Hi-
I just found out that Good Morning America (tv show) did a story about hypnosis. Diane Sawyer trained in self-hypnosis so she could walk over hot coals. In the intro, The Power of the Mind video, she talks about how the power of the mind can rid the body of common symptoms & ailments. The clip shows the 1st c-section done in the 1960s with hypnosis & they show a little bit of video of the woman singing while they do the procedure! Amazing!
Here are the links:
The power of the mind
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4345359 (corrected link)
Diane Sawyer walking joyfully over hot coals
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4352726
Enjoy!
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Great product for mommies-to-be
I came across this wonderful new product line called BINSI. It is a line of clothing for pregnancy but mostly for birthing! They carry tanks,bras, robes & skirts that allow easy access for medical management of labor but are stylish enough to wear everyday.
The website is www.birthinbinsi.com. Check it out!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
The website is www.birthinbinsi.com. Check it out!
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Sunday, February 24, 2008
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
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
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
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Invisible Mom
To all the moms out there:
With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees...
The Invisible Mom:I'm Invisible
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phoneand ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking,
"Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not;no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping thefloor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can
see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?"I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that onceheld books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had
disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, and she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man,"Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Author Unknown
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://www.awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees...
The Invisible Mom:I'm Invisible
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phoneand ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking,
"Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not;no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping thefloor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can
see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?"I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that onceheld books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had
disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, and she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man,"Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Author Unknown
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://www.awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Chemistry of the First Breastfeed
The Chemistry of the 1st Breastfeed
Falling in Love: The chemistry of the first breastfeed
There are many different types of love: sexual, romantic, platonic, filial, maternal, paternal, spiritual, love of self, love of country, love of possessions to name a few. Love for our mother, our first love, could be the pivotal love around which we build our ability to love in every other way.
This paper will look at the chemistry that is involved in the baby's first opportunity to love at that crucial time surrounding birth and the consequences of denying that opportunity. Love is as important to the individual as it is to their society and our world.
At the time of birth, and for about an hour following birthing, the mother and her newborn baby are swamped in a cocktail of hormones. This time is a crucial time for the mother and baby to bond, to become attached to fall in love.
A baby born after a normal, unmedicated birth and immediately dried and placed in his mother's arms on her bare chest gives an initial cry but quickly becomes quiet and alert, seeking visual contact with her. He rests for awhile, looking at his mother intermittently. This is followed by lip-smacking, and mouthing of the fingers begins, with an outpouring of saliva onto the baby's chin. Then the baby begins to inch forward with his legs to push strongly into the mother's lower abdomen. His hands reach from his mouth out to her chest and breasts, moistening her nipples with his wet fingers. When he reaches the tip of the sternum, he bounces his head into her chest. While moving up, he often turns his head from side to side. As he comes close to the nipple, he opens his mouth widely and, after several attempts, makes a perfect placement on the areola of the nipple and begins suckling.
The baby's heart rate and respiratory rate are rapidly stabilised, oxygen saturation remains normal and thermoregulation is rapidly achieved. There are no signs of stress.This species-specific set of innate behaviours is governed by and responsible for the release of the neurotransmitters that will influence the baby's and mother's relationship for a lifetime.
The hormones (neurotransmitters) involved: Interesting studies have been conducted on voles. The prairie vole, or prairie dog, is one of only a few mammals that are monogamous - they mate for life with one partner. Both parents nurture their young and the adult pair spend most of their time together. The montane vole, a close cousin of the prairie vole, on the other hand, is very promiscuous; its life being filled with one-night-stands and is uncommitted to either a partner or their own offspring. Very little genetically separates these two animals...only the presence of receptor sites for oxytocin in the area of the brain responsible for reward and pleasure, the limbic system, being one that the prairie vole has but the montane vole does not.
All of the neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers, that are involved in love and loving, care and being cared for and our emotional state arise from the Limbic System. This is an 'old' part of the brain, sometimes referred to as the 'mammalian' brain. Responses that arise from this part of our brain are not under the control of our 'thinking' brain, or the neocortex. Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus, a part of the Limbic System, and sequestered in the posterior pituitary gland to be released in a pulsatile manner when stimulated. This stimulation could occur from sharing a meal with friends; in response to a hug from a friend; while making love; during birthing and immediately after birth; and it is an integral part of breastfeeding. Oxytocin is described as the 'hormone of love' because it is consistently involved in all forms of love.
