Christy shares her daughther, Caroline’s Birth

I do have pictures on my blog. It is the unedited/non hypnobabies
version of my story and even longer! In fact I had to post it in two
parts. I actually had a photographer there and have over 250 pictures
but as you can imagine not all are suitable for posting on the web!
Here is our blog:
Part 1
http://adventuresofpipandsqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/birth-story-part-one.html
Part 2 (with photos)
http://adventuresofpipandsqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/birth-story-part-2.html
Christy

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Wonderful Hospital Hypnobabies Birth

On June 17th, a Wednesday, I felt homey.  The sky was gray in the afternoon and I took that as an excuse not to go to my yoga class.  This was unusual, as I really enjoyed my yoga classes, but I felt a little fatigued.  I went to bed, to rest, and started reading a new book: Una piccola bestia ferita, by Margherita Oggero.  I knew this was going to be a pleasant book, a lighthearted mystery.
At around 4.30 pm I went to the bathroom and lost my mucous plug.  I had wondered what this was going to be like, as my sister never realized when she lost hers for my two nephews.  Well, it was unmistakable for me.  It was like dropping an egg white in the toilet.
I immediately called Stephan, my husband, to the bathroom, and we took a good look at it.  We were both very excited, even though we had read it could be weeks before birthing time.  Still we were one step further.  His parents called a few minutes after, and were told the news, and I e-mailed my mom, just to keep her up to date on progress.  Then Stephan had the idea of brewing me some RRL tea, which was very relaxing to drink.  I did the Deepening script, with lavender aromatherapy.  It was the best hypnosis session I ever did!  I felt great afterwards and with some mild cramping.  I thought the cramping was from the RRL tea, so I was very relaxed and I practiced my off switch here and there.
At this point I started thinking that maybe birthing time could be closer than we expected, we could not be sure it would take another week.  And the cramping continued, still mild.  So I decided that for dinner I wanted to have a huge pasta dish, spaghetti alla carbonara.  This is the good pre-races carbo loading tradition.  If it worked well for rowing it would work well for delivery too.  I felt I needed to be prepared.  Stephan didn’t think we were at all near the big day, but helped me cook the pasta, as I still had cramping and was practicing the off switch.  I ate dinner with gusto and we went upstairs to watch a movie, Sleuth.  Interestingly weird movie.  But I didn’t get to see the end of it until a few days later.  Because as we were watching it the cramping got more intense and I needed Stephan to stop the movie to better do my off switch without missing what was going on.
Meanwhile we noticed that the belly was much lower, but that was supposedly normal with lightening.  I was also peeing a lot and losing some liquid.  But it wasn’t like water it was still a little thick in consistency.  Stephan read on the internet it could take hours to loose the mucus plug completely, so we didn’t think it was my water breaking.  We then tried to time the pressure waves, if that was what they were, but it was hard to do.  I wasn’t able to distinguish a start and an end.  It was a cramping truly like a wave.  What I could determine was the peak of each wave.  So Stephan timed the peaks and they were 3 minutes apart.  Again we looked at each other and he thought it was not possible, since I was doing so well.

But I had a feeling the baby was soon to come, I thought maybe the following morning, like I had often envisioned in the birthing visualizations.  We got to the point that we were stopping the movie so often it seemed silly to continue watching it.  And the waves became more intense, so much so I could not sit still.  This was initially shocking to me, as I had most of my confidence in my off switch.  I thought it was pretty powerful, it worked with cramps in my legs, with needles, etc.  I was not happy not to be able to use it during waves.  But I had already figured out that the center switch was going to be important, to move around.  And the last days I had being practicing it more, following some suggestions from the forum.  So I went to center switch and instinctively went on all fours on my yoga mat and moved my hips in circles.  This was bliss and helped so much in “riding” the waves.  Meanwhile Stephan took a shower, shaved, packed all the pre-assembled items for the hospital bag (a huge travel bag on wheels really) and called a taxi.  I had originally planned to take a relaxing bath and a shower before leaving for the hospital.  But I didn’t feel like taking either.  I thought it was funny that Stephan was all focused on showering, but in retrospect it was good he did, as he didn’t see a shower for the following two days, camping out at the hospital.  When the taxi arrived I was circling my hips on my birthing ball.  I got up and off we went with the huge bag in the trunk and the ball in the front seat.  I was listening to the birthing day affirmations on my iPod at this point.  I really liked them, not just affirmations like the pregnancy ones, more like guidelines.  The taxi took off and Stephan immediately realized it was heading in the wrong direction, so he made it clear to the driver that we were going to Pennsylvania Hospital, not University of Penn Hospital.  I guess the driver was a little nervous: I had four pressure waves during the 8 minute cab ride.  I saw him running at least one red light (it was past midnight, so not much traffic anyway).

The driver left us at the emergency room hospital entrance.  Stephan took the bag, I took my ball and off we went.  The security guard didn’t quite understand I was in labor, but opened the door for us to get in.  So I walked all the way: the first floor hallway, elevator, fourth floor hallway, to the PETU desk.  I had four pressure waves on our way there.  For each one I would put down my ball and sit on it, making circles with my hips.  Also, as soon as I was inside the hospital I switched to the Easy First Stage track.  I heard what I thought was an interference, like the iPod was breaking.  I told Stephan and he said that was the background music in the hospital lobby.  Just imagine… I was annoyed by it.  I was totally in my bubble.  The funniest wave was the one in the elevator: it wasn’t quite past when the doors opened, I kept circling on my ball.  Stephan didn’t move, just waited.  But as the doors were closing the wave was over, so I jumped off my ball, took it in my arms and squeezed through the doors at the last possible instant.  At the reception desk Stephan dealt with everything, I was just saying whatever came to mind that he may forget, like “low intervention room” and repeating a couple of times.

