Gina and Mike's HypnoBirthing Story

Gina and Mike took my classes on Tuesday evenings at Seaside Women’s Health in Encinitas, North County San Diego.

Zoe decided to make an early appearance six weeks ahead of her guess date! She is doing well, and I wanted to write to give you the news and to especially thank you for the HynoBirthing training because despite all the curve-balls we faced that fateful night, I managed to have a beautiful, peaceful hypnobirth!

My water started leaking steadily and fairly heavily at 10:45PM on the 14th, and because I was only at 34 weeks, I called the midwives' line at UCSD and luckily got a hold of Erica Wu, who was one of the midwives I'd seen during my prenatal visit. She suggested that we go down and get checked out just to be sure, and so we collected all our things very calmly and drove down to the UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest at around 12 am. I was sure that the baby was coming, and Mike was just as sure she was not, but luckily, he indulged me and drove me down! When they began monitoring me, it appeared that I was already in the 4-1-1 stage, but I never felt a thing except a very mild pressure. Erica said that because I was less than 36 weeks, she wouldn't be able to deliver me at the Birth Center, but that she would find the most natural birth friendly OB resident and attending, and that she didn't see any reason why I couldn't have a natural birth. She was true to her word, because by the time my surges became really powerful--around 3 AM, the nurses and OB resident had met with me, assured me that they would respect all our birth preferences (that we hadn't had a chance to discuss with our midwife or write down yet) and they did. The neonatologists, however, were less accommodating, and insisted that I give birth in the OR, but by then I was completely in my zone, breathing with each surge, changing positions, moving about, and never once opening my eyes or talking. It didn't matter to me where I gave birth because I was well and truly within myself and unaware of my surroundings. I had been listening to the Rainbow Relaxation and comfortable with Mike’s light massage during early labor, but I didn't want to listen to the CD or be touched during active labor. Our doula, Jenna Anderson, was awesome, applying cold and hot compresses, taking turns with Mike to apply counter-pressure on my hips, and at around 5 after I had a massive bout of vomiting (which felt really good afterward), she suggested that the resident check my cervix because she thought I was close (the resident said that she didn't need to check me at all before that because I was progressing so quickly and she didn't want to put me in any discomfort). I was 9 cm dilated at 5 am, ready to push by 5:30, and baby came after about 40 minutes of a combination of "purple pushing" and bearing down, both of which seemed completely intuitive to me at the time. The doctors and nurses (Drs. Mimi Schaeffer and Yvette Lacroisiere, and Juliette, the nurse), Jenna, and of course, Mike, were so encouraging and wonderful--- I felt like I was running a sprint with my most ardent fans egging me to the finish line, as gently and warmly as possible. No one ever mentioned Pitocin, epidurals, or episiotomies to me, I was allowed to do everything I wanted to, and even with a portable fetal rate monitor that I continuously had on my belly, no one ever gave me cause for alarm. Baby came easily, and I did tear very little, needing 1 stitch, which hasn't bothered me at all. Incidentally, we practiced perineal massage for the first time the evening of the 14th, so that poor perineum didn't get a chance to get properly exercised! I was really touched when both the nurse and resident said that they felt honored at having witnessed such a beautiful birth--Jenna said that she had never seen OBs treat a birth with such dignity.

If anything, the neonatologists have not been quite as respectful as the OBs, because they did not allow me initial skin-to-skin time with Zoe, nor an attempt at breastfeeding and they whisked her away to the NICU almost immediately. Mike went with them, and they did bring her to me briefly, but that part of it has been less than ideal. This is despite the fact that she weighed a respectable 5 lbs at birth, cried lustily as soon as she was born, and was pink, healthy, and vigorous. She's still in the NICU as a "feeder and grower" so that's hard, but I am so glad I was able to give her a drug and anesthesia-free birth. We are hoping that she comes home very soon, so we can continue bonding in a more comfortable space, when she doesn't have a dozen monitoring devices attached to her. Without the natural birth, I wouldn't have been feeling this good physically so soon after giving birth, and my time with her would be much more limited. I am almost fully recovered from the labor and delivery, save for some lingering exhaustion at the end of each day and my rigorous pumping schedule every 3 hours round the clock.

Thanks you for giving us the tools to be able to do this---it will always be one of the most amazing experiences in both my life and Mike’s.

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Congratulations, Gina and Mike! I am so happy that Zoe's birth was just as beautiful as you desired, even if it was a bit earlier than anticipated! I am thankful to hear that the HypnoBirthing techniques came in handy, and am also thankful to know that Zoe was on the road to recovery soon after you sent this story in. How wonderful you felt so respected and empowered for your experience!

For more information on Gina’s doula, Jenna Anderson: www.thebirthofadoula.blogspot.com

If you are interested in taking HypnoBirthing classes in the San Diego area, please feel free to contact Carol for class schedules and more information at: A Well Lived Life. If Carol's schedule does not work with yours, she would love to refer you to other local instructors as well. If you aren’t in the San Diego area but are still interested in utilizing all that HypnoBirthing has to offer, check out The HypnoBirthing Institute and find a Local Practitioner for you!

Keris & Jeff's Birth Story

Here's the full story of Keris & Jeff's HypnoBirthing experience:

The Story of Grayson’s Birth

Carving time to sit down and write out Grayson’s birth story has not been easy while I spend most of my time tending to or gazing at my little boy, and the hours and days seem to melt into each other. But, I want to make sure that I write down as many details as possible from this amazing experience before they feel like a dream.

On Tuesday, January 11th, I felt a strong desire to go out to dinner with my husband, Jeff. I hadn’t wanted to do much of anything the last two weeks of my pregnancy, but suddenly I wanted a date night, knowing that it would be our last chance to go out before our baby was born. While we were at dinner, I noticed some mild contractions. They were very subtle, and because I was at 40 weeks and to the point where every little sensation made me anxiously wonder, “Could this be it?”, I simply mentioned them to Jeff and then tried to put it out of my mind. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and then went home to relax on the couch. As we sat and watched TV, the surges became more noticeable, yet still mild. They were, however, different from anything I had felt up to that point in the pregnancy, so I began to feel more and more excited that something significant was taking place. Jeff went to bed and I stayed on the couch, hoping that the TV would be a nice distraction. I dozed off for about an hour, only to be awoken by stronger surges. It was 1:00 am, and I tried to get into bed and sleep it off. It soon became apparent that it was nothing I could sleep through. I told Jeff what was going on and then got into the shower to relax. The surges felt pretty strong but were very irregular, happening anywhere from every 5-10 minutes. After the shower, I tried to go to bed, but the contractions and the excitement kept me wide awake.

