Wednesday, December 29, 2010

With HypnoBirthing, NOTHING works!

Marie (Mickey) Mongan, the founder of HypnoBirthing recently presented the following speech at the HypnoBirthing Conclave/Convention. It's worth sharing...

With HypnoBirthing NOTHING works!

We see it often - HypnoBirthing mothers accept that they have the ability to relax through the first phase of labor. But when it comes to talking about the baby’s descent and birthing, the question is, “What do I do then?” My answer is always the same - “NOTHING!! That’s what I want you to get out of this course. The understanding of doing “Nothing!!”

With HypnoBirthing NOTHING works. It’s Nature’s perfect design from the very onset.

Let’s look at a newborn baby girl - as she emerges, who teaches her to breathe? She does absolutely nothing to make it happen - but it happens.

If properly placed and encouraged, she crawls and bobbles her way to the breast for her first meal outside the womb. There is nothing that anyone gives her in the way of instruction - A natural GPS??

Within minutes of being born, she releases her anal sphincters, and out comes her first stool, or she pees. How does she do that without a chart of how to perform timely bodily functions?

Over time, as she grows and develops, with nothing to tell her how or when or how many times, she learns that she can sneeze to clear her nasal passages; she can signal that she is hungry or wants attention if it’s not readily there; she startles and becomes alert if she is frightened; and, if she feels secure, she can relax and fall asleep in loving arms. What did she do to learn to fall asleep? Nothing! Who taught her to awaken? How did she know she was hungry?

Fast forward to when she is a teenager. Her body changes with nothing but internal hormonal secretions to act as catalysts - she becomes a woman. The power of nothing is, and has been, alive in her human experience in so many ways, and she has mastered many functions with nothing but instinct to guide her.

Nothing has to teach her that she is experiencing her first love. She instinctively knows it and feels it. And when the time is right, there is nothing she has to study to learn how to express that love physically.

But enter the miracle of pregnancy, and all of a sudden, her previous trust, power, and confidence crumbles. She is now taught that her body is incapable of leading her through what should be a perfectly magical time. She must now be carefully taught how to nurture her pregnant body and her baby and ultimately how to give birth.

She is further taught that her trust and dependence is best placed outside of her own abilities and externally placed into the hands of others - strangers, trained and practiced experts, who know better than she. She needs them now to efficiently and conveniently manage her birth. They will teach and guide her along each step of the way. Instinct be damned!

She is now categorized onto charts - primagravida, and she’s put onto schedules, and regimens. She learns that she is inadequate and almost irrelevant to her own birthing experience.

For the woman who senses this as a disconnect, there are two options. She can go along with the prevailing model, or she can trust birthing, register for a HypnoBirthing class and learn to do nothing!!

We know that many of our moms hear a common question when they say they are preparing to birth their baby with HypnoBirthing. The question often is “Are you out of your mind.” In truth the response to that is “Yes.” To rely on her basic birthing instincts, a mother literally needs to be “out of her mind”. That’s where she turns her birthing over to her body and gets her mind and the regimens and techniques out of the way.

That’s exactly where we want our moms to be. When we teach them otherwise - how to do, and when to do, and how often to do - we confuse the inner consciousness, which controls instinct. Instinct no longer can function - we have stifled the natural function with the clutter of confused, panicked mind talk.

We strip it of the internal knowing, and then we turn to drugs as an external means of forcing the body to do what it used to know how to do. We know that drugs inhibit the bonding experience at birth, and mind talk also inhibits bodily function. Instead of achieving the objective, we confuse the body and it abdicates.

My question to all is: How dare we? How dare we presume to think that we can manipulate and redesign and introduce confusion into the experience with our own special outlines, instructions and techniques? How dare we mess with what is already perfectly created?

When we distribute charts and lists and lessons, filled with exercises and positions and advice,in effect,we are telling our parents that they need to do more and they need to do it this or that way at particular times. We need to bring about an awareness that what we teach in HypnoBirthing is not the cornerstone of HypnoBirthing, but rather suggestions to pass time.

Parents panic. They are afraid they will forget what we carefully instilled. They question are they doing it “right’? The only important thing is that they learn to do nothing - to just “allow” - to be the mammals that they are and return to their basic instincts.

Birthing has a rhythm and a flow, and every bit of “fixing” that we impose helps to disturb and shut down that very rhythm and flow. What they need to develop is a mastery to be “Out of their minds.” We need to stop humanizing birth. We have to put aside our own egos and our need to be a relevant factor in their birthing.

The time has come when we need to stop labeling these births as “exceptional” and “fantastic” and “out of this world.” They need to be seen as the norm and not out of the ordinary. When we no longer feel that we have to talk about how shocked and surprised the caregivers are, we will have begun to make progress. These will be the births that all mothers will expect when they are “out of their minds” and doing Nothing.

——Mickey Mongan, Director and Founder of the HypnoBirthing Institute

Monday, December 13, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Jill Ann & Ben

Hi-

Jill Ann & Ben took my HypnoBirthing classes at Babies by the Sea Boutique on Tuesdays in August 2010. There were 5 couples in that class series. All five couples had amazing births & they all become close friends. Jill Ann was the last of the five to give birth. She came to class wanting a different experience for her 2nd birth than she had with her 1st birth.

Ben and Jill Ann’s Birth Story

A little back story on my journey to a HypnoBirth:

When I found out we were pregnant with our son, I researched everything! I knew I was going to breastfeed and cloth diaper, and there was no BPA or parbens in my house but we spent very little time researching birthing options. I knew the notion of natural birth, especially since my mom had all three of us naturally, but I never even considered it. Everyone around me encouraged me to get the epidural so I just thought that was the way to go!

As my pregnancy came to an end, I was feeling miserable and huge (feelings I never had with my HypnoBirth) and as soon as I went up to my due date, I scheduled an induction for 41 weeks.

The morning of the day I was going to go in to get the cervix ripener my water broke.

It was 7:30 am and the only thing I could remember from the birth class DVD was to check the water to make sure it's clear and take a shower. It was in the shower that the fear took over. My contractions started immediately and were painful. I felt like I was going to die!

We went to the hospital right after my short shower and I was admitted right away. No joke- I had the epidural 15 minutes later and felt nothing!! It was sweet relief. I took a nap and patiently waited for them to tell me it was time to push. About 4 hours later it was time. I pushed and pushed and pushed some more!! After two hours of pushing, it was suggested that I had pushed for "the time" and now I should consider assistance or.... I was terrified of a C-section so I agreed to the vacuum and the episiotomy that came with it. My son was born 2 pushes later with the vacuum assist.

Again nothing went 'wrong' with my birth; it was a quick and easy delivery with no pain, but afterward I realized that I wanted something different for baby 2.

Before we even got pregnant, I was entertaining the idea of a natural birth in the back of my mind. When I would mention it to people they would look at me like I was crazy (kind of like when I share that I cloth diaper)! But one good friend shared her natural birth story and then I got encouragement from my midwife and then another friend shared her story. All of these women were passionate and positive about natural birth – my first exposure to something other than “get an epidural.”

I already knew I wanted Deborah Strauhal, my massage therapist, who is also a doula, at my birth and she suggested HypnoBirthing. I Googled and found lots of information including Carol's website (www.AWellLivedLife.Net)and blog. I also ordered the book off Amazon and read it before committing to class. It was Carol's blog that sold me. I already felt like part of the family before class even started.

This time around things were very different. I worked out to prepare my body, I felt great even at the very end at 41+ weeks pregnant... When my labor did start I was not afraid... In fact, I was opposite! I was excited! I was completely in control and ready for just about anything...

My recovery time was minimal and very, very easy! I was up and walking around that day and released from the hospital 32 hours after being admitted (pretty much the minimum allowed)

So here is my HypnoBirth story:



I was overdue and reluctantly scheduled for an induction on Friday (42+ weeks) and the baby was being monitored every 3 days and everything was looking great so I was not worried about the health of the baby and waiting until Friday.

I had been having practice surges for about 3 days and on Sunday (41 weeks 5 days) I experienced a sensation that was different than all of the other practice surges.

It was 2:00 in the afternoon and it was a rolling wave that took over my entire abdominal area and even brought tears to my eyes… not painful at all but it was like my body was reacting. I had another one 10 minutes later and then no more.

I was distracted after that because my 2 year old had woken from his nap. I was still experiencing surges but they didn’t seem consistent (or that I should be timing them).

Eventually, I took some time for myself and took a shower and listened to Rainbow Relaxation and Birthing Affirmations CD. I even tried to take a nap but I was too excited that I might actually be going into labor.