All of these releases of oxytocin occur during a form of love. The hormones present at the same time as the oxytocin release determine how this love is directed. For example, during a shared meal with friends, oxytocin causes sociability; during romantic love oxytocin in the presence of high levels of dopamine and low levels of serotonin stimulates a desire for caring love making. When high levels of testosterone are present it causes sexual lust. In the presence of prolactin, the love is directed at nurturing and"mothering", and sexual desire is suppressed. Oxytocin also causes a reduction in stress and later stress-related diseases. For oxytocin to have an effect on behaviour it must be available to the brain and for the brain to have receptors for it. Oxytocin cannot pass from the peripheral blood stream back into the brain - ie, artificially administered oxytocin cannot enter the brain and cause behavioural effects.
Around the time of birth oestrogen, progesterone, and prolactin blood levels are reaching all time highs in the mother, and circulating into the fetus. Beta-endorphin has also been steadily rising throughout pregnancy peaking at high levels during labor in response to the pain felt, and is also generated by the fetus. Oxytocin is released in a pulsatile manner periodically throughout the pregnancy by both mother and fetus, while labor is characterised by strong pulses of oxytocin that cause uterine contractions. After birthing Matthiesen et al (2001) reported a significant rise in maternal oxytocin in response to the massaging movements as well as the suckling of the newborn baby. During the last contractions before the baby is birthed, adrenalin blood levels peak. Each of these hormones has its own characteristic effects, and in combination they are dynamite!
Beta-endorphin is a naturally occurring opiate that, like other opiates, acts as an analgesic, inducing feelings of pleasure, euphoria, and dependency or, with a partner, mutual dependency. Beta-endorphin is found in high concentration in pregnancy and increases throughout labor when levels of beta-endorphin reach those found in male endurance athletes during maximal exercise on a treadmill. It influences the beginning of attachment between mother and baby. Beta-endorphin is also found in colostrum - the neonate receiving it from his mother transplacentally prior to birth and more as soon as he starts to suckle, as well as his own endogenous production.
Prolactin is the 'mothering' hormone, regulating maternal behaviour and suppressing sexual desire. Oxytocin and prolactin together in high concentrations after the birth of the baby cause the mother's love to be directed toward her baby. The innate behaviours exhibited by the baby when placed on his mother's chest combine to increase oxytocin and prolactin levels in his mother - you could think the baby is pre-programmed to make his mother love him. Adrenalin is the stress hormone - not usually associated with oxytocin! However, in normal birthing it only appears during the last couple of contractions prior to birth. The action can be seen in the mother as she gains energy, focus, strength, and alertness and may complain of thirst. The baby also gets a burst of adrenalin - being born alert, wide-open eyes and dilated pupils. The mother is fascinated by the newborn's eyes - returning the gaze like star-struck lovers. The scene is set for a dependent baby who wants and needs love and protection, born to a mother who is primed to love strongly and protectively.
How could this go wrong? Easy - introduce both to the technological world of birthing. A mother who doesn't understand or trust her body puts her fate and that of her baby into the hands of a paternalistic system where birthing interventions are the norm. The chemical cocktail gets shaken, not stirred! Fear early in labor causes the labouring woman to release stress hormones, which inhibit oxytocin release and therefore contractions. So begins the cascade of interventions that start with an exogenous source of oxytocin that is unable to reach the brain to cause desirable behavioural responses, but increases labor pain levels to such an extent that analgesia or anaesthesia will be necessary. This in turn increases the incidence of birth complications, inhibits the release of beta-endorphin, and makes both mother and baby drowsy and less-responsive to each other. Baby is quickly separated from his mother for resuscitation.
A baby separated from his mother is stressed! Stress and love are mutually exclusive! Picture the newborns contorted facial expression, the exaggerated body movements, the crying, and know that there are undesirable changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, vagal tone and plasma cortisol. These are the signs and symptoms of stress. Raine, et al (1997) studied criminals at 18 years of age, and the same cohort at 34 years of age. In both studies these researchers were able to predict which ones committed a violent crime (ie rape, murder, robbery, domestic violence and assault) by studying their birth records. The violent offenders were the ones who experienced a complication during their birth (eg. forceps delivery, breech delivery, cord prolapse, preeclampsia, or long birth duration) and experienced maternal rejection. Odent (1999) describes this as the ultimate form of an inability to love - no love for self or others or society. There are other studies, particularly in the psychological literature, describing the effects of birth trauma and a failure to love or be loved at birth and long-term psychological and psychiatric defect. The number of children reported to authorities in Australia as suffering some form of abuse in 2003/4 totalled 146,562. The age group most affected were babies less than 12 months old.
