Rosemary Borthick's Birth Story
At 8.00am on the 19th March I thought I had a 'show'. I woke up my partner and said I thought something was happening. At 9.00am I phoned the hospital and Gowri. I was getting contractions every 5 minutes. The hospital said that it could well be a false alarm as I was a first time mother and to let them know if there was any change. By 10 am the contractions were every 2 minutes and I also had a slight loss of blood. The pain was intense. I phoned the hospital and Gowri again. The hospital sent an ambulance, but luckily Gowri arrived at the same time and, after examination, confirmed that I was fully dilated. The choice was either to have the baby in the ambulance or at home. So home it was!I had booked for a home water birth, which the hospital had been reluctant to agree to, because I developed gestational diabetes,(this was treated with Creative Healing on my pancreas from 30 weeks onwards and blood sugars rapidly returned to normal levels), and I was told that the baby could be hypoglycaemic. They also said they might not have enough staff to be able to guarantee a home birth. This was one of the reasons I wanted Gowri to be there as someone I knew and trusted. It became clear that we would not have time to fill up the water pool so I got in the bath. As soon as Gowri got there I felt safe and relaxed. She calmed me with her voice and anticipated my needs and explained what was happening, using visualisation and hypnosis. She also did some reflexology. I used the gas and air from the ambulance, but I mainly bit on the end.
The midwives arrived at 11.15, as did two supervisors, because on the phone they had been told there was blood loss so they were worried. Luckily in the bathroom there was only room for me, Gowri, one midwife and my partner so I had the privacy that I needed. At 11.45 and a couple of pushes the baby was born. A beautiful healthy 71b 2oz little girl called Poppy. She was not hypoglycaemic and was born very alert, but relaxed. When the midwives left, Gowri performed cranio-sacral massage on the baby and she slept for a long time.I am pleased that I maintained my desire for a home birth. I am also pleased that the baby was born in water, even if it was the bath, and that the experience was so positive. I am appalled when I listen to many women's stories of birth.
I worked very hard to achieve a good birth. I had to stick strictly to Gowri's diet and could have no sugar, (before being pregnant I was a giant bar of whole nut a night girl). I also swam and did yoga, (before being pregnant the most exercise I got was switching the TV channel). Gowri's treatments including Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Massage, Reflexology, Hypnosis and Visualisation, and Creative Healing definitely helped. I had visualised my baby's birth and apart from it being a bit quicker than anticipated and 2 days later than it was in my mind, the birth went pretty much as I had visualised.I had such a positive experience that I am planning my second baby in a few years and I would definitely want Gowri to help me again.
Rosemary Borthick