“I didn’t have the birth I imagined, but I had a powerful one”

I went into pregnancy with a powerful hope for how my baby would be born. I had envisioned a calm hypnobirthing experience, surrounded by peace, trusting my body, and welcoming my baby gently into the world through a water birth. That vision meant so much to me; it felt empowering, healing, and safe.

But my journey changed when health concerns meant I had to be induced early. Suddenly, the birth I had imagined felt like it was slipping away. I tried to grieve that loss while reminding myself that my baby’s safety and my health mattered more than any plan. Still, it was hard. Letting go of what I had hoped for brought fear, disappointment, and uncertainty. Throughout this time, my husband was my constant, supporting me through my health challenges and becoming my carer as well as my partner, steadying me when everything felt uncertain.

As contractions began, I leaned deeply into Suzie’s hypnobirthing sessions and breathing techniques. They became my comfort and my strength. With every surge, I focused on my breath, repeating affirmations, doing everything I could to keep my mind calm and positive even when my body felt overwhelmed. My husband stayed right beside me, breathing with me, helping me focus, and gently guiding me back to my centre whenever fear crept in. Hypnobirthing didn’t take the experience away, but together it helped me feel grounded, present, and supported in moments that felt completely out of my hands.

When I was told that a caesarean section was necessary, as “the induction had failed,” my heart sank. This was the one outcome I had feared most, and I felt like I had failed. The thought of being awake during surgery terrified me, and accepting this reality was incredibly difficult. I felt a deep sense of loss for the birth I had prepared so carefully for, and a fear I had never had to face before. Through it all, my husband never left my side, offering reassurance and strength when I struggled to find my own. And most importantly reminding me to breathe.

Yet somehow, in the middle of all that fear, I found calm. Walking into theatre, I returned to my breathing. I reminded myself that I was safe, and that my body had already carried my baby this far despite my ongoing health issues. With my husband beside me and the support of hypnobirthing, I stayed calm and collected through something I once thought I could never cope with.

My baby arrived not in the way I had planned, but in the way that was needed. This birth taught me that strength doesn’t always look like sticking to a plan but looks like adapting, surrendering, and facing your greatest fears with courage. I didn’t have the birth I imagined, but I had a powerful one. And I will always be proud of myself for that, and forever grateful for my husband who supported me every step of the way.