With increasing medicalisation of birthing and thoughtless separation of mother and baby the picture is not pretty, but we can do something very basic, very quickly, with minimal cost . and it starts with empowering women to trust and care for their bodies and trust in normal childbirth. After a natural birth it is a natural response to put the newly born baby into his mother's arms to be held against her bare chest, but essential that this is done after a birth where there was any intervention. When birthing has been disturbed, the mother and her health carers must work extra hard over the next few hours and days to re-create an environment that will cause oxytocin and prolactin and beta endorphin to flow naturally in both mother and baby, giving them every chance to fall in love with a love that will last the baby a lifetime.
Bibliography:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Child Protection Australia2003-04. Retrieved 11/2/05 from:http://www.aihw.gov.au/childyouth/childprotection/index.cfm
Buckley, S. (2002). Ecstatic Birth: The hormonal blueprint of labor.Mothering Issue 111. Retrieved 30/3/05 from:http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/ecstatic.htmlEconomist, Science and Technology. The Science of Love. I get a kick out of you. Published 12 Feb 2004, retrieved 11 Feb, 2005 fromhttp://www.economist.com/printedition/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=2424049Fisher HE, Aron A, Mashek D, Li H, Brown LL., 2002. Defining the brainsystems of lust, romantic attraction, and attachment. Arch SexBehav;31(5):413-9.Lewis T, Amini F, Lannon R. (2000). A General Theory of Love. Vintage House,NY.Matthiesen AS, Ransjo-Arvidson AB, Nissen E, Uvnas-Moberg K. (2001).Postpartum maternal oxytocin release by newborns: Effect of infant hand massage and sucking. Birth; 28(1):13-9.Odent M. 1999. The Scientification of Love. Free Association Books, London.Odent M, Preventing Violence or Developing the Capacity to Love: WhichPerspective? Which Investment? Retrieved 11/2/05 from:http://www.birthpsychology.com/violence/odent1.htmlPorter FL, Grunau RE, Anand KJ. (1999) Long term effects of pain in infants. J Dev Behav Pediatr.;20(4):253-61Raine A, Brennan P, Mednick SA. (1997) Interaction between birthcomplications and early maternal rejection in predisposing individuals to adult violence: specificity to serious, early-onset violence. Am J Psychiatry; 154:1265-1271Rand ML. As It Was In The Beginning: The Significance of Infant Bonding in the Development of Self and Relationships. Retrieved 11/2/05 from: http://www.birthpsychology.com/birthscene/ppic2.html#asitwasZanardo V; Nicolussi S; Carlo G; Marzari F; Faggian D; Favaro F; Plebani M.(2001) Labor Pain Effects on Colostral Milk Beta-Endorphin Concentrations of Lactating Mothers. Biology of the Neonate; 79:87-90Paper presented at the Australian Breastfeeding Association "HealthyChildren, Families and Communities" Workshop in Canberra, ACT. 17 March,2005.Last revised: 30 March, 2005.
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Falling in Love: The chemistry of the first breastfeed
There are many different types of love: sexual, romantic, platonic, filial, maternal, paternal, spiritual, love of self, love of country, love of possessions to name a few. Love for our mother, our first love, could be the pivotal love around which we build our ability to love in every other way.
This paper will look at the chemistry that is involved in the baby's first opportunity to love at that crucial time surrounding birth and the consequences of denying that opportunity. Love is as important to the individual as it is to their society and our world.
At the time of birth, and for about an hour following birthing, the mother and her newborn baby are swamped in a cocktail of hormones. This time is a crucial time for the mother and baby to bond, to become attached to fall in love.
A baby born after a normal, unmedicated birth and immediately dried and placed in his mother's arms on her bare chest gives an initial cry but quickly becomes quiet and alert, seeking visual contact with her. He rests for awhile, looking at his mother intermittently. This is followed by lip-smacking, and mouthing of the fingers begins, with an outpouring of saliva onto the baby's chin. Then the baby begins to inch forward with his legs to push strongly into the mother's lower abdomen. His hands reach from his mouth out to her chest and breasts, moistening her nipples with his wet fingers. When he reaches the tip of the sternum, he bounces his head into her chest. While moving up, he often turns his head from side to side. As he comes close to the nipple, he opens his mouth widely and, after several attempts, makes a perfect placement on the areola of the nipple and begins suckling.
The baby's heart rate and respiratory rate are rapidly stabilised, oxygen saturation remains normal and thermoregulation is rapidly achieved. There are no signs of stress.This species-specific set of innate behaviours is governed by and responsible for the release of the neurotransmitters that will influence the baby's and mother's relationship for a lifetime.
The hormones (neurotransmitters) involved: Interesting studies have been conducted on voles. The prairie vole, or prairie dog, is one of only a few mammals that are monogamous - they mate for life with one partner. Both parents nurture their young and the adult pair spend most of their time together. The montane vole, a close cousin of the prairie vole, on the other hand, is very promiscuous; its life being filled with one-night-stands and is uncommitted to either a partner or their own offspring. Very little genetically separates these two animals...only the presence of receptor sites for oxytocin in the area of the brain responsible for reward and pleasure, the limbic system, being one that the prairie vole has but the montane vole does not.
