Nicole & Alex’s birth story

Alex and I welcomed our beautiful little boy, Levi Ernest Green, on 28/7/26, weighing 3.5 kg.

When we enrolled in the Calmbirth course, we hoped it would help us prepare for labour. What we didn’t realise was that it would completely shape the way we experienced Levi’s birth. Looking back, I truly believe it was one of the best things we did during pregnancy.

Levi’s birth was a story that kept us guessing right until the very end. We arrived at the hospital for what was planned to be an induction, only to find I was already 3 cm dilated. Instead, it became an augmentation of labour. We started with a stretch and sweep, hoping that would get things moving, but when labour didn’t progress, we began the oxytocin drip. Things intensified much more quickly than I had anticipated. The contractions became strong and regular, and I found myself relying heavily on the breathing techniques and my husband for support.

Instead of fighting each contraction, I focused on working with my body, staying present, and reminding myself that each one was bringing me closer to meeting Levi. Despite labour becoming well established, after 8-10 hours I had made very little progress. I was physically exhausted and made the decision to have an epidural. Before the course, I think I would have viewed this as “giving up” or “failing” my birth plan.

From there, things continued to change. Every time the oxytocin was increased, Levi’s heart rate would begin to drop. Then I developed a fever that wouldn’t settle despite treatment, and it began affecting my blood pressure. The decision was then made to prepare for a c-section. Just before heading to theatre, my obstetrician decided to do one final cervical check. To everyone’s surprise—including his – I was suddenly fully dilated! After hours of feeling like nothing was changing, I had progressed completely. Instead of heading to theatre, we headed into the pushing stage, and 30 minutes later Levi was born.

Although our birth didn’t follow the path we expected, I wouldn’t change it. One of the greatest gifts Calmbirth gave us was understanding that a positive birth isn’t defined by having an uncomplicated labour or avoiding interventions. It’s about remaining calm, informed and connected, no matter how the story unfolds and we were able to make decisions with confidence. It also transformed Alex’s role. Rather than feeling like a spectator, he became an active part of the birth. He knew how to coach my breathing, help me stay relaxed and keep me grounded when labour became overwhelming. Levi’s birth reminded us that birth is often unpredictable, but your mindset doesn’t have to be. Calmbirth didn’t promise us a perfect labour—it gave us the tools to navigate an unpredictable one with confidence. We will always look back on Levi’s birth as an incredibly positive and empowering experience, and I honestly believe Calmbirth played a huge role in making that possible. I couldn’t recommend the course more highly to any expectant parents, regardless of how they hope or expect their birth to unfold.