Born on 18th March 2019 as planned, and it was completely marvellous!
I wanted to thank you so much for your help and support, the sessions we had really helped me to work through my fear and recalibrate my feelings about going through it all again. The techniques you showed me were invaluable and helped me to manage on the day when I started to feel overwhelmed (particularly when receiving the spinal block, eek!), but actually overall I felt very calm and even excited. The birth went exactly as planned and we were so well supported by my midwife and the whole team- it felt exactly as we discussed in our sessions, and my husband and I ended up having a really lovely, enjoyable day and night on the ward. Since then there have been some challenges- he's a very (very!) hungry baby so keeping him fed and his sister entertained can be quite full on, but even my recovery from surgery felt more manageable and overall I still feel pretty zen about the whole enterprise- and I'm still using the breathing techniques when it gets a bit much! I have always been a bit cynical about this sort of thing, but I cannot describe how much you helped me get through this period, and I am blown away that only two sessions can yield results that I will be using for the rest of my life. In a nutshell, you have given me back the confidence that I can handle things, even when the going gets tough. You have made me feel capable!
Thanks again and all the best,
Becky May 2019
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http://shoutengine.com/LondonHeal/if-the-duchess-kate-uses-hypnobirthing-maybe-you-57344
Thank you Wendy for your valuable hypnobirthing course.
The trauma release therapy (tracing limiting habits & patterns) was invaluable as I was able to iron out anything I was holding onto and release this before the birth. It helped enormously as I felt freer and more understanding of my body and mind.
I played your hypnobirthing audio on repeat throughout the birth. It was a support in the background and a soothing yet empowering support that kept me going. I had the birthing experience of my dreams. I never knew it was possible and I'm very grateful.
My husband was also very relaxed and in control of himself as a birthing partner. He had come to see you for hypnotherapy and he said it was a huge benefit. For both of us, our experience was a totally different and more positive one, compared to my first birthing experience.
I had a lot of health problems with my second pregnancy so I was really concerned. But your voice and coaching made me feel as though I could do it, and I did!
Natasha 2019
July 17
Our little girl arrived on 4th July weighing 7lb and 1oz :) we're all doing well so far, sleeping and feeding well already gained 7oz not losing any of her birth weight either :)
Thank you so much for all your support in clinic and with hypnobirthing. Our birth experience was so relaxing this time, to the extent that we nearly didn't make it to the labour ward at princess royal. I was really happy at home and in the car on the journey to the hospital, wanted to have a walk around the car park when we got there (!) luckily my husband advised against it and by the time we got to Bolney ward to check in I was already 9cm dilated! Our little girl was born less than half an hour later! I wish we'd got to the hospital a bit earlier so we could use the pool as I felt the last moments were a bit rushed and the midwives really surprised I was so far along (!) but all in all the experience has been so positive.
The hypnobirthing techniques that you gave us were absolutely invaluable and I feel so proud of myself that I was able to use them so effectively. Thank you so much Wendy for giving us the tools to make our birth such a great experience, I can't thank you enough. (Lewes)
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July 17
Hi Wendy,
I just want to say a huge thank you for all the wonderful antenatal care you provided me and especially the 2 refresher sessions I had.
I know I lucked out a bit having total continuity and only seeing you during pregnancy, but it made a huge difference to my overall sense of wellbeing during this pregnancy. This coupled with the tapping and trauma release work was invaluable. I felt so centred and calm towards the end of my pregnancy and as I entered labour. I did not have any fear around the birth and delivery and I really think a lot of that was down to the 2 excellent sessions you gave me. I also managed to successfuly take off my midwife hat!
I went to sleep at about 10.30pm on Monday 10th and woke up 2 hours later with strong period like pains. I stayed in bed and rested, tried to sleep though it but they were quite strong and regular. So I got out of bed at about 4am and put the TENS on. At this point I called my mum to come and be with our son in case he woke.. I also let my partner know labour had started but that he could stay asleep as I was managing fine. I went to the toilet and had a bloody show then started timing the contractions. They were coming about 3-5 mins apart but still only lasting 30 secs at this point.