All of the neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers, that are involved in love and loving, care and being cared for and our emotional state arise from the Limbic System. This is an 'old' part of the brain, sometimes referred to as the 'mammalian' brain. Responses that arise from this part of our brain are not under the control of our 'thinking' brain, or the neocortex. Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus, a part of the Limbic System, and sequestered in the posterior pituitary gland to be released in a pulsatile manner when stimulated. This stimulation could occur from sharing a meal with friends; in response to a hug from a friend; while making love; during birthing and immediately after birth; and it is an integral part of breastfeeding. Oxytocin is described as the 'hormone of love' because it is consistently involved in all forms of love.
All of these releases of oxytocin occur during a form of love. The hormones present at the same time as the oxytocin release determine how this love is directed. For example, during a shared meal with friends, oxytocin causes sociability; during romantic love oxytocin in the presence of high levels of dopamine and low levels of serotonin stimulates a desire for caring love making. When high levels of testosterone are present it causes sexual lust. In the presence of prolactin, the love is directed at nurturing and"mothering", and sexual desire is suppressed. Oxytocin also causes a reduction in stress and later stress-related diseases. For oxytocin to have an effect on behaviour it must be available to the brain and for the brain to have receptors for it. Oxytocin cannot pass from the peripheral blood stream back into the brain - ie, artificially administered oxytocin cannot enter the brain and cause behavioural effects.
Around the time of birth oestrogen, progesterone, and prolactin blood levels are reaching all time highs in the mother, and circulating into the fetus. Beta-endorphin has also been steadily rising throughout pregnancy peaking at high levels during labor in response to the pain felt, and is also generated by the fetus. Oxytocin is released in a pulsatile manner periodically throughout the pregnancy by both mother and fetus, while labor is characterised by strong pulses of oxytocin that cause uterine contractions. After birthing Matthiesen et al (2001) reported a significant rise in maternal oxytocin in response to the massaging movements as well as the suckling of the newborn baby. During the last contractions before the baby is birthed, adrenalin blood levels peak. Each of these hormones has its own characteristic effects, and in combination they are dynamite!
Beta-endorphin is a naturally occurring opiate that, like other opiates, acts as an analgesic, inducing feelings of pleasure, euphoria, and dependency or, with a partner, mutual dependency. Beta-endorphin is found in high concentration in pregnancy and increases throughout labor when levels of beta-endorphin reach those found in male endurance athletes during maximal exercise on a treadmill. It influences the beginning of attachment between mother and baby. Beta-endorphin is also found in colostrum - the neonate receiving it from his mother transplacentally prior to birth and more as soon as he starts to suckle, as well as his own endogenous production.
Prolactin is the 'mothering' hormone, regulating maternal behaviour and suppressing sexual desire. Oxytocin and prolactin together in high concentrations after the birth of the baby cause the mother's love to be directed toward her baby. The innate behaviours exhibited by the baby when placed on his mother's chest combine to increase oxytocin and prolactin levels in his mother - you could think the baby is pre-programmed to make his mother love him. Adrenalin is the stress hormone - not usually associated with oxytocin! However, in normal birthing it only appears during the last couple of contractions prior to birth. The action can be seen in the mother as she gains energy, focus, strength, and alertness and may complain of thirst. The baby also gets a burst of adrenalin - being born alert, wide-open eyes and dilated pupils. The mother is fascinated by the newborn's eyes - returning the gaze like star-struck lovers. The scene is set for a dependent baby who wants and needs love and protection, born to a mother who is primed to love strongly and protectively.
How could this go wrong? Easy - introduce both to the technological world of birthing. A mother who doesn't understand or trust her body puts her fate and that of her baby into the hands of a paternalistic system where birthing interventions are the norm. The chemical cocktail gets shaken, not stirred! Fear early in labor causes the labouring woman to release stress hormones, which inhibit oxytocin release and therefore contractions. So begins the cascade of interventions that start with an exogenous source of oxytocin that is unable to reach the brain to cause desirable behavioural responses, but increases labor pain levels to such an extent that analgesia or anaesthesia will be necessary. This in turn increases the incidence of birth complications, inhibits the release of beta-endorphin, and makes both mother and baby drowsy and less-responsive to each other. Baby is quickly separated from his mother for resuscitation.
