For dc #1 I practiced a version of hypnotherapy called Hypnobabies religiously from 24 weeks on...I think it's slightly different from the more common Maggie Howell program that seems very popular here (although I'm not super familiar with it so my apologies if I am misinformed), in that one of the most important goals is to eliminate the prospect of pain from your mind because supposedly if you don't expect pain, you won't get pain (you stop using the word, and ask others to stop using it around you as well, etc.). It doesn't teach any methods for dealing with being uncomfortable other than deep relaxation.
Anyway, during the birth when I did actually experienced painI freaked out because I wasn't expecting it to happen and certainly wasn't prepared for how to cope with it. I was terrified because I kept thinking, "Oh my god, something must be wrong, I shouldn't be feeling this", which created more fear and making the whole thing worse. Very quickly the hypnobabies program went out the window and I had an epidural. (it probably didn't help that both the midwife and the doula I had hired laughed at me when I told them I was going to be doing self-hypnosis...it is much less common to do this in the statesit's definitely considered more of a "crunchy" fringe thing, and neither of them had experienced a successful hypnobirth, so they were both skeptical and I wasn't very supported)
Anyway, as I approach the birth of DC #2 in October, I am evaluating how to prepare this time around, as I would really like to try for an unmedicated birth if I can as the epidural made it very difficult for me to push (I had zero sensation, no urge to push, etc.) and resulted in a terrible experience with an episiotomy. Anyway, I have heard SO many women/doulas/midwives rave about hypnotherapy here and I am openminded to trying some version of hypnosis again....
What I guess I am wondering is: was my experience abnormal? Could it be that I used the wrong program? Is it possible that hypnotherapy just doesn't work for me?
I want to be realistic about what to expect in labor this time around so that I am better prepared to get through it.
Anyway, any advice/tips would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance :)
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Childbirth
Natal Hypnotherapy--was my experience an anomoly? Wrong program?
11 replies
Aefeth · 19/08/2013 13:49
OP posts:
fuckwittery ·
23/08/2013 22:21
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