Hi Katrina, I love your book { A Modern Woman’s Guide to a Natural Empowering Birth} and found it very helpful and empowering in the lead up to the birth of my daughter.
I found the book helpful because I had such a negative birth experience the first time around and I felt like all I heard was negative stories from absolutely everyone.
I had really bad anxiety about the whole idea of going through a labour and birth again.
I attended calm birthing classes with Emily Jones (Hypnobirthing Practitioner, Acacia Wellness) and it was her that recommended I get your book.
It was nice to replace the numerous negative stories with more positive ones. I’m pretty sure that was your intention in writing it so thank you.
I had the VBAC I wanted. My waters broke the full Hollywood style, no one tells you the fluid continues to come out in copious amounts its not just t that one gush lol. We called the hospital and were asked to come in even though the contractions hadn’t really started.
It was actually very healing as I had all the same things as my first birth but because it was a much more positive experience it rewrote the memories and associations. I was at the same hospital and as the contractions really started I was actually wheeled into the same room as my first birth.
I remember thinking “oh no here we go again”, but instead decided to be open and let it be the new experience it was instead of expecting it to turn out like last time. I even had the same midwives and then the same recovery room on the ward after. I felt much more empowered and assertive this time around. I also felt much more supported as everyone around me knew what I wanted instead of pushing what they thought would be best for me. I got the skin to skin and early breastfeeding that I wanted too.
Now when I recount the story I get all teary from happiness. I even feel more positive about my memories from my first birth, like I said, it was really healing!
I honestly really do recommend your book to other pregnant women. I don’t know why we feel the need to fill each others heads with the horror stories when it’s so unhelpful. They really are the exception not the norm and don’t help in getting you into a good mindset leading up to labour. Everyone has a horror story, I remember being in the bank and even the bank teller was telling us her horrific story. I remember looking at her wanting to tell her to shut up but at the same time I could see she was really hurting and needed to still process what happened to her.
We don’t hear the positive or even “normal” stories enough and they’re the ones we need to be filling our heads with to be able to go into the birthing experience calm and confident.
Anything could happen but having the right mindset can really set you up for a positive experience.
Emma Biggar, VBAC mother