So, I decided to hydrate up with coconut water and Gatorade. I was trying to watch TV to keep my mind off of things but it was hard so I finally gave in and started using my ipod to time my surges.

Shortly after I felt a small gush and it was my mucous plug being released.

At this point I called my doula to give her a heads up and secured overnight care for my son “just in case” and then went about our nightly routine of eating dinner and getting my son ready for bed. I ate some apples, cheese, eggs, and toast, all washed down with lots of water!

At about 9:15 pm, I decided to go “relax” to see if I could get the surges to become more regular. At this point they were 5-6 minutes apart and lasting 30 seconds.

After 45 minutes of listening to the Rainbow Relaxation and Birthing Affirmations CD, I was feeling the surges coming on more frequent and stronger. At this point, we called our doula to come to the house. She arrived about 20 minutes later.

Once our doula arrived, things really took off. I moved onto the birth ball and laid my body over the bed. While still listening to the Rainbow Relaxation CD, my doula would massage my muscles in between surges. The massage was really helping my body truly and ultimately relax in between each surge and it was a little slice of heaven.

After about 45 minutes I felt the need to go to the hospital. I didn’t feel like I needed to push or anything, I just wanted to get there and be admitted so that I could get to my birthing room and get back into “the zone.” After calling the hospital, I took another shower and then we left. At this point my surges were 2-3 minutes apart and lasting 45-60 seconds.

When we arrived at the hospital I was 5 cm and “stretchy.” I had to be in the triage room to confirm that I was in real labor… again… I was relaxed and talking in between surges so there seemed to be a little reluctance that I was in active labor. During this time in triage I expressed that I did not want an IV, however, I ended up getting a hep lock, which was the compromise. I tried many times for no IV, but in all honesty, I didn't even care as the surges were close together and it was taking a lot of concentration just to breath and it really seemed to help the RN relax a little bit.

About 12:30 we went to our room, got a hep lock and more monitoring. I actually liked the monitoring because my 'team' could know when I was having surges. Before this, I had been holding up my finger to let them know and it was getting annoying to me… I just wanted to be still.

It felt like I was in my birthing room for minutes before I was feeling pressure (time distortion it was actually 45 minutes). I was checked and only 7cm. During this time I was laboring laying on the bed and the birth ball still listening to RR and still having light touch massage during a surge and more intense massage between surges.

Shortly after being checked at 7 cm, I was feeling claustrophobic and that I needed to escape!!!! I was breathing through my surges but I could feel that I was not relaxing and I started freaking out a bit. I was begging for someone to get me through it and MY TEAM did a good job of refocusing me and grounding me a bit (though I don't think I was actually listening to them).



Around 2:30 my body took over completely and I could feel the need to push. It was a rolling sensation in my body that I knew had to be it! As I was complaining that I had to push, the RN checked me again and of course I was 10!! At this point my membranes had still not ruptured and the baby was still -1 station but the RN gave me to go ahead to start pushing.

The RN then brought up breaking my membranes and asked if I would be interested and I was!!!! Since the midwife was delivering another baby at that exact time, my doctor was called to rupture my membranes (he was on-call). Meanwhile, I was birth breathing with every surge and ‘pop’ my membranes ruptured! Things progressed REALLY quickly after that! I literally felt the baby drop into the birth canal. At the time that my membranes ruptured it was clear that there was meconium in the fluid and her heart rate started dropping quickly!!!!

At this point I remained calm since I had faith that she was going to be okay but I also knew that I wanted to get her out as quickly as possible. I changed my position a bit (I had been lying on my side) and did the traditional 'pushing' to get her out ASAP. I pushed my body a little more that I wanted and she came out in one big woosh. I tore a bit (again didn't care) and she had to be tended by the nurses immediately, but Daddy was with her and I was still surging intensely. I delivered the placenta about 5 minutes later. Though she came out blue (the cord was wrapped around her) she pinked up immediately and she did not have any meconium in her lungs!

It was no time before I had her in my arms and she started nursing immediately!Though it got really intense at the end, I know that HypnoBirthing allowed me to remain calm and deliver my baby without any intervention.

I am so thankful that I had the support of my husband, mom, and doula and I had an awesome RN who stayed as close to our birth plan as she could.

Thank you Carol and my classmates: Brooke, Holly, Candace, and Kelly! Your support truly allowed us to have the birth that we wanted!

Audrey was born on Monday, November 29th at 2:52AM 20.5in and 9 lbs!

Thanks so much--Jill Ann


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Congratulations Jill Ann & Ben! Thanks so much for sharing your birth story! Continue to enjoy your babymoon!

For more information about Jill Ann's doula & massage therapist, please contact Deborah Strauhal via her website: www.kheya.net.

For more information about HypnoBirthing classes in San Diego, please contact Carol Yeh-Garner through her website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. For classes outside of the San Diego area, please go to www.hypnobirthing.com to find a practitioner near you.
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www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

Monday, November 22, 2010

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

Monday, October 4, 2010

A HypnoBirthing class testimonial

Dear Carol-

We both learned a lot and you provided a lot of valuable resources that I never would have been exposed to without the classes. My husband really walked away with a lot of knowledge that he never would have been able to get through me. To have his support, understanding and partnership at the level I do because of my doula training- it's because of your class. Thank you for your wisdom and support!

~Candace (a doula/professional labor support person) & Eric, 1st time parents, San Marcos, CA.
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Thanks, Candace! I'm glad that my classes gave you & Eric a way to bridge the gap so he could be completely involved in your baby's birth!

All my best--Carol

To learn more about Carol Yeh-Garner's HypnoBirthing classes, please visit her website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If you live outside of San Diego, please visit www.hypnobirthing.com to find a practitioner in your area.

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

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Homeopathic recommendations for pertussis & the flu

This information was shared with me by Willow Tipton, DIHom, local homeopath, regarding homeopathic pertussis & flu prevention. If you're looking for alternatives to getting immunized with a shot, this is some very helpful advice. I've personally had great success with using homeopathic remedies for illnesses & symptoms with my family. Hope you find it helpful too!

All my best--Carol

Here is information from her newsletter about pertussis:

Homeopathy Highlights
News From Learn Homeopathy Now August 2010
www.LearnHomeopathyNow.com (760) 942-3440

Remedy Highlights - Respiratory Help

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough has been making the news more frequently
as there has been outbreaks in schools. Interestingly, it's been affecting
those who have been vaccinated and not. Homeopathy has been hugely successful
in helping pertussis as well as similar difficult respiratory coughs.

This highly contagious bacterial disease derives its name from the "whoop" sound
made from the inspiration of air after a cough. Pertussis in infants or young
children is characterized initially by mild respiratory infection symptoms such
as mild coughing, sneezing, or runny nose. After one to two weeks, the coughing
develops into uncontrollable fits, each with five to ten forceful coughs,
followed by a high-pitched "whoop" sound as the patient struggles to breathe in
afterwards. Coughing fits are sometimes followed by vomiting. Fits can occur on
their own or can be triggered by yawning, stretching, laughing, eating or
yelling; they usually occur in groups, with multiple episodes every hour around
the clock. The bummer about these coughs, is they seem to linger, but with
homeopathic help, can clear much faster!

The following homeopathy remedies prove useful in cases of pertussis and
difficult coughs. As our advanced students know, you simply match your symptoms
to the remedy. When your symptoms change, change remedies.

Drosera:
Spasmodic, dry irritative cough, like whooping-cough, each cough following each
other very rapidly; can scarcely breathe; chokes. Cough very deep and hoarse;
worse after midnight; yellow expectoration, with bleeding from nose and mouth;
retching. Sensation as if crumbs were in the throat, of feather in larynx.
Harassing and titillating cough in children-not at all through the day, but
commences as soon as the head touches the pillow at night.

Antimonium Tart:
Great rattling of mucus, but very little is expectorated. Velvety feeling in
chest. Burning sensation in chest, which ascends to throat. Rapid, short,
difficult breathing; seems as if he would suffocate; must sit up. Coughing and
gaping consecutively. Bronchial tubes overloaded with mucus. Cough excited by
eating, with pain in chest and larynx. Cough and better lying on right side.

Arsenicum album:
Unable to lie down; fears suffocation. Air-passages constricted. Burning in
chest. Suffocative catarrh. Cough worse after midnight; worse lying on back.
Expectoration scanty, frothy. Wheezing respiration. Cough dry, as from sulphur
fumes; after drinking. Restless & anxious, better warm drinks.

