Labour with Lemurs. Snacks and Naps.

It is 2026 and I am sitting down to write my second birth story feeling grateful for another incredible birth memory.   I had an incredible first birth experience with my boy in 2024 and when I found out I was pregnant again, I immediately knew I wanted a repeat. Of course, it would be a different birth but I was certain I wanted to use the hypnobirthing skills I acquired and reached out to my incredible instructor Karis. My baby girl was born on April 14th 2026 and this is our story.

I chose to give birth in a hospital where the maternity unit had a beautiful lake and mountain view, wonderful midwives, and a Doctor I felt comfortable with. 

Even though I had all the right tools from my first birth and initial hypnobirthing class, I felt a bit anxious, my first birth was such a dream experience and I was worried about the ‘what ifs’. This time around, I knew it would be a different ball game with a toddler at home and new life dynamics compared to the first pregnancy. Besides the hypnobirthing refresher, all the birth prep (dates, acupuncture, perineal massage, raspberry leaf tea, you name it….) I also made sure we had an on-call plan for my son to be looked after while I was at the hospital. As any good control freak, I tried to plan all the details and account for all the ‘what ifs’ while trying to accept it would be a DIFFERENT birth. 

Karis really helped me to accept this and go into it with a fresh mind. She helped keep me grounded and focused on the things that worked for me the first time around. Overall, I felt prepared and very relaxed - I did not have any anxiety about the birth itself and was able to enjoy life at home with my boy while we waited patiently for my baby girl to arrive. I am not a patient person at all, so this in itself is really incredible! I listened to the MP3s and meditations with my son as often as I could - this was so special as they are the same ones I listened to while preparing for his birth and played them many times when he was a baby to help him relax. Involving him in this journey while we waited for his baby sister was truly special!

Well, I was so relaxed about the birth and enjoying the journey that in hindsight, I was in early labour for at least 3 days before giving birth and did not even notice (or maybe just did not want to admit it).

My doctor had told me baby girl’s due date was April 7, not sure why but in my mind my due date was always April 14 - with a chance she may come later as did my son. From the 7th onward, i had several doctor appointments and CTG scans to make sure she was fine, but I for sure knew she would not come earthside before the 14th. 

THE DAYS BEFORE

As we moved into the second part of April, i knew we would soon no longer be a family of 3 and I was determined to fight the rainy April weather to enjoy as many activities as possible with my boy and my husband. For some days i was having Braxton-hicks and embraced that my body was preparing for her arrival. Weekend getaways, city trips to eat out, lake walks, hikes in the forest…. At times the sensations felt quite strong but I continued my normal active life of sports and movement and dismissing my husband every time he suggested I might be in labour. 

On Sunday, it really hit me that it might be the last weekend before baby girl arrived and so decided we would go to the zoo. In the pouring rain with my huge belly and hip ache (she had dropped down quite a bit) we proceeded to go see elephants and look for lemurs, climbing the stairs in the lemur house and spotting the little guys in the trees with my son. I did have to pause at times from the intense sensations and fighting off my husband’s ‘’wouldn’t it be funny if you gave birth at the zoo?’’.

Monday I was super tired, not sleeping well from the weight of my baby girl on my hips and feeling she was dropping lower and lower. I went for a hike with my son, attended my Pilates lessons, did my shopping and cooking and enjoyed a normal day…. having to pause here and there as the sensations were getting intense. We put my son to bed as normal and stayed up talking with my husband till really late - lots of discuss and sleep was not taking over. 

THE DAY OF

At around 00:30, when I finally got back into bed after the 15th time of getting up to pee, I thought ‘Yay now I can finally sleep’. As I rolled onto my side, I felt a POP and water trickle down...  

ME: ‘I think my waters just broke’.   

HUSBAND half asleep: ‘As in you’re giving birth?’ 

