I want to tell you all my birth story, but before I do I want to tell you about the self-hypnosis method called hypnobabies that I used for an easy, comfortable childbirth.
Hypnobabies is a self-hypnosis technique taught by certified hypnosis instructors to help women who are planning for natural childbirth have a more easy, comfortable birth. It is a six week course, 18 hours in total. In these classes women learn how to self-hypnotize themselves, relax on cue, feel pressure instead of pain, feel ready and unafraid of birth and “breathe their baby out”. They also learn about what is happening to their bodies throughout each stage of labor and of any and all interventions that may be offered – or done without consent – to them during those times and how to prepare their birth plan accordingly.
Before I get into my personal hypnobabies experience, let me tell you some of the hypnobabies language so that you can follow more closely. I will also be using these words/phrases in my birth story in the following weeks.
- “Pressure waves” – contractions
- “Birthing time” – labor
- “Pressure” or “Discomfort” – pain (Pain is a big no-no and must never be said to a hypno-mom)
- “Breathing baby out” – pushing
- “Release” and “Peace” – these are cue words used to bring hypno-moms into a deeper state of relaxation very quickly
- “Mental light switch” – used to turn the hypno-mom’s body on, off or in center
- “Hypno-anesthesia” – the mental anesthesia a hypno-mom will feel during her hypnosis – similar to the mental anesthesia taught to dental patients allergic to actual anesthesia for oral procedures
- “Off position” – deep state of hypnosis where the hypno-mom mentally shuts off every muscle, never and fiber in her body while sending hypno-anesthesia throughout her body
- “Center position” – deep state of hypnosis where the hypno-mom can walk, talk and move freely while sending hypno-anesthesia throughout her birthing muscles
I began my six week hypnobabies course in March and finished in May of 2015. Every Sunday my fiancé and I would drive over the bridge to Philly, spend a half hour parking, walk how ever many blocks we had to with pillows, books and a yoga mat and didn’t get home until 10:30pm. Was it worth it? ..YES!
At the time, my fiancé was working 7 days a week, 10+hours a day. He was not too enthused to learn we had to go to these classes which would take up 5+ hours of our Sunday evenings for six weeks. At the end of the first class, he asked our instructor how important was his presence every week — she did not even have to answer him with words before he turned around and said he would be there every week if that is what he needed to do. She encouraged it, and so he did. By the second weeks class, he was learning so much about my pregnancy and the preparation of our birthing time, even sharing my excitement for the courses! He was very supportive. But why did he need to come? After all, he wasn’t the one giving birth or hypnotizing himself.
My birth partner
Birth partners play a big role in hypnobabies. (Of course, single mothers are just as welcome to be hypno-moms). During the course, our birth partners will read scripts to the hypno-mom, teach her relaxation cues, learn different positions to help/hold her in during her birthing time, be educated on medical practices and feel confident in helping to keep and be able to reiterate the hypno-mom’s birth plan, help the hypno-mom go into a deeper state of relaxation and much more. My birth partner, my fiancé, Albe, was so impressed with the extensive knowledge our hypno-instructor, Karen, had for pregnancy, birthing times and babies. He could not believe how much he learned and felt so prepared to be the best birth partner he could be…and he sure was.
My amazing birth partner helping me through a pressure wave
Now I know you were are wondering…Did I have an easy, comfortable birthing time? I am going to say yes. I will admit that although the last 4 hours or so were anything but easy, my birthing time was 28 hours and up until I turned off my tracks, I was calm, happy, relaxed and comfortable throughout all of my pressure waves. And yes, they felt just like that…pressure. “Each pressure wave will feel like a big, warm hug for you and your baby.” (hypnobabies track affirmation). Tracks are what hypno-moms listen to throughout their training and then also in birthing times. They are relaxation tapes that teach techniques and teach the mind a new way of thinking about birth. They teach what is called the mental light switch positions, where by using the drop of a finger, the hypno-mom can slip herself into a deep hypnosis. Skeptical? So was I. But practice makes hypnosis! I practiced and listened to my tracks an average of twice daily from mid May through my birthing time. I perfected my own way of self-hypnosis and was ready to have my easy, comfortable birthing time. I obviously cannot tell you everything I learned in an 18 hour course in this 900 word blog, but I can tell you that it takes dedication and believing in for results.
“After each pressure wave you will smile and feel happy” (hypnobabies track affirmation)
I used my hypnosis tracks, non stop, for the first 24 hours of my labor. By the 15th hour I was going on 7 cm dilated and I was in such a deep state of hypnosis that I can honestly tell you I do not remember much up to that point. Actually, the entire time I used my tracks and hypnosis is one big blur. Those 24 hours felt more like 10 or 12 hours. “Every 20 minutes of your comfortable birthing time will feel like only five.” (hypnobabies track affirmation). You will learn more about the final hours of my birthing time, out of my hypnosis, in my birth story in the upcoming weeks!
Somewhere around hour 15, deeply relaxed
Did you have a hypnobabies experience? Did it help you? If not, do you believe hypnobabies could work for you? Why or why not? Share your thoughts! And if you’re expecting and preparing for a natural childbirth, look into a class near you!
Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!
And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HT #BreastfeedingWorld
–
[col1]
[/col1]
[col2]
[/col2]
[col3]
[/col3]
I am a 27 year old first time mom who lives in New Jersey. I had an all natural planned homebirth with the help of water and the self-hypnosis hypnobabies method. I am currently a stay at home breastfeeding mother to my beautiful baby girl and I’ll be sharing with you all some personal experiences and covering some other interesting topics, stay tuned.