A baby separated from his mother is stressed! Stress and love are mutually exclusive! Picture the newborns contorted facial expression, the exaggerated body movements, the crying, and know that there are undesirable changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, vagal tone and plasma cortisol. These are the signs and symptoms of stress. Raine, et al (1997) studied criminals at 18 years of age, and the same cohort at 34 years of age. In both studies these researchers were able to predict which ones committed a violent crime (ie rape, murder, robbery, domestic violence and assault) by studying their birth records. The violent offenders were the ones who experienced a complication during their birth (eg. forceps delivery, breech delivery, cord prolapse, preeclampsia, or long birth duration) and experienced maternal rejection. Odent (1999) describes this as the ultimate form of an inability to love - no love for self or others or society. There are other studies, particularly in the psychological literature, describing the effects of birth trauma and a failure to love or be loved at birth and long-term psychological and psychiatric defect. The number of children reported to authorities in Australia as suffering some form of abuse in 2003/4 totalled 146,562. The age group most affected were babies less than 12 months old.
With increasing medicalisation of birthing and thoughtless separation of mother and baby the picture is not pretty, but we can do something very basic, very quickly, with minimal cost . and it starts with empowering women to trust and care for their bodies and trust in normal childbirth. After a natural birth it is a natural response to put the newly born baby into his mother's arms to be held against her bare chest, but essential that this is done after a birth where there was any intervention. When birthing has been disturbed, the mother and her health carers must work extra hard over the next few hours and days to re-create an environment that will cause oxytocin and prolactin and beta endorphin to flow naturally in both mother and baby, giving them every chance to fall in love with a love that will last the baby a lifetime.
Bibliography:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Child Protection Australia2003-04. Retrieved 11/2/05 from:http://www.aihw.gov.au/childyouth/childprotection/index.cfm
Buckley, S. (2002). Ecstatic Birth: The hormonal blueprint of labor.Mothering Issue 111. Retrieved 30/3/05 from:http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/ecstatic.htmlEconomist, Science and Technology. The Science of Love. I get a kick out of you. Published 12 Feb 2004, retrieved 11 Feb, 2005 fromhttp://www.economist.com/printedition/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=2424049Fisher HE, Aron A, Mashek D, Li H, Brown LL., 2002. Defining the brainsystems of lust, romantic attraction, and attachment. Arch SexBehav;31(5):413-9.Lewis T, Amini F, Lannon R. (2000). A General Theory of Love. Vintage House,NY.Matthiesen AS, Ransjo-Arvidson AB, Nissen E, Uvnas-Moberg K. (2001).Postpartum maternal oxytocin release by newborns: Effect of infant hand massage and sucking. Birth; 28(1):13-9.Odent M. 1999. The Scientification of Love. Free Association Books, London.Odent M, Preventing Violence or Developing the Capacity to Love: WhichPerspective? Which Investment? Retrieved 11/2/05 from:http://www.birthpsychology.com/violence/odent1.htmlPorter FL, Grunau RE, Anand KJ. (1999) Long term effects of pain in infants. J Dev Behav Pediatr.;20(4):253-61Raine A, Brennan P, Mednick SA. (1997) Interaction between birthcomplications and early maternal rejection in predisposing individuals to adult violence: specificity to serious, early-onset violence. Am J Psychiatry; 154:1265-1271Rand ML. As It Was In The Beginning: The Significance of Infant Bonding in the Development of Self and Relationships. Retrieved 11/2/05 from: http://www.birthpsychology.com/birthscene/ppic2.html#asitwasZanardo V; Nicolussi S; Carlo G; Marzari F; Faggian D; Favaro F; Plebani M.(2001) Labor Pain Effects on Colostral Milk Beta-Endorphin Concentrations of Lactating Mothers. Biology of the Neonate; 79:87-90Paper presented at the Australian Breastfeeding Association "HealthyChildren, Families and Communities" Workshop in Canberra, ACT. 17 March,2005.Last revised: 30 March, 2005.
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A MySpace warning for everyone
MYSPACE: A Must Read for All
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ ALL OF THIS and HAVE YOUR CHILDREN READ IT TOO!
After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line.
She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213.
She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on.
She sent him an instant message:
ByAngel213: Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!
GoTo123: LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you? Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
ByAngel213: Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.
GoTo123: Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?
ByAngel213: Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.
GoTo123: Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213: Yes and we won!!
GoTo123: That's great! Who did you play?
ByAngel213: We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL
GoTo123: What is your team called?
ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool. GoTo1 23: Did you pitch?
ByAngel213: No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!
GoTo123 : Catch you later. Bye
Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.
Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.
Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School . She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.
Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.
By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her. Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely. He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.
After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her. Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon 's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car. Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon 's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.
Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room. "Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa. "Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you." Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!"Do you know who I am, Shannon ?" the man asked. "No," Shannon answered. "I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123." Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan !" The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze." Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan ?" He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?" She nodded."I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone.
Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?" "It's a promise!"That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.*****NOW****FORWARD THIS TO PEOPLE WITH KIDS & EVEN THOSE WITHOUT KIDS SO THEY CAN SEND IT TO FRIENDS THAT DO HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://www.awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ ALL OF THIS and HAVE YOUR CHILDREN READ IT TOO!
After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line.
She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213.
She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on.
She sent him an instant message:
ByAngel213: Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!
GoTo123: LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you? Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
ByAngel213: Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.
GoTo123: Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?
ByAngel213: Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.
GoTo123: Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213: Yes and we won!!
GoTo123: That's great! Who did you play?
ByAngel213: We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL
GoTo123: What is your team called?
ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool. GoTo1 23: Did you pitch?
ByAngel213: No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!
GoTo123 : Catch you later. Bye
Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.
Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.
Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School . She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.
Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.
By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her. Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely. He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.
After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her. Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon 's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car. Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon 's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.
Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room. "Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa. "Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you." Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!"Do you know who I am, Shannon ?" the man asked. "No," Shannon answered. "I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123." Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan !" The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze." Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan ?" He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?" She nodded."I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone.
Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?" "It's a promise!"That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.*****NOW****FORWARD THIS TO PEOPLE WITH KIDS & EVEN THOSE WITHOUT KIDS SO THEY CAN SEND IT TO FRIENDS THAT DO HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN
http://www.awelllivedlife.net/
http://www.awelllivedlife.blogspot.com/
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Dad's viewpoint of HypnoBirthing
Here is a great article written by a father, who originally was a skeptic, but quickly became a believer in HypnoBirthing.
I swore I'd never be there, but my baby's birth was mesmerising
By TOM SYKES 29th November 2007 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.htmlin_article_id=497190&in_page_id=1879#
A few months ago I wrote in this newspaper that I had no intention of being present at the birth of my second child. The whole business of childbirth, I wrote, was messy, alarming, puts men offsex and was not something that I wished to witness again. And what use would a husband be in the delivery suite anyway? Well, that noise you can hear is the sound of a man earnestly munching hisway through a giant-sized portion of humble pie, because my wife Sasha has just given birth to a perfect baby girl - and I was there. And I'm told I was more than a little bit useful as well.
So what happened to my conviction that I'd rather stick red-hot pins in my flesh than be in the delivery room? Well, in the course of my research, I spoke to a number of birthing gurus,including Marie Mongan, the American creator of a program called HypnoBirthing that is sweeping through fashionable society moms in the United States faster than a Californian wildfire.
It was a conversation that didn't turn out too well. You see, Ms Mongan and I disagreed on the role of the father in the birth of his offspring - somewhat violently. I tended towards the school of thought that the father should be down the pub awaiting the good news. Ms Mongan, by contrast, insisted that "men do feel wonderful" being present at the birth, and that being on hand is, "part of completing what you started as a couple" and that my prespositionedence was necessary to pass on the right "energy" to the child.
My reaction? I wrote, "Frankly, most men I know consider such psychobabble a load of old cobblers." While some individuals find words like "healing", "chakra" and "energy"soothing, they actually make me angry, and HypnoBirthing sounded like exactly the sort of hippy-dippy, New Age nonsense that I abhor.
But then came a strange coincidence. Two couples told us that they had used HypnoBirthing, and credited the program with the easy births they had experienced. Sasha wanted to give the system a try. When faced with a choice between his principles and the wishes of his pregnant wife, a wise man will abandon his principles in a flash.
And so, I somehow found myself lying back in a remarkably comfortable,reclining armchair, being gently lulled into a trance by hypnotherapist Aisling Killoran, who runs the Dublin clinic Accomplish Change. In a lilting, mellifluous voice, Aisling began to intone affirmations about how easy and natural the birth would be into our ears. "My baby is perfectly for an easy and comfortable-birth," she chanted, "I am relaxed and happy that my baby is finally coming to me." Despite all my deep-seated hostility to alternative healing methods, I went under like a light. One moment I was thinking, "I can't believe I am listening to this tripe,"and the next Aisling was summoning us both back to consciousness by counting down from five to one. I felt incredibly refreshed when I came round, and it was at this point that Aisling delivered the bombshell; during labour, I had to be in the room for HypnoBirthing to work. My job was to repeat the affirmations and massage Sasha's arm and back to trigger a relaxed, fear-free state that would make it easy for the baby to emerge.