By sunrise, the surges were getting stronger, but still irregular. Jeff and I called our parents and told them what was happening, assuming that the baby would be born some time that day- and on his due date to boot! We spent the morning moving through the contractions at a leisurely pace. We took a walk down the block to the lagoon and sat on our favorite bench. We spent time taking in the beauty around us, giving thanks for our many blessings, and saying prayers for a healthy birth. As the day went on, the surges got stronger, but were still not forming a pattern. So we waited...took more showers, listened to music, and waited. As the surges became stronger, Jeff and I found our rhythm as laborer and birth partner. Through each surge, he would apply counter pressure to my hips, which really brought me relief. He kept me focused and breathing, using key terms and cues that we learned in our Hypnobirthing course. Finally, we got to the point where the surges were finding some regularity and we began to time them. Over the next couple of hours they increased and at about 5:00 they were coming on every 4 minutes and lasting for at least a minute. We rode this out for another hour and then called the midwives at the UCSD Birth Center. They told us to come down and we were thrilled to be moving on to the next phase!

During our 30-minute drive to UCSD, I put on my headphones and listened to the relaxation CD that we had been given in our Hypnobirthing class. Up until that point, I had only wanted to hear Jeff’s voice, but since he was driving I knew that would be difficult. The meditation relaxed me and made working through the surges easy. But, I noticed on the drive that the surges seemed to be slowing down. We got to the hospital and went to check in at the birth center. We were told that at that moment the rooms were full but that someone was about to be discharged, and that I would briefly have to go down to the regular labor and delivery floor to be checked and admitted. This threw me for a loop, but I tried to breathe through the glitch and focus on the surges. Arriving on the labor and delivery floor, they had no idea why I was there and had to track down the midwife to see what was going on. Eventually, they put me in a tiny triage room where I changed into my nightgown and had my vitals taken. Through all of this, I was aware that my surges were again irregular and not nearly as strong. I did not like this feeling at all, and was really concerned that my labor had just regressed a few hours. The midwife came in to check me and I was at 4 cm and 80% effaced, but it was obvious to everyone that I was hardly contracting anymore. I felt so confused.

Meanwhile, the room upstairs opened up and they moved me into the more comfortable space that I had been expecting. Also, while this was happening, my dear friend, Julie, and my parents arrived at the hospital, and we went upstairs together. Upstairs, the midwife explained to us that she was not going to admit me until she saw that my labor was picking up, but that I could hang out and walk around to try and get it moving again. So, we did just that. I moved around the room, having stronger but again irregular surges. My brother and sister-in-law arrived and soon the room felt very full of loving, but staring eyes, and I started to feel extremely self-conscious that they had all come to witness the birth, and here I was barely even having contractions. We finally had to ask everyone to leave so that I could really focus on my labor. Julie stayed, however, acting as a doula to both Jeff and me. We spent the next few hours pacing the hospital and working through surges, but they never did resume their strength or pattern. I felt so sad and frustrated, and very, very tired.

At 11:00 pm, the midwife came in and told us that I was in, what she called, ‘early labor hell.’ Essentially, my labor had stalled out and I was only becoming more and more exhausted, having now been up for 24 hours. She offered us two choices. She said that I could go home and take a Benadryl to try and get some rest, or that I could stay in the birth center and receive an IV of sleep medication, of which she referred to as Therapeutic Sleep. I was torn. I cried. I felt so confused. I had really thought that I was having my baby that day. I knew that the surges were too strong to sleep through, but I had never had an IV of anything before, and I didn’t want it to interfere with my natural birth experience. Jeff, Julie, the midwife and I all talked it over and eventually decided that if I wanted to have the strength to have my natural birth experience, then the best choice would be to induce sleep through the IV and hope that I woke up in active labor. And so we slept...for about 6 hours, and although I did not wake up in active labor and was actually still quite groggy, I felt so much better and stronger after having had some sleep.

After a quick breakfast, the midwife came in and checked my progress. I was still at 4 cm and having only mild surges. So, as hard was it was, we packed up our things and headed home. The nurses and midwives were all so sweet, telling me that I would be back it no time at all. But, emotionally, it was rough. I got home and sat on the couch, still very heavy lidded from the sleep medication. I felt so sad and so discouraged. All I could do was sit there. I dozed between mild surges and found my mind wandering to places that I didn’t want it to go. Jeff encouraged me to get up and move around, but I couldn’t. I began to cry and told him that I didn’t even feel like myself. My head wasn’t in the game anymore. I felt like I would be having surges every 10 minutes for the rest of my life! By this point, it was 3:00, and my labor was still stalled. Jeff was concerned and he called Julie for support and advice. Together they decided that they needed to do whatever it took to get me moving. And, at the same time, I had decided that I needed to do whatever Jeff told me to do, no matter how difficult it seemed. So, when Jeff turned on the shower and told me I had to get in it, I did. I stood in the shower crying. Jeff told me that he was going to read me a Hypnobirthing script. He chose the balloon script, which is one about letting go of fear, anxiety, and anything else that you might be holding on to that could interfere with your birth. I sat down in the shower and he read. It was hard to focus and hard to feel positive, but, subconsciously, something shifted. After the script, my surges began to pick up. I got out of the shower and Jeff told me to eat. He fed me yogurt and coconut water and noticed that my face was coming to life again. The surges were becoming stronger and more frequent and all of a sudden I was back in the game!

The surges increased with such strength and frequency that it was only a couple of hours before they were 2-3 minutes apart and we were ready to head back to the birth center. Again, I listened to my relaxation CD in the car, but this time the surges stayed strong and consistent. Leaving for the hospital at 5:00 pm put us in the middle of rush hour traffic, but I didn’t notice. Jeff, on the other hand, was saying prayers to all of those who passed before us, calling on them to get us quickly through traffic...and they did! By the time we arrived, I couldn’t even make it through the lobby without stopping to breathe through three surges. When we got to the 4th floor, our room was ready for us and we were greeted by smiles from everyone who had seen us leave earlier that day. I quickly changed into my gown, put the relaxation CD on the speakers, and Jeff and I continued moving through surges together. By this point, Jeff and I were so in sync, and he was such an amazing support, that when I was offered the doula service that I had thought I wanted (the hospital has a volunteer doula program), I decided against it. I knew that Jeff and I could handle it. Jeff was my chair, literally, and through each surge, I would squat down on his lap as he pressed counter pressure into my hips. I was very focused and breathing hard, using a range of breathing techniques, sighs, sounds, grunts, and moans. It was not a quiet labor. As the relaxation track played on repeat in the background, I would tune in every so often and use whatever part I heard to keep focused. All the while, Jeff was behind me offerings encouraging words and Hypnobirthing cues to help me stay motivated. The midwife came in and checked on my every so often and every 30 minutes the nurse would check the baby’s heartbeat. Finally, I reached a point where my surges were on top of each other with no break at all. The midwife told Jeff that I was “double peaking,” and that she would get the birth tub ready for me. Wow! The double peaks took my breath away. This is when I wanted out. No more. No, thank you. I was done. Silently, I was cursing natural birth and all my Hypnobirthing training. If I could have jumped out of my own skin, I would have. I don’t know what came out of my mouth at that time, but I know that what was being said in my head would have to be censored! Just when I thought I couldn’t handle the double peaks anymore, the voice of my HypnoBirthing instructor, Carol, echoed in my head. I remembered her telling us that we might get to a point of wanting to throw in the towel. That there might be a moment when we would want out of the situation and want to get the drugs, and, that when this time came, we had to hold on, because it meant that the end was near. She explained that soon after, the surges would slow down and give you a break again. So, I rallied and worked though it, and after a little while I was getting a break between surges once again. By then, I was in the tub, which offered some relief and a welcomed change of position. As the surges slowed down a bit, I felt a shift and became very aware of feeling the baby move down the birth canal. I knew I was getting very close. My breathing changed and became more of a deep moan followed by a yoga lion’s breath to clear my throat. Again, this was definitely not a quiet labor! The nurse was keeping both Jeff and me hydrated with coconut water between each surge. Soon I began to feel like I needed to push. It was not as strong as the urge would later become, but an urge nonetheless. I began to use my birth breath at this point, very gently breathing the baby down. The midwife came in to observe me and could tell I was close. She put a mirror under me but could not see much, so she asked me turn over so that she could check my progress. I actually remember feeling quite annoyed at this point because I was already so aware of my own progress and I didn’t want my focus to be disturbed. I knew that I was fully dilated and the midwife confirmed not only that, but also that she could feel the baby’s head right there!