My mum arrived around 5am and went into our sons room to sleep. I was on the ball and generally pretty active over the next 2 hours. My other birth partner and friend arrived at about 7am and our sons other grandparents came and picked him up. My partner was up by then and sorting everything out. I ran a bath and found that really helpful. The midwife on that day called at about 8.30 to see how I was doing.. I said she could come over but I didn't want to be examined. She arrived about an hour later with the second midwife .
The contractions were pretty intense by 10am and mostly in my back.. I remained quite active, using breathing techniques and in and out the bath. I held off being examined until midday. At which point I was 5cm with baby in OP position! So I got to walking up and down the stairs sideways and the midwives used some 'spinning baby' techniques to try and help baby turn.. I knelt on the sofa with my head on the floor and they put a big shawl under my belly and 'shook' it from side to side. We did this intermittently over the next hour or so. I was also using Entonox at this point as it was really intense back labour.
I then actually felt baby shift position and said I think she's turned! Within about half an hour I felt a really strong urge to push. I kept changing positions and then the pushing started in earnest. My waters broke at 13.53 and I pushed her out at 14.01! She came straight onto my chest where she remained for the next hour. I had a totally physiological 3rd stage. We all climbed into bed with tea and toast and she breastfed brilliantly.
I can't explain how happy I am to have had this birth experience.. I will be letting everyone know how invaluable hypnobirthing and especially trauma release work with tapping is.
Thank you so much again,
Hope to see you soon
( Midwife )
April 17
Hi Wendy, I just wanted to send you a quick message to say that our son was born at home in water on Saturday and it was the most incredible experience of my life, everything exactly exactly as I asked and I couldn't have done it without the things we learned at hypno birthing. I would like to send you my imagined and actual birth story when I have stopped spending every hour weeping sloppily over our baby!!!! To show the great comparison. But I just wanted so say for now I'm so grateful for your huge part in that :)
July 16
She went into the birthing pool and she had no pain relief she was amazing. She breathed and hummed her baby down. She stood up, on her side on all fours. Baby then came quickly.
We were both overcome when he arrived. The midwives noticed the breathing techniques and said have you done a hippo birthing course?
I'm certain we would not have been so well prepared if it hadn't been for your guidance both during the course and throughout pregnancy, we are both deeply grateful to you and imagine ourselves hugely lucky to have had the fate to meet you.
We will always be hugely thankful for your support
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August 2016
Thank you - and a massive massive thank you for everything, especially the hypnobirthing support and advice. I really couldn't have gone in and done it so smoothly! Really really had a lovely birth and as you said, I would happily do it again tomorrow!
If you'd like any recommendation etc let me know xx
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...... Aug 16: Thank you for last weeks session, I’m feeling so much better and so much more confident! ...........................................................................................................................
I am not sure how to put into words how grateful I am to Wendy for completely changing my life around.
I found out last October I was expecting again (it was our 3rd child but 4th pregnancy) we weren't trying so the shock soon turned into terror, I just literally, genuinely thought I was going to die giving birth.
My 2nd pregnancy had resulted in a missed, ruptured ectopic, I collapsed in the street and was rushed to accident and emergency but had to wait in a corridor for 2 days. It was unknown that I was internally bleeding eventually I was scanned. I required emergency surgery to remove my right fallopian tube.
I found out I was pregnant again 9 months later, it was all I could think about was to be pregnant again (too soon really I now realise as I never addressed my trauma of the 2nd) .Sadly after giving birth to my beautiful daughter I had a major haemorrhage losing 2 litres of blood I was rushed in for general surgery & had to stay in hospital for almost a week.
Slowly as time went by I started to have a fear of blood and of dying.
I developed migraines and had a couple of panic attacks.
Wendy saw me as my midwife at the beginning of my pregnancy where I broke down (she has been my midwife for all of my pregnancies) I told her all my fears and erratic thoughts and she suggested hypnotherapy.
I have not looked back since! It was quite possibly the best thing I have ever done! We went over the traumas and revisited the places that made me the most anxious and she enabled me to see things in a different light. I am the most relaxed I have been in such a long time (even with 3 children!).
I gave birth in June and I used her breathing techniques and I went to my 'happy place' quite a lot during my contractions.