Over the next few weeks we listened to Aisling on repeat on the CD player,and I even read up all about the system in Ms Mongan's book, HypnoBirthing. Maybe something had been planted in my brain by the hypnosis but the more I read, the more I began to appreciate her alternative approach to birthing. Her theory is that in many non-Western cultures giving birth is not something that is feared and, because it is generally assumed that everything will turn out OK, women are a lot more relaxed and give birth more easily. But in our society, women have learned to fear birth, says Mongan.
Pick up almost any modern pregnancy book, and it's hard to disagree. As a result of that fear, when the time comes to give birth, there is a flood of adrenaline coursing around the body of the average labouring mother, and the whole affair becomes incredibly fraught. Techniques like self-hypnosis and guided meditation aim to reduce this fear, and affirmations serve to reprogram the mind. In essence, HypnoBirthing says that instead of thinking about all the stuff that might go wrong, why not see it all going right?
Why not indeed, I thought, as my credentials as a sceptic disappeared out of the window. And if it all turns out to be a load of nonsense, well, at least it's harmless, and Sasha can still opt to be hooked up to an epidural.
Then, one Tuesday night, around 11pm, something started to happen. In the few short minutes it took to throw a nightdress and some other essentials into a bag, we were gunning at top speed through the inky blackness towards the hospital. As the surges (the touchy-feely HypnoBirthing word for contractions) started coming - eight minutes apart, then seven, then six - I felt increasingly helpless. And then I thought, well, what the hell, it might just help, and I told Sasha to close her eyes and concentrate on my voice. "I meet each surge with confidence and joy," I found myself saying, "I am happy and excited my baby is finally coming to me." Sasha let out a deep breath. I felt ridiculous but I carried on, suddenly understanding why people say there are no atheists on a plane which is crashing. "My baby is perfectly positioned for an easy, comfortable, birth," I said, in measured tones, consciously imitating Aisling's singsong delivery on the CD, "I turn my birthing over to nature. My body knows what to do."
"It's helping," said Sasha, "I just had another one and it didn't hurt as much." By the time we arrived at the hospital, we were totally chilled out. We sat in the car park for another ten minutes while I took Sasha on a guided meditation around the woods she used to play in as a child - the "safe place" that we had identified with Aisling as a relaxing location for Sasha's mind to go to at the crucial moments.
It felt oddly cozy - almost magical - in our old Citroen, but we couldn't stay in the car park all night. So in we went, to the bright lights of the hospital. As we made our way up to the maternity department, Sasha continued to use the self-hypnosis and meditation techniques and stayed incredibly calm and relaxed.
It was all very different to last time when Sasha was wailing in agony on the street in New York where we were then living as we tried to hail a taxi. A few minutes later her waters broke, and we were rapidly moved into the delivery room as the birth began in earnest. For all her calmness previously, Sasha screamed the hospital down for the few minutes when she was pushing the baby out, but it all happened so fast that there was no time for her to be given an epidural, or any other chemical pain relief except puffing on gas and air. Instead, the poor girl had to make do with her crazy husband mumbling in her ear, "Breathe in the green! Feel the colour flowing through your whole body! You are more relaxed than you ever thought possible!"
But then, very quickly, the baby was out, and she let out her first little cries of life.
We had signed into the hospital at 12:15am and baby Eleanor was born one hour and 19 minutes later.
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Being wrong rarely feels this good.
I swore I'd never be there, but my baby's birth was mesmerising
By TOM SYKES 29th November 2007 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.htmlin_article_id=497190&in_page_id=1879#
A few months ago I wrote in this newspaper that I had no intention of being present at the birth of my second child. The whole business of childbirth, I wrote, was messy, alarming, puts men offsex and was not something that I wished to witness again. And what use would a husband be in the delivery suite anyway? Well, that noise you can hear is the sound of a man earnestly munching hisway through a giant-sized portion of humble pie, because my wife Sasha has just given birth to a perfect baby girl - and I was there. And I'm told I was more than a little bit useful as well.
So what happened to my conviction that I'd rather stick red-hot pins in my flesh than be in the delivery room? Well, in the course of my research, I spoke to a number of birthing gurus,including Marie Mongan, the American creator of a program called HypnoBirthing that is sweeping through fashionable society moms in the United States faster than a Californian wildfire.
It was a conversation that didn't turn out too well. You see, Ms Mongan and I disagreed on the role of the father in the birth of his offspring - somewhat violently. I tended towards the school of thought that the father should be down the pub awaiting the good news. Ms Mongan, by contrast, insisted that "men do feel wonderful" being present at the birth, and that being on hand is, "part of completing what you started as a couple" and that my prespositionedence was necessary to pass on the right "energy" to the child.
