When I found out I was going to be a mom, I wanted to bring my son into this world with alot of love and peace. I wanted the best for him. Growing up, my mom was never shy of sharing my birthing story with me. It is the typical I was in pain for 3 days story that we see and hear all the time on TV and in movies. I had other ideas about what birthing should be like since both my grandmothers had 10 kids each. My dad’s mom had him in the rice paddy and quickly return to work after she gave birth. When I heard that story, I knew I had to research and find a better way to give birth. While doing my research I found Hypnobirthing and Hypnobabies. I did a Hypnobirthing class and the home study course for Hypnobabies. I wanted to be prepare. However, when my labor started I ended up using Hypnobabies and it was a success.
Because my physical movement was restricted when I was pregnant, I saw that the childbirthing method that I was chose was like mentally training me for birth. Instead of preparing for a marathon, I was preparing for birth. Mentally training yourself to think something positive when all you heard is negative is tough. You constantly have to fight off the people that will tell you that there is no such thing as a painless birth. I guess the similarity between the two courses is that it teaches that birthing can be comfortable and that each contraction (or birthing wave) lasts for about 60 seconds of which YOU can be in control. Fear is the main reason for pain during labor. If you release that fear and believe that your body knows what it is doing, you will have a comfortable birth.
I found the Hypnobirthing course too focused on the history of how Marie Morgan, the founder, got the idea. There are about two different scripts on one CD. And that was probably my only problem with the program. I wanted more practice. I wanted to do more than listen to two script. I did my research and found Hypnobabies.
Hypnobabies is a six week course. During this time, you learn how to put yourself into a hypnotic state and how to do it with your eyes open. It also gives you a meal plan where protein and sodium is very important to a pregnant woman’s diet. Yes, I said sodium. Of course like any childbirthing method, it gives you the different phases of labor. I also liked that it gave me an exercise plan to help relieve the pressure off your hip. Since your baby is resting on your hip, doing the exercises really gives you relief from it. One of my favorite was sitting on a birthing ball (or a regular exercise ball). It relieved the pressure off my tailbone. However, the best part of the program was that there were many different scripts. You alternate between the Deepening script and another script each week. I really felt like I was training myself for a mental marathon. I felt prepared. When I went into labor, I was very in control with each contractions getting more intense. Because I was so relaxed and in control, I was only in active labor for 4 hours. I never felt the crowning (or burning sensation). It was just so comfortable. I’m going to save my birthing story for another post. But for more information you can visit their homepage.
http://www.hypnobabies.com
But don’t just take my word for it.
Namaste