It wasn't without drama at one point it was looking like an emergency caesarean as my daughter was face first but I didn't freak out I stayed completely calm and all because of Wendy. In the end I delivered 10 mins later (after her head was moved slightly) and it was the most amazing birthing experience I have had.
Wendy, I want to thank you with all my heart, so does my husband he says I am back to how I used to be!'
Shelley Lewes Sept 2018
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November 15
Wow, I had to write to you to tell you just how incredible my birth experience was! I have felt so empowered and inspired by my experience, and amazed that it could be so enjoyable. I really believe that this was completely down to the hypnobirthing but also to you Wendy - You were such an inspiration to me and filled me with confidence and strength. I sort of knew somewhere when I found your website that I just had to meet you and I'm so so glad I did. It was a surreal time as I partly felt I wanted to lie down and listen to the MP3's and relax, but my body kept me moving and wandering around the house - I even printed some things off the computer - I've heard women do strange things at home when they're in labour! It was brilliant - I loved distracting myself and had no idea I was really quite close to meeting my baby! Finally the pool was up after some tap connector problems, and by this stage I was feeling a lot of pressure, but still no pain with the surges. We had candles in the room and the Wisehippo music playing. I felt a pushing urge. This went with the next surge and then on the second surge the pushing was extra strong and I was upright in a squatting position hugging the side of the pool and my baby literally birthed herself - I didnt push at all but felt lots of pressure and almost a pop and then felt her head had been born! When the surge subsided I smiled as I knew with the next surge she would be born. Sure enough she was born on the next surge and Karen the midwife told me to reach down and bring her up, she felt solid and warm and slippery as I brought her to my chest. I was as high as a kite and grinning from ear to ear! I felt pretty much no pain, just stretching, opening and pressure. I didnt have any stitches. I wanted to say a huge thank you for everything. I found the hypnobirthing brilliant and would recommend it to everyone. I especially liked the affirmations and found these running through my mind a lot during labour. I wasnt too able to spend much time in my special places but I think this was down to the quick labour. I am dying to hear everyone else's stories, do you think the group would be interested in meeting up with babes in tow?!
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I took your hypnobirthing class in March and wanted to sincerely thank you for helping me prepare for labour. Your class had such a profound impact on me, not just for labour, I have adopted so many of the techniques into my every day life and I am forever grateful to you for teaching me. We welcomed our baby boy last month, he had a calm birth with no interventions and I had the most wonderful experience bringing him into this world. And funnily enough, my labour started at the exact time on the very day that I put in my birth plan! Thank you again, I really meant it when I said that I use the techniques in my everyday life, the whole family does! And my daughter has not only been using the cloak of protection, she has been teaching her friends to use it, too. And it's good to hear that our friend is joining the movement, I promise to keep spreading the word!..... ..................... Hi Wendy, Please find attached our feedback. We both found the course so useful - I have recommended to just about everyone, even my own midwife! If it wasn't for pilates I'd probably not have signed up to any hypnobirthing courses and I would be approaching my due date feeling very anxious right now. Thankfully, I'm actually looking forward to going into labour and putting all those hypnobirthing techniques into practise! Thanks ......................
I have been meaning to email you for a month!! I wanted to say thank you so much for 2 great review sessions - they were SO helpful. I felt you gave us a renewed sense of awe for the birthing process and a beautiful anticipation. We had a wonderful birth - almost exactly as I had hoped for with the ideal birth exercise. It was a Saturday afternoon - the girls were out - and I was tucked up in bed 4hrs after it started with our baby. It was amazing! We had a little girl - - 7lb 10 (our smallest yet) in 3.5hrs. The amazing part was the sense of peace and calm we felt and how little time (just 10mins) that felt completely full-on. The rest was entirely manageable and I felt really present for it. I listened to my hypnobirthing CD's for the whole labour and for the first 2 hours I just wanted to be on my own upstairs so the midwifes who arrived really respected this and they had a cup of tea downstairs with my husband. After 2.5hrs I moved down to the pool (at which point a fabulous midwife - Kate - took over) and then our daughter was born after just 5 pushes. So perfect and better almost than I had hoped! So I just wanted to say a huge thank you for encouraging us to dream boldly Sam ........................................