My reaction? I wrote, "Frankly, most men I know consider such psychobabble a load of old cobblers." While some individuals find words like "healing", "chakra" and "energy"soothing, they actually make me angry, and HypnoBirthing sounded like exactly the sort of hippy-dippy, New Age nonsense that I abhor.
But then came a strange coincidence. Two couples told us that they had used HypnoBirthing, and credited the program with the easy births they had experienced. Sasha wanted to give the system a try. When faced with a choice between his principles and the wishes of his pregnant wife, a wise man will abandon his principles in a flash.
And so, I somehow found myself lying back in a remarkably comfortable,reclining armchair, being gently lulled into a trance by hypnotherapist Aisling Killoran, who runs the Dublin clinic Accomplish Change. In a lilting, mellifluous voice, Aisling began to intone affirmations about how easy and natural the birth would be into our ears. "My baby is perfectly for an easy and comfortable-birth," she chanted, "I am relaxed and happy that my baby is finally coming to me." Despite all my deep-seated hostility to alternative healing methods, I went under like a light. One moment I was thinking, "I can't believe I am listening to this tripe,"and the next Aisling was summoning us both back to consciousness by counting down from five to one. I felt incredibly refreshed when I came round, and it was at this point that Aisling delivered the bombshell; during labour, I had to be in the room for HypnoBirthing to work. My job was to repeat the affirmations and massage Sasha's arm and back to trigger a relaxed, fear-free state that would make it easy for the baby to emerge.
Over the next few weeks we listened to Aisling on repeat on the CD player,and I even read up all about the system in Ms Mongan's book, HypnoBirthing. Maybe something had been planted in my brain by the hypnosis but the more I read, the more I began to appreciate her alternative approach to birthing. Her theory is that in many non-Western cultures giving birth is not something that is feared and, because it is generally assumed that everything will turn out OK, women are a lot more relaxed and give birth more easily. But in our society, women have learned to fear birth, says Mongan.
Pick up almost any modern pregnancy book, and it's hard to disagree. As a result of that fear, when the time comes to give birth, there is a flood of adrenaline coursing around the body of the average labouring mother, and the whole affair becomes incredibly fraught. Techniques like self-hypnosis and guided meditation aim to reduce this fear, and affirmations serve to reprogram the mind. In essence, HypnoBirthing says that instead of thinking about all the stuff that might go wrong, why not see it all going right?
Why not indeed, I thought, as my credentials as a sceptic disappeared out of the window. And if it all turns out to be a load of nonsense, well, at least it's harmless, and Sasha can still opt to be hooked up to an epidural.
Then, one Tuesday night, around 11pm, something started to happen. In the few short minutes it took to throw a nightdress and some other essentials into a bag, we were gunning at top speed through the inky blackness towards the hospital. As the surges (the touchy-feely HypnoBirthing word for contractions) started coming - eight minutes apart, then seven, then six - I felt increasingly helpless. And then I thought, well, what the hell, it might just help, and I told Sasha to close her eyes and concentrate on my voice. "I meet each surge with confidence and joy," I found myself saying, "I am happy and excited my baby is finally coming to me." Sasha let out a deep breath. I felt ridiculous but I carried on, suddenly understanding why people say there are no atheists on a plane which is crashing. "My baby is perfectly positioned for an easy, comfortable, birth," I said, in measured tones, consciously imitating Aisling's singsong delivery on the CD, "I turn my birthing over to nature. My body knows what to do."
"It's helping," said Sasha, "I just had another one and it didn't hurt as much." By the time we arrived at the hospital, we were totally chilled out. We sat in the car park for another ten minutes while I took Sasha on a guided meditation around the woods she used to play in as a child - the "safe place" that we had identified with Aisling as a relaxing location for Sasha's mind to go to at the crucial moments.
It felt oddly cozy - almost magical - in our old Citroen, but we couldn't stay in the car park all night. So in we went, to the bright lights of the hospital. As we made our way up to the maternity department, Sasha continued to use the self-hypnosis and meditation techniques and stayed incredibly calm and relaxed.
It was all very different to last time when Sasha was wailing in agony on the street in New York where we were then living as we tried to hail a taxi. A few minutes later her waters broke, and we were rapidly moved into the delivery room as the birth began in earnest. For all her calmness previously, Sasha screamed the hospital down for the few minutes when she was pushing the baby out, but it all happened so fast that there was no time for her to be given an epidural, or any other chemical pain relief except puffing on gas and air. Instead, the poor girl had to make do with her crazy husband mumbling in her ear, "Breathe in the green! Feel the colour flowing through your whole body! You are more relaxed than you ever thought possible!"
But then, very quickly, the baby was out, and she let out her first little cries of life.
We had signed into the hospital at 12:15am and baby Eleanor was born one hour and 19 minutes later.
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