Getting over traumatic labour... through hypnosis anyone??

[happynappies]

I've posted here before, so I won't bore you with the details of my labour.

I'm reading up on natural methods (e.g. Janet Balaskas) and one thing that strikes me is that I need to 'clear the past' with regards to my first labour. Last time I posted various people kindly pointed me in the direction of helplines/counselling services etc for traumatic births. The thing is, I honestly don't know what to say!! I can't just pick up the phone because I don't know what it is I'm trying to get over, as it were. I wonder if because I had pethidine my memory of labour is really sketchy, and although I clearly remember being frightened, and in pain, I honestly don't know why I can't put it behind me. I'm now tihnking of trying hypnosis. Has anyone done this, and can anyone reassure me about what it is like - does it help after a traumatic birth?

Sorry, I don't know anything about hypnosis but...

The hospital where I had DS1 offer a service of sitting down with a midwife and going through your medical notes which includes detailed chronological facts. I did this when i was pregnant with DS2 following a traumatic birth first time around. It was useful to put it all in order.
It did help me to do this as like you my memory was a bit sketchy.
I finally put it all behind me after DS2 was born by elective c-section and all was well.
It now feels like the past and i don't dwell anymore.

Why don't you ask your GP if this could be arranged for you even if it's not a usual service offered?

Hi Dragonbutter, and thanks for your post.

I have already been through my notes with a mw, but tbh it didn't really help. It was all very matter-of-fact and didn't really answer my questions, and the mw seemed to suggest that because my dd was born happy and healthy I should be grateful... it could have been worse sort of thing.

I had thought about approaching my GP about counselling in general, but again get 'stuck' because I really don't know what to say. Its as if i have a mental block about it, but I know I am terrified. I gave blood the other day, and as soon as I had to lie down on the bed I froze and the nurse kept telling me to 'breathe'. Just having the blood pressure cuff around my arm made me panic...

I get 'stuck' too in situations like that and find i cant find the words to say how i feel. I find it much easier if the person asks me direct questions, but unfortunatly the counselor i saw couldnt/wouldnt do this and told me it was pointless me seing her

I had free NHS (non-hypnosis) counselling, which I found helpful. I was referred by the GP. I did have to push and saw several GPs before I was taken seriously. I too was told that I should be grateful that DD was healthy and that I was continent (even though I was physically incapable of having sex ). I did find it exhausting to have to fight for referrals all the time, and keep telling them that no, I didn't have PND, that I'd just been through a dreadful experience and had painful scarring and no sex life (and wouldn't they be just a bit sad about that?).
Anyway, I digress. The best way that I found to explain it to a GP to get counselling was to describe it as post-traumatic stress disorder. It sounds as though that's what you have too.

Hi happynappies I have done an hypnobirthing course (Mongan Method) and one of the session is dedicated to "fear release" and you get a special "fear release" CD. I don't think it matters if you don't know exactly what you are trying to get rid of. It might be worth a shot

MTM- Im glad you mentioned PTSD. I watched a tv programme recently about it (war veterans though) and thought that is what it feels like for me re:DDs birth and things that hapened shortly after. PTSD fits far better than PND ever did but I think everyone would think I was completely mad if i ever told them that

Sounds definatly like PTSD to me. I am still dealing with this after the birth of DD2, I just broke down in the doctors one day and was referred to see a psychiatrist (spelling!!!) who in turn saw me fortnightly and referred me for counselling. this has helped alot as has helped to draw out alot of things and she soon spotted that it was PTSD rather than PND which I knew it wasn't but again its the easiest assumption to jump to if you have any issues after a birth.gradually over time I have realised about how the PTSD has affected me and a key point is that I had blocked out so much of the birth I acted as if I had forgot all about it and couldn't remember it - which of course I had but just refused to deal with it.LOTS of people have PTSD after childbirth you just need to make sure you see someone who knows about it to find the best way forward. A good counsellor will do everything you are hoping to get from a hypnotherapist.

Thats really interesting about PTSD, I've just been looking it up and it does sound like what I've got. For those of you who have undergone treatment for PTSD, was it simple enough to get a diagnosis? It just seems that whenever I go to a GP with anything I seem to have to struggle to get them to accept I need help.

