Hypnobirthing Preston

Hypnobirth Experience by Kash Salem

"When I was expecting my children people often asked if I was afraid of giving birth. My surprising answer was "No, not at all." I practiced hypnotherapy in my pregnancy in the hope of an easier birth, without the side effects of drug-based pain relief.

If reports are to be believed, I am in good company. Kate Middleton is said to be planning to use hypnobirthing techniques when she gives birth to the royal heir. This should not be such a surprise when we consider that the Queen herself had four home births, which by necessity, involves only natural pain relief.

Reported as "self-hypnosis", hypnobirthing is often regarded as being a 'bit weird' or complicated, but actually it is a very simple way of relaxing and maintaining a positive attitude.

Oxytocin, the hormone that makes birth progress and acts as a natural painkiller in the brain, is only released when we feel safe and loved. Adrenaline, released when we feel anxious or fearful, inhibits oxytocin, slowing labour and increasing the perception of pain. In my work as a doula, I help mothers-to-be to feel safe and supported through their labour in a number of ways. I have witnessed the effectiveness of hypnotherapy as women tackle even the toughest parts of their labour with calm confidence.

My hypnotherapy consisted of a session with a qualified therapist, and follow up using recordings on a CD. In the session with the live hypnotherapist, we used relaxation techniques and imagined a calm, peaceful place where I could go in my imagination, when labour became tough or tiring. We also put in place certain phrases that my birth partner could use to remind me of this place, and help me regain the same deep relaxation. The CD I used reinforced this, and told the tale of a positive birth experience, so that when it came to my real labour, I would feel like I had already practiced it.
After a few sessions with my CD, I not only was no longer afraid of giving birth, I could not actually recall ever having been.

I did not have the natural births I planned. Some people use cases like this to discount the effectiveness of natural birth choices. This is a gross misunderstanding. I laboured at home, beyond hours and into days, both times; for the most part, it was a calm, positive experience. I am convinced hypnobirthing helped me to prepare and make the best of my very difficult labours. I wish Kate a gentle, relaxed birth experience. "

For the original article please see:

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/hypnobirthing-helped-stop-being-afraid-giving-birth-175100712.html

Blackpool Home & Hospital Birth

"Mother gave birth on her own bathroom floor after midwives said she was only in 'early stages' of labour"

This must have been such a shock. The couple were planning a hospital birth and they ended up facing an emergency situation. Completely unprepared and completely emotionally involved.


Immensely stressful and understandably upsetting.


I wanted to blog about this article because it sends three messages to pregnant women.

1. Trust your body
2. Birth can be unpredicatable
3. Planned home births and Unplanned home births are different things.

Trust your body

 

It is common practice to be sent home from hospital if you are in the early stages of labour. However, if you feel as if the baby is on his way - trust your body. Birth can progress really quickly for some women, especially it is a second or third baby.


The Father in this article said:

"Vanessa knew she was going into labour and I thought it was pretty obvious she was too - we’re experienced with pregnancies, especially since she’s already given birth to her two sons"

Birth can be unpredicatable

 

Expect the unexpected! Even the most experienced medical staff can be taken off guard. Without details it is difficult to know what 'actually' happened in this case. Mistakes may have been made. Or maybe it was the comfort & safety of returning home which accelerated the labour?

An ' unplanned home birth' isn't the same as a 'planned home birth'

 

At first read, this article may put women off home birth. There is a massive difference in having a planned home birth where your midwife is in agreement and all the necessary practicalities have been take care of and a unplanned home birth which takes everyone by surprise.

Perhaps more women should consider having a planned home birth for second babies. Things do tend to progress quicker second time around. In a comfortable environment, the labouring women is free to fully relax and doesn't have to contend with the worries of transfering to hospital. Instead, she is free to fully concentrate on making the most of each contraction.

Once contractions are regular or a home birthing mother feels like she needs the assistance of a midwife. The call is made. The midwife arrives. The birthing mother has the undivided attention of the midwife until her baby is born.

Mothers have a choice about where they have their babies.

Sometimes Mother Nature has a say too.

Article: Blackpool Unplanned Home Birth

Home Birth Rights UK

Could there be more 'Normal Births' and 'Hypnobirthing' in Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre?

Changing Trends

As media surrounding the birth of the Duchess of Cambridge's baby in July reachs fever pitch. Will Kate's birth choices change the way women in the UK decide to have their babies?

Current headlines read:

"Kate Middleton planning to use hypnobirthing in labour – what is it?"

"Kate Middleton's normal birth could reduce UK's caesarean rate"

 "William and Kate 'don't know' royal baby's sex"

"Prince William 'will attend Duchess of Cambridge birth in hospital'"

 

Hopefully a step towards more normal births aided by hypnotherapy and the realisation of the importance of a solid birth partner...

Duchess of Cambridge Hypnobirthing

Duchess of Cambridge Normal Birth

Duchess of Cambridge Girl or Boy?

Duchess of Cambridge Birth Partner

Blackpool & Lytham St. Annes Natal Hypnotherapy™

Coming Soon...

Natal Hypnotherapy™ Wyre & Fylde

Natal Hypnotherapy™ is an antenatal birth preparation system which teaches women to work with their mind, body and emotions to inspire confidence and trust in their birthing abilities. It uses various techniques (for example breathing, relaxation, and hypnosis) to overcome anxiety and birth fear which subsequently lead women to manage pain and help them to have a more empowering and even enjoyable birth experience!

Available to women & birth partners in Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys, Fleetwood, Rural Wyre, Garstang & Preston - Lancashire. 


