Ellis Grace

At 22 weeks pregnant I went to the doctor for an ultrasound, excited about the possibility of finding out whether I was having a boy or a girl. Instead I discovered that I had almost no cervix left. Rather than being in the average range of 3-5 centimeters, my cervix was internally dilated and only 2 millimeters long. I knew this meant that the odds of carrying my baby to term were not in my favor. I was immediately admitted to the hospital, and I spent the next twelve weeks on strict bed rest. During my first night at the hospital I was introduced to Calm Birth® by Christine Novak of the Calm Birth® program. I instantly connected to Womb Breathing and Giving and Receiving. Practicing these meditations while I was on bed rest allowed me to bond with my baby, manage my anxiety, and helped my body stay strong enough to support my pregnancy. My husband and I would often listen to the Practice of Opening together during his visits, which helped him connect with our baby and prepared him to play a supportive role later on during labor. I wouldn’t have made it through the long hospital stay without Christine and Calm Birth®. After such a difficult pregnancy, I grew increasingly anxious as my due date approached. I continued to practice the meditations daily to help prepare my mind, body and baby for birth. While I was in labor, I found that I no longer needed to listen to the cd as a guide, because I automatically practiced the breathing and visualization I learned from Calm Birth to center and steady myself during each contraction. This allowed me to progress through labor feeling empowered and connected to the process. After eleven hours of active labor, I gave birth to an alert, beautiful, healthy baby girl. I know that Calm Birth® played a significant role in my successful pregnancy. I will always be grateful for this amazing resource.