I sat up and felt more water trickle down as I made my way to the bathroom half asleep, thinking I should call the hospital (still not worried or focused on the fact I was in labour). As I was looking for their number, my husband comes in already dressed with the car keys in his hand ready to go. In almost 10 years I have never seen the man get ready so fast while me, always one step ahead and rushing, was super chill still thinking baby girl would not be here before 24-48 hours (I really wanted to go to sleep). The hospital asked us to come in just to run a CTG and make sure she was fine - I was sure I would be back in my bed after the CTG confirmed she was okay. 

My husband went to pick up the nanny for my son and off we went to the hospital. The sensations did intensify but I was still determined I would be back in bed soon and NOT having a baby today. Nevertheless, a little voice in my head suggested I cancel my 8 am Pilates class for the coming day, so while I was walking around my kitchen breathing through -what I still convinced myself were Braxton hicks - I was managing my schedule and appointments for the coming days while debating whether I should take the hospital bag with me or not (baby girl is not coming today, I cannot wait to go back to sleep).

While we drove to the hospital, water trickling down and not stopping, I did time my (still not really) contractions and realised they were 5 mins apart quite regularly and lasting 1 min +. The drive to the hospital was great as we listened to music and saw a fox crossing the road. As we arrived, I tried to convince my husband we could leave the hospital bag in the car - I was still sure I’d be back in bed soon. I gave up and upstairs we went with the hospital bag.

A lovely midwife welcomed us and helped us get settled while we ran the CTG. I told her ‘Let’s just check baby girl is okay so I can go home’. As I told her the timings of the contractions and she also saw them on the scan, she gave me a look like NO you’re not going home and this baby is on her way.

She had read my birth plan and also all the info of my first birth and I felt truly heard and catered to. She asked for permission to check the cervix, which was already around 4cm when we arrived at the hospital at 1:40 am. 

She set up the birth rope and everything I wanted and I started to accept that no, I was not going home to sleep in my bed after all…. Things progressed really fast, again breathing through the contractions, moving around, having my snacks and coconut water. As with my first birth, I did not experience labour nor the contractions as painful but was really present and breathing through it all.

The midwife was great, she encouraged me, let me do what felt right, complimented the breathing and the movements, encouraging me to just listen to my body and do what felt right. She offered aromatherapy - lavender was what i chose. I remember that before blacking out on the couch my husband complained it smelled strong (poor guy was so exhausted by the last few days, probably worried any minute I’d be birthing his daughter while at the zoo or at Pilates and having to deal with my denial).  As midwife and I spoke between contractions, he was sleep-talking on the couch (pretty hilarious scene, I can imagine)

I still really wanted sleep but no - that was not going to happen any time soon so baby girl and I were going to work together to make this a great experience.

I felt baby girl moving down - and even though I was so concentrated on my breathing and could not remember which positions worked in which moment, I just went within and felt so connected with my baby, as she moved to make her descent, I just let my body respond and move to help her out and it just worked! I could almost visualise the different turns and movements she was making on her way and I felt we were so connected and working together, completely in sync. It was such a great feeling, especially as i had some guilt this pregnancy as did not have as much time to focus and connect with her compared to my first pregnancy. The labour and the connection i felt with my baby was truly incredible and completely made up for anything i may have missed during the pregnancy. This feeling of connection gave me so much strength and energy and i remember just enjoying the moment and experience.

I listened to the affirmations and then just the music of the meditations as I moved around the room. The breathing techniques, as in my first birth, were the main tool I used and worked so well. I tried different positions, birthing ball, all fours, hip openers, and the midwife did some counter pressure massage. Before I knew it i felt the need to push - such a new feeling as I did not have this in my first birth (it was an assisted birth). The midwife asked if she could check my cervix again - her use of language and how she phrased things, I realise now was super positive. She asked ‘Do you want me to tell you what I feel? When the contraction is there, you are about 9-10cm, but when it stops it is 6 cm, so we need to give your body some more time before you push. How about you lie on your side?’ - Looking back at my discussions with Karis and some of the examples we covered, I can totally see how important her choice of words and tone were. Funny enough, between this moment and when I was fully dilated not more than 15 mins passed. 

