First time parents Katie and Felix live in Taiwan where the maternity system is very different to the UK. In Taiwan, highly medicalised birth is the norm, with most women giving birth on their back in stirrups, and there is also high rates of Caesarean which is often seen as the preferred option. 

When she became pregnant, Katie knew that this was not what she wanted. So she sprang into action, getting herself booked into one of the few midwife-led birth clinics, and hiring a birth doula.

Katie also booked private hypnobirthing classes with me - we did most of our sessions remotely via Zoom, and one session in person when Katie and Felix took a trip back to the UK. 

I’m so pleased that Katie managed to beat the odds and have the birth she was dreaming of. I hope you enjoy reading her birth story.

Congratulations Katie and Felix, and welcome to the world baby Joshua! 

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Katie's Positive Birth Story:

10th August 2024

It all started on a seemingly normal day. I had a fun and productive morning with a bump photoshoot (just in time!), wrapped up a business meeting, had lunch with some girlfriends and ended the day with an unintentionally spicy dinner.

The doctor had told me the day before, that although the baby’s head was down, it wasn’t engaged yet and delivery that week seemed unlikely. Which is why after dinner, I decided to go for an evening walk to help the baby’s head engage, as per my doctor’s suggestion. I also spontaneously treated myself to a foot massage around the corner— was heavenly. Highly recommend!

So, when my waters broke at 10:30pm that night, I was in a bit of shock! I had been convinced I’d go over my due date following in my mother’s footsteps, not deliver two weeks early… !

I wanted to be sure it was my waters, so popped in a pad and after walking around a bit and seeing a steady flow of clear liquid, I knew this was it. I knew rest was key at this stage, but too excited and full of adrenaline to sleep, I put on a movie & cuddled up in bed. We went for Hitman’s Bodyguard (not the most obvious choice for relaxation, I know, but I wanted something light-hearted and funny). Meanwhile Felix ran out to the shops to grab ion drinks and snacks, and I spent the time chatting on the phone with a close friend who was also expecting. That call was so comforting, and I highly recommend speaking with a loved one if you’re in the early stages of labour. It gave me reassurance and calm, a great tip from the birthing classes we’d done.

By midnight, I tried to sleep and managed a few hours before the contractions kicked in. Around 4:00 am, I was up, trying to stay quiet and let Felix rest as long as possible. I pottered around, unloaded the dishwasher, and indulged in a weird but delicious snack—peanut butter, jam, and cottage cheese on a bagel. I highly recommend eating early on during labour because you never know when you’ll have the chance or desire again! Whilst waiting for Felix to get up, I also spent some time bouncing on my exercise ball, which felt great, and kept myself moving.

At 6:00 am, Felix was up, and we began managing the contractions together. I felt much better after he was awake with me and we created a calm, oxytocin-encouraging space with music, tea lights, and essential oils in our bedroom. This is where the Hypnobirthing training really came into play, Felix applied counter-pressure on my lower back during surges and the mix of movement, cuddles, back rubs and supportive words of encouragement really helped. I was also using a TENS machine which I CANNOT recommend enough, it really helped manage the surges.

As the day progressed, there were times when motivation was hard to come by. My contractions were irregular—they’d speed up and be steady for a while, then suddenly slowdown, which was frustrating. But it also gave me the chance to rest and nap intermittently. Also, despite the powerful surges, I still hadn’t had my bloody show, so I was worried about whether my cervix was dilating. Felix was in constant contact with my Doula and Midwife team, which allowed me to focus on staying present, using the breathing techniques and positive affirmations from the Hypnobirthing course. Even Felix, who was extremely sceptical at the beginning, admitted that the positive affirmations I’d put around the house for him, did work and meant he was calm and confident in my body’s ability to do this.

Felix managed to keep me home until 4:30pm that afternoon, by which time he and my Doula agreed it was time to head to the clinic. The contractions were regular and intense, and we wanted to avoid rush hour traffic. The car ride wasn’t easy—I was struggling to walk, and contractions in the car were far from comfortable—but the change of scenery and feeling that things were progressing really helped with my motivation.

Once at the clinic, I was hooked up to a monitor to check the baby’s heart rate. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience as I had to stay lie on my back (which made it difficult to manage the contractions), but the relief came when they checked my cervix and found I was 4-5 cm dilated! I was ready to head into the delivery room and, excitingly, into the water.

A slight hiccup followed when Felix realized he’d forgotten some important documents and had to rush home. I jokingly called after him, “You better not miss the birth of your son!” Thankfully, he made it back in plenty of time.

Moving into the birthing pool was a game changer. The warmth of the water, especially when they poured hot water on my lower back, brought so much relief.

The midwife’s gentle touch, running her fingers lightly over my body, helped me stay relaxed. I was also using the comb in my hand, and my doula was applying counter pressure. But, despite my progress, my cervix was stuck at 5 cm. My midwife came up with a plan to manually help move it during the next contraction. After a couple of attempts, I dilated to 6-7 cm.

By this point, I was exhausted, and the typical “I can’t do this” phrase began to pop into my mind and out my mouth —a sign that the baby was almost here! My doula was great at encouraging me here reminding me how close I was. She also suggested a change of scene, which helped, and I moved to the toilet, where the contractions became even stronger, and I spent some time on a birthing stool beside the pool. That shift, along with the midwife’s skilful support, finally got me to fully dilated. It was time to get back into the pool to deliver the baby!

Pushing was harder than I expected, but each contraction brought a stronger urge to push. The best positions for me were squatting and kneeling in the water. Felix was able to see the baby’s head with the help of a mirror, and they encouraged me to feel it myself. Finally, at 9:25 pm, our little boy arrived. Though I had planned to catch him myself, I was too tired and asked the midwife to hand him to me.

The cord was wrapped around his neck, but the midwife quickly unhooked it, and soon we were cuddling. The emotion and relief were overwhelming. After the cord stopped pulsating, Felix cut it, and we spent the first magical hour doing skin-to-skin.

I was shaking hard from the adrenaline and physical exertion, something I hadn’t expected. But the doula reassured me that it was normal.

Despite a small 2cm tear and some stitches, I was in awe of the whole experience. I was so grateful for Felix, my doula, and the midwife. For any soon-to-be mums, I can’t recommend enough investing in this experience —a great doula and a great midwife made all the difference.

Don’t be afraid to ask for support so you can rest and recover. You’ve just done one of the hardest things imaginable, and you deserve it.

My birth story wasn’t without its challenges, but with the right people around me and the tools I learned from birthing classes, it became an incredibly empowering and positive experience.

You’ve got this, Mama!

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Do you want a Positive Birth too? 

My antenatal Hypnobirthing courses are available both in-person and online, and are designed to be a fun and relaxing experience for you and your birth partner - a real highlight of your pregnancy.

I offer different formats suitable for every budget as it is important that Hypnobirthing is accessible and affordable for everyone.

Find the perfect class for you: 

• Private 1:1 Birth Coaching
• Group Hypnobirthing Courses (Abbey Wood, Bexley, Eltham, Sidcup, Woolwich & Greenwich)

Not sure which course is for you? Sign up to my next FREE Online Mini-Masterclass to start your journey to a glowing pregnancy, a positive birth, and the best possible start to parenthood!