Ash’s Hypnobirthing Birth Story: A Positive Induction, an Epidural and Meeting Baby Ava
“She helped me feel that I still had a voice in my own birth experience.”
This hypnobirthing birth story comes from Ash, who did a half-group, half-private Hypnobirthing Australia™ course with me on the Gold Coast and left believing “I can do this.” Her induction brought intense contractions, an epidural and three hours of pushing, and I was so proud to be there as her birth support while she used her hypnobirthing techniques for labour to stay calm, informed and in the driver’s seat. If you’re hoping for a positive hospital birth of your own, whatever path it takes, Ash’s story shows what’s possible.
Birth Story by Ash
29 January: the induction
On 29 January at 3:30pm, we arrived at the hospital for my induction. I was excited, nervous, a little scared and overwhelmed, knowing we were finally so close to meeting our baby girl.
At 6pm my induction began with a cervical ripening strip. The cramps started that evening and kept going through the night. At 7:30 the next morning the strip was removed, but my cervix hadn’t dilated much. At around 10am my waters were broken.
Throughout my pregnancy I’d been practising hypnobirthing: breathing, meditation, relaxation and exercises to prepare my mind and body for birth. I really wanted a vaginal birth, and I was determined to give myself the best possible chance.
Kate, my hypnobirthing instructor, was with us at the hospital supporting me through my labour. She was on her feet almost constantly, using acupressure, soft touch, breathing and relaxation to help me through each contraction. She reminded me to relax my body when everything in me wanted to tense up, and guided my breathing when the intensity got overwhelming.
I kept moving too, including walking the stairs after my waters were broken to help labour along. I believe everything I’d learnt through hypnobirthing helped me approach those early hours with more confidence and a calmer mindset.
When labour became overwhelming
At 12:30pm the induction drip was started because my labour wasn’t progressing, and from then everything became much more intense. The contractions were incredibly painful. I had never felt anything like them.
I tried breathing through them. I tried relaxing and focusing on the techniques I’d practised. But eventually the pain was so overwhelming I felt I couldn’t continue. I remember begging, “Please take her out. I can’t do this anymore.” It was one of the most vulnerable moments of my life.
This is something I want to share about hypnobirthing. It doesn’t mean you won’t feel pain. It doesn’t mean your birth will look exactly how you pictured it. And you’re certainly not failing if you need medical pain relief. For me, it gave me tools to manage my fear, calm my mind, relax my body and feel supported through an unpredictable experience.
Having Kate there made an enormous difference. When you’re in that much pain it’s so hard to think clearly, and Kate understood that. She didn’t make decisions for me or push me towards a particular type of birth. She helped us slow down, understand our options, ask questions and think things through.
She helped us feel heard. Most importantly, she helped me feel that I still had a voice in my own birth experience.
The epidural
Eventually I decided to have an epidural. Even getting it was hard, because I had to stay completely still through extremely painful contractions. But I got through it, and once it started working I felt like a completely different person! 😅 For the first time in hours I could breathe comfortably, rest and get some strength back.
Choosing an epidural didn’t make everything I’d learnt irrelevant. I could still use relaxation, breathing and a positive mindset, and I still felt involved in my birth. Kate kept supporting us the whole way.
Thinking about a caesarean
At 8:30pm I was still only 3cm dilated. After so many hours it felt like very little had changed, and we started thinking a caesarean might be needed. That was hard emotionally, because I’d hoped so much for a vaginal birth.
Kate helped us stay calm, understand what was happening and approach each decision thoughtfully. She supported my mind as much as my body. I think that’s one of the most valuable things you can have in labour: someone who knows your wishes, respects your choices and helps you feel grounded.
Fully dilated
At around 12:30am on 31 January the midwife checked me again and, to our surprise, I was fully dilated! She said, “Okay, it’s time to have your baby. Are you ready?” I was so excited.
But pushing turned out to be another huge challenge. Because of the epidural, I found it hard to push effectively. One hour passed. Then two. Then three.
I was completely exhausted. At one point everything seemed to go blank for a few seconds and I felt like I couldn’t even breathe. I remember thinking, “I can’t do this anymore.” Somehow I kept going, coming back to my breath and my focus, with the people around me encouraging me to keep trying.
And finally, she was here ❤️
At 3:39am on 31 January 2026, our beautiful daughter Ava was born.
The moment she was placed on my chest is something I’ll never forget. After all those hours of contractions, uncertainty, exhaustion and pushing, there she was. Our little girl. Our whole world. I looked at her and felt a love I had never felt before. Every single second was worth it.
What hypnobirthing meant to me
Looking back, my birth wasn’t the calm, straightforward experience I’d imagined. I had an induction, really intense contractions, an epidural, slow progress, the possibility of a caesarean and three hours of pushing. And yet I’d still say hypnobirthing was one of the most valuable things I did to prepare.
It didn’t make my birth easy. It helped me face something incredibly difficult. The breathing helped me focus, the relaxation helped me release tension, and the mindset I’d practised helped me keep trying when things were hard.
Kate, thank you ❤️
You were there with us through such a long, exhausting experience, spending hours on your feet with acupressure, soft touch, breathing guidance and constant reassurance. You didn’t just teach me hypnobirthing in a class and leave me to figure it out. You were there when I needed those techniques the most.
You understood when I was frightened, and you helped us through difficult decisions when pain and exhaustion made it hard to think clearly. You respected my choices, including my epidural, and never made me feel my birth was any less meaningful because it looked different to what I’d hoped for. That meant more to me than I can explain. I feel so fortunate to have had you as part of Ava’s birth story.
To other expecting mums
Hypnobirthing isn’t only about having a pain-free or unmedicated birth. It’s about preparation, confidence, breathing, relaxation, understanding your choices and feeling empowered to make the decisions that are right for you.
Sometimes birth takes a different path to the one you imagined. Mine certainly did. That doesn’t mean the preparation was wasted. Hypnobirthing helped me through one of the most physically and emotionally challenging experiences of my life, and having Kate there made it even more special.
Here’s what my couples say
“We feel so lucky to have found Kate as our Hypnobirthing educator. The way she explains everything with such clarity and positivity makes you genuinely believe “I can do this.” She is full of energy, and that energy naturally transfers into confidence and calmness as we prepare for birth. We chose to do a half-group and half-private class with her, and it has been worth every dollar. The knowledge, support, and mindset we gained from Kate go far beyond what we expected. You meet some people in life who you instantly connect with and feel comfort around, she is one of those people for us. Thank you so much, Kate, for helping us feel supported, empowered, and prepared for a calm birthing journey.”
Ash and Abhi
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