We welcomed our beautiful baby girl Mabel into the world after the most positive, amazing and natural water birth at Blackburn Birth Centre. 

It was an intense but fast labour! Myself and Nathan (my partner) were so well informed and so ready for birth following our hypnobirthing course with Meg. I honestly feel that the knowledge we gained and adopted enabled me to birth my baby so positively, calmly, quickly and controlled – as well as my amazing birth partners (Nathan and my Mum – who is also a midwife), my wonderful midwives, my clever baby girl – Mabel, plenty of oxytocin and a dash of luck! 

I knew the importance of remaining calm and focussed throughout my labour and my birth partners commented on how well I did this. Nathan was so well informed from our course and ready – breathing with me, setting the scene, encouragement etc. The breathing techniques we learnt were key to my birth (up breathing and down breathing) and I’ll be forever thankful for gaining the knowledge and understanding to use them. How anyone can give birth without being educated in breathing techniques, I will never know. I know pregnancy yoga also supported me in focusing my breathing. 

When I hit a wall during the down stage of labour (an example of the knowledge we gained from Meg), Nathan knew exactly what to do as he knew it was coming! Even as baby was coming in and out as she was being born – he was prepared for this. Knowledge truly is power! I am so so grateful that we both had the birth education we did – we knew exactly what my body was doing. I’d had positive affirmations around the house for months so I truly trusted my body and baby. I just had some gas and air – unbelievable – I feel so proud of myself. I felt like superwoman – girl power. 

Such an empowering experience. My waters went at 6:10am, I used recommended strategies to encourage labour and get that magic oxytocin flowing (for example aromatherapy, walking, expressinh, calming environment with candles, essential oils etc). Some mild surges started at about 3pm and by about 4pm I was in established labour, my mum headed to ours at 4pm as my second birth partner, we headed to the birth centre about 5:30pm and Mabel was born at 7:52pm! I feel incredibly lucky to have had such an icredible first birth. I constantly think about it. Mabel is a dream! Thank you so much. Meg was always so passionate about birth – and I feel it too now – massively! Thank you Meg for being a part of our magical journey.