Is a Painful Childbirth all in Your Head?

This is a question that is massively poignant to me, and isn't one that I ask lightly. Seasoned medical professionals and women who have experienced painful births are no doubt baring their teeth. Whilst I don't wish to trample on their experience, I am due to give birth in six weeks and I'm hoping that the title to this piece may be truer than we are currently able to anticipate.

To read the rest of this article click here.

Part 2 - Fear and Pain: A Cultural Picture of Childbirth...and What We Can Do to Change It

As discussed in Part 1 of this post, the experience of childbirth - and particularly the experience of childbirth as inherently painful - is strongly influenced by cultural perceptions and norms. In America, birth is largely defined by the culture-bound idea that pain and childbirth are inextricably linked. Insofar as thoughts and beliefs can impact personal experience, women who are told repeatedly to expect that birth will be grueling, difficult and painful naturally internalize these views (and the fears that result from them) over time and, thus, their birth experience could more likely be a painful one.

To read the rest of this article click here.

Victoria Secret model Miranda Kerr uses Hypnobirthing to have son naturally

Written by Heather VanNest

Victoria Secret model Miranda Kerr used Hypnobirthing techniques to give birth to her son. She says the daily, relaxation breathing exercises and guided imagery she used while she was pregnant had a lot to do with the calm demeanor of her baby boy.

Hypnobirthing classes don't actually involve traditional hypnosis. Women use specific breathing exercises to relax enough so that they don't need epidurals or medications which are usually given to speed up labor (and can intensify contractions).

Kerr joins actress Jessica Alba who also talked about taking these classes to have a medication-free natural birth. The specific training exercises allow for a more peaceful birthing process.

While natural, medication-free births are common in other countries, it is less likely a woman in the United States would have a natural birth.

To read the rest of this article click here.

Melatonin's Role in Labor Progress

In February of last year, I heard about a study that reaffirms what our mammal cousins have known instinctively for thousands of years… birth should happen in a dark, comfortable place. It also helps explain why most women go into labor in the middle of the night. And why so many labors slow down or stall in a hospital setting.

To read the rest of this wonderful article please click here: http://birthfaith.org/home-birth/melatonins-role-in-labor-progress

Some Women Giving HypnoBirthing a Try

Some Women Giving HypnoBirthing a Try
Written by DEENA CENTOFANTI
For FOX 2 News
Published Tuesday, 25 Aug 2009, 6:06 PM EDT



For many women, pregnancy and childbirth can be a struggle. While conventional medicine can offer hope through infertility treatments, some women are using alternative methods to get pregnant and deliver their babies.

Some local mothers are saying forget the drugs. Instead, take the pain and fear out of giving birth with hypnosis. This is what Tasha Schurgin believes helped her through 36 hours of labor. It's called HypnoBirthing, a type of hypnosis that teaches pregnant women how to get past the pain.

"It just gave me the confidence to go through the process without using any drugs or anything. I just wanted a natural, healthy pregnancy and delivery," said Schurgin.

"When you're looking at natural childbirth, it's just so much better for mom and baby, and if you have a calm and relaxed mother throughout the entire pregnancy, you are actually growing a calm and relaxed baby," said hypnotherapist Pauline Rzepecki.

Rzepecki teaches moms to be to follow the natural instinct that comes with childbirth. Using deep relaxation, visualization and self hypnosis, she says she takes the fear out of labor.
Juanelle Degiulio tried fertility treatments for years, but believes it's hypnotherapy that helped her get pregnant.

"I went through, I think it was four, four accelerated sessions with Pauline, and then here we are with twins and we're very excited," Degiulio said.

"But switching the affirmations that they may be saying to themselves, 'I'll never get pregnant', to 'I do have a fertile body'," Rzepecki said.

There's no scientific proof that hypnotherapy treats infertility, but Beaumont fertility specialist Dr. William Keye says it can't hurt.

"Hypnosis can change body chemistry, body's hormones, the body's immune response, so it wouldn't be surprising that in some situations that hypnosis could be of some value," Keye said.
Schurgin says she looks at her baby girl and needs no other proof to know that HypnoBirthing does work. "It was definitely a long process, but it was well worth it," she said.

To learn more about HypnoBirthing, visit http://www.hypnobirthing.com/.

You're invited to From Birth to Baby: A HypnoBirthing Celebration

Posted by Kim
As written by Carol Yeh-Garner

You're Invited! From Birth To Baby: A HypnoBirthing Celebration
Hosted by Carol Yeh-Garner, HBCE and Indigo Dragon Health and Wellness Center
Saturday, July 18th from 3-6 pm at 451 La Veta Ave, Encinitas, CA 92024

This is a FREE event with FREE seminars, demos, chair massage, acupressure,
photo sessions, food, giveaways & more!

Seminars
3:30-4 Intro to HypnoBirthing with Carol Yeh-Garner, HBCE
4-5:30 Birth Stories--
Angie & Dr. Capetenakis (local OB)~1st time parents
Ashley Lanahan~1st time mom
Mika Chang~2nd time mom, VBAC-vaginal birth after c-section
5:30-6 Pregnancy Transformational Healing seminar with Viraja Ma

Other seminars:
4:30-5 Cloth Diapering & Sling Demo by Magical Child
5-5:30 Ask a Doula panel with Jo Kilburn, Donna Hayes & Kayti Ricker
5:30-6 Family yoga

Ongoing mini-sessions:
Acupressure with Indigo Dragon
Chair massage with Indigo Dragon
Healing touch with Suzanne Weeks (www.suzanneweeks.com)
Photo Sessions with Erika Hoff (for babies & pregnant moms)

Dr. Capetenakis will be available to answer questions about Babies by the Sea, the new birth center he & Dr. Biter will be opening soon...as long as he doesn't have a mom giving birth.

