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“My baby’s birth was magical.
When I look back and recall the experience, one thing comes to mind; deep peace.
Giving birth to her was the most peaceful thing I’ve ever done. I don’t recall any pain at
all or even discomfort. I only remember relaxing and working very hard to relax.
Total peace.
Totally Allowing.
Monday evening, 5:00 pm.
Our bags were packed and the car was ready. After 8 hours of sleepless rest, we get up
at 1:30 for our hospital induction. Although we planned to be at a birth center, due to our
suspected Intrauterine Growth Restriction, we chose to induce at week 38.
As we made our way through security, I felt a bit awkward as my husband heaved a cart 
full of backpacks with a cooler, pillow, and futon mattress hanging off the side while carrying multiple backpacks on his back and chest. The security asked me if this was my first baby because of all the stuff I had. My hypnobaby affirmations came into my head as I told myself, ‘I take complete ownership of the birth of my baby…’ Looking back, I am so happy I brought with me every single thing I did. It helped me to feel comfortable, safe, and at home. My husband joked that because we couldn’t have a home birth, we brought home with us!
4:45 am.
I was given a mobile monitor, which was really important to me. I was already 3cm
dilated on my own and was having birthing waves (aka contractions) even though I
didn’t know it! It was time for my first dose of cytotec.
The triage room was squishy. Everything was new around me. I felt a bit overwhelmed
and tired. Over the next several hours, my Hypnobabies birthing day affirmation tracks
played in the background, creating a baseline of calm for me. And, as my birthing waves
started to ebb and flow with more strength, I stared at my belly with fascination and
awe! I looked forward to each upcoming wave!
We moved to the birthing room. My husband set up my futon mattress on the floor. It
was my queen birthing bed! After eating breakfast and taking a walk around the hallways, my husband and I had a dance party! Dancing was so fun! With every birthing wave, I sat down and turned my hypnotic mental light switch off, releasing my muscles
to be completely comfortable and relaxed. I would direct the orange glowing
hypno-anesthesia (Hypnobabies mental tool) to exactly where I needed it in my body. Afterwards, I got up and kept
dancing! A few hours later…
Still 3 cm dilated.
I took a second dose of cytotec.
After the dance floor was finished, I tried to rest. I was having fun, but I was also 
exhausted and my brain felt busy and loud. For several hours, I tried to listen to hypnosis tracks and rest, but I began to feel over stimulated. I could not quiet my mind. My thoughts were spinning very fast, and I began to cry. (Transition begins!)
My husband hugged me and helped me calm down. Instead of listening to my safe place track, we went there. We traveled to a cozy teepee in the woods with a river. My baby daughter was there too! We made river sounds, howled like the wind, and tweeted like birds. This interactive vocalizing helped me immensely. It took me out of my mind and gave me a more tangible experience. I took a cold bath (because the hospital didn’t have any hot water). My mother came to join us. I talked to her, now refreshed while stretching and relaxing on the floor.
2 PM
Still 3cm dilated.
We decided to break my waters. Water. Meconium. Followed by intense shaking and
automatic nonstop tears. I wasn’t sad, rather, I felt myself transforming. The release of
my waters felt like worlds shifting, as if heaven was lowering to meet earth, escorting my
daughter on her journey.
Sitting on my birthing ball, I would put my head down on the bed, turn my mental light switch 
off, and fully relax my body with each wave. The power began to build, and I could not contain it. I realized I could not stay still even if I wanted to. It seemed IMPOSSIBLE, completely unfathomable to remain still. I started to feel nervous. Why was my mental light switch not working!!?? Why could I not keep my muscles still as I had practiced and visualized? (Transition was in full force!) Even though we turned on the hypnosis track, ‘easier first stage,’ I did not notice or care as I couldn’t focus on it. In the back of mind, I thought I might need to ask for an epidural! After all, my hypnobaby light switch was out of order!
Building upon all the hypnosis training I did, Michelle, our doula, helped me become grounded again. She reminded me to believe in myself. She told me to accept and go with the flow of my body. She helped me remain calm, moving slowly and changing positions. I remember saying to myself, ‘I can do this.’ Michelle tweaked it a bit to ‘I AM doing this.’ This slight change made an immense difference for me, boosting my confidence in myself.
I accepted my experience, and I used my other Hypnobabies cues. With my light switch in
center mode, I said peace (another hypnotic cue word) with each exhale. I focused on releasing and relaxing every
muscle that I could. While rotating my hips and legs, I made sure my toes and fingers
were loose and limp. I would place my tongue behind my upper teeth and make sure my
jaw was relaxed. My mom told me that the entire time my hands and face were relaxed.
There was never any tension.
Instead of simply riding the waves, I became an ocean. I released my muscles like waves 
crashing to shore in a slow, powerful dance. I felt the power flowing through me, and all I could do was allow it to pulse and move in the direction it flowed… And suddenly I was pushing! I couldn’t help it.
5:47 pm.
My body took over.
Deep vocalization.
‘Aaaaaaah. Ooooopening.’ I was calling to my baby. With a little guidance from my doctor, about 10 minutes later our wonderful miracle was born! After crowning, she came out all at once in style! Instead of being at the predicated 4th percentile, she was in the 17th, impressing the entire team at 5.12 lbs. We named her ‘Pele’ which is Hebrew for wondrous miracle.
Pele, my first baby, was born less than three hours after my water was broken,
approximately 12 hours after the induction started in total peace and complete
relaxation. Her entrance into this world was truly wondrous!”