The UCSD Birth Center does not yet allow for water births, so they moved me from the tub onto the queen-sized bed that we could later sleep in as a family for the first time. Unbeknownst to me, at the same time that all of this was happening, there was a woman next door who was fully dilated and also ready to give birth, so the back up midwife had been called in to tend to my birth. As I was getting situated on the bed, she walked in, and I could not have been happier to see that it was our own midwife, Rebecca, the one that we had been seeing through all of our appointments. As soon as she got there, my need to push became incredibly strong. I no longer felt like I could breathe the baby down and had to succumb to my urge to push. Jeff sat next to me on the bed, but I didn’t want any more cues at that point and asked him to turn off the relaxation CD. I was completely inside my head and needed to focus. Rebecca led me through a few different positions, trying to find the best one to help move the baby along. He was having a hard time moving over my pelvic bone and I ended up having the most luck laying on my right side. It was about 10:30 when I really started to push, the room was quiet and dark and the midwife and nurse were using nothing but a flashlight to watch my progress. Rebecca gently encouraged my pushing, quietly saying things like, “You’ve got it sweetie, that’s it. You’re doing it.” She was fantastic. I pushed hard for about an hour. In the last few minutes, Rebecca asked me nudge the baby gently, and again I found myself practicing the birth breath. I wasn’t sure why she asked me to do that at the time, but later Jeff told me that she was trying to keep me from tearing by gently working the baby’s head out. After a few nudges, the baby’s head was out and looking right at Jeff! Rebecca instructed me to give one more gentle nudge and that the baby would do the rest. She told Jeff to put his hands on either side of the baby’s head and, with one more nudge, the baby was out and Jeff was holding

him in his arms! He announced to us all that we had a baby boy and quickly put him on my chest. Amazing! He was healthy, had beautiful color, and was crying to clear his lungs on his own. He lay on my chest and settled down as the midwife watched carefully for the cord to stop pulsing. When it did, Jeff cut the cord. The three of us laid there together for a while, taking it all in, as the midwife and nurse quietly gave me 2 quick stitches (after his head cleared, the baby nicked me with his elbow and gave me the slightest tear) and cleaned up around us. When all of this was done I sat up in bed and was finally able to get a good look at his little face. I couldn’t believe how gorgeous he was and that this tiny little person had been inside me all those months. It was instant love.

In the hours following his birth, our baby boy was greeted by his grandparents, took to breastfeeding beautifully, and took turns sleeping on Mommy and Daddy’s chest through the night. It was so special to be able to sleep together as a family in the birth center bed and to wake up to his sweet little face nuzzled up to mine.

In the morning, Jeff and I decided on the name Grayson. We had come in with two possible names, and Grayson seemed to fit him perfectly. We spent the entirety of the next day lounging in bed as the nurses came in to check on us only when we called for them. They were so respectful of our time to rest and bond. More family and friends came to visit that afternoon and again that night we slept together as a family. In fact, Grayson slept for five hours straight, curled up next to me on the bed, exhausted from his grand entrance into the world. It was hard to get any sleep, because all I wanted to do was stare at my beautiful baby boy.

Slowly it began sinking in that he is my son and I am his Mommy, forever and ever.

What a gift. What a blessing. What an honor.
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Wow Keris! I didn't expect you to finish writing up your birth story so quickly! I really appreciate it! I'm sure your birth story will inspire others.

For anyone considering a natural birth, UCSD's Birth Center is a great option. They have tubs to labor in, midwives that support natural birth & the availability of the regular hospital in case of a special circumstance.

For information about my HypnoBirthing classes, please visit my website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net or if you're outside of San Diego, CA, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com to find a practitioner near you.

www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Keris & Jeff

Keris & Jeff took my Tuesday night HypnoBirthing classes at Babies by the Sea Boutique in Cardiff in November 2010. Here's the short version of their birth story:

I am holding my sweet little boy in my lap right now- Grayson Edward. :)

He was born last week, January 13th, 2010. He tried to arrive on his due date, the 12th, but my labor stalled out...I am working on writing up my birth story and hope to have it done over the next few days.

My birthing experience was totally different in a lot of ways from anything I had envisioned, but equally beautiful and satisfying in its own right. Jeff was beyond amazing as a partner, so much so that I didn't even end up wanting the doula there with us. And the UCSD Birth Center...wow! The midwives and the nurses were all superb. I wish more people knew about that option. We were extra happy because at the last minute another midwife had to be called in as there was another woman delivering at the exact same time as me. The midwife called in happened to be the one that we had been seeing for all of our appointments and it felt so wonderful to see her familiar face.

I want you to know that your voice was distinctly in my head at a crucial moment. I remember clearly that when I was at the point where my contractions were double peaking and I was leaning into Jeff's counter pressure as hard as I could, I thought to myself that all I wanted to do was jump out of my body. I was cursing HypnoBirthing and natural birth in my head and I just wanted relief! Right then, I heard your voice telling me that when I got to the point of wanting to throw in the towel, it meant that I was almost there. I just kept focusing on that and it was not long after that they had me in the birthing tub and I was getting a break in between contractions again. I knew exactly what was happening at that point and knew that I was fully dilated and could feel the baby making its way into the birth canal. In fact, when the midwife came in to observe me and said she wanted to check my dilation, I responded with "What? Why?" (in kind of a why the hell are you bothering me voice), only because I was so aware of where I was at. She checked me and said, "Oh, you're fully dilated and I feel his head right there." "Um, yeah, I could have told you that. Now can I go back to what I was doing please?!" ;-)

Anyway, just wanted you to know that you were present at my birth in a very important way!

We have told so many people about your class and how empowering it was. Thank you again for everything.

