies program for giving me the tools to bring my baby into the world safely and peacefully, without any drugs or medical intervention, just as nature intends birth to be.  From my first pressure wave to the actual birth of my son, I was calm, in control, and never felt any pain. I am also happy to report that my son is a very calm and easily soothed baby, who love to eat and sleep J and I believe this has a lot to do with the fact that he and I had such a positive birth experience.  Elijah Hillel Gonzales, baby Eli, was born, on his due date, March 18^th at 6:21 am. Weighing 8lbs 2 ounces and measuring 21 inches long.

I awoke on Saint Patrick’s Day to mild stomach cramps. I went on with my normal routine, unsure if this was early labor or something I ate. By the early afternoon, it was clear that these were no ordinary stomach cramps; my pressure waves had begun. By noon they were reliable 4 minutes apart and lasting 30-45 seconds; I was in labor!! My mom arrived shortly thereafter and Jacob came home from work.  I could not believe I was in my birthing time! So much preparation, visualization and dreaming about this day and it had arrived! My only concern was that I REALLY did not want Elijah to be born on Saint Patrick’s Day. So I asked him to please wait until the 18^th, and he did J!

I spent the majority of my early birthing time laboring on my birth ball, staying in center switch, and alternated listening to my Birth Day Affirmations, the Deepening CD, and the Visualize My Birth CD. Jacob and my mom made sure I was staying hydrated and eating small snacks. They alternated providing me with some counter pressure on my hips and lower back during my pressure waves.  I was very comfortable and happy the entire day and really enjoyed my early birthing time. In the evening we all went for a nice long walk with the doggies. Jacob and I were in communication with our doula, Kim, all day. By 10pm, my pressure waves still had not changed in frequency, duration or intensity and Kim suggested that we go to bed and try to get some rest. I took a nice long hot shower and climbed into bed and rocked through my pressure waves listening to the Easy First Stage CD.

At around 1:30am, I awoke to a gush of fluid, it really felt as though something had popped and it was clear my water had broken. It was an amazing sensation. Almost immediately there was a change in my pressure waves.  They were coming faster, lasting longer and significantly more intense. I could feel the baby low in my pelvis.  I used my “release” cue and remember saying to myself: “open, open, open…the stronger the pressure, the more relaxed my birthing muscles become”. I would began to vocalize “Ahhh” to help my muscles relax deeper and deeper. In between pressure waves I would smile and think of how excited I was to meet my baby! My mother came over, and Jacob packed the car.

We arrived at Hoag Hospital a little after 2am. It seemed that the nurses were in no rush to check me in and find us a room. I remember thinking to myself  “wow, they are really taking their sweet time!” I found out later, that due to how calm and relaxed I appeared and that this was my first baby, they assumed I wasn’t really in labor and figured they would send me home. Much to their surprise I was 5 centimeters dilated and progressing quickly. Kim, our doula, met us at the hospital coming straight from another birth (she is amazing!) and I spent the majority of my hospital labor on my birth ball.  Jacob sat behind me, providing counter pressure and Kim would put pressure on my forehead, using the release cue at the beginning of each pressure wave and reading birth prompts to guide my through each wave. At the peak of each pressure wave I used my ”peace” cue and visualized my hypno-anesthesia spreading through my body like a white light. At the end of each pressure wave I would lean back on Jacob and close my eyes and rest. I felt so comforted, loved and safe.

A few hours past, but it felt like only 20 minutes or so to me. Around 5am I started to get the urge to push and I also felt the need to change positions more frequently. Any discomfort I was having was easily soothed my changing positions. It was clear to me that my baby and I were working together to find the best positions for him to find his way through the birth canal. The nurse came and checked me and gave me the green light to begin pushing. After about 30 or 40 minutes the OBGYN on call (not my personal doctor) came in to assess my progress. She asked me how big the baby was estimated to be, how tall I was and how much I weighed pre pregnancy. I could hear the pessimism in her voice. She clearly did not think I was going to be able to push my baby out and was probably ready to C-section me right there so she could go back home! However, I was determined and had faith in my ability to birth my baby, safely and peacefully and so were the LDR nurses who were working with me.

One nurse in particular, Tien, was amazing. Tien set up the squatting bar for me and helped me find a really effective position for pushing. I feel so blessed that she was on call that night, as she prides herself on being the “”anti C-section nurse”. Tien also had on hand an enormous amount of mineral oil and lidocaine, which she used to stretch my perineum to the max! The other LDR nurse, who was a wonderful cheerleader, set up a mirror for me so I could see the top of Elijah’s head as I worked to get him to crown. Pushing was in no way painful, but it was an enormous amount of work! I remember telling Kim that I was getting tired and she quickly replied, “You are not tired, you are strong and can push this baby out” and I remember thinking, “she’s right, I’m not tired!” Oh the power of hypnosis! Makes us so suggestible! I could feel Elijah deep in my pelvis and I really wanted to push him out, however my pressure waves were getting further and further apart and I needed them to help me push. What I realized later, was that change in frequency was giving my body the ability to rest. I felt as though I could fall asleep between each pressure wave and would enjoy having a sip of cranberry juice and getting some extra oxygen to give me strength. At 6:21am, about 4 hours after arriving at the hospital and after about an hour and a half of pushing, Elijah came flying out! It was the most miraculous moment of my life. I could not believe it, there was my baby! I was overwhelmed with joy and love. 

After the birth, I had some minor tearing and needed some stitching. As the OBGYN was sewing me up, we had a really nice conversation regarding Hypnobabies. She had a lot of questions and was clearly very impressed with my birth and remarked that she had never seen someone so calm and in control during a birth, with or without an epidural. She told me that in her experience, 98% of first time moms plan on having an un-medicated birth and 99% end up getting an epidural and then stated, ”You must have a very high pain tolerance”. I explained to her that I don’t have a high tolerance at all (I cry when I stub my toe!) and that I didn’t have any pain because my hypnosis kept me relaxed and comfortable, even during the most intense pressure waves. I was prepared. I believed my ability to birth my baby naturally and the power of hypnosis and Hypnobabies prepared me to have the birth I had always imagined for myself and for my baby. I am so grateful to Carol Thorpe, my Hypnobabies instructor, Kim Gross, my doula and to my wonderful husband Jacob who loving took this journey with me, providing continuous love and support and embodying what it means to be a “birth partner”.