by Anne Ferguson, Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis Instructor (HCHI)
*updated 1/29/18*
The Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis program is a childbirth education course that can be completed as a six-week classroom-based course or a six-week home study. We teach expectant parents and their birth partners how to use self-hypnosis techniques to have an easier and more comfortable birth without pain medication. Some students even have what they experience as a pain-free birth. This is fabulous, considering in our culture we hear over and over that birth is the "worst pain ever" and that "you should just get the epidural because you won't be able to give birth without one." Or even "just plan a c-section, it's easier."
And yet, sometimes Hypnobabies births go differently than planned, and to those families I want to say we still see you, we hear your struggles and we know, even if you don't yet, that your birth was still a success and you did the absolute best you could with the situation you faced.
*updated 1/29/18*
The Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis program is a childbirth education course that can be completed as a six-week classroom-based course or a six-week home study. We teach expectant parents and their birth partners how to use self-hypnosis techniques to have an easier and more comfortable birth without pain medication. Some students even have what they experience as a pain-free birth. This is fabulous, considering in our culture we hear over and over that birth is the "worst pain ever" and that "you should just get the epidural because you won't be able to give birth without one." Or even "just plan a c-section, it's easier."
And yet, sometimes Hypnobabies births go differently than planned, and to those families I want to say we still see you, we hear your struggles and we know, even if you don't yet, that your birth was still a success and you did the absolute best you could with the situation you faced.
We are very clear in the first week of class to say that Hypnobabies cannot promise a pain-free birth. There are many factors that come in to play, like choosing a supportive birth place and provider (doctor or midwife), having a support team fully on board, ideally including a supportive birth partner and hypno-doula, and the birthing person's commitment level to keeping up with all the practice (i.e. retraining your mind) involved with Hypnobabies. There are also things that are outside of the birthing person's control, and sometimes things happen along the way that can lead us off the path we had envisioned for this birth.
Sometimes, folks do everything "right" (whatever that means!) and still find that their birth experience goes differently than they planned. Sometimes they choose to be induced, or use pain medication or have a cesarean birth, even though those were things they wanted to avoid. And that is OK! There are no "failures" in Hypnobabies. Hypnobabies always helps each mom and her partner to have an easier birth, even if, in the end, it wasn't easy. Hypnobabies allows couples to be relaxed, calm, educated and empowered about their choices. This is why one of the affirmations our moms listen to says "I trust that the path my birthing takes is the right one for me and my baby."
As a hypno-doula, I have attended very easy, amazing, pain-free births. I've even had two clients who were on pitocin but still called their birth pain-free without any pain medication. Whoa! These moms still report a lot of sensation during their birth. Lots of pressure, stretching, intensity, fullness, etc. Birth is still a major life event and full of all sorts of sensation. But these moms have trained their minds to choose to feel those feelings as pressure instead of pain.
I have also attended Hypnobabies births involving varying levels of discomfort or pain, epidurals, pitocin, and cesareans. Those moms did just as beautifully using their tools throughout their birth, and made educated and informed choices along the way as the birth took the path it needed to.
Sometimes, folks do everything "right" (whatever that means!) and still find that their birth experience goes differently than they planned. Sometimes they choose to be induced, or use pain medication or have a cesarean birth, even though those were things they wanted to avoid. And that is OK! There are no "failures" in Hypnobabies. Hypnobabies always helps each mom and her partner to have an easier birth, even if, in the end, it wasn't easy. Hypnobabies allows couples to be relaxed, calm, educated and empowered about their choices. This is why one of the affirmations our moms listen to says "I trust that the path my birthing takes is the right one for me and my baby."
As a hypno-doula, I have attended very easy, amazing, pain-free births. I've even had two clients who were on pitocin but still called their birth pain-free without any pain medication. Whoa! These moms still report a lot of sensation during their birth. Lots of pressure, stretching, intensity, fullness, etc. Birth is still a major life event and full of all sorts of sensation. But these moms have trained their minds to choose to feel those feelings as pressure instead of pain.
I have also attended Hypnobabies births involving varying levels of discomfort or pain, epidurals, pitocin, and cesareans. Those moms did just as beautifully using their tools throughout their birth, and made educated and informed choices along the way as the birth took the path it needed to.
A local hypno-couple greets their baby after their unplanned surgical birth.
Making the best of a tough situation, recovering after a surgical birth.
It's also very common for hypno-moms, especially those having their first baby, to think they didn't do it "right" because they were loud or felt out of control for a little while or had discomfort when they had hoped not to feel any. But as a doula who has seen many Hypnobabies births and many non-Hypnobabies births, I can tell you without a doubt that you did an amazing job! You were probably not as loud as you thought. You were much more in control that it seemed inside your head, and of course it's totally fine to feel tons of sensation and intensity. Birth is intense!
The good news is that there are many things you can do prepare for your best birth. You can surround yourself with a supportive team, and put in the time and effort to really prepare your mind and body. The Hypnobabies home study or the live class will provide you with so many tools to have an easier and more comfortable birth. Consider preparing your body with a prenatal exercise program like One Strong Mama. Spend your time focusing on the positive birth you want to have, not all the "what-ifs". Dream big, plan for the best birth you can imagine. And know that no matter what path your birthing takes, with Hypnobabies and your carefully selected birth team by your side, you are prepared to have it be a positive, amazing, and transformative experience.
The good news is that there are many things you can do prepare for your best birth. You can surround yourself with a supportive team, and put in the time and effort to really prepare your mind and body. The Hypnobabies home study or the live class will provide you with so many tools to have an easier and more comfortable birth. Consider preparing your body with a prenatal exercise program like One Strong Mama. Spend your time focusing on the positive birth you want to have, not all the "what-ifs". Dream big, plan for the best birth you can imagine. And know that no matter what path your birthing takes, with Hypnobabies and your carefully selected birth team by your side, you are prepared to have it be a positive, amazing, and transformative experience.
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