Keris & Jeff
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Congratulations Keris & Jeff! I can't wait to hear/read the full account of your son's birth experience! I'm so glad that the HypnoBirthing classes helped you have a wonderful birth experience & that my voice came to you just when you needed it.

Enjoy your babymoon!

All my best--Carol
www.AWellLivedLife.net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Allecia & Jordan's birth

Allecia & Jordan took my classes on Tuesday nights in July 2010 at Indigo Dragon Health & Wellness Center. Here is their birth story:

Allecia & Jordan's Birth Story



My daughter was born August 16th, 2010 at 8:35 pm. She weighed 7lbs. 1oz. and was 21 inches long. I would say this day by far is the best day of my life. I don't think this intimate experience would have been the same without taking HypnoBirthing classes and having her at Best Start Birth Center. My daughter is my first child so there was a lot of reluctance and fear experienced. I wasn't sure what to expect and HypnoBirthing really helped me. It helped me not feel this way by teaching me to trust myself and my baby. My labor started at night on the fifteenth while I was in bed sleeping. The surges weren't regular so I didn't really suspect anything. I also think it had to do with how I dealt with the sensations I was feeling.

I woke up at about 9:30 am the next morning feeling the surges more frequently and regular. At this point I put my HypnoBirthing Relaxation CD on and concentrated on my breathing. I began to also time my surges with the application I downloaded on my phone. For the next two hours I timed my surges and they were above five to six minutes apart. I called the midwife on call at the birth center to tell her I would probably be in to give birth later in the day. She told me to call her back in a couple of hours. After the phone call I kept track of my surges for another two hours and got into my bath tub to relax. While I was relaxing in the bath tub my surges became for frequent and increased with intensity. I called the midwife back and told her my surges were three to four minutes apart and that my husband and I would be heading down to the birth center soon since its forty minutes away. My
husband had to run to Best Buy to get a video camera to tape the birth. He was only gone about an hour but it seemed so much longer! I was in active labor and told him to hurry up and that we were leaving as soon as he got back.



Before we left, we literally had to throw all our stuff into a few bags because the only thing we had ready was the baby's bag. We ended up bringing stuff we didn't even need but brought if we ended up at the hospital. On the way down to the birth center the traffic was crazy and we almost got into a car accident, someone almost ran into the side of our car. We left the house around four in the afternoon. I thought we would have to pull over on the highway because the surges were so intense. We arrived at the birth center at around five. We checked in with the midwife and I was examined to check for dilation. At this point the surges were very intense and it was very hard to get onto the exam table because every time I went to get onto the table I started to have a surge! The midwife measured my dilation at 7 cm!



After that was done I went to the room so the midwife could get information from me and to get ready to get into the warm bath tub water. The room at the birth center was so awesome because I felt so at home. I was able to labor, deliver, and spend the beginning of post-partum in it. The bath water was so relaxing during labor. I don't think I would have been able to relax as much during active labor and transition if I wasn't doing a water birth. I guess wanting the best for my daughter's birth I had good experiences myself. I spent about three and a half hours in the bath tub going through the rest of active labor and transition. It was very intense and I was on my knees in like a modified squatting position. The last part of my labor didn't seem like three and a half hours because I was experiencing time distortion which you have happen when you're in a deeply relaxed state. I was really focusing on my breathing and letting my body do the work. The most intense part was getting the baby's head out. It seemed like the baby's head would never come out but it wasn't painful just a lot of pressure. Not too long after the baby's head came out Ruby Rose was born from a little assistance from the midwife. I was able to pick her up out from underneath the water. It all seemed like a dream holding her little body close to mine.



She was and still is the most precious person in my life. It was awesome to have her with my husband and doula there to share this once in a life time experience. The staff at the birth center was very supportive and respectful. If I could say anything about giving birth it would be to make sure you inform yourself and do what is best for your child.

Thanks so much Carol,Best Start Birth Center, Jordan and Amanda!

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Congratulations Allecia & Jordan! Thanks so much for sharing your birth story! Continue to enjoy your babymoon!

For more information about HypnoBirthing classes in San Diego, CA, please visit Carol's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. For HypnoBirthing classes outside of San Diego, please go to www.HypnoBirthing.com to find a practitioner near you.

You can find more information about Best Start Birth Center on my resources page of my website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net.

www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

You have a choice

The link to the video below is called "You Have a Choice". I think most women that are pregnant don't know they have choices or are too freaked out about the pain of birth to even consider that they have choices...they just want an epidural & want labor to be over. They don't know that birth can be a wonderful, sometimes even enjoyable experience & that it can be the most empowering experience of a woman's life.

While the focus of this video is encouraging people to be open to a birth center or home birth, most of my HypnoBirthing couples are birthing in a hospital. I believe that the education HypnoBirthing couples receive empowers them to go into the hospital so that they can have the birth experience they want. They must choose the right care provider (OB/GYN or midwife), the right hospital, the right support people (just your partner or hiring a doula) & ensure that they ask the right questions every step of the way---from making sure the nurse assigned to their case is supportive of natural birth, to asking if they can have 10 minutes to discuss things whenever an intervention is suggested to figure out if it is being suggested because of a true medical situation or just because labor isn't happening the way the hospital staff are used to, to making sure they have a birth plan (& discuss it with their care provider well before their birth) & discuss it with their nurse while in the hospital, & so much more.

Some people just feel more comfortable & safe being in a medical setting, so if that is their choice, then I think it is their responsibility to ensure they maintain control of their birth & their birthing environment as long as the mom & baby are healthy. It's better to be a good parent than a good patient...know that there is always a choice. The choices you make now, while you're pregnant, help to make you a better parent. Instead of blindly trusting your medical care provider & the hospital, educate & empower yourselves as parents now to ensure that you have a positive birth experience rather than give your power away & become an observer to one of the most important experiences of your life.

Here's the link to the video: http://www.vimeo.com/6344770

From the video description: The video consists of a synopsis of a typical birth by a registered nurse in a labor & delivery unit of at a local hospital, followed by individuals and couples sharing their birth experiences.
The focus of this documentary is to show people that they have a choice in their birth, rather than just trusting "professionals" to take care of everything for them. You can educate yourself and have an amazing experience in your birth rather than just a "medical procedure."

I encourage people to share this blog post with their pregnant friends...sometimes all someone needs is a little information to open their minds to the fact that there are other options. Once people understand that birth doesn't have to be a horrific, painful experience & that a woman's body is made to give birth naturally & normally, they can move forward & take back control of their birth experience. I was reminded of this in the HypnoBirthing class series I just started teaching last night. A mom in the class had always thought she wanted to get an epidural as soon as she got to the hospital. But then she watch The Business of Being Born & it opened her & her husband's eyes to the fact that birth is a money-making industry & that getting an epidural right away wasn't really what she wanted for her birth experience. She found HypnoBirthing & is now confident in her body's natural ability to birth her baby.