Hepar Sulph:
Cough troublesome when walking. Dry, hoarse cough. Cough excited whenever any
part of the body gets cold or uncovered, or from eating anything cold. Croup
with loose, rattling cough; worse in morning. Choking cough. Rattling, croaking
cough; suffocative attacks; has to rise up and bend head backwards. Anxious,
wheezing, moist breathing, asthma worse in dry cold air; better in damp.

Ipecac:
Constant constriction in chest. Difficult shortness of breathing. Continued
sneezing; coryza; wheezing cough. Cough incessant and violent, with every
breath, to the point of vomiting. Chest seems full of phlegm, but does not yield
to coughing. Bubbling, rattleing sounds from chest. Suffocative cough; child
becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Whooping-cough. Croup.

Phosphorus:
Cough from tickling in throat; worse, cold air, reading, laughing, talking, from
going from warm room into cold air. Sweetish taste while coughing. Hard, dry,
tight, racking cough. Congestion of lungs. Burning pains, heat and oppression of
chest. Tightness across chest; great weight on chest. Whole body trembles, with
cough. Pain in throat on coughing.

Rumex Crispus:
Tickling in throat-pit causes cough. Copious mucous discharge from nose and
trachea. Dry, teasing cough, preventing sleep. Aggravated by pressure, talking,
and especially by inspiring cool air and at night. Thin, watery, frothy
expectoration by the mouthful: later, stringy and tough. Rawness of larynx and
trachea. Lump in throat.

Spongia:
Dryness of all air passages. Hoarseness; larynx dry, burns, constricted. Cough,
dry, barking, croupy; larynx sensitive to touch. Croup; worse, during
inspiration and before midnight. Respiration short, panting, difficult; feeling
of a plug in larynx. Cough abates after eating or drinking, especially warm
drinks. Chest congestion, with wheezing, asthmatic cough, worse cold air, with
profuse expectoration and suffocation; worse, lying with head low and in hot
room. Oppression and heat of chest, with sudden weakness.

Pedia Pro by Apex Energetics:
A potentized combination of remedies specific for Pertussis, Diptheria and
Tetanus. Some of the ingredients are: Pertussinum, Drosera, Phosphorus and
few more helpful ingredients like Colostrum. Comes in a convenient spray
bottle.

*Pedia Pro is a prescription remedy, however you can order it thru a
practitioner, or thru Willow's Patient Number by calling Apex Energetics
800-736-4381 and tell them you're ordering under patient number P2502 (Willow
Tipton) with a credit card. They will ship directly to you.

If you are looking for just the pertussis nosode homeopathic remedy, you can find it from www.homeopthyovernight.com or from Celletech.com - however, for my patients, I'm recommending PediaPro by Apex which has pertussinum as well as other helpful cough and lung support remedies as well as immune support. It comes in a spray and is easy to administer - 2 sprays once a day for prophylaxis - 2 times a day
if exposed and 3 times a day if symptomatic. It is considered a prescription, so
to order call 800-736-4381 and order under patient number P2502 and get
PediaPro. They ship fast, usually getting it within a day. Let me know if you
have any questions. 1 bottle goes a long way & should be enough for a family of 4. I recommend giving to people of all ages with the same dosage recommendations except I do not recommend it for breastfeeding infants.
In health
Willow Tipton, DIHom
AjaMed Lifestyle Spa
1349 Camino Del Mar, Suite F
Del Mar, CA 92104
858.793.1104
www.ajamed.com
willowdihom@gmail.com

www.learnhomeopathynow.com (760) 942-3440

Here is information about homeopathic flu prevention & treatments:
Calm Down & Stay Relaxed!

While the media creates a scared frenzy regarding pandemics, you can feel
fortunate that you know about homeopathy. We personally know of one story of a
man who was given homeopathics for severe flu symptoms. By the time his blood
work confirmed that he did in fact have Swine Influenza, the remedies had worked
and he was symptom free. If you should become sick, using your notebooks from
Homeopathy Level 1 & 2 classes, just match your symptoms in choosing the remedy
- as you've already been taught to do.

You can also make the following Bach Flower Essence combination to increase your
emotional sense of well being: Aspen, Cherry Plum, Crab Apple, Mimulus, Star of
Bethlehem and White Chestnut.

Sending Light,
Shelley & Willow

Remedy Hightlights - Flu Help

Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza
virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. The 2009 flu
outbreak in humans is due to a new strain of influenza A virus subtypre H1N1
that derives in part from human influenza, avian influenza, and two separate
strains of swine influenza. It passes with apparent ease from human to human,
an ability attributed to an as-yet unidentified mutation. As with other flu
like illnesses, Swine influenza is spread as follows: coughing, sneezing,
kissing, touching infected objects, touching nose, mouth and/or eyes with
infected hands. Swine flu does not spread by eating pork. The strain in most
cases causes only mild symptoms and the infected person makes a full recovery
without requiring medical attention and without the use of antiviral medicines -
and is greatly aided by homeopathic remedies!!

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to symptoms of regular human
influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some also
report runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The following homeopathy remedies prove useful in cases of influenza regardless
of what strain it is. As our advanced students know, you simply match your
symptoms to the remedy. When your symptoms change, change remedies.

Aconite:
Sudden onset of symptoms. Fever and chills, thirsty. Restless and fearful.

Arsenicum album:
Chilly and anxious, restless, yet exhuasted. Nausea with diarrhea and burning
pains. Coughing, wheezing, runny nose and burning symptoms. Thirsty for warm
drinks.

Belladonna:
Red, hot & dry. Fever, sore throat, headache, dry cough and inflammations.

Bryonia:
Aches and pains. Feels worse from any motion. Emotionally grumpy and
irritable. Bad headache and dry cough that hurts the head and stomach. Very
thirsty.

Gelsemium:
Dull, dizzy, body aches, weak and fatigue. Chills up and down the back.

Ipecac:
Nausea, vomiting with clean tongue. Dry spasmodic cough, often causing gagging.

Phosphorus:
Symptoms that settles in the chest. Hoarseness and coughing, thirsty for cold
drinks. Nervousness that's better with company and consolation.

Veratrum album:
Nausea, possible diarrhea and vomitting. Low vitality, dry constricted cough.
Low thirst.

Oscillococcinum:
As soon as you start feeling run-down or have other flu-like symptoms, take
Oscillococcinum. Oscillo® is regulated as a drug by the FDA and is supported by
published clinical studies as well as more than 65 years of use throughout the
world.

Clinical studies show that Oscillo reduces the severity and duration of flu
symptoms.


Influenzinum:
To reduce and prevent symptoms of the flu. Influenzinum is the updated each
year based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization. It contains
a dilution of the same three viral strains as the conventional Flu Vaccine.

FluMax Pro by Apex Energetics:
A potentized combination of remedies specific for Influenza. Some of the
ingredients are: Colostrum, Aconite, Belladonna, Bryonia, Gelsemium,
Influenzinum, Inluenza A & B, Asian Influenza A, Haemophilus Influenza,
Oscillococcinum and few more helpful ingredients. Comes in a convenient spray
bottle - see photo above.

*FluMax Pro is a prescription remedy, however you can order it thru a
practitioner, or thru Willow's Patient Number by calling Apex Energetics
800-736-4381 and tell them you're ordering under patient number P2502 (Willow
Tipton) with a credit card. They will ship directly to you.

Willow Tipton, DIHom
AjaMed Lifestyle Spa
1349 Camino Del Mar, Suite F
Del Mar, CA 92104
858.793.1104
www.ajamed.com
willowdihom@gmail.com
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Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom, Willow! I really appreciate it! I'm attending your Bach Flower Essence training this Monday, September 27th, & am looking forward to being able to share that knowledge with my HypnoBirthing clients.

All my best--Carol Yeh-Garner
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

Friday, September 17, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Kimberly & Matt


Kimberly & Matt took my HypnoBirthing classes at Babies by the Sea Boutique on Tuesday nights in March/April 2010. They originally planned to have a hospital birth but decided after a few classes that they would prefer to have a homebirth.

Here is their birth story:

Hi Carol... I wanted to share our birth story with you. My husband Matthew and I took your classes at Babies by the Sea Boutique in March/April. We were due to have our baby in mid-July but she surprised us and came about 2 mos. early!!!

While taking your classes we realized we really wanted to have a waterbirth at home and hired Gerri Ryan at your recommendation. We were soooo excited about our new birth plan and we had a wonderful pregnancy with no complications until late at night on May 16th when my water released unexpectantly. In a state of shock, I called Gerri and she told me to get to the hospital immediately. We rushed over to Scripps Encinitas where they informed me I was having contractions and all at once we lost just about all control of our situation. They gave me magnesium to stop the labor and antibiotics to prevent infection. They also gave me shots of steroids to help the baby's lungs develop since we knew she was going to be early. The magnesium kicked my butt... I couldn't even roll over in bed without assistance!!!!

