QM

Twins Home Birth

Croydon Advertiser newspaper, 13 August 2010

SARAH’S MIND OVER MATTER EASES LABOUR
MUM TALKS JOYS OF PAINLESS ‘HYPNOBIRTH’

Sarah Abay shunned hospitals and any pain relief, choosing to give birth to her twin boys at home with only meditation and relaxing music to soothe her. What is more, the 34-year-old mum says she did not feel even the slightest twinge of discomfort. She puts this down to HypnoBirthing – the practice of using self-hypnosis, visualisation and breathing techniques to relax and reduce pain. Sarah gave birth to Barnaby, who weighed 7lb 13oz, and Gabriel, who weighed 8lb 4oz, on Monday night… with her labour taking just three and a half hours.

‘My friends and family thought I was mad, but people have been naturally giving birth for hundreds of years without needing hospitals or drugs,’ she said. ‘I wanted to be in a relaxed, comfortable environment and I was adamant that I was going to be at home. Everyone seems to have a horror story about giving birth but this wasn’t really painful – all I could feel was pushing.’

For the couple, who consulted Addiscombe-based hypnotherapist Lisa Jackson, the birth was a quiet affair. Chris said: ‘Sarah didn’t scream or moan once. Because she was meditating throughout the birth, the midwives and I stayed quiet and would talk about what to do next, like checking heart rates, outside so as not to distract Sarah. No one was shouting at her or telling her to push, it was a fantastic environment.’

Croydon University Hospital’s deputy head of midwifery, Sue Stock, was one of the midwives at the birth. She said: ‘We always support home births but we haven’t had anyone choose to give birth to twins at home in the last seven years.’


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