Please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com to find a practitioner near you or to just learn more about how HypnoBirthing can help you & your partner have a calmer, more comfortable, empowered birth.

Remember, you always have a choice...even if you feel like there are no choices. Not choosing to make a choice IS making a choice.

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A HypnoBirthing birth center story

This is the birth story of my class members--Kate & Aaron, who took a group class in January.

Our birth story

12:00 am Sunday March 9th, I woke with some cramping and back pain, but nothing that wasn’t normal to me because it had happened the past few nights. After laying in bed for a few minutes, the sensations continued to come strong and stronger. I decided that I would try a warm shower before calling Aaron home from work.

The shower relieved a lot of what I was feeling, but I was pretty sure this was the real deal. Lying down was the most uncomfortable position for me so I decided to go for a walk around my neighborhood. After walking for a short half hour, I wanted to go home with sensations of having to go to the bathroom! I sat on the toilet on and off for about an hour bringing us to 2:30 am. My surges were consistent and coming on strong. We both thought there is no way that I’m ready to go to the UCSD birth center and I kept saying to Aaron I don’t want to get there and only be 2 cm, so we continued to do what we were doing. I then decided to try the birthing ball. It worked for about 10 minutes until I stood up and my water broke. At this time we knew we needed to get ready to go.

When I arrived, 3:30 am, all I could think about was finding a toilet to sit on! Once we were in the delivery room, my midwife came and said, “Oh, you're just in the beginning of labor. There’s no need to check you just yet. Why don’t you hang out and let me know when you are feeling lots of pressure,” which I already was and had been for the past hour! I told her, “No, I really think you should check me. I’m further along then you think.” When she checked I was already 9 cm! Everyone around was in disbelief. I was so in control and calm that no one believed that I was already 9 cm dilated. In a matter of an hour, I was pushing and within 25 minutes, Noah Patrick was born! 5:37 am he weighed 7.8 pounds and was 19 inches long! We are both loving being parents and are enjoying every minute with out little man!

Carol, thanks so much for teaching such an awesome class! It was the best thing I could have done for my baby and myself. I will recommend your class to everyone!

Thanks,
Kate, Aaron, and Noah

Thanks for allowing me to share your birth story! Congratulations again & enjoy your babymoon!

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Another class testimonial & birth story

Tina & Robert took my class as a refresher course. They had done HypnoBirthing (with another local practitioner) for their 1st child & had a wonderful experience but wanted to retake the class with a different practitioner to ensure birth #2 would be even better. Here is their story:

Aili Linnea decided it was time to come into the world while I was playing cards with my family. I was sitting on a birth ball playing a card game and at 8:45 pm I noticed a surge with more umpf to it than my normal Braxton Hick’s/practice surges. I made a mental note of it and kept playing. During the time sitting on the ball the surges were about 10 minutes apart and very manageable with breathing. I felt some pressure in my cervix, because my bag of water was bulging (coming out in front of her head) but that was the only discomfort I felt. I kept thinking, maybe this is it, but since they were only 10 minutes apart, I figured we had a while.

At 10:19 pm I went into the bedroom to lie down. I had a surge, vomited, had several more surges, then I started to feel shaky, so I went into the bathtub to warm up. While in the bathtub I felt urges to push, so my husband Robert called my midwife Jude to make sure she could be there by the time we arrived. We only live 4 minutes from the Best Start Birth Center, so that was important! We relaxed at the house a little longer and put all of our stuff to take into the car. My family was staying with us, so they were a little nervous, but when I came out of the room, everyone was wondering if I was really in labor or not. The whole time at home it felt very surreal. I didn’t feel like I was in labor, but my body was telling me different. I had no pain and my mind was relaxed. I felt very confident.

We arrived at the Birth Center sometime around 11:15 pm. I was examined and was dilated to 7 cm. They admitted me and we relaxed in the room while Jude prepared to deliver the baby. We planned to release my water if my bag was bulging, so at 11:50 pm, we did that. Immediately I was prepared to give birth. The pressure was gone, and I felt like I could do anything. Surges were unimportant then. I went into the bathtub to prepare for a water birth and felt urges to push.

I started to breathe the baby down (HypnoBirthing pushing), but felt there was something wrong. Since this was my second natural birth, I knew what was supposed to happen. (With my first birth, once my water was broken, it took 20 minutes to progress from a 6cm-birth.) I was at 10 cm for 10-15 minutes and decided to get out of the tub and try different positions to get the baby to move down. I still felt very calm, but a little irritated that it wasn’t going just so.

After about 20 minutes of trying different positions her head finally came out. While her head was out, my midwife Jude had me do several other positions. The baby had a compounded nucal hand—which means her left arm was above her face reaching to her right side. This made it almost impossible to get her out. I had to do some hard pushing, but I still felt controlled and calm. After almost 2 minutes with her head out Jude tried to pull her hand out manually, but we had used castor oil to lubricate my perineum, so she couldn’t get a good grip.

Finally it worked, and as soon as her arm was out of the way, she popped right out. 4 hours from start to finish. She was a little purple, and her capillaries burst on her face, but she was pretty much perfect. We had to give her a little oxygen to make sure she was ok, but in hindsight I don’t think she needed it. She just doesn’t cry when she is awake! She was born 1 week and 1 day late at 12:50 am on December 23rd. She was 8 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long. Her head was 14 inches around.

It was a fantastic birth without fear or pain. The entire time I was wide awake. We even laughed because in between surges I was wondering what everyone at home was doing. I know that my HypnoBirthing class with Carol Yeh-Garner was essential in my awesome birth. We have taken Hypnobirthing from 2 different practitioners in San Diego and Carol Yeh-Garner is by far superior. Her class gave us the tools necessary for our 2nd birth and also how and when to use them properly during labor. We left her class so ready to have a baby--as long as we do our part and practice! The techniques taught were not different, but the emphasis put on each one and the practical usage of it really made a difference in Carol's class! We recommend Carol to all mothers and fathers who want to have an educated natural birth. Also, my midwife Jude, I couldn’t have asked for a better midwife. She trusted me and helped me to do what I need to do to not have interventions. Best Start Birth Center is the only place I want to have my babies. Both of my children were born there, and even in the same room!

Aili is now 11 weeks old, and still an angel. She sleeps well, eats well and is the happiest baby ever when she is awake.

Thanks to Tina, Robert & baby Aili for sharing your story! Continue to enjoy your babymoon!

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An 11 lb baby's HypnoBirthing story

This is another birth story from a former class member. She had an 11 lb 4 oz baby completely naturally without any medical interventions! It really pays to have the knowledge of HypnoBirthing combined with an excellent team.