It was at this time though that I realized how truly valuable the HypnoBirthing techniques are.... I was having surges the next day while laying in the hospital bed and Matt would talk me through them with visualizations. It was so amazing to see how much faster the surge would pass with his help rather than just trying to breath through them. His touch and voice truly relaxed me.I stayed at the hospital on strict bedrest for the next 10 days... on day 10 I started having surges again. This time baby was coming!

I listened to my HypnoBirthing cd through the whole birth. It was not the calm waterbirth we planned to have at our house but it was the best it could be with the situation we had to work with. Gerri could not be our midwife any longer in the hospital but she was our doula and was a great help. I used the birthing ball as best as I could with all the machines hooked up to me and Matt again used visualization and touch techniques to help me. It was an incredible experience.

The doctor and nurses continuously tried to convince us to use pitocin to induce even when I was 9 cm dialated but we held them off and were able to have a natural birth with no epidural. I was not in the ideal position and did end up doing "purple pushing" at the end but I know the HypnoBirthing techniques helped me greatly to deal with the situation and not just give in to everything they wanted to do. I was able to relax for most of the labor and never once considered not doing this naturally. I am so happy for that.

Our daughter... Samantha Rianne... was born May 26, 2010. She was over 7 wks early and had to stay in NICU for 3 wks. However she is amazingly healthy and such a calm and peaceful baby. I know HypnoBirthing really helped her to be so happy and calm. I look forward to the next pregnancy!!!

Thank you Carol :)
Kimberly M
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Congratulations Kimberly & Matt! Continue to enjoy your babymoon! I'm so glad that even though your birth didn't go exactly as planned, the HypnoBirthing techniques helped you remain calm & relaxed so you could have the best birth experience possible.

Take care & thanks for sharing your birth story!
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For more information about HypnoBirthing classes in San Diego, please visit Carol's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. For more information about HypnoBirthing classes outside of San Diego, please visit www.hypnobirthing.com

For more information about Gerri Ryan, LM, CPM, Kimberly & Matt's midwife, please visit www.centerfornaturalbirth.com

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

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Brooke & Matt

Brooke & Matt took my HypnoBirthing classes at Babies by the Sea Boutique on Tuesday nights in May/June 2010. Here is their birth story...


The birth story of Grace M

We had been given several different due dates during my pregnancy because I switched doctors; the earliest of which was Friday July 16th. So when I started having mild surges Saturday afternoon on July 10th I made the assumption it was just false labor and that I had been doing too much and needed to relax. Matt and I had a very mellow Saturday and at 3pm I took a two-hour nap, which I think was a Godsend considering what the next 24 hours held in store for me!

The surges continued all Saturday evening and around 9pm I got into bed to watch a movie and try to relax. At this point, the surges felt like typical menstrual cramps; somewhat uncomfortable but not painful. I downloaded an app on my iPhone and started to time the surges (yes, there is an app for that!!) because I knew from class the difference between false labor and real labor was whether the surges were coming in a consistent time frame for at least an hour. The surges were kind of all over the place – it would go from 10 minutes apart to six minutes back to 10 minutes, etc. This further confirmed my thinking it was just false labor. Matt came up to bed around 11pm and was surprised to find me awake and timing surges. I told him I thought it was still just false labor and we went to bed. I was able to sleep, or at least rest, between the surges until around 3am at which point I was just awake and trying to rest and remain calm since I was starting to think we had a long day ahead of us. I was listening to the rainbow relaxation CD on my iPod this entire time, which helped me stay focused on keeping my body limp and relaxed.

Around 6am on Sunday morning I could no longer stay in bed and moved to sitting on the toilet, which was comfortable and helped keep my pelvis open. This is when we called my sister-in-law Kelly (who is a midwife), and she confirmed that since the surges had been coming since Saturday afternoon, I was definitely in labor. She booked a ticket on the next flight out of San Francisco and was landing in San Diego at 10:20am. She was originally scheduled to fly down later in the week to act as our doula at the birth.

Matt drew a bath for me and I labored in the tub for about an hour while he got the bags and everything ready to go to the hospital. Around 8am we called the doctor’s office and as we expected my doctor was still on vacation so his backup called us back. She said if the pain was too much we could head to the hospital so I could receive an epidural, but if not to wait until the surges were about 4 minutes apart for an hour. The surges were fairly intense at this point, but I kept breathing through them and it really wasn’t too bad. It was actually quite an exciting time because we knew our baby was coming and everything we had been preparing for was happening!

As far as we could tell, when we called the doctor the surges were ranging from 4-7 minutes apart. We had a really hard time timing the surges because they start off mild and then get more intense and then get mild again before stopping. This being said, it was hard for me to tell exactly when they were starting and stopping which made timing them very difficult.

Around 9am, I had showered and Matt had the car loaded and everything ready to go to the hospital. We didn’t want to go to the hospital too early so I laid down on the couch and kept listening to rainbow relaxation on my iPod and trying to relax. Around 9:45am, during one of the surges my water broke while I was on the couch. At this point, the surges were ranging from 2-4 minutes apart, and now that my water had also broken we decided we should head to the hospital.

It happened that we were ready to go to the hospital at the same time my sister-in-law was landing at the airport. Rather than her having to take a cab all the way to Encinitas we decided to pick her up at the airport and then head straight to the hospital. Like I said before, our thinking had been we didn’t want to get to the hospital too early so at the time it just made sense that we’d pick her up. And since I had been laboring on the couch, the front seat of the car didn’t seem too different. ;) We live in the Kearny Mesa area so I ended up laboring in the car for about 40 minutes.

We picked up my sister-in-law at the San Diego airport at 10:20am and headed up 5 North to Scripps Encinitas hospital. During the drive, I had the front seat fully reclined and was lying on my side which felt better than on my back. My feet were up on the dash and I had the window half way down because the fresh air felt so good. I’m sure people driving by thought it was a strange scene! I was listening to rainbow relaxation on my iPod this whole time and was continuing to breath through the surges. My instincts told me I was in pretty intense labor at this point but still the surges were manageable as they don’t last that long. And the breaks between them, albeit short, were still wonderful! When we pulled up to the hospital, Matt actually asked if I had been having surges during the car ride because I had been lying there with my eyes closed and not making any noise! I kind of chuckled and said, “Yes”!

We checked into the hospital and it took some time to fill out the paperwork, etc. I declined the wheel chair they offered me because it felt much better to stand during the surges. As we got to our labor and delivery room around 11:30am I was starting to feel intense pressure like I was nearly ready to start pushing! The nurse checked me upon arrival and I was 8cm! Considering this was my first birth I didn’t really know what to expect so we were all really excited with this news! The nurse gave me a hospital gown but I had brought a robe from home that I preferred to wear which she was fine with. Once I had changed I sat on the birth ball and leaned against the hospital bed while the nurses did all the initial tests/monitoring to me. The fetal heart and contraction monitors were attached around my stomach while I sat on the birth ball. The plan had been to do the initial monitoring for 20 minutes and then have everything removed so I could move around (this never happened since things moved along so quickly). At 37 weeks I had tested positive for Group B Strep. I had been doing some natural at-home remedies, but still had to get a dose of antibiotics when we arrived at the hospital. They gave me the antibiotics while they were doing all the other initial monitoring things.

We requested the nurse check me again a little before noon because I was feeling such intense pressure and felt ready to start pushing. At this point, I was now standing next to the hospital bed doing the modified downward dog position with my hands on the bed because I could no longer stay seated on the birth ball. Once the nurse checked me again and confirmed I was to 10cm I moved onto the bed to start pushing. It was noon when I started pushing.

Right away the doctor confirmed she could see the baby’s head, and I was trying to push the head to pass under my pubic bone. After about 20 minutes of pushing and between surges the doctor checked me and then asked us when our last ultrasound had been. Both Matt and I were so confused and told her it was at 19 weeks when we had the anatomy ultrasound. After this she told that was not the baby’s head we were seeing and it was her bottom! We were all in disbelief as my doctor had confirmed at my 37-week appointment the baby was head down, and then again at my 38-week appointment the nurse practitioner had felt my stomach (because my doctor was on vacation) and also said the baby was head down. The doctor immediately suggested a c-section and we asked for a few minutes to discuss it privately. As my sister-in-law is a midwife and has delivered breech babies, we did consider trying to still do a vaginal birth, but in the end we decided to be conservative and agreed to the c-section.

