I first met Kristhal as a student midwife during my clinical internship. Once I began my practice, she sought me out to say she was pregnant with her second child and wanted me to be her midwife. We set up an initial consultation at her home so I could also meet her husband. During the visit, she shared with me what she was looking for in a midwife and a birth experience. She said she preferred a more one on one experience with her midwife team rather than have a rotation of midwives at a busy practice. She desired access to a waterbirth tub for pain management. She wanted her family to be present and supportive. She also shared she had been studying HypnoBabies since her previous pregnancy and wanted the birth team to be familiar with her comfort words to support a painless birth experience. I assured her each of these requests were within the realm of reason and possibility.
At each visit, we sat and talked, getting to know each other, and going through all the usual prenatal care assessments. Kristhal’s parents were usually present at home providing support and attention for her older daughter Valentina. I enjoyed those family visits because they gave me a deeper understanding of who Kristhal is and what she values.
In the late third trimester, there were a lot of conversations regarding the acceptance of the baby’s time to be born, a typical discussion when planning a natural birth. She was very proactive utilizing her HypnoBabies tracks not only to prepare her for a smooth and calm delivery but also ones that addressed the anticipation of arrival. This set of self-hypnosis tools for physical comfort measures and psychological support proved to be very useful for her.
The day of her 40th week I came over for a morning prenatal visit as scheduled. She requested a cervical check to see if there was any change and sure enough she was already 5cm with a mild contraction pattern. By the afternoon, the pattern became regular, and I made my way to her home a short while later. Upon my arrival, she progressed to 8cm, but I would never have known otherwise because she was so calm and relaxed. As each contraction was over, she would take off her headphones and talk to me like we were having a regular conversation. Nothing was different about her tone or demeanor except when she felt another wave coming; she would put her headphones back on and drift into self-hypnosis. It worked so well in fact that she stayed with an anterior lip for several hours without the urge to push. All vitals were normal and healthy for both Kristhal and her baby, so we discussed the risks and benefits of artificial rupture of membranes. She and her husband talked it over, and I obtained their consent for AROM. Once performed, she felt a significant shift in pressure, and I immediately noticed a difference in her perception of the process. She became more vocal, active, and present. Once she got in the birth tub, she was ready to meet her baby. Miss Alessandra was born 30 minutes later with her family in the room singing praises and gratitude for a healthy baby.
I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know Kristhal through her two pregnancies and meet her family. Their kindness, love, and generosity radiate in everything they do. Thank you for choosing me to be your midwife.