About Allison

My Birth Story

Allison Spooner, HypnoBirthing instructor and founder of BirthRight, shares her birth story.

I moved to Providence from Manhattan three years ago with my husband, Nick, to start a family. My professional background had been based in marketing, sales and advertising. If someone had suggested then that I would be teaching HypnoBirthing classes today, I would have found it impossible to believe. I never even heard of the concept until I was pregnant.

Simply put, my lifelong fear of needles made me want to have a natural birth. My Aunt Audrey had recently given birth to her second daughter with the assistance of a doula and using the HypnoBirthing method. After some investigation and referrals, I was able to enroll in a course by my seventh month. Shortly thereafter I found my birth doula, Danielle.

My husband and I knew there was a chance he would be away on business when I went into labor. Finding Danielle as a backup companion reassured me that, just in case, I would not be unaccompanied at the birth.

And sure enough my husband, my trained birth companion, the father of my child, was working in Vancouver when I went into labor three days earlier than expected. To top it off, I was scheduled to go over my HypnoBirthing information with Danielle the same day I went into labor — it was too late for me to prep her once she arrived (guess I shouldn't have waited until the last minute!). Essentially, I was going to be flying solo for the entire event, armed only with what I had learned during the course and my resolve to see my plan through.

After my first visit to the hospital (I was not sufficiently dilated to be checked in), I returned a few hours later and was finally admitted. The challenges continued — my OB's shift ended and she left me in the care of a different doctor whom I had never met. Great timing! Fortunately, I had attendants who were respectful of my HB strategy, with a birthing nurse who was somewhat familiar with the methodology. Despite the many obstacles I had faced, I was immediately able to relax completely and call upon the skills I had been taught. I remember saying to Danielle how amazed I was at my body's natural ability to control the pain. It was as if I was riding on calmly undulating waves, and (incredibly) I actually fell asleep just prior to delivery. Though I definitely could have benefited from having Nick with me as my knowledgeable HypnoBirthing companion, I was still able to find my comfort level and remain relaxed. Once I began the process of “breathing down,” my son was born in 30 minutes: alert, very aware, and looking for me.

With all of the hurdles I had to overcome, HypnoBirthing allowed me to have the natural birth that I wanted for myself and my son. I felt relaxed, amazed, extremely proud and accomplished. The techniques I had employed were beneficial to me and very much so for Teague. I realized that more women should know that a natural birth is well within their means, and that labor and delivery do not have to be an unpleasant ordeal. Armed with my own birth experience and instruction, I am prepared to help other mothers and their companions enjoy an amazing birth of their own.