Grace was in the Frank breech position, which is where her legs were straight up so her feet were at the top of my stomach and were kicking in the same area she would have been had she been head down. And then since her head and bottom are both firm, it did feel like it was her bottom at the top of my stomach. Regardless, it was disappointing her breech position hadn’t been discovered earlier so we could try some things in order for her to move positions, but in the end if she hadn’t moved we probably would have scheduled a c-section. I’m glad this didn’t happen because as crazy as it sounds, I am glad I got to experience labor as it was such an amazing experience; emotionally as well as physically. So after all of this Gracie was born at 1:05pm via c-section! She came out alert, healthy, and crying loudly!

I don’t know how I remembered, but after the c-section they were getting ready to stitch me back up and I recalled a section in Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth book that discussed the importance of having the uterus sutured in two layers rather than the one layer method which is currently popular in the situation of a c-section. I asked the doctor if she was going to sew me up in one or two layers, and after telling me they routinely do one layer, she asked if I would prefer her to do two layers. I told her I would. Per Ina May’s book, this will help the uterus stay stronger and increase the likelihood of having a successful VBAC in the future.

The doctor and nurses were all so wonderful, and we were very happy with Scripps Encinitas hospital all around. They were completely supportive of everything we wanted and were very familiar with HypnoBirthing. Everything with the baby was in-room so Grace was never out of my sight. They even brought her to me while I was still on the operating table after the c-section. I really appreciated this.

I definitely think your HypnoBirthing class helped make Grace’s labor as great as it was! Due to all the training and practice I was able to remain very calm and relaxed throughout the entire time I was laboring which I believe helped ease the pain and helped speed labor along. The doctor told me after Grace was born I would be an ideal candidate for a VBAC; something I will definitely consider when Grace gets a little sibling. And even though the c-section was an unexpected turn of events during Grace’s birth, I think taking the HypnoBirthing class helped us meet this calmly and I still have such positive memories from our birth. Thank you so much for all your support and advice throughout the pregnancy! We appreciate all that you taught us and are so glad we took your class!
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Thank you so much for sharing your story! I think it's so important for people to realize that HypnoBirthing helps in whatever situation comes up during your birth experience & that it's not "just" for natural births. It can be extremely helpful during c-sections as well.

Congratulations on the birth of baby Grace! Continue to enjoy your babymoon!

All my best---Carol Yeh-Garner
www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

For more information about HypnoBirthing, please visit Carol's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net or go to the main HypnoBirthing website at www.hypnobirthing.com.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Danielle & Evan



Danielle & Evan took my classes early in their pregnancy in March/April of 2010 at Babies by the Sea Boutique. Their care provider was Dr. Biter, but since he didn't have OB privileges, they decided to have a homebirth.

Here is their birth announcement:

Carol,

Evan & I are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Violet. She entered peacefully into the world via beautifully successful home water birth on July 14th at 2:20pm {after only 10 hours of labor!} It's hard to believe our little angel is already four weeks old- where does the time go?

Thank you for giving us the confidence to have our dream birth experience. We are eternally grateful.

Warmly,
Danielle & Evan S
Tuesday class @ Babies by the Sea, March 2010

Here are some pictures from their birth:

Danielle having surges in the birth pool with Evan supporting her:


Danielle receiving her baby:


Danielle relaxed after the birth:


Evan cutting the umbilical cord:


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Congratulations to you! Enjoy your babymoon & thank you for sharing your birth announcement & pictures of your birth experience! I look forward to being able to share your birth story soon!

All my best--Carol

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To learn more about HypnoBirthing in San Diego, please visit Carol Yeh-Garner's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net or go to www.hypnobirthing.com.

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

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Kristie & Michael

Kristie & Michael took my classes on Tuesday nights at Babies by the Sea Boutique in May/June of 2010.

Here is the email that they sent me to announce the birth of their baby:

Eggroll M (we actually don't have a name yet, so referring to him as his in name in utero) was born on July 8 at 3:45 pm. EVERYTHING went just as you said it would-so perfectly. We were completely prepared and excited, not scared at all! 6 lb 7 oz 19 inches. Honestly Carol, we know we couldn't have done this without you. We feel so empowered and special to have been able to have the birth experience we wanted. More details to follow, as we would love to share our incredible story with others.
smiles and hugs, Kristie and Michael M.

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Thanks so much for letting me know how your birth went! I'm glad that it went so well & look forward to hearing/reading your birth story. Thanks for letting me share your announcement. Enjoy your babymoon!

All my best--Carol

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For more information about HypnoBirthing classes with Carol Yeh-Garner, LCSW, HBCE, please visit her website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If you live outside of San Diego County & want to find a HypnoBirthing practitioner near you, please visit the main HypnoBirthing website at www.hypnobirthing.com.
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www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

Friday, July 23, 2010

Katie & Steve's HypnoBirthing C-Section

Katie & Steve took my HypnoBirthing classes at Babies by The Sea Boutique on Tues nights in May/June 2010.

We had our baby boy, Carson, 3.5 weeks early. We hired our doula Kayti Ricker one day
before going into labor. I had a mild case of polyhydramnios which means that I had
extra amniotic fluid. My Dr. did not mention that pre-term labor or labor
complications could be an issue.

I lost my mucous plug on June 27th. I thought my water broke on June 29th as I felt
a few small gushes. The Dr. told me that it was not my water breaking and that the
cramping I was experiencing was normal at this stage of the pregnancy. I was 36.5
weeks along. The Dr. sent me home. I knew something was happening but I did not know
what or when.

Soon the contractions were 15 minutes apart and then 10 and then 8. My husband and I
tried to get into bed around midnight. I was listening to Rainbow Relaxation CD but I
felt the contractions closing in on me in the bed. I had to get out of the bed and
move around. I went from the birth ball to the couch to outside etc. Moving through
my contractions and focusing on my breathing really helped. The contractions
progressed and we called our newly hired Doula. I saw a small amount of bleeding
which Kayti told us was normal. We waited at home until my contractions were 3
minutes apart and expected to have our son soon after arriving at the hospital
around 4:30 am.

Upon arrival at Grossmont hospital, they confirmed that I was 100% effaced but only 1cm dilated. I was disappointed but I needed to know a starting point for my progress.
Due to how thin my cervix was the staff said that my labor should go very quickly.
The staff finally gave up on monitoring me as my baby kept moving around and they
were losing track of his heart rate. Oh....and I refused to stay in that hospital
bed!!! It was impossible to manage my contractions while lying on my back. They
tried to tell me that the baby could be having decelerations but I knew better. They
finally agreed to do periodic Doppler monitoring. They left me so alone that I
actually had to request that they come check on the baby. I could feel Carson moving
his legs and feet trying to help along the labor. The surges were intense. I was in
and out of the shower 6 times. It was my sanctuary. I was breathing through all of
my contractions and did feel the need to make noise through each one. I experienced
time distortion and periods where I went within like you described in class. When I
would open my eyes, my husband and Doula were looking back at me. They confirmed that
several minutes had passed.

My Dr. came in to check me around 8 am and wanted to break my water. I was dilated
to 4 cm. I asked for "5 minutes to think about it" and the Dr. left and went back to
his office. He never gave me a chance to have 5 minutes. In the mean time test
results came back on my broken water (it broke on the floor of the birthing room
while I was throwing up). The tests showed that my baby's lung development was at 33
weeks. . I had to put this out of my head and focus on my labor. The Dr. no longer
wanted to break my water. When the Dr. came back to check me a few hours later I was
still at 4 cm. I continued using my breathing techniques, showering and different
positions. The Dr. came back again sometime later and the baby had moved up and was
now at a minus 2 station where he had previously been at a minus one. The baby had a
lot of water to float in and was unable to push on my cervix and help me dilate. I
remained at 4 cm. By 2 pm on the 30th I was still at 4 cm. Kayti had me try some
positions that were hard to get through due to all of the pressure but I pushed
myself to do them. Due to no sleep and a long labor that was slow to progress, I
elected to have the epidural. At this point, I had been in labor for 24 hours
completely unmedicated. It felt like my choice to have the epidural and I was glad
that I had labored naturally thus far. Once I had the epidural I was still planning
for a vaginal delivery.

My Dr. came in and told me that he was very concerned that the baby had moved up. If
my water broke (the previous break was a high leak) then it could pull the placenta
away from the wall or the cord could come out before the baby due to the large
volume of water. Polyhydramnios was the cause for these concerns. The Dr.
recommended a C-section. This was the very thing that I was trying to avoid.
HypnoBirthing and the feeling of being educated and informed helped me to stay calm.

