Hypnobirth first for Waterside couple

 

When the midwives turned up at the home of Linda and Dee McCafferty, there was an eerie silence.

"They didn't believe Linda was in labour," says Dee, proud new dad of 7lb baby Leontina. "She was lying on the bed in silence and the midwives said to me that she was asleep and that she wasn't in labour at all. But I told them she was in a hypnotic state and that she was definitely in labour."

Gently coaxing herself into a state of complete relaxation, Linda, along with husband Dee, had trained for weeks with a hypnobirthing specialist to enable them to have the baby at home without the need for any pain relief.

A new trend in hypnobirthing is taking the country by storm and Linda is one of a growing number of mothers who want to have their babies at home and without any pain relief.

Linda, who is originally from Boston, US, heard about hypnosis while doing yoga when she was pregnant with her first child. "I had my son at home and everything that I researched we decided to do the same here. At the time I had been doing yoga and I naturally went into a trance-like state with my son but because he was in breech it didn't work for him.

"From that experience I was determined that it would be better this time. It is better for the baby that the mum is relaxed and there is a better chance of a chilled out birth."

The couple found Strabane-based Amanda Lafferty, a hypnobirthing specialist who trained in London. "She is excellent, full of joy and so happy," said Linda. "We heard her name a few different ways and I thought it would be perfect.

"I have had a long interest in all that and it has brought me away from traditional medical procedures. I came from a background of this stuff but Dee didn't so I thought these classes would be a good way to tune in together about what it would be like in the birth. It turned out to be fantastic."

At first, Dee was a bit sceptical but when he heard what was involved and attended a few classes he came around to the idea.
He said: "Amanda answered any questions I could think of and she took us back to basics and got us to realise everything. Only 11 per cent of babies around the world are born in a hospital. Amanda started to educate us about how they do things in other parts of the world."

The birth
When the day arrived, Linda used the skills she had been taught to focus her energies on what she was doing and to block out the pain.
"I was in labour for four hours," she said. "The second stage of labour was less than one hour. I had been having surges throughout the day but the actual giving birth was just under an hour.

"I was just trying to stay chilled out. I had moments when I wasn't completely comfortable but when Amanda got there I was more chilled out because I knew her."

Linda made a CD of herself saying positive words of comfort. "It was very good because you can easily think negative thoughts," she said. "If I used the techniques to relax, I was fine. It was when I got anxious that things got a bit harder. But these moments were fleeting, they passed. Amanda did reflexology on my feet and it was really relaxing and when it came to the moment of the birth I was tensing up and Amanda said to relax my shoulders and the next thing the baby was out.

"I am more afraid of being in hospital than doing it this way. I felt much more relaxed and safe at home.

"The more relaxed the mum is, the more relaxed the baby is. Hypnosis is about the mum getting over all her fears. Amanda talks you through all the things you would be worried about, anything at all. And she helps you realise it through the hypnosis session."

Linda believes women having their babies in a hospital have the control taken away from them. She said: "I think we, in general, are just programmed to expect a horrible birth. It is very empowering to give birth to a baby naturally without the drama.

"I feel sorry for girls in hospital who have no control. You have to have a partner who is really supportive and fights your corner because you are not in a position to debate with people.

"We just wanted to let people know that this option is out there for them."

Dee says the midwives who were present at the birth were amazing and they wanted to thank Irene Montgomery, Margaret Morrison and student nurse, Shona McLaughlin, who relished the learning experience.

Linda and Dee now have a beautiful, healthy baby girl who came into the world in a very special and interesting way.