My Gift To You | Herophine Fic

You Need to Get Here

JOSEPHINE

"Jo, what the fuck is hypnobirthing?" I've been trying to explain to Hero about this new craze that seems to be sweeping the UK for women who will be giving birth shortly. I've spent my last two days reading up on it while Hero has been at work and it's something I can really get on board with. Apparently, it's a birthing method that uses self-hypnosis and relaxation techniques to help feel physically, mentally and spiritually prepared and helps reduce fear, anxiety and even pain during labour. I'm not going to lie, as the weeks pass, the impending fear of pushing Willow out of a hole no bigger than a fifty-pence piece kinda terrifies me. But women do this every day all around the world. My Mum did it twice and Martha three times, I must be stronger than I give myself credit for.

I explain all of this to Hero and, I'll give credit where it's due, he does listen very carefully to me. I show him some of the videos I've watched too and once the third one is finished, he closes the laptop and looks at me, his eyes tired.

"Do you want to go to one of the classes then? If you think this is going to help you during labour, I'm all for it, love," I smile widely, nodding as I wrap my arms around him.

"Can we look at classes around here? I want to get booked in," Hero reopens the laptop and we begin to look for classes around the Mayfair area. Luckily we find one in two days so we book the couple's course - honestly a small part of me is doing this as I really want to see how Hero will react in this environment. Secretly, I think the spiritual side of this is probably a load of hooey, but if it's going to help me, physically and mentally I'm all for it. Even if I come away with just some breathing techniques and affirmations, I'll be happy.

If I had to describe the hypnobirthing class with Hero as my birthing partner in one word it would be 'interesting'. I definitely learned some ways for me to keep calm, including breathing techniques and Hero was provided with ways he can help me keep my cool during the different stages of labour, including ways to hold me, how to touch me - which he's already an expert at - but other than that, it really wasn't what I expected. To be honest, I think I'm just going to be guided by my body and Willow during her birth. Whatever she needs from me, she'll get it and whatever I need from Hero, I'll know I'll get it.

Three Weeks Later

I feel the bed stir below me as Hero pushes himself to sit up and stretch, a yawn escaping from him before he pushes himself to his full height. The weight of my 36-week bump now completely weighs me down and I have to literally roll myself out of bed. Hero describes it as an army roll and howled laughing the first time I did it, but it's the only way now. He walks around to my side of the bed, taking my hands as I stand up.

"Good morning," he leans down to place a swift kiss on the tip of my nose as he strokes my bump. Willow kicks where his hand is the both of us smiling down at where she is.

"Good morning to you too, darling" he places another kiss on my lips, lingering there longer than I thought he would before he pulls away and pulls me into his arms. I love how he just holds me in the morning. As I'm staying home now, preparing for Willow's birth, I've been continuing to get up with Hero as I would if I were working. I want to keep as much normality between the two of us before we become a three.

As Hero heads into the en suite to take a shower, I take myself to the kitchen, wrapping myself in his robe. I love wearing his robe, it's much bigger than my own and actually wraps around my bump too. I feel like I'm wrapped in his scent too which is something else I just love. I start by making his coffee with the machine, while that's working, I fill the kettle up and flick it on to boil so I can make myself my English Breakfast tea. I also pop in four slices of bread into the toaster, I've been feeling much hungrier in the last few weeks, my appetite has definitely picked up and I have no doubt it's from Willow. I want her to be at a healthy weight for her birth so if she needs me to eat more than I usually would, I'm okay with that. I've been eating some very weird and wonderful things at odd times. The weirdest being a bowl of tomato pasta at 3am. Hero found me sitting at the island counter in the dark and was very confused but stayed up with me while I ate and took me back to bed when I was done.