For more information see Calm and Contented Workshops and for Natal Hypnotherapy™ Practitioners in other geographical areas click here Natal Hypnotherapy™ Workshops UK

Dutch Home Birth Findings

Further "Statistically Significant" Home Birth Findings...

The British Medical Journal have recently printed a new article looking at a Dutch study of Home versus Hospital births in the Netherlands. The study states:

 "For parous women the rate of severe acute maternal morbidity for planned home versus planned hospital birth was 1.0 versus 2.3 per 1000 births" 

 

Written in common language this means that the chances of things "going wrong" for a second time Mum is 1 in 1000 for home births and 2.3 in 1000 for hospital births.


Quoting from the RCOG website - Dr Tony Falconer, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:

“The RCOG supports the choice of a home birth for low-risk women expecting a second or third baby.  This large study reiterates the findings from the Birthplace study which showed good outcomes for some low-risk women and their babies who delivered in either midwife-led units or at home. However, transfer rates to consultant-led units were high, particularly for first time mothers.

This study, which focused on maternal outcomes only, makes the case for an expansion of midwife-led units with appropriate midwifery staffing, alongside consultant obstetric units. This would improve women’s choices, in particular for women with a previous history of normal labour and good outcome. 

The rate of home birth in the UK (2%) is low in comparison to the Netherlands where the proximity to specialist services with short transfer times is the norm. The same advantages are not always available across the UK, so the safety of home birth has to be considered in the context of the availability of local services.

Our High Quality Women’s Health Care report emphasised the need for a reorganisation of women’s health services around clinical networks. There is a greater need for more services to be provided in the community for low-risk women. For more complex cases, women need access to units providing 24 hour consultant cover.”

Currently in the UK only 2.4% of births are planned at home, this is significantly less than the Netherlands at around 20%. This difference maybe to do with how confident women feel about transfer times to hospital and availability of local services & services in the community mentioned above.

Cultural Momentum

I think that cultural impact must also have an effect on the amount of women in the Netherlands choosing to have a home birth. The more women that give birth at home without complications, will lead to more women having the confidence to also have a home birth.


Nothing is guaranteed. The choice of a Home Birth is there, but you need to decide if it's the right thing for you...

• Talk to your midwife
• Consider whether it is your first or subsequent pregnancy
• Consider transfer times
• Consider the feelings and support of your birth partner

 
Click here for more on the Home versus Hospital Decision.

12 Top Fears in Childbirth

Here's a link to an article in Pregnancy Beat by Charlotte Sanchez (CPM) - a Certified Professional Midwife and Childbirth Educator. It lists some of the top fears in childbirth. Perhaps you recognise some of them as your own?






Charlotte lists...

• A fear of not making it to the hospital in time or arriving too early in labor.
• A fear your doctor or midwife may not be available when labor starts and you end up with someone different.
• A fear your birth plan will not be taken seriously or totally disregarded. 
• A fear of feeling unbearable pain.
• A fear of being confined to a hospital bed unable to stand or walk. 
• A fear of receiving unnecessary interventions without an alternative such as episiotomy.
• A fear of having accidental body function such as urination, bowel movement or vomiting.
• A fear of the umbilical cord being around the neck of the baby.
•  A fear of receiving interventions that will lead to fetal distress.
• A fear of fetal distress that ends with a cesarean delivery.
• A fear of being separated from your baby or being prevented to bond properly.
• A fear of death of the baby during labor and birth.

It's good to try to address and learn as much about these fears before birth, so that you and your birth partner can feel confident during your birthing experience. Knowledge is power!

Top Birth Fears

Natal Hypnotherapy™

Birth and the Media

Quite often the media is responsible for sensationalising birth. Simply put: Drama sells, normal does not.

More often than not we find ourselves reading articles which stir up our birthing anxieties and question our own abilities to have babies - even though women have been doing it since the beginning of time!

At the moment though, the media seems to be giving hypnotherapy a boost in the right direction with the news that Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian are embarking on hypnotherapy.

It would be fantastic to see more women in the public eye practicing Natal Hypnotherapy™ and promoting their positive birth experience xx

Kate Middleton
Kim Kardashian

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Someone told me the other day about someone she met on a train in Preston who had followed Hypnobirthing. Apparently the Hypnobirthing Mum-to-be was asked by the midwife to stop hypnosis as the pain was needed for her own safety. I'm not a midwife and I'm not medically trained so if anyone else could shed some light onto these comments I would appreciate it!

Hypnosis is a natural form of pain control. I think maybe medical staff who don't know about it might feel a little threatened if they are out of their depth? It is common for medical staff to be caught out by a birthing mother who is so calm and contented that the medical staff don't realise how imminent birth is!!

Going back to the train lady. If pain was a measure to keep her safe, what would happen if she had pethedine or an epidural? I wish I had more information!

I think midwives in general are becoming more accepting to 'alternative' methods of pain relief. Natal Hypnotherapy™ has actually just received accreditation from the Royal College of Midwives, so there shouldn't be any issue about using Natal Hypnotherapy™ techniques. I think the more midwives that see the results of a Natal Hypnotherapy™ birth can only be a good thing, restoring their faith in the abilities of women they attend to.

Natal Hypnotherapy™ doesn't guarantee a pain free labour, but is more about how women are able to manage the experience. In the following article midwife Mary McCallan at Altnegelvin Hospital, Northern Ireland discusses her experiences of Natal Hypnotherapy™ from a personal and professional perspective.

I Love Labour

Natal Hypnotherapy™ Blackpool