What is Hypnobirthing? Per hypnobirthing.com it is a simple, straightforward program, thoughtfully developed over the years to remind mothers of the simplicity of birth itself. Just as the majority of birthing women do not need interventions and procedures for safe and healthy birth, they do not need a complex set of exercises and scripts to prepare themselves for peaceful, calm and comfortable birthing.
Here is a 9 min video on hypnoBirthing:
When I was 14 years old my nephew was born. I remember hearing about the epidural process and it freaked me out. Why would you put a needle in your spine? It didn't make any sense to me. I told my mom that day that I was never going to get an epidural when I have a baby. She just looked at me and said, "We will see." Ever since I got married I looked forward to getting pregnant and showing all the naysayers that yes I could do it without pain relievers. (I had told countless other people by this point my plan on a drug free labor. Common response was "yeah right".)
When I finally got pregnant after 8 years of trying, I called my sister in law who had 5 kids all drug free. She was induced with all her labors because she wouldn't go into labor naturally. So yes, while on pitocin she did not get any pain medication. Did she want it, heck yeah. Until her 5th birth. She used hypnobirthing. I talked to her a ton about it. She sent me the CD's to listen to and told me the book to get. (HypnoBirthing the Mongan Method) I was about 24 weeks when I started listening to the CD's. I would listen to them when I walked on the treadmill. (Use your own judgement.)
I would listen to them about 3 days a week at the gym and then maybe 1-2 days at home just to relax. I loved listening to the positive affirmations CD the most. It just made me feel better.
My labor story with Mason:
Mason was induced with cytotec, not pitocin, since my hubby was leaving for Iraq 3 days after Mason was born. During the induction, waiting for things to happen, I listened to the positive affirmations to get them clear in my head especially for during the "hard part" and after. At 4:30 I had a failed induction. I was only a 4 and 100% and -1 station. Doc said I could go home or break my water. We broke my water and got the party started. (I didn't want my water broken prior to 7cm by the way because I was concerned about other things happening than can happen. But I needed my hubby there. Personal choice I made.) Water broke, doula was called and got there in 30 min (which felt like FOREVER by the way) I got in the tub to labor and that is when I found my relaxation spot. I imagined my white chair at the end of a long hallway. I had ever-changing walls around me and when I had a surge (contraction) I would see waves lapping on the beach all around me. In between surges I laid back in the tub and went to my quiet place. My husband said it looked like I was asleep. The only pain at this point that I complained about was my feet were hurting because I was kneeling in the tub and the top of my feet hurt in the tub. At about 8ish, I started feeling the urge to push in the tub so I had to get out. Couldn't relax in-between the contractions as much as I had to make my way back to the bed and contract in the middle of the room with my hubs as support.
Got checked in the bed and it was go time. Doc and nurses said I was an awesome pusher and baby could have been born in 3 pushes but they needed me to "stretch" So the doc kept the head crowning so I could stretch around it. I never once felt the "ring of fire." I felt pressure. I didn't scream. I grunted like a gorilla, because that is what my body needed to do. Mace was born at 8:52pm. I did have a 1 degree tear, not from the head by from the force and speed at which I birthed his shoulders. I also felt the stitch when the doc stitched me up. I said, "ouch!" when he stuck me with the needle, I guess he didn't numb me. He remarked, "You are complaining about a stitch after you just pushed a baby out!" He was dumbfounded by it. I told him it was a different pain. But it quickly went away as my endorphins covered up that pain too. It was just the first stick that was different. 20 minutes after I had Mason, I remember saying, "I want to do that again!" The nurses thought I was crazy! The adrenaline rush afterwards was AMAZING! Not even the scariest roller coaster has given me that much of a rush, but it was easier than I thought it would be. Then nurses also told me that I was born to birth with how well I did. (FYI I don't remember most of my labor experience. I was that relaxed and focused. My doula and hubby had to fill in the blanks for me about what happened.)
Ever since I had Mason I have been excited to get pregnant and bring another life into this world but also to go through birthing again. It was not like it was in the movies, or the 2 ladies around me in the hospital before they got their epidurals. They were screaming, like I'm going to die screaming. We knew when they got their epidural because it got very quiet. I made noise, I grunted a lot. I did a lot of breathing. I did it drug free. I was also open to the fact that if I needed an epidural I would get one, but I never got to that point. Now it is time for me to start listening to the CD's again and I am so excited. I am going to try this again. My concern, will I get into that super relaxed state if my labor is less than 4 hours. Mason was 4 hours, this one should technically be faster. We shall see. 20 more weeks and we will know for sure.