I asked the midwife if I could just chill for an hour when i was fully dilated and have a snack and nap. Midwife looked at me like she was very amused but just agreed. She was very sweet and respectful but I could tell she was quite amused by us and the vibe in the room. I smile thinking back at the evening - so far from the dramatic birth stories we often hear about. 

My husband was snoring on the couch and she suggested we wake him up (not sure why as I was ready for my hour of rest and snacks…). Again, things moved superfast and at this point I could not resist the urge to push - as all ladies, baby girl was on a mission to be born and nothing was going to stop her. Before I knew it, she was on her way out. Another midwife came in to help direct the baby out while I stayed on my side. The midwifes let my body do the work, only ‘directing’ my breathing to help between the pushes - more than directing i would say they were reminding me to breathe into my stomach and encouraging me she was close. I must have pushed a max of 20 mins and at 4:37 my baby girl was in my arms, covered in vernix with a head full of hair!!

I did not notice at what point my doctor came in but i noticed she was now in the room - again wonderful and very kind person, who arrived on the scene quietly to not interrupt the magical flow of events taking place. My husband was so out of it having fallen asleep and being woken up to our baby girl coming into the world so quickly. He cut the umbilical cord as we tried to make sense of how quickly everything had gone by. Our baby girl was finally here!

The doctor checked to see i was okay and we waited for the placenta to come out. They left us privacy to enjoy the first hour together while I nursed my beautiful baby girl for the first time just feeling so much love for her and gratitude for my body and what it had just done.

I could not believe how fast it all had happened - everything went so smoothly and it had been a dream birth experience.

Hypnobirthing allowed me to feel relaxed not just during the hospital but in the days leading up to it, allowing my body go be relaxed and for labour to progress naturally. I truly believe this natural flow was what made the active labour so short - arrived at the hospital at 1:40, got settled for the CTG scan by 2:15, from there things intensified and my baby girl was in my arms at 4:37 - less than 3 hours!

The classes with Karis and the tools I learned and practiced allowed me to build a deep connection and awareness of my body. I was lucky to have a incredible midwife who listened to what i wanted and was prepared to help me achieve my birth plan and did everything she could to support me in achieving that. It almost went by too quickly and it was such a great experience I would not have minded it taking a while longer just so I could savour the moment!

Now that this beautiful birth story is in the past, I look back at it with nostalgia and pride and a lot of gratitude to my instructor and the courses. 

For me the concept and idea of birth (thanks to Karis and the hypnobirthing course) was so positive, not painful, and just enjoyable, I had no stress or worry as due date approached and i was so relaxed till the last minute (so much that i was in early labour for days just doing my thing and enjoying life) so relaxed about when and if it would happen and more than anything so confident in my ability to face it. I felt so strong and powerful and connected with my baby and so in control of the experience and confident.

My first birth was the best experience and I was worried I could not be so lucky to have a repeat great memory. Karis was right - it would be a different birth and a different baby but it was so incredibly perfect. I feel so grateful and blessed that I can recount two perfect birth stories, so different yet both so perfect!  This was a truly a dream natural birth experience and once again I was super lucky with the staff and midwifes i met.

After two perfect births I can safely say the hypnobirthing course with Karis is one of the best investments i made. I look back at both my births with so much happiness, nostalgia, and a little tear in my eye as I feel so empowered and strong. These experiences had a massive impact on my confidence, how I was able to connect with each of my babies and embrace my new life as a mom (and now mom of two) with such a positive and optimistic mindset. I cannot imagine how different things would have been in my journey to motherhood if my birth memories had not been a positive beginning.

Cannot recommend this course enough - one of the most empowering things I ever did! THANK YOU