They got me in the triage room and wanted to have me on a bed to monitor me.  But I didn’t want to move from my ball, so they put the monitor on where I was.  Soon a resident came for a check visit.  I managed to climb on the bed, but stayed there on all fours.  Now this visit was painful, and she didn’t know where to put her hands in this position.  She said I was at 5 cm dilation.  So they let me go to the bathroom, which I had wanted to do since getting there.  In the bathroom I told Stephan I was a bit disappointed: the waves were now intense and if I was only at 5, then I didn’t have a clue on how to go on for who knows how many hours.  And I felt like pushing.  He told the nurse so and the resident was back for another check visit.  I was now lying on the bed like they wanted me to, since I was a bit down and in between pressure waves.  The visit from the front revealed that I was actually at 9, so they rushed me to the delivery room.  This time I was on a wheelchair, but still holding on to my ball.  I couldn’t see Stephan and was calling him and also saying “drink, drink” as I was very thirsty.

Since everything was so rushed they didn’t manage to put in the hep-lock, which I didn’t want but was hospital policy.  I was very happy about this.  In the delivery room Stephan put on the Pushing track on speakers.  Now the difficult part began.  I thought I knew how to push.  I had even practiced the last month, while pooping, the exhale pushing and I thought I got it.  Well I didn’t have a clue.  Also I thought I wanted to squat, but that was a difficult position to hold (even though I had practiced this one also) and the nurses weren’t too comfortable with me on the floor.  I really wanted to be on all fours on the bed but the midwife was not comfortable with this position either and they couldn’t monitor the baby’s heart beat.  The belt was picking up my heart beat, so they asked Stephan for permission to put the internal sensor on the baby’s head, which we agreed to.  Since I felt a little lost at this point and thought the baby would be out quickly, I wasn’t sure of what to do.

The midwife asked if she could direct me and I said yes, ending up on my back, doing the purple pushing.  This also seemed to me not to work.  The fact is I thought this phase was going to be fast and that I knew how to push.  I had read the article Pushing for Primips by Gloria Lemay http://www.glorialemay.com/blog/?s=pushing+phase.  But I had somehow forgotten about it, or I thought the “head being shaped by the canal” had already taken place.  I should have memorized this article, not simply read it!  So I was really frustrated I couldn’t push the baby out, especially since I am an athlete and am used to controlling my muscles.  All I kept thinking was that my face was going to explode and that I could feel my eyes popping out.  The nurses kept telling me to push against the pain, but I didn’t feel any localized pain to push against.  The waves here were very intense and I could do only 3 pushes per wave, and they felt rushed.  In between waves I would calm myself, go back to center switch or off, rest and either apologize to the nurses for my screaming like a mad woman or complaining to my husband that I didn’t know how to push and I felt like a failure.  But he was very reassuring and the Peace and Relax cues with hand on the shoulder worked wonderfully all the way, also while pushing.  Finally Stephan saw the head.  He asked me if I wanted to touch it, but at that moment I didn’t feel like it, it was more about my overcoming this moment than thinking about the baby.

When I did feel the head right “there” the midwife said: “With the next contraction you can push the baby out”.  But I remembered about pushing without a wave from the program and I also felt that the head couldn’t possibly stay where it was as I was super stretched.  So I replied no, that I could now feel the “ring” and the baby and I would push him out.  And I did in 4 pushes, that I could control very well.  I took as much time as I needed in between, as I didn’t have to fit them into a pressure wave.  It was very satisfying to feel back in control of my body’s reactions.  And it was amazing to feel the baby come out, very gently, not all at once, and a bit slippery and warm.  Instantly it was about the baby again, not about me, and with a great sense of achievement, rather than relief.  I had my eyes closed and opened them only when I felt the baby on my belly.  First thing I saw was his head from the top: a head full of hair.  I touched it and it was so soft and silky.  And I caressed him.

I don’t remember what I said, I was just in awe at this little red being that I thought I didn’t know, but really I did.  And it was incredible I loved him, right then and there, without knowing where this love came from, it was just there all at once, all of a sudden.  Or so it felt like that.  Stephan was very moved and caressed him and then held him too.  He cut the cord.  We had about an hour to bond and try a first attempt at latching.  Then baby went for bath, etc and Stephan went with him.  I was alone for some time and couldn’t believe how everything went, as I was sipping my Gatorade in the darkened room.  The pushing was 1 hour and a half, active labor overall was about 4 hours.  My perineum didn’t tear, the midwife had been massaging it (Stephan had done a good job with the massage too in the prior weeks.  Not too often, but to a good point); I only got one internal stitch in the vagina, where there was a small cut and the midwife wanted to be sure it wasn’t going to bother me later.  After a little while I got up and went to the bathroom by myself without a problem, not walking too fast, but certainly much better than I had imagined.  We kept the baby with us from the first night, he was born at 2.36 am.  Given the time difference with Italy I could call my mom pretty soon and tell her the baby was here: she couldn’t believe it!  After all the phone calls by noon my husband and I went to the breastfeeding class.  We were the only parents who had had a baby that night to be there.