Here's Sean's birth story:

The birth of my son Sean was the most amazing and empowering experience. I went into labor at about 8:30pm on Friday night (I was probably in labor before that but just so calm about it that I didn't notice). I believe our doula arrived at our house around 10pm that evening, and I arrived at the UCSD Hospital (specifically their Birth Center) at 11:30pm that evening and was 4cm dilated. I immediately wanted to use the tub when I arrived at the Birth Center. While the tub was being filled, I found an amazing amount ofc omfort in using their shower - my husband operated the shower head spraying my back and stomach. I thought we were in there for about 20 minutes, but my husband and doula recall being in the shower for at least 1 1/2 hours - amazing how time slips while in labor.
We discovered that my son was also behind my pelvic bone which created a lot of discomfort in my back, so I was instructed to do some lunge-like exercises during the "surges. I used the tub when it was ready, and found that I was able to easily relax in the tub between surges. During surges I would kneel in the tub and hold onto my husband for comfort. I was surprised by the amount of pressure I felt during the surges.
I felt the need to push at about 3:30am on Saturday morning which was four hours after we arrived at the Birth Center. I tried various positions, including standing, squatting and side lying. I was resistant to pushing on my back, but found that was actually the most comfortable and effective.
I "purple pushed" to get him through the birth canal, but when it came time to get his head out, I used birth breathing. I was told that I exhibited a great amount of control during that time. It was of course important to be in control to protect my perineum. Although I had a second degree laceration, I believe had I not done the birth breathing, it could have been a lot worse.
Looking back I can say it is ideal to be surrounded by supportive people. I feel very fortunate to have had the support of my husband, doula, nurse and midwife. Their continued encouragement was amazing.
Following the delivery, Sean was immediately taken to the NICU due to fluid in his lungs. Prior to being taken to the NICU, my doula insisted that I have the opportunity to see and hold him. He was placed next to me already swaddled (which is not what I had envisioned since I wanted skin-to-skin contact right away). Although he was crying when he was placed next to me, he stopped crying when I started talking to him - I am sure it was due to hearing a familiar sound among the chaos. That was probably the most incredible moment of my life. He was so beautiful.
It wasn't until Sean was in the NICU that I learned he weighed 11 pounds 4 ounces. They initially measured him as 21.5 inches, but my husband asked that he be re-measured since he seemed a lot longer. His true measurement was 23 inches.
I was so amazed that I gave birth to an 11 pound baby without intervention. We were the talk of the hospital! From the moment Sean was born, he has been incredibly calm and interactive. A true joy and pleasure to have in our lives.
I think the best lesson I learned is that it is important to have a vision of the labor and to surround yourself with people who support that vision. I was met with a lot of skepticism when I decided I wanted to have a drug free birth. My OB at the time also seemed skeptical of this decision. Because of that, I decided to go on a search for a new OB/midwife at 30 weeks of pregnancy, which was extremely stressful. I truly believe had I stayed with my original OB, I would have been pressured to give birth by c-section since he was a larger baby and he was initially behind my pelvic bone. Additionally, I think it is important to also be flexible because the labor, delivery and/or postpartum period may take some unexpected turns.
Please feel free to share this as it will hopefully give those people who want to have a drug free birth the knowledge that it is a great experience, even if others question the decision.

More background info:
When we first went to your class we were at Scripps La Jolla and in search of a new OB. We met with an OB, but she induced with Cytotec, so I wasn’t the biggest fan), another two doctors who I can’t remember, and then Rebecca Lesser (CNM) at UCSD. I definitely appreciated the approach in the birth center there. I can say they were so incredibly supportive, not only during the birth, but afterwards as well.
My doula was Leigh Fenly (link to her website: http://www.tranquilityinbirth.com/About/About.html). I would highly recommend her. She didn’t have experience with hypnobirthing, but went out and bought the book. She was very, very comforting and reassuring through the entire labor and postpartum period.
Please feel free to post in your yahoo group and on your blog. I want people to know that even a large baby can be delivered without intervention.
Thank you for all of your knowledge and support as well!
~Lauren

Congratulations Lauren & Jesse! Enjoy your babymoon!

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A True Gift

This is a truly inspiring story of Sommer's birthing experience. Sommer was giving her baby up for adoption & wanted her baby's birth to be as natural & peaceful as possible. She was birthing at the Best Start Birth Center, San Diego's only free-standing birth center & had taken the class with her Aunt Margi. Sommer's boyfriend, Levi, was able to attend one class when he was visiting from out of town & Susan, who would be the adoptive mother of Sommer's baby, also attended a class. It was definitely a group effort & everyone was very excited to learn more about HypnoBirthing. Here is Sommer & her daughter, Siena Rose's birth story:

Hi, Carol!
So nice to hear from you :-) All is well for me, Siena Rose and the adoptive parents. It's actually like we're one big family. I've been pumping breast milk for her around the clock, so I've been able to see her once or twice a week when I drop it off. It's truly a beautiful situation. Of course it's difficult, but when I think of how I was able to change these people's lives and ensure that Siena has everything she deserves, I know it's worth the heartache. This situation has even caused me to consider becoming a surrogate for a couple struggling to conceive. Life truly is the greatest gift...
As for the labor... well it was a bit longer than I'd visualized. About 60 hours. It started off slow. At my 41 week check-up that day (Friday), the midwife told me that I was only 2 cm dilated , so Levi (Sommer's boyfriend) and I walked all over San Diego to get it going. By the time we got home, my back had had it. That night at 11:30, the surges became more intense and more frequent. I was able to breathe through them quite easily, then sleep in between them. When they were about 7 or 8 minutes apart, the whole fam went out for breakfast at Hash House a Go Go. Other patrons were weirded out when I'd close my eyes and breathe deeply every few minutes. They couldn't believe that I was in labor! After breakfast, the surges were about 4 minutes apart, so we went to the birth center. I was told that I was at 3 cm, so we went back home.
The surges then began to slow down, becoming 10 minutes apart. By midnight, they were back to about 5 minutes apart and becoming much more intense. I went back to the birth center at 10:00am, only to find that I was still at 3cm! Dang! So Levi, Margi (Sommer's Aunt) and I walked all over Hillcrest for about 3 or 4 hours. That apparently helped, because I finally made it to 4 1/2 cm. It was then that the midwife said, "Well, it looks like we're going to have a baby today!" When she said that, I responded with a silent knee-jerk "No".
Obviously, there was a significant part of me that didn't want to let her go. From there on out, I had a very difficult time letting go. My surges became closer together and more and more intense, but I wasn't dilating. The midwife had even said that my labor was progressing without my body. At 8pm on Sunday, we decided to break my water. At that point, I'd gotten maybe 4 hours of sleep since Friday night and I was exhausted. I could handle the surges, but my back sensations had become unbearable, even in between surges. The midwife kept telling me to just let go, but I continued to resist. I was in a battle with myself.
It got pretty intense then. The midwife asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital, but I declined. They eventually gave me saline injections in my back, which helped immensely. Finally, it was time to "push". I had discussed my HypnoBirthing plan with the first midwife, but we were on midwife #3 and she said that HB only works for second-time mothers. I wanted to debate, but I didn't have the energy. Neither did Margi. (She was pretty intimidated by the midwife, too.) So I ended up purple pushing for 2 hours. It wasn't painful, just exhausting. I was so tired, I was delirious. I was falling asleep between surges. When it came down to the last push, I reached down to receive her, and I was instantly revived.
I placed her on my chest and called for everyone to come into the room. I handed her to Levi, who was right behind me, and he held the 2 of us while she was still connected to me. He cut the cord, then I told Suzanne to take her shirt off so she could receive her baby. I thought that that would be the most difficult moment, but it actually felt right.
After I birthed the placenta, (which felt grrrrrrreat, by the way), the midwife gave us a guided tour of it and described all of its functions. She asked if I wanted to keep it, and at first, I said "no". I paused for a moment, then asked "why?". She explained that it makes an excellent fertilizer, especially for rose bushes. It was then that I decided to keep it to plant a tribute rose bush to my Siena Rose. Right now, it's still in my freezer...
Once everything had calmed down, I was able to breastfeed and nap in between. The adoptive parents, Suzanne and Dino, put Levi and I up in a hotel in Temecula for 3 days so that I could breastfeed, since it's so difficult to pump colostrum. It was really nice to be so close to her for those first few days, too. We even spent Christmas morning at their house, which was also lovely... And it's been lovely ever since.
Awe, man, I love her so much-- more and more every day. This little pumpkin head has undoubtedly changed my life forever, and I am a better person because of her. She has motivated me to realize my dreams and accomplish my life goals. She truly is an angel that was sent to rock my world, and change the lives of many. What a gift :-)
It was a great experience overall. I was able to discuss my concerns about the birthing process at my one week check up. I know that next time, I'll know what to expect. Feel free to post my story! You don't have to edit names, as our adoption is totally open. Besides, her name is too pretty to leave out :-) Thanks again for teaching such a wonderful class and for all of your support, as well.