Kayti, my Doula, called a midwife friend of hers to get a 2nd opinion. I was very
appreciative of this. It helped me to realize that the C-section was necessary. The
midwife validated the doctor's concerns. Finally, we asked everybody to leave and my
husband Steve and I weighed the risks and benefits of the C-section and made the
decision in our own time and our own way. We agreed that you do not get pregnant to
have a natural childbirth but rather to have a baby and we could not put our baby at
risk. We elected to have the C-section that the Dr. was strongly recommending. I
even asked him what he would do if it was his daughter to see if he would hesitate
but he did not. Without any hesitation he said “I would perform a C-section
immediately.”

When the decision was made about the C-section, I felt very calm and in control.
Kayti was allowed to join my husband and I in the operating room. She was there to
help carry out the rest of our birth plan. Carson came out crying with no lung
problems at all. The Dr. even had to use the vacuum because he had floated so high
up into the uterus. There was water everywhere according to my husband and the Dr.
All that extra fluid! I did not get to see my son much in the OR. My first glimpse
of him was while I was in recovery and I could see him across the room being held
by my husband who remembered to do Kangaroo Care (thank you for talking about this
in class). It was a precious site. Kayti waited with me in recovery while Steve was
with the baby.

Steve brought the baby to me in recovery. Kayti suggested that I try to breastfeed.
I knew I wanted to breastfeed but with all of the excitement and being in recovery
etc. it did not occur to me that this was an appropriate time. The nurse allowed it
and Carson started trying to nurse.

Looking back I would not have changed a thing. I am so glad that I prepared for a
natural HypnoBirth and had hired a Doula. I felt very educated and in control. It
was wonderful to experience and manage REAL LABOR! I am confident that had my labor
been able to progress and there were no risks that I absolutely could have had the
natural childbirth that I was hoping for.

Besides the baby being healthy, the important thing is that it felt like it was our
birth and our decisions despite the fact that it did not go as planned. Thank you
for everything. Our son is healthy and weighed 6 lbs 7 oz and was 18.5 inches long.
We are adjusting to new parenthood and the lack of sleep! Our son is healthy and
beautiful!!

Katie and Steve P.
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Thank you so much for sharing your story, Katie & Steve! I'm so sorry that your birth didn't go as planned & that you had a c-section. I'm glad that the HypnoBirthing classes helped you feel in control & informed every step of the way. My ultimate goal in teaching HypnoBirthing classes is to inform & educate my clients so that no matter where their birth journey takes them, they feel as in control as possible & make choices based on fact not fear.

For more information about HypnoBirthing in San Diego, please visit my website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If you are outside of San Diego, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com for more information & to find a practitioner in your area.

For more information about Kayti Ricker, Katie & Steve's doula, please visit her website at www.mysandiegodoula.com.

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

Thursday, July 8, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement--Mikayla & Brian


Hi-

Mikayla & Brian attended my classes at Indigo Dragon Health & Wellness Center on Thursday nights in April/May 2010. It was their 2nd birth. Mikayla had a vaginal birth the 1st time around but was somewhat traumatized by the experience, especially the pushing phase. They took my classes to help her feel more confident about her ability to have a better, more comfortable birthing experience.

She contacted me when she was a few days overdue & wanted to find some natural induction recommendations. I recommended acupuncture & prenatal massage.

Here's her birth announcement:

Hi Carol,
I contacted Indigo Dragon Health & Wellness Center and had an acupuncture appointment on Friday. That morning I thought I was feeling surges, but decided to keep the appointment. I really enjoyed it. That evening I continued having surges . After a calm labor and very in control of myself and the experience, I gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy at 8:25 am on Saturday, July 3rd. Declan M, 7 lb 10oz and 19 1/2". Thank you for all of your help!!! I must have listened to Rainbow Relaxation 30 times during my labor!

Fondly,
Mikayla & Brian
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Congratulations Mikayla & Brian! Enjoy your babymoon! Thanks for letting me share your story!

All my best--Carol

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

Monday, June 21, 2010

A HypnoBirthing baby #2 for Sarah & Troy

Sarah & Troy took my HypnoBirthing classes for baby #1 in May 2008. She had her baby at UCSD Birth Center & had a wonderful HypnoBirth. You can listen to her 1st birth experience at http://www.pregtastic.com/sarahs-birthing-story/.

Sarah contacted me a few months back to arrange for a private refresher class in preparation for baby #2. She & Troy came to my office in May for a 1 1/2 hour session. We talked about the fears & concerns they had about birth & becoming parents & reviewed key points about HypnoBirthing to help Sarah feel confident about what techniques to use & how to use them during her 2nd birth experience. Then I did a hypnosis session with them--a fear release & a birth rehearsal imagery. They left feeling really relaxed, excited & confidnet about their upcoming birth experience.

Here is their birth story:

Crash! Boom! BAM!

My labor started Saturday night at straight-up Midnight. It was pre-labor so it was random in both time and intensity, so I just stayed quietly in bed and thought about millions of things. I carbo-loaded and hydrated all Saturday like I was getting ready to run the 2010 Rock-n-Roll Marathon. I packed the remaining items in my hospital bag and walked the dog. I spent as much time as I could Saturday meditating, listening to my HypnoBirthing CD and relaxing.

By late afternoon I knew Saturday was not the day of my baby’s birthday. However, when I woke on Sunday I knew that birth was sooner than later, because I called Alma (my Mother’s Helper) in the morning for her to watch Miss Riley that day. The pre-labor continued with the surges/contractions gradually increasing in strength. Timing was still random, but even with eating a ton of carbs and drinking more Smart Water than all the marathoners combined, the surges/contractions strengthened.

We went to the grocery store late in the afternoon and it was all I could do to make it through the store or even to the front doors. I went to bed around 8:00pm to meditate and listen to my HypnoBirthing CD. Troy laid down with me and I was squeezing his hand when the contractions started and stopped. From there, I lost track of time. Alma was called to watch Miss Riley for the night and Kayti (Kayti Ricker my bad-ass doula) was called to come and assist us with the birth.

Kayti arrived around 11-11:30ish pm and she got me out of bed to finish the deed! I lunged, yes, the workout routine move, around the house until I could do no more. After the lunges, we just walked until I could not walk anymore. I kept eating and drinking until I could do no more. Then it was time to head to UCSD Birth Center and we left the house around 2:45ish am. At 3:10am I was checked in at 6cm, fully effaced, -1 station and at 4:00am Colby Cash was born.

My labor was beautiful! Troy was my king and was so perfect. Kayti was awesome and without her, there is no way I could have had such a great labor. It was a perfect HypnoBirthing experience. Full on relaxation, meditation and assisting my little Colby during labor.

Now this is where the story takes a twist in the wrong direction. Colby hit the tile floor because I shot him out like a rocket. No pushing whatsoever! In 55 minutes from the time the midwife checked me Colby was on the floor. There was no midwife or nurse in the room to catch him. Kayti tried her best to catch the slippery fella but was not in the right position. She did break his fall, thank goodness. I was standing at the side of the bed…remember I was doing my best to dance him out. To describe it better, I was doing a modified downward dog at the side of the bed since my hands were on the bed and my feet were on the floor.

From the floor, he went to have a CAT scan of his head due to the bump and precautions. All Monday, we were in the NICU for observation and everything turned out wonderful. Colby is healthy baby boy and can take a licking with the best of them. Even the best plans and preparations along with the best labor cannot predict birth.

I used deep relaxation, breathing, meditation and the power of positive thinking to help me have my amazing birth experience. Thank you, Carol, for teaching me HypnoBirthing.
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Wow! I've heard of babies sliding out quickly without minimal (or any) pushing, but never shooting out! Congratulations Sarah & Troy & big sister, Riley! Enjoy your babymoon & thanks so much for sharing your birth story!

For more information about Kayti Ricker, local San Diego doula, please contact her via her website at www.mysandiegodoula.com.

For more information about HypnoBirthing classes in San Diego, please contact Carol Yeh-Garner via her website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net or call her at 858-837-1259. It is recommended that you take HypnoBirthing classes sometime between your 5th & 7th month of pregnancy. Carol has openings in her upcoming July & August class series held at Babies by the Sea Boutique & Indigo Dragon Health & Wellness Center. Please contact her for more information.

If you are outside San Diego & would like more information about HypnoBirthing, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com to find a practitioner in your area.