It was an awesome birth and much of it I owe to Hypnobabies.  If there was a video of my birthing time at the hospital it would probably not be as inspiring as the videos I had watched, so peaceful (I guess the peaceful part was at home).  However I feel hypnosis worked for me all the way.  I was very focused and confident.  With the exception of the frustration with the pushing I enjoyed the experience for what it was and while I cannot say it was comfortable, it wasn’t painful either.  It sure was fast!  The sensation was intense and stretchy.  I was also screaming but it somehow went with the expression of the moment, it wasn’t out of sheer pain.  I wonder if taking the Hypnobabies class with an instructor would have made me understand the pushing phase better.  If I had to do it again, I feel I still wouldn’t know how to push without the sensation of where to push.  But I would be less impatient with myself, giving the whole process the time it takes.  Of course I was also lucky not to have any complications.  But I did everything that was under my control: I used the tool I had chosen to believe in, I was as well informed as possible and last but not least I was in excellent shape, having worked out throughout the pregnancy (I rowed in a quad with my wonderful team mates up to 31 weeks; after I stopped I did pre-natal yoga).  I now recommend Hypnobabies to all women who wish to have a natural birth.  And this forum was an excellent source of information, support and inspiration.  Thanks to all of you.

Ciao,
Emanuela

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Griffyn’s Hypnobabies Home Birth Story

I found out I was pregnant with Cooper, Son #3!  I didn’t want to have a replay of Jack and Riley’s birth and ended up at a free standing Birth Center.  The pregnancy was full of apprehension at first with me on Progesterone so I wouldn’t miscarry.  I had terrible morning sickness, but otherwise, it was an uneventful pregnancy.  My Midwife suggested I take Fish Oil, which wasn’t suggested to me with my other two births.  At 39 weeks 5 days, I went into labor with Cooper.  It started with the Midwife stripping my membranes and later that afternoon, my labor was off and running.  I was feeling really good for being in birthing time and this time, I used techniques from the HypnoBabies home study course.  This course was much more comprehensive than HypnoBirthing IMO.  I kept track of my pressure waves on the computer, but didn’t even really feel like labor other than a few squeezes here and there.  At 6p we packed our bags and dropped the boys off at their friends house for the night.  We made it to the birth center around 8p and my contractions stopped!  As usual.  Rich ran to get me a sandwich and after he got back, and I ate, I started feeling something.  Around 9p, pressure waves started up again with gusto and I felt great through them up until about 7cm.  My Midwife checked me and told me my cervix was swelling because I felt the incredible need to push, but I shouldn’t because I’m not totally dilated.  I was so upset.  I thought my cervix was going to burst and I couldn’t stop needing to push.  I couldn’t breathe through them and felt so defeated.  She got this worried look on her face and that worried me.  Then she asked if I wanted to go to the hospital and I said yes because I thought I was going to explode or die or something.  The EMT’s get there and the one guy was such a jerk.  I got really annoyed with him and wanted to kick him (honestly, I can’t remember now what he said, but I remember my anger!) and that is where Rich said the cervix dilated.  I thought it was the bumpy ride to the hospital, but anyway…I’m in the hallway and I thought that I must have a hemorrhoid about to burst because something was coming out of my bottom and I was totally freaked out.  It wasn’t a hemorrhoid.  It was Cooper’s head crowning.  I got into the hospital room when I realized that I had in fact dilated and I was pushing a baby out at that moment.  The nurses were so busy and thankfully my Midwife caught him just in time.  The Doctor wasn’t even in the room yet.  So a 5 1/2 hour labor with a crazy ambulance ride and there I was in a crappy hospital yet again.  This was very close to my ideal birth (no meds, no tears, no interventions except for the membrane stripping,) but not quite.

Cooper was 11 months old when I found out I was pregnant again.

Anyway, I was so apprehensive of giving birth again.  It just seemed too tedious to even think about.  Part of me wanted a C-section and knocked out to just get the labor over with.  Part of me still wanted to try for my ideal birth.  I had lost confidence in myself along the way.  My friend talked me into a homebirth.  She made so much sense to me that day and I decided to just go for it and not analyze it anymore.

I met a few Midwives and settled on one that seemed to fit.  She had almost 20 years experience and her Birthday was the same as Coopers, so it felt serendipitous as Jack (my oldest Son) would say.  The pregnancy was so beyond uneventful.  Very little morning sickness, in fact, I didn’t even notice the pregnancy much until the end.  This baby was a week late!

On the 27th of August, I woke up, nursed Cooper and felt a gush down below.  Well, I didn’t really leak much the rest of the day, except maybe some bloody show and mucus.  I walked, I ate, I napped, I nursed and my pressure waves never really got going.  I had some really strong ones, but nothing that would keep up at the same level.  My Midwife was so easy going and said that I wasn’t on a time limit.  I just had to keep anything out of the Yoni and all was fine with her.  She came over around 7p or so and hung out for several hours.  My friend Michele came over too and we went on a walk.  Around 10p, I was tired and my pressure waves all but disappeared.  I felt so deflated and told everyone they can go home, false alarm.  They all left around 11p or so and I went to bed wondering when this show would get on the road.  The show got on the road around 1:30a when I woke up to a very sharp pressure wave that left me stinging and shivering.  I ran to the shower to see if that would chill it out so I could get back to sleep and I had three more in succession.  I knew this was it and called out to my husband who didn’t hear me.  I then started calling him every bad name I could think of because he wouldn’t wake up!  Finally, he heard me and rushed in and I told him to call the Midwife back.