Raffles:
Stella & Dot
Designs by Janessa
Happi Tummi
Baby Log book
Pregnancy tea by Indigo Dragon
$25 off HB course

Vendors:
Stella & Dot jewelry (stelladot.com/kelson)
Designs by Janessa jewelry (designsbyjanessa.com)
Magical Child (magicalchild.com)

Dining Details will be providing the yummy organic appetizers throughout the
event & will be sharing information about their home delivery & homemade baby
food service.

Please RSVP to me at awelllivedlife at hotmail dot com.

I hope you can make it! Please share this invitation with any of your pregnant friends or clients.

Birth Story - Kellen and Aidan's birth

Written by Kellen, friend of BINSI

Hello all! I wanted to share my birth experience for those who are considering a natural (no medicine) birth. I must preface this by saying that when I initially heard about a drug-free birth, I thought the lady (who was doing it with twins) was absolutely crazy. Then, I started to think about it a little more and look into my options. That's when I discovered Hypnobirthing and my doula, Vivian.

I probably need to tell a little about Hypnobirthing... Hypnobirthing is a birthing method that uses breathing and relaxation techniques that allow you to eliminate/reduce the fear/tension/pain cycle that is the cause for most of the pain that a lot of women feel. The breathing and relaxation allows your muscles, hormones, and bodily chemicals to work in harmony and allow our incredible "baby machine" work easily!

Okay, with that said...here's my story! After I decided that HB was for me, I found a place that had the HB classes. My OBs had worked with many women who chose to use this method and they recommended my doula. We took the class (5 weeks - once a week) and I listened to my relaxation CD every night for a couple of months before my LOs birth.

Fast forward to delivery day (Friday, Nov 14th - due date was the 16th)... I woke up at 7:30 before my husband went to work to say goodbye and then laid on the couch for a little while. Around 8:30-8:45, I felt crampy, but wasn't sure if it was a "contraction" or if I just needed to poop...b/c I did the latter and felt better. Then a little while later I felt crampy again and pooped again - so, I figured the crampy was just b/c of the need to poop. I did this about 4 or 5 more times over the next 2 hrs until I just couldn't poop any more. Then, I figured I might be having "contractions."

I called my husband to ask him what he had planned for lunch and if he'd like to come home and have lunch with me...he was like "Well, I was going to have a short lunch so I could try to come home a little early today." So, I asked him again (hinting) are you SURE you don't want to come home to have lunch with me... I think I might be having contractions." I wasn't in any pain, I was only a little crampy about every 15-20 minutes, and not for long. My DH was home by 12:15 p.m. - we talked while he was coming home and I was fine. My DH had been timing my "contractions" from when we were talking on his drive home. I took a shower when he got home - still fine. We called our doula and told her what was going on. She said to just do as much at home as we could b/c we'd be more comfortable there than at the hospital.

We started getting the last minute things together b/c my DH told me that my contractions were now about 4 minutes apart...I hadn't been paying attention - I was just telling him when they started and ended...he was keeping track. :) So, my "contractions" had gone from every 15 minutes to every 4 in about 45 minutes. Needless to say, we left for the hospital. My doula was going to meet us there.

We got to the hospital by 1:15 and was admitted. They checked me and I was about 3.5 cm already! Yay! I had purchased a BINSI skirt for my labor, but I was so hot I only ended up wearing my socks. What I didn't consider was how handy it would be to have it after I had the baby. The skirt was totally cute and allowed me to walk around the hospital with him and look cute! I did my breathing techniques and moved to different positions until about 4:30. My dr stopped by, checked me and said I was about 7 cm. He had a c-section at 5 and would come back after that. The "contractions" got a little more intense, but not painful. My OB came back around 6:15 and said I was about 8 cm. I had had the urge to push every few "contractions" but he didn't want me to push yet as I wasn't completely effaced. I breathed through a couple of urges to push, but then told him I couldn't wait any longer. He did a little "stretching" down there and it was on from there!

He told me to give a push - I did - and we realized that the cord was around my LO's neck (his heart rate dropped). We waited a couple of "contractions" to let it stabilize, then pushed again. We got his head out (and cord from around his neck), pushed again and got his shoulders and most of his body out, and then pushed one more time. There was my beautiful little boy - born at 7 lbs 9 oz and 21.5 inches long at 7:10 p.m.! He was perfect in every way! Totally alert and ready to get going!

I even tore, and didn't know it! (I only knew after when my OB said he needed to stitch me up...)
I am going to do a natural/medicine free birth for all of our children, if medically possible! It was really worth it and was totally doable. It might not have been a leisurely stroll next to a babbling brooke, holding hands with your husband, but it was not a nightmare like so many people had told me. I wanted to let the people who are considering going drug-free know that it's a real option and a possibility. Don't rule it out!