HypnoBirthing: It actually worked for me

You might remember that I wrote an article about hypnobirthing and how it is supposed to help you to have a calmer, easier and more relaxing experience when you give birth.  If you haven’t gone through, you can go read back what I wrote if you like. I will wait here.

So, the most important thing you will certainly want to know is ‘did it actually work?’ Obviously this question cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, because it’s completely deepened on your expectations of it.  So, let me tell what it did do:

• It got me thinking about having a home water birth that I did have without pain relief other than entonox (gas and air)

• It got me breathing calmly over contractions to ensure that I didn’t really feel overwhelmed (or very much discomfort) right up until I was effectively into active labour; I was a superb 7cm dilated before it actually got me to be hard work.

• It actually helped me to control my berating at the end point;it clearly means that there was no requirement of stitches.

• It gave me something to focus on other than the obvious!

So for me it actually worked as exactly as I hoped.In addition to that, my daughter was so alert as well as drug-free when she emerged that she received 10 on her Apgar right away. The midwives were completely thrilled with the way the birth went, saying it was textbook stuff and my concentration was really helping; I will take their word for that, and give my all credit to my hypnobirthing practitioner! Oh, alright, I’ll keep a little for myself as well.

Obviously, there are no guarantees.  I believe it’s important to go into something like this with managed expectations. You are required to approach it knowing that if you practice and focus then it canreally, really help,however, ensuring you won’t think you have failed if it is still hard work or if you decide you do not want (or, like it or not, need)more healthcare intervention after all.

Also take into consideration that there is obviously no prize for doing it without drugs, so if you want them to hand and that helps you relax, then go for whatever makes you feel comfortable. Because actually that’s what exactly hypnobirthing is all about– taking control of the situation by means of understanding what’s happening  to your body and following instincts. You are required to understand that mind over matter works and this is one of the positive ways to train your mind to lead where your body follows.

For more information you can visit Rita’s Pregnancy101.