Sofia Bernardin's Birth Experience from Paris

Dear Dr Motha,

I would like to thank you for giving me the strength and confidence to have a beautiful and natural childbirth. I am based in Paris and followed your method from afar via The Gentle Birth Method book.

I thoroughly enjoyed following the birth method throughout my pregnancy. I was light on my feet, fit, and incredibly active until the very last day. However, I felt incredibly insecure when I learned that the hospital in Paris where I was due to give birth (though extremely well‑reputed) administered epidurals to 95% of its patients. I was certain that when the day arrived, I would not find sufficient support for a natural birth and would eventually give in to an epidural.

Nevertheless, I followed your birth method with great enthusiasm because it made me feel great and because I had never felt so alive, alert, calm, and prepared for something in my entire life.

I woke up on November 11th, 2012 knowing that this was the day. I spent my entire day calm and relaxed, even as the contractions strengthened by evening, coming every 3 minutes. At 2:30am I decided that it was time to leave for the hospital, and when we arrived I was 7cm dilated.

I checked in, and by the time I was installed in the labour room I was at 9cm. My midwife told me that there was still time to administer an epidural if I wanted one. I realised that I felt incredibly prepared and in remarkably little pain, and if I had made it this far, I was ready to see my baby.

The pushing stage of the labour process took longer than expected, as my contractions slowed down to five minutes apart, making it very difficult to keep the momentum. I felt myself losing confidence as I saw the midwives exchanging mildly concerned glances.

At this point exhaustion took over; I was convinced that I would never make it and regretted not having taken the epidural. Just as this sense of defeat started to shadow over me, I thought of everything I had learned through the gentle birth method and refocused my energy positively.

Shortly thereafter, I delivered a beautiful baby boy weighing 3.3 kilos, with no need for episiotomy and no tearing. My son is incredibly zen and calm, reflecting how I feel as a mother, and I would like to thank you immensely for this experience.

Sofia Bernardin