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

Monday, June 14, 2010

A HypnoBirthing announcement & story--Thanya & Elbert




Thanya & Elbert took my HypnoBirthing classes in April 2010 on Thursday nights at Indigo Dragon Health & Wellness Center. They switched OBs during their pregnancy to Dr. Biter. While Thanya was in her 3rd trimester, Dr. Biter unfairly had his OB privileges suspended from Scripps Encinitas hospital. His supporters held daily rallies in front of the hospital & Thanya was often there--even at 38 weeks--standing there for hours in support of her OB. The hospital medical board found that Dr. Biter had done nothing to deserve the suspension & lifted it & then he resigned. Thanya & Elbert had considered having a homebirth since Dr. Biter wasn't able to be their acting OB for their birth, but their 1st meeting with the homebirth midwives ended up being a few days too late. Here is their birth story...

Thanya & Elbert H's birth story:

For the first 22 weeks of my pregnancy, I had an OB/GYN that was pro-HypnoBirthing. However, Elbert and I did not feel that we were getting the attention or time that we wanted from her, and eventually switched OBs to Dr. Biter through the recommendation of MANY friends. Words cannot express how glad I am to have Dr. Biter as my doctor!

It was around 2am on Sunday, May 30, 2010 when I experienced some mild cramping in my lower abdomen that woke me from my sleep. I never experienced that feeling before throughout my pregnancy so I assumed I was having surges. They weren't frequent, probably about 15 - 20 minutes apart. I practiced my deep breathing and pictured myself at the beach to get through any discomfort, while I was in bed. Around 9:30am, we called Dr. Biter just to let him know that I was experiencing what I thought were contractions. He told us to just hang out and to call back when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. The surges kept coming and going until about 11am. Dr. Biter ended up calling us back around 12:30pm to check up on me, and I felt disappointed telling him that the surges stopped, and Elbert and I were just out and about walking around at the Forum Shops. Dr. Biter said it was quite normal for contractions to start and stop and suggested we just go about our day as usual and call him back if anything new happened.

I didn’t have any other surges the entire day until about 6pm. They were very infrequent, some coming at 40 minutes apart. This happened until about 9pm. Then out of nowhere, around 9:30pm, the surges came back and came back with a vengeance. I first took a long, hot shower to try to comfort myself, and after showering, I got on all fours and did my relaxation breathing to get through them. These surges were a LOT stronger than the ones I experienced in the morning. I tried my best to not let the discomfort take over me, so I rode the surges for about another hour or so before calling Dr. Biter to let him know that my surges were about 5 minutes apart. I also called Linda Goldsmith, a wonderful and amazing doula who was helping out Dr. Biter patients while he gets hospital privileges back, to let her know that I was in labor. I really needed her at this point, as I almost gave up on myself thinking that I wasn't going to be able to have the natural and relaxing birth I dreamed of. I listened to the Birthing Affirmations and Rainbow Relaxation CD, but the feeling of these surges was so new to me, I couldn’t concentrate on getting myself to relax and be in my “happy place.” I was in tears and at one point, told Elbert, "I don’t think I can do this."

Linda came over around 11pm and totally gave me my confidence back by showing me different positions and different breathing techniques. She had me constantly changing positions, such as hanging on the back of the couch or kitchen counter and swaying my hips back and forth (what she called the “stripper move”) and in a figure 8. She also let me know that it was ok to let out a low moan while breathing out. She reassured me that it was ok to make noise. I didn’t have to keep everything to myself. Linda also recited positive affirmations to me and gave me light touch massages to help me get through my surges. Around 12:30am, Linda suggested that Elbert and I go lay down in bed together to try to get some rest in between surges. So we did.

Around 1:30am, my surges came on quickly, about 2 minutes apart. Linda called Dr. Biter to let him know how fast my surges were coming, and he told her he was coming over right away.

Dr. Biter got to our house around 2am. By this time, I couldn’t even finish my sentences before another surge would hit. I wouldn't say that I was totally relaxed, but I remained very calm and each surge was bearable to endure. Dr. Biter then suggested checking me for cervical dilation. This would be the first time I got checked for dilation/effacement during my pregnancy. So I plopped on the couch, Dr. Biter checked me, and after he was done, he looked up at us with wide eyes and said, "We need to go to the hospital now or we're having the baby here at home. You're 9cm dilated!" I wasn’t expecting that response, having labored at home for only a little over 5 hours. I looked at Elbert, and he excitedly said, "Let's go! I'll start up the car!"

Linda suggested that I get on all fours in the back seat of the car since the car ride to Sharp Mary Birch Hospital was going to be quite uncomfortable with my surges if I were to buckle up in the front seat. Plus the hospital was a good 20-25 minutes away.

We checked into triage, and the nurses had a wheelchair waiting for me to wheel me to Labor and Delivery. I told them that I was fine to walk and didn’t need the wheelchair. They looked at me like I was crazy.

So we walked to Labor and Delivery, and the nurses were quickly preparing the IV and other machines. I refused being put on an IV or have a heplock. The nurses were trying to explain that every patient needed one in case of an emergency. I still refused and told them that when an emergency arises, then that’s when they can place either or on me, but I was quite adamant that I did not need to be hooked up to anything. I explained that I was planning on an all natural, non-medicated type of birth. I eventually won the fight (yay!). I eventually met Dr. Cousins, one of the perinatologists that Dr. Biter is working with for his patients who are delivering at Sharp Mary Birch. I don’t remember him being in the room again until my baby’s head was crowning. Dr. Biter and Linda were a superb doula team that supported me throughout my entire labor and delivery process. Linda kept feeding me positive affirmations and got me cold wash cloths, water and ice chips. Dr. Biter helped me constantly change positions and guided me through the entire pushing process. With both Linda and Dr. Biter there, that left Elbert to be nothing but my supportive husband, which is exactly what I needed. I’m sure all of the HypnoBirthing techniques he learned went out the window seeing how excited and nervous he was anyway hehe.

I was probably only in Labor and Delivery less than an hour before the urge to start pushing came over me. As much as I wanted to breathe my baby down slowly into the birth path, the urge to push was so intense that Dr. Biter told me it was ok to start pushing. I felt like I had no control over my muscles, and that my baby wanted out right away. It took a few pushes and about 3 different positions to get my baby down successfully. The first position I was in was the squat position on the bed. When that position didn’t seem to progress my baby’s head to go down the birth path, Dr. Biter suggested that I lie on my left side and hold both of my legs back. This position was quite successful in moving my baby down the birth path. I then laid on my right side and held my legs back and this was the position that my baby was born in. My baby was coming down the birth path at such a rapid pace that Dr. Biter had me stop pushing at one point. I think he had me slow down so that I wouldn’t tear, and also, Dr. Cousins was no where to be found to catch the baby. I was told that a nurse had to find Dr. Cousins and when he came running into the room, he hastily had to put on his scrubs since my baby was practically out of me. In a matter of minutes, I successfully pushed my baby down the birth path, and she gave one big cry for about 5 seconds, and then was calm and relaxed when she was immediately placed on my tummy. I was only in the Labor and Delivery room for a little bit over an hour. I can’t believe I was only in labor for about 8 hours. Everything happened so fast!

Madison Elizabeth Tipyapa H. was born on Monday, May 31, 2010 @ 5:04am. She weighed 7lbs, 13oz, and was 19.5 inches long.

Although I gave the nurses my birth plan, there were things that they did not follow, which was kind of disappointing. I was put on a fetal monitor the entire time I was in Labor and Delivery, although I didn’t mind too much since I was only in there for about an hour before pushing. They also wiped the baby down immediately following the delivery and the immediate skin to skin contact lasted less than 10 minutes. I think both Elbert and I were way too emotional and too caught up in seeing Madison for the first time that we couldn’t be upset about everything we wanted in our birth plan that wasn’t followed. The most important thing was that both Madison and I were healthy. Madison passed all of her tests with flying colors and didn’t have jaundice. We were released from the hospital the very next day since both Madison and I checked out 100% healthy.

I was also quite proud of myself that I actually went through with an all natural, non-medicated birth at a high c-section rate hospital! I felt like a celebrity that day as many nurses that came in to check on me in my postpartum room kept asking me how I did it. They were quite impressed that I didn’t need medication and that I wasn’t hooked up to an IV or use a heplock. One nurse was in shock that I was walking around in my postpartum room shortly after giving birth. The nurses had to come in about every 2 hours to take my blood pressure and check up on me, and every time they asked me, “Rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10,” I would always tell them, “Zero.”

Thank you Carol for being such a wonderful HypnoBirthing instructor! I am so happy that Elbert and I took your class to prepare ourselves for the unknown. Although I wouldn’t say that I was a total HypnoBirthing expert when the time actually came to it, I did at least have the breathing techniques down, as well as body positions that helped me relax through the surges. I think the fact that I have never experienced anything like this before caught me off guard, which made me somewhat forget about my “happy place.” All I know was that I was not remotely close to being as calm, quiet, and relaxed as those HypnoBirthing moms in the videos you showed us in class. I was a moaner. A LOUD one too!

