A Home Birth Hypnobirthing Story: Jen and Andrew Welcome Chase

This story was shared with us, with permission, from a student at our Fenton location taught by our instructor Becky. This story is a fun one with lots of twists and turns but the ending is every bit amazing and emotional. Please enjoy reading sweet little Chase’s birth story.

“First of all, this story will never give true details and justice to my husband who was there with me every step of the way. No words can describe the lengths he and my midwife Jill Roper and her team went for me to make this happen. I legitimately could not have done it without them. They need their own separate post and/or parade. My labor was about 20 hours long (4 hours of that was pushing) and without any drugs. It was the hardest most rewarding work I’ve ever done.

40 wks + 5 days pregnant and OVER. IT. Waiting for Chase to come on his own was a test of patience and I was running out! There were lots of tears, complaining and hiding from the outside world. I decided to take a nap and cried myself to sleep while Andrew rubbed my back. When I woke up around 3pm, I had some different contractions that my normal Braxton Hicks which had been very strong over the last week. We got up to run some errands and things stayed “different.” Andrew asked if I wanted to go walk to our special bench in the park and something told me we should get home, so we did. I REALLY wanted clean hair for labor so after I showered, I texted my midwife Jill and told her contractions were picking up. She asked me to time them and call her when things changed. We were ready! Andrew and I ordered and ate some dinner, I cleaned for the 1,000th time and continued timing contractions. I was easily breathing through them, knowing it was best to keep my body calm and relaxed. By now, they were about 3.5 min apart and about a min long so I called Jill and she said what I so badly wanted to hear: “We are on our way over!” The peace I felt sitting on my couch knowing I didn’t have to leave my home for labor & delivery was overwhelming. I turned on the TV and we waited for the team to arrive.

Jill arrived first and we went up to Chase’s room so she could listen to his heart rate and she also checked to see how dilated I was. 6cm/90% effaced! I felt relieved that I was that “far” without any pain and (wishfully) thought that maybe this would all go fast! When the rest of the team arrived, I chilled on my couch with my favorite blanket while everyone else set up. Then we all relaxed and chatted in the living room and just...waited.

I’ve read that the concept of time escapes you when you’re in true active labor and that was absolutely the case for me. I don’t remember many fine details after sitting in the living room with the team or in what order things went.

I believe around 10pm, the intensity was picking up and I was having trouble shutting my brain off and letting my body do its best job. We went upstairs so I could try some different movements and positions and ended up draped over my bed while sitting on an exercise ball. Didn’t like it so I got up to move and had the worst contraction yet...so much so that it made me throw up violently about 6 or 7 times. Best puke I’ve ever had. Jill reassured me that it was pushing the baby down and totally normal. I felt AMAZING for like 10 minutes after that and Andrew and I laughed about it. After that, to the pool I went. The water felt AMAZING and I was weightless, able to move around as I pleased. The lights were off & everyone was relaxing. In my mind I wondered why everyone was so chill when it felt like I was in the true thick of things. I had a long way to go. I resorted to moaning to get through the contractions and after 4 hours of that, Jill was worried that all those vocals wore me out so she insisted Andrew and I go upstairs to lay down and I was told to breathe only. No using my voice. I asked her to check me before we went up. 8cm.

Andrew and I laid in bed, holding hands, while he helped me breathe through the toughest contractions yet until the sun came up. I actually was falling asleep in between contractions (no idea how long those breaks were). Somewhere in there Jill checked me and I was finally 10cm! I felt relieved and scared at the same time. I was ready to start pushing but I was scared of this next level of pain. She had me shower and I think I was in there for about an hour. When I got out, it was time to push!

All this time after reading about labor I had been so curious (and kinda scared) of the “transition” where you finish dilating to 10cm and then have this moment where you need to EXIT THIS BIRTH lol. For a lot of people, it is the most intense part of labor. I don’t recall any sort of transition and this last phase of pushing (for 4 hours) was by far the most physically challenging thing I’ve ever endured. This is where time and details really go out the window. After pushing for who knows how long, the team realized that Chase was stuck on my cervical lip. They “melted it down” using ice (yup, up there) inside a loose rubber glove. I was changing positions and locations often during this phase. To the bathroom, the floor, the bed, back and forth for hours. Now Chase was stuck a SECOND time, as he was having trouble navigating his way over my low pubic bone (I think this is what they said). My pelvis was plenty big enough but the way the bone was wasn’t working. More “things” happening and I was definitely getting discouraged and so very tired. Everyone was doing their part to take care of me between using cold rags, giving me liquids, feeding me honey, and using essential oils for me to smell. I felt like it would never end. They assured me Chase was just fine in there (legit cool as a cucumber) and I WAS making progress but I was in so much pain and letting it get to my mind. Finally my water broke!!! I felt my spirits lift a bit and they were starting to see Chase’s hair! The last hour felt like an eternity trying to get his noggin out. I was on the bed, leaning back on Andrew and apparently DAMAGING his quads with how hard I was gripping him. I wanted to be done so badly. The team & Andrew were cheering for me with every good push and while on my hands and knees, FINALLY his head came out! I knew the end was in sight. Then...they asked me to flip onto my back....with his head out. WHAT?! I did what I was told and with the next contraction, Chase Andrew Charlesworth, our precious baby boy, my new heart and soul, was right in front of our eyes.

I couldn’t believe I was looking at the sweet boy who had been with me day & night for the last 10 months...he was finally here. Daddy cried, Jill cried, I cried, Chasey cried. Andrew said while crying “we’re gonna need a new bed, and that’s ok.” (We don’t) I also couldn’t believe I DID IT. I put my body and soul into birthing a 9lb 5oz, 21.5 inch baby IN MY BEDROOM. The rush of love and accomplishment was unlike anything I have or will ever experience again. I just kept crying “I did it.” I have never been more proud of myself. BUT...One more hurdle to get over...my placenta wasn’t budging. Something that usually takes no time at all to come out, wasn’t coming out. I had birthed this baby and now I was having contractions that were as INTENSE as pushing contractions. Off and on for 2 hours the team tried & I was losing a lot of blood. FINALLY my angel, Jill, on a mission, GOT IT OUT. Then, they left Andrew and I alone to cherish some time as a family of 3. Mister baby was weighed, examined, and began breastfeeding after that while we ate my FAVORITE pizza. And after the team cleaned up, we were tucked in our clean bed to love on our sweet baby. The last few days have been nothing short of magical. Andrew and I have recalled detail after detail about those 20 hours...the funny things, the scary things and then we both end up in tears looking at our sweet son. We are a family of 3 now and we have never been stronger, more in love with each other, and more in love than we are with our sweet Chasey-Poo. It’s a great week to be a Charlesworth.”

Thank you to Jen and Andrew for sharing this incredible birth story with us!

If you are looking for Hypnobirthing classes or just classes that will better prepare you for an enjoyable, more ‘in control’ birth we offer classes all over the Metro-Detroit area. This story comes from our Fenton location but we also offer classes in Brighton, Ann Arbor, Rochester, Royal Oak, and Sterling Heights. Please check our website here for class schedules and registration.