Matilda’s Birth Story- 24.3.21

Born at 40+1 - Spontaneous 6.5hour labour, normal vaginal birth in water, physiological birth of the placenta, early discharge home.

It was the night of our estimated due date, 23rd of March. I was convinced nothing would happen as it is very uncommon for any birth to be ‘on time’, so my partner Dave and I got Indian take away for dinner. We truely stuffed our faces, indulged and relaxed on the couch together. With a belly full of curry and naan bread, I thought it would be a good time to go through our birth intentions/Spotify playlist/Dave’s support toolkit etc. After we went through it all, I took myself off to bed around 8:30pm to listen to some tracks and relax. Come 9:00pm I started to feel what was period-like pains, not uncommon as I felt them on and off days leading up to the labour. This time they were more intense, went down my legs and extended around my back. I heard you talk about how contractions begin at the front then they move to the back, and this was certainly it. I was timing them at 5 minutes apart from the get go, things were happening.

I was already listening to my affirmations, which I continued to do until I felt the need to let Dave know. Things were continuing at the same pace, so I yelled out ‘babe….I think I’m having contractions’ to which he jumped off the couch and ran in with a smile. I told him to relax whilst I rode the small waves myself in bed, listening to the affirmations and using my breathing techniques.

An hour or so goes by with surges 3-4 minutes apart, I thought it would be a good time to put on the TENS machine and get it working..this thing saved me.

Riding the surges leaning over fitball was my position throughout early labour, it was where I was my most comfortable. I found myself here for the next 5 hours, as the labour progressed the surges were coming closer together at approximately 2 minutes apart. I called my midwife Jen who I was lucky enough to get in an MGP at my local hospital, who came and assessed/sat with us for a while to see whether it was time to go in. I originally didn’t want to know my dilation, but riding the waves for what felt like forever I wanted a benchmark, and something to work with before making the choice to move locations. After all the work and effort, I was only 2cm dilated….though I felt deep down this was not how it was going to go…she was coming soon.

Jen mentioned she would go home and to call her in an hour, though long after her leaving, my waters half broke and I vomited ALL of my delicious curry and naan bread..gross.

Things really started to ramp up after the huge release, where I started to question whether I could continue being only so early on in labour. I tried to not let that change my mindset as anything can happen. We called Jen later as a suggested, finding she went to the hospital just in case, she sensed things would be happening soon too.

We hopped in the car for the 20 minute drive to the hospital, I was in the back seat moaning and after one intense contraction my waters fully released. Not long after, I started to feel the pressure I heard so much about..I felt I was close to transition.

Dave parked the car, which felt SO far away from the entrance. I had 4 surges between the entry and the birth suite, which was not far at all.

I flopped on the fitball, rode a few surges and felt the need to go to the toilet..and I know what that meant. The TENS machine was no longer helping and I needed to get into water. The birth pool was not going to be ready in time, Jen prepared the bath down the hallway, which again felt like a lifetime away..walking 10 meters!

I hopped in the bath, and i immediately surrendered, my body literally took over and it was just in time. I was able to use my pranayama breathing techniques to control her coming into the world, as she was eager to come out. My sister arrived in Aus a few days earlier, and she came into the hospital just when I was hopping into the bath. It was very special to me that my sister be there, along with Dave.

Matilda Lee McCunnie was born at 3:42am on 24th March, after arriving at the hospital 40 minutes earlier, a powerful and amazing birth experience lasting 6.5 hours. We were beyond ecstatic she was here, surrounded by the best support team. I delivered the placenta physiologically on the bed, and we sat in our little love bubble while she did her first breastfeed. Luckily, we stayed in the room for 6 hours before being ready to go home.

The Hypnobirthing course we did with you was an incredible asset during labour, it gave me confidence in what I wanted, and Dave the confidence to support me throughout.

Thanks to you for the incredible support and detail in preparing us, and other couples, in transitioning into this wonderful new phase of parenthood.

Chloe Thornton is an AHPRA Registered Midwife, Registered Nurse, Birth Mentor and Hypnobirthing Australia™ Certified Practitioner.

She provides group classes virtually to families across the country each month and also has a small number of spaces available for private bespoke sessions online or in-person. She can be contacted by email at chloelouisethornton@outlook.com or phone 0493108658.

You can learn more about her Hypnobirthing Australia™ classes here.