I am quite proud that I was able to go through with the all natural birth I dreamed of having. Though there were some times of doubt during my surges, I am so happy that I pulled through and didn't give up. Labor was fairly quick (8 hours) and I am so happy that I was awake and alert through the entire process. You can't beat that feeling! I still replay the entire night in my head over and over, as this is birth experience that I will never forget. Thank you again for providing us with the knowledge and strength to have a birth experience we dreamed of having. I really hope that many more women will learn and acknowledge that pregnancy doesn’t have to be painful and the use of medical intervention isn’t always necessary. I will continue to spread the word of HypnoBirthing! Thanks again Carol!
xoxo
Thanya, Elbert, and Madison H.




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Congratulations Thanya & Elbert! Thank you so much for sharing Madison's birth story! I hope that you are enjoying your babymoon!

All my best--Carol

For more information about HypnoBirthing, please visit my website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net. If you are in the San Diego area & are pregnant, I have ongoing classes & am currently taking enrollments for my July & August class series. If you are outside of San Diego, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com to find a practitioner near you.

To contact Linda Goldsmith, Thanya & Elbert's doula, please contact her at 760-815-3852.

Dr. Biter's office information is:
Seaside Women's Health
499 N El Camino Real, Suite C102
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 642-0800
He continues to see patients for gynecological care & surgeries & prenatal care until he gets privileges at another local hospital.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

A HypnoBirthing testimonial--Patty & Dan


Patty & Dan took my HypnoBirthing classes on Tuesdays in March 2010 at Babies by the Sea Boutique. While they were in my class, they hired Jo Kilburn, a local doula & HypnoBirthing instructor, to support them during their labor. They were birthing at Scripps La Jolla, which has one of the higher c-section rates in San Diego.

Patty kept in contact with me throughout the remainder of her pregnancy. Her baby was breech, but he turned after using chiropractic & acupuncture.

Here is the birth announcement she sent me:

I went into labor after my acupuncture appt on Tuesday and Tyler was born yesterday at 12:51pm. He weighed 7lbs 7 oz and 20" long. We labored at home for several hours and checked into hospital at midnight at 5cm. Jo Kilburn, my doula, and Dan were an amazing labor team for me. I wanted to let you know he made it into the world and to thank you for all of the help and advice the past few months. HypnoBirthing is the way to go for sure! It was hard but worth it to see the result. Plus I was mini-celebrity on the floor because they don't see many unmedicated births here at Scripps La Jolla!

Patty plans to write up her birth story in more detail to share at a later time.
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Congratulations, Patty & Dan! Enjoy your babymoon!

If you're interested in learning more about how HypnoBirthing classes can help you have an unmedicated, comfortable birth where you feel in control without fear & tension, please visit my website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net or www.HypnoBirthing.com to find a practitioner near you. I am currently taking enrollments for my July class series in Cardiff at Babies by the Sea Boutique & Encinitas at Indigo Dragon Health & Wellness Center.

If you're interested in learning more about Jo Kilburn's doula services or HypnoBirthing classes, please visit her website at www.preciousbirth.com.

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

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

What toxins are you washing your hair with?

Let's face it, people are into their hair! A 'bad hair day' usually means plopping on a hat, crying, complaining, or a rushed trip to the hair stylist or barber. A good hair day makes us feel beautiful - or handsome - and invincible. In the US alone, about 80,000 hair care salons generate combined annual sales of $16 billion dollars.

If you're thinking of getting into the hair care business, this could be good news. But for purists, that means billions and billions of toxic chemicals wafting into the air, pouring down the drain into our ground water, and infiltrating their way into human bodies through pores that suck them up like plants absorb sunshine and water.

It has been a slow erosion that has allowed people to replace lab-generated, synthetic chemicals for natural botanicals in their hair, skin and personal care products. Chemicals might make life easier and produce more drastic effects, but they also exact a huge negative toll on our health and planet. And just as destructive, they offer a false standard of beauty and aging that many people spend their entire lives striving for but never reach.

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Nature, on the other hand - flowers, herbs, fruits, nuts, and seeds - is simplistic, peaceful, beautiful, and accepting. There is a natural cycle in nature that synthetic chemicals try to eradicate - the seasons. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter exemplify our lives - whether we want to accept it or not. In Spring we burst forth in life so fresh, smooth and delicate, and with such possibility, the whole world wants to embrace us. In Summer we bloom bright and beautiful and with such strong potential and possibility, it takes the breath away. In Autumn we start to change, but with such grace and loveliness, people want to bask in the sheer joy of our experience and calm. And in Winter, we get to rest, reflect, rejoice in the life we've built, taking it all in with the wisdom and sagacity of one who has been there and knows, and can now sit back and simply enjoy.

This is nature at its best. This is what nature offers human beings. This is what we at Miessence embrace when we choose, handcraft, and manufacture the purest products on the planet for your whole body health and wellbeing!

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Let's compare ingredients & side effects:

Theirs:

1. Cocoamide DEA (diethanolamine) can cause nitrosamine contamination, which is a potent carcinogen. Cocoamide DEA is a detergent that causes allergic reactions, including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and can be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

2. Propylene Glycol is a petroleum derivative and industrial antifreeze. It's so toxic that the EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles. Because PG penetrates the skin so quickly, the EPA warns against skin contact to prevent consequences such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities.

3. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate is used in car washes and engine degreasers - and in 90% of products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS and ALS experience eye damage, central nervous system depression, laboured breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation, and even death. Frequently disguised in semi-natural cosmetics with the explanation "comes from coconut".

4. Suttocide (sodium hydroxymethylglycinate) is a formaldehyde releasing preservative used in many 'natural' shampoos. Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen and is extremely toxic when inhaled or swallowed.

5. Fragrances can contain allergens and sensitisers, which can trigger asthma attacks. Fragrances also contain chemicals called phthalates, which are hormone disruptors that can affect foetal development and fertility and damage sperm in men.

6. Ext. D&C synthetic colours are made from coal tar and are certified safe for drugs and cosmetics, but not for food. Toxic coal tar has been shown to be carcinogenic in animal tests, and many people are allergic to it.

Ours:

1. Coco Glucoside an extremely gentle, yet effective, cleansing agent made from glucose and coconut fatty acids. Non-toxic, fully biodegradable and mild on the skin.

2. Certified Organic Aloe Vera has healing, soothing, antibacterial, and moisturising properties.

3. Yucca Juice contains natural saponins that gently cleanse and repair damage to cell membranes of the scalp and skin, helping to prevent nutrient loss.

4. Certified Organic Avocado Oil restores lustre to the hair and hydrates dry and damaged ends.

5. Certified Organic Horsetail Extract is an effective remedy for psoriasis, dandruff, eczema, and similar skin conditions.

6. Panthenol is the provitamin of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). It improves the moisture-retention capacity of the skin and stimulates skin regeneration. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects. It makes hair easier to comb, reduces hair splitting, improves the condition of damaged hair, thickens the hair, and provides sheen.

7. Bitter Orange Extract is a natural antibacterial agent that acts as a mild preservative in our hair care products.

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As you can see, the difference between caring for your 'Crowning Glory' naturally or synthetically is huge. The side effects of hair treated with synthetic chemicals can be devastating, especially as the toxins build up in your body over time.

The side effects of hair treated with the best of nature's offerings benefit your skin and body as the healthful ingredients are absorbed through your pores.

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Testimonial:

I recently had my hair cut for a shorter look and hadn't really used the Protect Hair Repair in the past, as my hair has been relatively healthy. I had some extra product [Hair Repair] that was going to expire, so I used it. What an absolutely great volumizer it is!! I just shampoo with the Desert Flower, a little Shine Herbal Hair Conditioner, spray some Protect Hair Repair on and a dab of Shape Styling Gel, rub them in well and blow dry. When I use a curling iron, it holds the curls all day long.

I really love your hair products. My hair is really soft with a nice shine and I get compliments on it all the time. Thank you!!

Kathleen Balaban, United States

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It's time to be kind to your hair and put your toxic hair care products where they belong: in the garbage. To help you change over to the purest, certified organic hair care products on the market - Miessence, of course! - in June we're offering you the opportunity to purchase our new Healthy Hair Care Pack at 20% off the retail price.


To order your beautiful Miessence products, go to Carol's website at www.AWellLivedLife.Net, go to Products & click on Miessence.

MiTime is published by Organic & Natural Enterprise Group 27 Expansion Street, Ashmore, Qld, Australia, 4214