Thank YOU Sommer for sharing your story! What a wonderful story Siena Rose will be able to read about someday in the future.

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Amazing video of baby born in caul

Here is a link to an absolutely amazing video of a baby being born with the amniotic sac still intact: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3npxGfBHWbk

Baby Born at Baby Love Birth Center in Cape Coral, FL.
The "bag of waters" stays intact until the baby is born and baby is born "in caul", which is said to confer special sight to a baby. Due to the impatience of modern obstetrics, most babies have their sacs"broken" during labor [routinely,] in the theory [repeat: theory] that birth will occur faster. We prefer to leave moms and babies undisturbed. I would like for people to see what is possible when you leave things as nature intended. Baby was born healthy, 7 pounds 5 ounces.

Being born in the caul -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth#Being_born_in_the_caul

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A wonderful HypnoBirth story

I received permission to share a fellow HypnoBirthing practitioner's former class members' birth story with you. Here it is:

This is from one of my couples that switched to Brooklyn Birthing Center at the end of their 8th month. She was waiting on the approval from her insurance company and kept on top on it, bugging them until she got the answer she wanted. I still remember being in the supermarket when she called to tell me it was approved. Permission was granted to share this story.

December 29th, 2007

This was a normal day, much like any other Saturday, with the exception that I was now officially 2 days past my due date and very anxious, but lo and behold, I started to feel something at 11:30 am. I was very excited; this is the day we’ve been waiting for! I called my midwife and let her know that surges had begun, but it was the very beginning stage, and told her that I would keep her abreast about the situation. It was at that point that I decided to have a talk with my little girl, it was a major day for football, me being a Patriots fan and my husband being a Giants fan we were gearing up for the last game of the regular season. I told her that she could come before the game or after but not during.The surges were coming every 5-10 minutes and lasting about 30-45 seconds.

I went out did some light shopping for some snacks to bring to the birthing center and came back home. The intensity of the surges started to increase as well, but with all the excitement of the football game I didn’t really notice it much. After the game (the Patriots won that one) around 11:30 pm the surges really kicked it up a notch! I spoke again with my midwife who informed me that she was ending her on-call shift and that Yulia would be on.

At that point my wonderful hubby Michael began giving me my prompts, and I went into a deep relaxation. He walked me through each surge and I allowed our Hawaiian music CD to bring me to another place, free of any pain. At 3am I called the midwife and told her that I wanted to come in to be checked out, the surges were very strong at that point, and I wanted to know what progress had been made. After being checked out I was 3 cm dilated and 100% effaced, but the baby’s head was still floating, so we were definitely having a baby today but just not now!

We went back home and I took several showers, went through more exercises and relaxed. Around 8 am I started to get dry heaves,(interesting to me b/c I went the whole pregnancy without any morning sickness) and we called Yulia at that time and she said that was good (later we came to find out that I was in the transition stage) and that she would call us around 10AM. At 10 I went into yet another shower,and spoke to the Yulia again gave her another update and she told us to meet her at the Birthing Center at 12pm.

By this point I was exhausted and wanted this baby out. I remember telling my husband that if we went to the birthing center and I didn’t hear what I wanted to hear, I was going to check myself into the hospital and get drugs, because I was worn out! My hubby knowing how bad I wanted to have a natural birth gave me some very encouraging words and told me that although the ultimate decision was mine, he believed in me and knew that I had more fight in me.

When we arrived at the birthing center I was 7 cm dilated and the baby’s head was engaged, the midwife could even feel the curls on her head! So we were told to walk around the block for an hour, which we did and when we came back I was 9 cm dilated! I was very excited at this point and I got a second wind of energy. I went into the birthing room and started to go deep into relaxation and I don’t really remember how long I was in there but then my waters released around 3 pm, and then things really started to pick up!!!!

The assistants then filled the birthing tub and I got in. Ahhhh that was heavenly!! I brought our cd player in there and listened to ocean waves, and just drifted into my own world, I just let go and let my body and the baby do what they had to do. I suddenly had the urge to bear down – so I knew it was time to go into my birth breathing. The midwife was called and it was time!!! It took 3 big birth breaths, and I pushed a little on the last one and Michaela Marie was here. I received the baby and she looked up right at me, the emotions that came over me are indescribable!

I was told it took at total of 10 minutes for her to emerge into the world from the time I started my birth breaths! It was finally over and I made it, no screaming, no bright lights, no rough handling of the baby – everything was perfect just how we envisioned it. Thank God I found Hypnobirthing and Debi Tracy, because I don’t think I would have been able to make it without Hypnobirthing and my hubby being an amazing birth companion.

Sincerely Jonelle & Michaela

Debi Tracy Hypno Mom of two
NGH Certified Consulting Hypnotist
HypnoFertility®
HypnoBirthing®
Pediatrics
http://www.onebirthatatime.com/
Touch of Health Wellness Center

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Amazing 67 Hour HypnoBirth Story

Hi-

I wanted to share a really amazing HypnoBirth story from one of my class participants:

Kristin & Will (July 2007 class) shared their birth story with me. I spoke to Kristin over the phone & took detailed notes.


Here is Oliver's birth story:Tuesday 11/6/07--Kristin's mom arrived in town. She had been eagerly awaiting her arrival.