Then the details got hazy on me.  We went down to the main floor where I got my water and brought my pillows down and got ready for the Midwife to arrive.  When she got there we greeted and laughed about the birthing time and I had several more pressure waves that caused me to really pause.  I had on my HypnoBabies MP3 tracks and tried to relax and get into the groove.  We went down into our finished basement because the pressure waves were pretty close together and I just wanted to be where I knew I would land.  I held my husband a lot during the pressure waves and relaxed and gave in to the sensations.  My verbal relaxation cue was the word “peace” but at some point the word wasn’t helping.  I remembered that in the book, “Spiritual Midwifery” Ina May Gaskin, the worlds leading Midwife said that saying the word “love” completely relaxes the vaginal sphincter and opens you up.  So I started a mantra “I love you, I love you, I love you…”to my Husband.  It felt so good to say and to give to him during this process and at some point I started saying it to Gryffin.  I told him how much I loved him and wanted to meet him.  The contractions never did get too close together and I had some rest time between them the entire labor.  My Midwife never checked my cervix for dilation and I just labored for awhile wondering if I was in active labor yet.  Several hours later I asked my MW if I was in active labor and she laughed.  At some point I asked to get in the tub and spent several hours in water.  A few times I got out to shower for a change of scenery and to see if that would help feel better, but it honestly was so intense, there was no letting up.  I just had to get through it.  There was about 40 minutes of what must have been transition where I started shouting that I was done and that it could stop and I just wanted to escape the sensations.  It’s incredibly powerful and overwhelming.  Finally, there was what must have been a 5 minute lull and I crashed with my head back on the tub and napped.  I woke up to a crazy popping sensation and it was then that I knew my water had officially and totally broke.  It wasn’t too long before I started feeling the need to push, but it wasn’t overpowering.  It was manageable.  I got nervous and asked my MW to check me and she refused.  She kept telling me that I was doing great and to trust myself.  That was the best gift she could have given me.  I started pushing, but he was so far up still.  I wanted to see how much farther I had to go and felt for his head.  I felt that he had hair and it was wet.  I got so excited to know that he was coming.  It took about 30 minutes of pushing to crowning.  The last two births, I barely pushed when I was finally given the approval before they shot out of me.  Gryffin was tough though.  I was very tired pushing him out and every time I felt him slip back in, I would get so put out.  I really wanted him out bad at this point.  Once I pushed his head out, my MW had to help maneuver his shoulder and I felt his last kicks as he did his final descent.  Immediately I felt like an empty, but very much relieved vessel.  I was on all fours and had to step over his cord and grabbed him tight.  I had just a skid mark, so no stitches for me again!

It was so empowering and amazing and magical and I was on such a high afterwards.  Every woman has her story, whether it be adoption or labor or deciding not to have children and travel instead.  My life has been full of exciting wonderful stories, but nothing feels as though it defines me like laboring with Gryffin.

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Mom’s Intuition Led her to Choose a Cesarean

There was a mom, Michele on the Hypnobabies Yahoo Group who was posting that her OB was doing the “Big Baby Scare” and wanted some input.  I shared my Big Baby Bull link and said, educate yourself and follow your instincts.

She posted her birth story and this was my reply.

This is a GREAT example of the power of a mother’s intuition.  At first I was sad that you chose to get a cesarean.  But as I read your story I could see that you were right in your choice (not because of his size, but because of the meconium AND your internal confirmation that you made the right choice).  I also am glad that you didn’t feel pressured into the cesarean by your care providers, that it was truly your choice.

I love that your Hypnobabies tools were so helpful before and during the cesarean.  That is great.  I would love to add your birth story to the Hypnobabies Blog.  It is a great example of the power of a mother’s intuition!

Michele said,

Thanks Sheridan. I too was totally surprised at my own decision to have surgery rather then go thru the natural process of birth. I’m a real naturalist about things and get a little nuts when I feel I can’t work with the natural order of things. It was weird. No matter how much I wanted to make the decision to be induced it never felt right to me in the hour and a half I was making the decision. At the time I couldn’t have told you why, it just was what it was.

Anyway, of course you can put it up on the Hypnobabies blog. I think people should know that the tools that they study will be there for them even if things don’t go as planned.

-Michele

Here is her birth story…

Miles Avery came in to the world on Monday July 6, 2009 at 9:57pm weighing 9lbs 4oz. and measured at 22 inches long! Big baby! But a real cutie!

Let me start out by saying that I studied Hypnobabies for 3 months prior to birth and fully prepared myself to have a natural childbirth. I believe if I ever have another child I will again prepare myself with Hypnobabies for a natural childbirth because Hypnobabies gave me the tools to deal with the process of having a c-section and made for a relatively calm birth amongst the craziness of the operating room. Doing Hypnobabies every night also made for a relaxing pregnancy and I believe had something to do with how incredibly calm my baby is.

On Monday July 6^th I went to the hospital for a third fetal movement test. Since he was measuring big from the week before the Dr’s wondered if I had developed Gestational Diabetes so while there the nurse called to get the results of the GD test the week before. It turned out that I had developed it. From that point on I was told that the baby was coming out that day either by induction or by c-section. I was surprised that they actually were giving me the choice.  Now I had not read up on c-section or inductions so I wasn’t prepared to make the decision. The only knowledge I had of either of the 2 choices was the info in the HB home study book as well as some support from people on the HB message bored when I asked which would be better. I thank everyone for their responses!

When my husband got the hospital, he and I debated for over an hour and half which method would be the better option. We asked the OB at the hospital and our OB what they both thought. I called my parents and a friend of mine who had recently had a c-section to ask her about the recovery process. After going back and forth between the 2 we decided that the c-section was the way to go. I do have to say that the OB at the hospital and my OB never pressured me either way. In fact at one point the OB who performed the procedure actually said to me, “Let’s just start with the induction.” Cause I was taking so long to decide! I guess she figured I was uncomfortable with getting a c-section. They both were supportive of either option as long as I was open to having the baby that day.

