Hypno-mom Marjorie shares her experience using her Hypnobabies tools for more than just the birth of her little girl (which you can read about here).
I had decided I wanted to have a natural childbirth birth due to wanting to avoid an epidural. My initial reason for desiring a low intervention birth was because my lower back (right above where it joins my pelvis) was surgically fused when I was 21 – this meant if I had wanted an epidural, it would have been put in much higher. I was also slightly concerned about back pain during pregnancy, but figured I would just deal with it.
Enter Hypnobabies.
I had decided I wanted to have a natural childbirth birth due to wanting to avoid an epidural. My initial reason for desiring a low intervention birth was because my lower back (right above where it joins my pelvis) was surgically fused when I was 21 – this meant if I had wanted an epidural, it would have been put in much higher. I was also slightly concerned about back pain during pregnancy, but figured I would just deal with it.
Enter Hypnobabies.
As I started my instruction and homeplay, I realized that I could practice different techniques to deal with my back discomfort. I was slightly skeptical about Hypnobabies actually “working” during my birthing time since I never “felt” anything when in hypnosis. Shortly after my realization, I started having consistent low back pain and spasms. I would use the fingerdrop technique to enter into hypnosis and then use the “peace” cue to create and direct my anesthesia. I would visualize my anesthesia as an orange electric pulse flowing from my brain down through my body and then centering on my lower left back. As my anesthesia was more directed, the cloud of anesthesia would build over my back and release. The first few times I practiced this, it took the edge off the pain and ache, but didn’t eliminate it. As my pregnancy progressed, any time I started feeling a twinge in my back, I would fingerdrop and direct anesthesia to my back. By the second week of consistently practicing directing my anesthesia to my spine, I was able to completely eliminate my back pain for an entire day just through one session. Soon, I was going days between back spasms. Practicing my Hypnobabies cues helped my back pain more than any medicine did pre-pregnancy.
In the post-partum period, I used my Hypnobabies tools as well. My daughter was tongue-tied (rather severely, we ended up having her tongue clipped by a pediatric ENT two weeks after birth) and every time she would latch on it hurt so badly. I remember sitting on the couch crying to my husband that I would rather give birth again than have her nurse. My husband suggested that I use the peace cue to direct my anesthesia to my nipples. After this suggestion, I breastfed almost exclusively in the “center” position and I breathed my peace and anesthesia to my breasts. I found out after her tongue was clipped that most moms who try to breastfeed with a child who has tongue-tie as severe as my daughter give up because the pain is so intense. I credit my Hypnobabies tools for allowing me to establish a good breastfeeding relationship with my daughter that is still going strong after 6 months! I am thankful for the tools and skills I learned in Hypnobabies – it was helpful during pregnancy and in the post-partum period (in addition to my excellent birthing time).
In the post-partum period, I used my Hypnobabies tools as well. My daughter was tongue-tied (rather severely, we ended up having her tongue clipped by a pediatric ENT two weeks after birth) and every time she would latch on it hurt so badly. I remember sitting on the couch crying to my husband that I would rather give birth again than have her nurse. My husband suggested that I use the peace cue to direct my anesthesia to my nipples. After this suggestion, I breastfed almost exclusively in the “center” position and I breathed my peace and anesthesia to my breasts. I found out after her tongue was clipped that most moms who try to breastfeed with a child who has tongue-tie as severe as my daughter give up because the pain is so intense. I credit my Hypnobabies tools for allowing me to establish a good breastfeeding relationship with my daughter that is still going strong after 6 months! I am thankful for the tools and skills I learned in Hypnobabies – it was helpful during pregnancy and in the post-partum period (in addition to my excellent birthing time).
Editor's Note: Pain during breastfeeding is not normal and should be addressed immediately. You can start by calling your local La Leche League Leader for assistance (find a local Group here), or you can find a private IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) to help you discover and correct the cause of the pain.
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