Wednesday in the middle of the night--felt surges start, tried to sleep

Wednesday day--all day the surges were about 4 minutes apart, lasting 1-1 1/2 minutes. Her husband, Will, made sure she drank water after each surge. Went to the UCSD birth center/hospital & was sent to the labor & delivery floor to get checked. She had her ipod on & listened to the Rainbow Relaxation, which helped her from hearing the screaming woman next door. She was 1 cm. She was sent home & was feeling discouraged.


Wednesday night--had her weekly checkup at the UCSD birth center at 6 pm. She was 3-4 cm & was allowed to go to the birth center. When she was checked there, she was 3 1/2 cm. She was so calm, they sent her home even though she was feeling surges on a continual basis. She went home discouraged again. She was able to sleep between surges for 3-4 minutes at a time.

Thursday--still having surges but not feeling more intense.

Thursday night--layed down & felt really uncomfortable, so she spent most of her time walking & standing for surges. She found that if she stayed awake, she could use the techniques & stay in deep relaxation, whereas if she slept, she would sleep but then wake up in a panic & have a hard time getting back to a state of deep relaxation


Friday am--midwife called to check on her & told her to take a Benadryl so she could sleep for a couple of hours, which she was able to. The surges got really intense so they went the hospital again. She got checked & was 4 cms so they were admitted to the birth center. They walked, rested & sat in the shower. At 5 cm, she got in the jacuzzi for a couple of hours. She felt time distortion because she said that 5 hours went by really fast. The surges got more intense & she had Will give her prompts more frequently. She got to 6 cm after the 5 hours. The midwife/RNs said that things weren't progressing enough, so she had 3 options: 1) go home, 2) break her water, or 3) use pitocin. She didn't want to go home because she really felt like she would leave an emotional wreck. She didn't want pitocin either. They agreed to break her water. She progessed quickly after that & got to 0 station & fully effaced. She had 5 hours of active labor which she desribed as really hard & at times "awful". She said that the surges were like waves & at times she was overwhelmed due to utter exhaustion.The midwife massaged her ankles on the labor pressure point. She felt scared & overwhelmed at one point, but she remembered what I said in class...that at some point, you may feel like you can't do it anymore, but remember that means you're almost there. She kept saying to herself that the next surge, she'd ask for drugs, but she never did end up asking for the drugs. They knew it was time to push when she threw up. She tried using the birth breathing & was breathing her breath out of her mouth. She sat on the toilet, on the bed, on hands & knees, on her side with her leg up.She had an anterior lip on her cervix. The midwives encouraged her to really push with some force, so she sat on the birth stool with her mom sitting behind her. The baby's head kept coming out a little & then going back in, so she pushed really hard, put her chin down to her chest & groaned while pushing to get his head out. Then his shoulders got stuck, so she squatted & the midwives were able to help slip the baby out. She did end up tearing & needing 3 stitches & admits to doing "some" perineal massage, but not enough.

Oliver was 9 lbs 3 oz &21 1/2 inches long. He was born on 11/9/07. Will was able to receive the baby & cut the cord. The placenta took awhile to come out & she remembered what I said in class about the fact that it could take up to 1/2 an hour. It came out naturally right at the 1/2 hour mark. She stayed in the hospital for 2 days after having a 67 hour HypnoBirth...WOW!


Here is what Kristin said about Hypnobirthing: It was really amazing. HypnoBirthing was awesome! I still had lingering doubts that it would work beforehand & I have a lot a practice using meditation for other things, but it turned out to be a great experience. He's a really mellow baby & he's so alert. I wouldn't have been able to have a 67 hour birth without HypnoBirthing." She said the midwives were very impressed & said they've never seen a woman talking through the transition stage. One midwife said "I've never seen anything like that...smiling & talking while you were pushing!".

A HypnoBirth story

I got permission from one of my HypnoBirthing moms to put her birth story on my blog...so here it is:

Hi Carol:
Sorry for the delay in getting this to you. I find it hard to stop looking at Carter to get to the computer, he is just so beautiful! I am so happy to be able to tell you that our birth story is as good as they get. The experience was everything that Jeremy and I had hoped for and we have the hypnobirthing to thank for that. After only 12 hours of peaceful labor, Carter came to us at 1:47 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13th at 7 lb, 11 oz and 20.5 inches. so here it is: I started having surges around 2 p.m. and the surges were pretty intense and consistent so we started listening to the rainbow mediation and using the breathing techniques. By 5 p.m. we were confidant we were having our baby and called our midwife (from the birth center). I labored at home for the first six hours on the ball and standing up leaning over the couch. I found these to be the most comfortable positions since i had some prettty good back labor. When we got to the birth center at 8 p.m. I was 2-3 centimeters and 100% effaced. We got settled into our birthing room and started listening to the tapes again, and pretty much had them on the entire time. They were very helpful keeping me focused on releasing with each surge and not fighting what my body was trying to do. The only comfortable position for me was on my hands and knees so I was in that position the entire time. One thing that helped me was the constant mindset of, "I can do anything for a minute," and taking each surge one at a time. I got in a rhythm with my 20-20 breath count and focused more on that than the actual physical pressure. Silence was also important to me. My silence...I was able to block out all needless noise and didn't really notice others talking, I don't even remember the midwife checking me at one point! I just went into myself and I talked internally with Carter. I don't think I spoke more than 100 words the entire time, which allowed my focus to never shift. I was able to breath through all of the surges easily using the 20-20 technique and with counter pressure massage from Jeremy and my sister in law Jen. The counter pressure was imperative and my support took unbelievable care of me. They were there through each surge, massaging me, reassuring me, making sure I got enough fluids and being great intermediaries with the birthing center staff. By midnight the surges were pretty consistent and intense, and I was ready to get in the birthing tub. I had to be checked to see if I was far enough along and to get my second ampicillin shot. To my shock and delight, I was already eight centimeters along. At this point,Jeremy started giving me his own affirmations which were wonderful. It helped me relax in between and focus during the surges. And I can't say enough about the tub, it was just heavenly! It felt amazing having the water all around me and continously being poured on my back. It eased so much pressure and allowed me to fully relax. At 1a.m. I was at 10 centimeters and pretty ready to have our baby. I was told I had one flap left that needed to open and to wait it through for a couple more surges, which I was able to do. I then started feeling this crazy urge to push, so I let them know and within 30 minutes little Carter came into this world, very calm and peaceful. It was truly the most beautiful experience of my life. And it continues every day. He is such a wonderful little soul and I know this is because of the way he was brought into this world! Jeremy, Carter and I want to thank you for helping us learn techniques that allowed us to experience his birth in a way that I truly didn't think was possible before learning of HypnoBirthing. I will forever advocate HypnoBirthing to everyone who is having a baby. I wish our experience on everyone bringing a baby into this world!

Of note: Carrie & Jeremy had originally planned on having a hospital birth, but changed to a birth center after attendingHypnoBirthing classes.