Once we decided and I got admitted, it was time for pre-op. The staff there and the OB let me have close to an hour to prepare myself by letting me get into my own self-hypnosis mode. Like I said I hadn’t prepared for a CS so I was a little unsure of how to use the method for that so I started out with the Deepening CD to make sure I was as relaxed as I could be. After that I put myself in hypnosis and turned on my center switch just in time to wheeled into the operating room. I turned myself off when getting the spinal block and back to center when I had the lie down and stayed there for a few moments while answering questions from the anesthesiologist. Feeling the spinal take effect was the worst part for me. There was a moment where I felt like couldn’t breathe. And the Dr had the nurses tilt the table a little bit to help me out which did help. Then came some nausea, which the anesthesiologist gave me some Zofran for. Then my head started to hurt and here is where HB really helped me out. I began using the “Peace” cue while the pain in my head came and went. The “Peace” cue kept me calm during a moment that I wanted to really panic.

After my head stopped hurting and the Dr. made sure that I could not feel anything. My husband was allowed in and I promptly turned myself off while husband rubbed my head and gave me the relax and release cues through the entire operation. I also was saying to myself the entire time, “Deeper and Deeper with ever exhalation”.  I was completely relaxed and very aware of what people were saying and doing after I turned myself off. I never felt any pain during the surgery partly because of the drugs, but also because I was so relaxed. I remember the Dr and nurses telling me and commenting to my husband how calm I was and how good I was doing. I know that they are probably supposed to say that, but they all sounded genuinely impressed at how well I was handling everything.

Miles came out already crying and covered in meconium. This told me that I had made the right decision. He was just ready to come out. I remember the nurses all commenting on how big he was and that I had delivered the biggest baby of the day! LOL!  I was able to see him after a few minutes of him getting weighed and some blood tests taken because of the GD. Turns out his sugar was not elevated at all. I must have just recently started to develop GD right at the end.

Miles is just a beautiful baby boy. So far in his week and a half old life I have only had one night where he was fussy, but most of the time he is so calm and able to settle right down when he does get fussy that I am calling him my Zen Baby!

I truly do not think I would have been able to be so calm through the operation had I not studied with Hypnobabies. It truly gave me the knowledge and the tools to make my decision and to remain calm and relaxed throughout the c-section.

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Teeth and Birth?

Why would you have natural childbirth?  Why would you want to feel all that pain?  You wouldn’t get a tooth pulled without drugs, why would you give birth without drugs?

 

 Not a perfect comparison

Why?  Think back to when you were little kid and your teeth fell out on their own. 

Did you need anesthesia for that?  No, it may have hurt a little, but it wasn’t agonizing.  Why?  It wasn’t horrible, because your teeth were meant to fall out!

But it can be a powerful analogy when you look at it this way…

Mind Shift – Dental Work and Hypnosis

Well, I had a huge mind shift when I saw videos of people getting dental work without drugs using hypnosis! There was a man getting a root canal without drugs?  Wasn’t he in agony?  NO!  He felt totally comfortable. 

 

A woman getting her front teeth pulled and implants put in, all without anesthesia.  Was she freaking out?  No, but I was freaking out just watching her!  It made my teeth ache just to watch.

 

Right there shows the incredible power of our mind!  If my teeth can hurt just watching her, then can our mind be powerful enough to create pressure, where there is usually pain? 

 YES!

This leads me to the question: 

 

If hypnosis can work for dental surgery, can it work for birth? 

 

Yes it can!  And it works even easier than for teeth.   Why?  Remember birth is a natural process and dental surgery isn’t.

Do you think your body is made to give birth?   Yes, a mom’s body knows just how to give birth.  It is a matter of our minds and fears getting out of its way!  

 

Did you know that your uterus has 2 opposing muscles in it?   The inner horizontal muscles hold your cervix closed and the outer vertical muscles help to open your cervix. 

  

  

All mammals uterus are like this, because it helps them escape from predators.  If you were a gazelle giving birth and suddenly a lion snuck up on you, your body needs a way to stop birth. 

 

The fight flight hormone (adrenaline) causes the inner horizontal muscles to stop your cervix from opening.  When the two muscles are fighting against each other it causes pain. 

 

But if a mom can let go of her fears and stay deeply relaxed then her birthing muscles can work in harmony and birthing comfortably is possible.  When you add the power of medical grade hypnosis on top of your body’s natural ability to birth, then you have an amazing recipe for an Enjoyable Birth! 

Staying comfortable with no medication! 

 

Wait a minute you say!  I have tons of fears about birth!  How am I going to let them go?  Luckily hypnosis can help with that as well.  (more on that in a moment) 

 

I wanted to have the benefits of natural childbirth. 

 

• Freedom of movement
• No catheter
• No drugs
• Easier Pushing
• Amazing hormones
• Better for baby!

 

BUT I didn’t want the pain.  So I tried hypnosis for childbirth with my last two births.

 

My 1st birth using hypnosis

My first birth had been an emergency cesarean, so I had a lot of fear lingering from that experience when I got pregnant with my 2^nd baby.   The program I used was…

  •More Guided Relaxation than Hypnosis 

–Gave me confidence  and helped me let go of my fears. 

–I didn’t have enough tools so I lost focus

–I chose to get an epidural (remember I didn’t want pain)

–Great Birth for me – my goal was a VBAC

 –The program was helpful and I was glad I used it.