I struggled to be taken seriously too, and I did have to see several GPs before I was referred. It was worth it though as I was able to get NHS counselling (we're on one income and it would have been worth it to pay, but it would have been a stretch).
I think that one of the problems was that GPs and HVs are programmed nowadays to jump to the PND conclusion if you're not very happy after a birth. I'm sure that it's because PND was really under-diagnosed in the past, but of course it's not very helpful if you don't actually have PND. I actually said that I had PTSD, and that did help.
For what it's worth, in the hospital where I gave birth, there was a poster up about post-birth counselling (not the going through the notes with the MWs, this was proper counsellors who were trained to deal with the issues around birth). I never went, as we moved to a different area, so I couldn't tell you if it was any good, but could it be worth contacting the hospital to see if they have any services like that available?

I do hypnosis and have helped women with similar issues to yours. It's very effective. Don't want to advertise myself but so try www.bsch.org.uk for a reputable therapist (everyone on there has been properly trained). Really is worth trying and it has no negative side effects even if it doesn't work for you. Hypnosis is very good at helping with problems which people find hard to talk about - for various reasons, as it works at the subsonscious level. You can get it through GP but can be difficult.

Good luck!

Thanks for that Truffy. I looked at the website and it sounds interesting. Can you tell me the difference between full and associate member? Thanks again

Truffy
I am also a member of bsch

An associate member is still completing their training.

I didn't have too much of a problem getting a diagnois - I had a horrific birth experience and even with the difficult birth debrief of reading through the notes did nothing to help. Thankfully my original midwive was very helpful and I went to see her many months after the birth when I was at my wits end. She referred me to the perinatal pysiactric (still can't spell) service and from then things happened quite quickly. Counselling has been a long process but has helped no end in moving forward. I still have alot of issues but now I understand about it better and have better coping strategies. You will have to spell it out that its not PND as alot of people will think that is the case. Theres not that much stuff out there about PTSD and childbirth but gradually it is getting more recognised. I didn't have too much difficulty being diagnosed as everyone accepted it was a bad birth experience. But many women can still get problems even after a relatively straightforward birth. Alot of it will stem back to what expectations you had of the birth and what the reality was - any great difference will have been a shock and traumatic to you and will have triggered all sorts of problems. My key symptoms are a total refusal to talk about the birth, a phobia of going anywhere near the hospital again, total fear of childbirth again, avoidance of heavily pregnant women, panic attacks at the thought/mention of childbirth, total paranoia about death, sleep problems - recurring nightmares about death and childbirth, so yes all not very pleasant to deal with but so different to the main symtoms of PND which was why I knew it wasn't that. Good luck, time does help - very slowly though (6 months ago I would have avoided this thread so I must be better!)

Hi all, this is very interesting thread - and like easterbuns I would have avoided this thread also last year.

i had PSTD after a really bad experience -ccan't talk about it much still in details - but am able to go intot he hospital again and see pregnant women.

I used a fantastic method I found in a book. It's called EMDR - Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Basically you talk about the experience and move your hand (yes, it sounds a little weird) like a pendulum from left to right and you look at your hand with your eyes only - don't move your head - as you are talking through the experience. It re-wires your brain.
Here's a good link to it here It cured me in a few sessions and I was really bad - screaming hissys and panic attacks - sudden swings: fury and tears and insomnia with gibbering and wailing.

All my PTSD is gone now and I no longer feel shaky when going by the hospital (I used to cower and whimper). Fantastic, and quick and cheap, with no side effects - what''s not to like! Give it a whirl

I had a reasonably traumatic birth experience too - only 3 wks ago so still processing. I remarked to my other half that if someone had been in that amount of pain due to being attacked or in an accident then they'd surely be automatically offered some sort of victim-support or PTSD counselling automatically. I was offered a debrief whilst still in hospital but it was too soon, I felt too ill & overwhelmed to make any use of the session. I am on a watch list for PND but it all seems focussed on getting out & about & making new mumsy friends. It is surprising given the attention to PND that birth experiences are not treated similarly.