My 2^nd birth using hypnosis

For my next birth I looked for a more complete childbirth hypnosis program.  I knew that hypnosis could work for birth, but I needed more tools.  I wanted deeper hypnosis, more tools and a CD especially for my birthing day.  I found all that I wanted in Hypnobabies. 

 

• Medical Grade Hypnosis

–        Like Dentist’s patients

–        Lots of CD’s including Fear Release

–        Cues to enter hypnosis instantly and deepen

–        CD just for Birthing Day!

 

• Childbirth Information

–        How birth works (where I learned about amazing uterus)

–        Staying Low Risk

–        Choices during birth

 

Did it work?  See for yourself.

 

 

It worked beautifully.  I was able to stay calm and focused for all 18 hours of my birth.  I felt pressure and it was pretty intense the last hour, but it wasn’t painful, just powerful! 

 

So indeed Hypnosis can help moms have comfortable childbirth! 

 

Want to Avoid Pain?

If your main reason for avoiding Natural Childbirth is to avoid pain, then check into Hypnobabies.   You can discover the power of your body and mind to create a comfortable natural childbirth. 

 

Still want an Epidural? 

If you are the type of mom who says sign me up for the epidural in the parking lot, then check into Hypnobabies.  Then you will have the tools to stay comfortable from the time your birth begins until whenever you decide to get the epidural.  Why have discomfort walking from the parking lot to the hospital and waiting for your epidural if you don’t have to?  (Not to mention, getting an epidural is not guaranteed!  It is great to have other tools ready to use just in case!)

 

Want help dealing with Fears?

If you want some tools to help you deal with your fears regarding birth, then check into Hypnobabies.  I think almost all moms today have some fears regarding birth, because we are bombarded by negative information regarding birth from the television, our friends and family.  With Hypnobabies you are able to create a Bubble of Peace to keep all that negativity out.  There is also a Fear Release CD to help you release your fears. 

 

Just want to sleep better?

If you think this is totally nuts, but want to sleep better during your pregnancy and feel more relaxed about being pregnant and birth, then check into Hypnobabies.  I ended up loving Hypnobabies so much, I became a Hypnobabies instructor.  My best friend was pregnant at the time, so she took my class just because I needed a guinea pig to practice on.  She never thought it would work.  She only listened to the CDs because they helped her sleep better at night and she loved how confident she felt about her upcoming birth.  (She had a cesarean with her first baby and was planning on a VBAC.)    But still didn’t think it would work when her birth started, but was thrilled when it did!  She had a comfortable un-medicated VBAC.   She said that even if it hadn’t of worked for her birth, she still would have been happy she used it because of the relaxation and confidence it gave her. 

 

Comfortable Childbirth using Hypnobabies!

 

Why would you have natural childbirth?  Why would you want to feel all that pain?   Well, I didn’t want the pain.  But I wanted the natural childbirth and with Hypnobabies  I was able to have natural childbirth comfortably!

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BBC Hypnosis Interview

BBC Interview on hypnosis

It was nice to hear a doc proposing that hypno-anesthesia can help make some medical procedures safer and save costs even, and that it should be made more readily available!

I am not sure I agree with this doc’s estimation that 25 percent of adults are ‘not hypnotize-able’ though. I have been taught by more than one instructor that anyone of average intelligence, who can follow verbal directions, and who wants to be hypnotized can be.

 

 

There is no difference between the hypnosis that this doc was talking about and what our Hypnobabies moms learn, since ALL hypnosis is SELF hypnosis, because we allow it to happen, and deepen, and accept suggestions or not.

Carole

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It will be Powerful!

We just had a lovely discussion on the Hypnobabies Yahoo Group about the power of birth. 

Trisha said, “I have been thinking about this for a few weeks. I hope my thoughts come out somewhat clearly (placenta brain and all). I practiced with #2 almost perfectly. I had a pain free birth. It was fast and furious, less than 2 hours. I pretty much started in transition from the get go. I was intimidated and frightened by the POWER I felt. I wasn’t in pain (although I wasn’t completely comfortable because I was overwhelmed). Nothing hurt at all. But it was as if the power of the universe was coursing through my abdomen and I was afraid. Until my dh got to my side and began saying and doing all the right things (about an hour into labor he got home from work) I couldn’t let go.

I just share this little piece with you because I think I somehow missed that it could still be intense and powerful without being painful, and the fear that I had could have turned painful instead of just feeling powerful.”

Michele responded, “I think that’s a really good description of what it’s like. It actually really amazes me how powerful a birthing woman really is (the trick is to embrace that power rather than fear it, I think).  I consider myself to be pretty physically strong, but my uterus must be the strongest muscle in my body, hands down. “

L added, “I have been thinking back to my first birth experience and thinking that if I had been able to relax and recognize the feelings as power instead of discomfort that I would have been able to birth him naturally as well.  After reading your post I am feeling much more relaxed about this birth, knowing that I will CHOOSE to view the feelings as power.”

P then said, “This topic is really something I can identify with. Hypnobabies, for me, was fantastic about helping me overcome my fears around childbirth. My childbirth experience was indeed ‘powerful’ and ‘intense’ but I would not categorize it as ‘painful’. I think overcoming our fears puts us in such a better place to see that childbirth is a normal and natural experience. My daughter was in a bad position and it was a long intense labor. Hypnobabies helped me to relax and handle each wave. But, yes, it was powerful. I think it is important for us to remember that powerful and intense DO NOT mean it has to be painful!”

Finishing up with,

“I absolutely love this!
Embracing the powerful & intense experience that childbirth is instead of fearing it.
The power is within us as a woman’s body is built for it.” 

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Birth Videos on You Tube

This is an interesting new way for moms to learn about birth.  There was an article in the New York Times about this.  Lights, Camera, Contraction 

I posted my Hypnobabies Birth Video of my VBAC Hospital Birth of Bryson on You Tube

I posted this over 2 years ago and 428,782 people have watched it.  I know it has inspired a lot of moms to look into hypnosis for childbirth.  My birth video ended up on the news in Georgia, when a mom there cited it as the reason she used Hypnobabies. 

I think that moms posting and watching birth videos on You Tube can be positive.  You just need to be selective about the videos you watch.  If you go to my You Tube Channel you can see a list of my favorite videos.  Many positive birth videos there.

If you have posted your Birth Video on You Tube.  Please leave a link in the comments!  If you have a birth video, but haven’t posted it… well think about posting it.  Your video may inspire many women to learn about how great birth can be!

Here are 2 of my favorite videos. 

The first is Temple, singing during her birth.  Here is a link if you want to read about her birth story. 

The next is a great video for women who were told their pelvises were too small to birth their babies. 

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A Testament to the Wisdom of the Natural Birth Process

http://birth-joy.blogspot.com/  This is Bonnie’s Blog and this is her amazing story and the power of a women’s body and intuition!

This is what I posted to my Hypnobabies Yahoo group along with their comments at the end.

Talita Pearl was born September 11, 2008, at 3:29 p.m. 6 days after her “guess date.” The labor and birth were not like anything I had visualized or expected, but were exactly what she needed to come into the world safely and healthily.

On September 10, 5 days after my guess date, my water broke around 1 a.m. Since most of my other labors were 4-6 hours long, I was excited because I figured this baby would come before my little boys (ages 5 and 2) woke up. Just what I had visualized and wanted! I woke up DH and together we filled the birth pool, changed the bedding and lit some candles. I wasn’t having any real pressure waves so we both went back to bed. I listened to Birth Day Affirmations, Easy First Stage, Deepening, Hypnotic Childbirth 1 & 2. You get the picture–nothing was happening! No waves and no sleep. Of course, I kept gushing amniotic fluid and pieces of the mucous plug so I was going to the bathroom about every 20 minutes. I kept thinking maybe I should get up and really get labor going so the baby comes before everyone wakes up. However, I was tired and so I just lay there on my left side listening to my HB. Finally at 4:30 a.m. I came up with a plan: I would put on Deepening again and when it ended at 5 a.m. I would automatically wake up (this often happened during the pregnancy) and would get up and really get things going. That would give me 2 hours–that should be enough time before my boys woke up. (So funny in hindsight.)

As soon as the script ended I awoke with a start. I felt like I needed to have a huge bm. That, combined with the adrenaline of my “plan” made me jump out of bed and practically run to the bathroom. As I sat down, waves of nausea came over me at the same time a really strong pressure wave started. I started moaning and grabbed the trash can and put it between my legs just in case I threw up. I was terribly hot and sweaty so I ripped off my shirt and threw it on the floor. Our bathroom door is within reach of the toilet so I grabbed onto the door knob and held onto it for dear life. I was thinking, “Maybe I slept through early labor and this is transition!” Suddenly I felt myself jerk upwards and “thought what just happened?” I finished business and got back in bed telling my DH to go get the throw-up bucket. I was breathing really fast and hard. My DH got the bucket then put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Relax.” It worked immediately. (Yay HB!) My breathing immediately calmed down and I told him what had just happened. It wasn’t until then I realized that I had almost passed out on the john!

I went back to sleep for a couple of hours and at 7 a.m. decided to call my midwife. She came out and checked me. The baby was too high for her to even reach my cervix. (?) At a plus 3 station. I thought it odd since I had carried the baby low all pregnancy and the baby had been engaged for nearly two weeks. She said not to worry, the sac can reseal itself and it could actually be days before I gave birth. She reminded me of the standard things to be careful of when the water breaks and then she went back home.

My DH stayed home from work because we both thought it could happen at anytime. All day long I only had mild crampy sensations. I lay down often to rest and catch up on sleep. I put on HB scripts whenever I would lay down and they helped me relax and get some sleep. I was surprised that it was all happening so slowly. But I was so grateful I wasn’t in the hospital strapped to a fetal monitor being starved “just in case” I needed anesthesia. (Birth story #4)

That night we went to bed just knowing that it would happen once the boys were asleep and the house was quiet. At exactly 12 midnight I awoke to a strong pressure wave. I started watching the clock and realized they were coming about every 5 minutes. Hooray! That lasted about 45 minutes and then the waves started to come less often and not as strong. What??!? However, they kept coming irregularly. I got in the pool at 2 a.m. I listened to HB on my speakers I had set up by the pool and some of Enya’s music. I had always wanted to listen to Carribbean Blue in the middle of the night while laboring peacefully in my birth pool. However, being in the water just didn’t feel right so I got out after an hour. I called my midwife at 3 a.m. to let her know what was happening. I was worried about waking her up too soon, but she was already awake, just lying in bed wondering how I was doing! She arrived by 4 a.m. and checked me. I was only 3 cm. Argh! I kept resting off and on the rest of the morning. Pressure waves continued to be irregular and I would never have two strong waves in a row. I was very perplexed. I had never labored like this before. My DH and midwife were great. They never showed signs of impatience or frustration. I think we all just seemed to know that this was how this labor needed to be for some reason. They alternated rubbing my back and legs during waves and I continued listening to HB scripts. I was actually getting kind of tired of them since I had listened to every one of them at least 3 times! Once my midwife started rubbing the pressure points on my feet and hands to stimulate stronger waves. Even though that didn’t sustain anything, the massage felt great and I couldn’t help but think, “I would never be treated so well in the hospital!” In fact, I knew that had I been in the hospital I would have been started on Pitocin since it had been so long since my waters had broken and since my waves were so mild and erratic. The other odd thing was that laying on my left side seemed to be the best position to bring on pressure waves–more than walking around or sitting on my birth ball. Even in that position, the waves were very manageable and I just breathed deeply through them and used my peace cue.

Finally, at 2 :30 p.m. things suddenly changed. I was lying down on my left side (of course) and the waves started coming close together and very long. My midwife heard me moaning and came in to time them. One was 2 minutes long! At this point all I could think to do was moan really low through each wave. I knew this was transition and I guess I wanted everyone else to know as well, because in between waves I was saying, “I don’t want to do this anymore!” I’m not sure how long that lasted, but suddenly I just couldn’t lay there anymore. My midwife helped me off the bed and I got situated on the birth stool. At this point, my two little boys who had pretty much left me alone most of the day just had to be in my bedroom with me. I think they were a distraction to all of us so I told my DH to take them next door to our neighbors who had agreed to watch them if I had the baby during the middle of the day. I honestly didn’t think that would happen! When DH got back, he sat behind me in the glider chair so he could support me and rub my back. I had a brief rest period where the waves didn’t come as often but they were still pretty intense. After another check my midwife said I was complete, and thus began the pushing stage. I have never pushed so hard and so long except for my first baby. In actuality I pushed for 11 minutes but it felt like an eternity. I was pretty vocal as I pushed, groaning real low in my throat. I couldn’t believe it was so hard to get this baby out. Being my 7th baby, I thought the baby would just kind of shoot out, like my 5th baby had done. Not so! I told my midwife I wanted to feel the baby’s head while still inside me and so when the baby was nearly at the opening I reached down and felt the head. I honestly felt like I was touching part of me–like I had the sensation in my finger and also the baby’s head. It was weird but cool. Then I had to push with all my might for a long period as her head slowly (and I mean slowly) eased out. I felt the ring of fire for what seemed like forever. (But I didn’t tear!) I kept thinking isn’t her head out yet? Finally it was out but the midwives found the cord was around her neck and it was a little tight. She said, “We’ll either have to cut the cord now or you can push right now and get this baby out.” Fortunately the cord was just barely loose enough for her to ease it over the head as I pushed. Again it was agonizingly slow–I felt first the top shoulder come out, then the bottom shoulder and finally the baby was out. My midwife immediately put the baby on my legs face down so any fluid could drain. We discovered the cord was too short to bring the baby to my chest. The baby felt so good–so hot and alive! We rubbed the baby’s back to stimulate breathing, still not knowing if the baby was a girl or boy. I was patient–I wanted the baby to be okay. Finally after about 30 seconds (it seemed more like minutes) we turned the baby over and both my DH and I said together, “IT’S A GIRL!!!!” We were so excited. After 4 boys in a row and knowing this would be our last baby, we were ecstatic!

The midwives suctioned her and actually used the neonatal mask to help get her breathing. She was a little blue but pinked up really fast. She is absolutely perfect and beautiful. Everyone felt her strength and energy as she took her first breath. We knew then that she is a strong and incredible spirit.

A few days after the birth my midwife read the literature on short tight cords and discovered that my birthing time and actual birth were “textbook” for that situation. Slow, easy labors and a longer pushing stage allow the cord to adjust with each wave and each push. Also the best position to use is lying on your left side. Exactly what I had done instinctively! I am totally amazed at nature’s wisdom and how if we just trust our bodies, they know what to do for our babies to be born safely and naturally. I am totally convinced that had I been in a hospital I would have had a C-section. No doctor or nurse-midwife would have “allowed” me to labor so slowly and mildly for 38 hours after my water had broken. They would have used pitocin and that would have put the baby in distress and they would have done the CS. (Birth story#3) I am so grateful for everything I’ve read about natural childbirth and for the Hypnobabies scripts that told me every day of my pregnancy that my body knew how to birth my baby!

That’s a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing!

Congratulations!!! What a wonderful story and testament to birthing!

Thank you so much for sharing your inspirational story. I love that you and your midwife were able to stay calm and patient as you had the birth that was best for your baby. That is a great testimonial to the power of a mother’s intuition and the beauty of birth. Your body and baby knew just what they needed! I would love to add your story to my positive birth story site and the Hypnobabies Blog. Please let me know if that is ok. Enjoy your sweet Talita!

My response to Sheridan:
I would love for you to add my story to the sites you mentioned. I’m still in awe whenever I think about her birth. Hypnobabies was so instrumental in helping me to trust in my baby, my body, and the birth process. =)Bonnie

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Affirmations help prevent cesareans?

Interesting question.   There is a good article on Associated Content that asks this question.

My thinking is that if moms are listening to affirmations throughout their pregnancy then they are more empowered and stand up for their rights and trust their bodies.  All of these things help a mom make more informed choices and hoepfully have better births! 

There is a great comment about the Birthing My Twins Naturally CD on the Hypnobabies Review Blog, where a mom felt that her affirmations really helped her stand strong in a discussion with her care provider. 

Here is a blog post from a mom who uses affirmation in her pregnancy and how it helps her.  It includes her long list of affirmations!    Good for her! 

I wish all moms would listen to affirmations.  Hypnobabies has a great Affirmation CD for pregnancy and birthing.  They are also now available as MP3 downloads!

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