HypnoBirthing® UK

[willingtotry]

I went to my first hypnobirthing session with my OH yesterday. It was very much an introductory session explaining the theory behind it rather than any of the techniques. I did agree with the basic premise of it - simplifying it vastly I was basically told that the techniques will help me to relax, by relaxing I am less likely to breath quickly, produce adrenaline and divert oxygen away from my uterus which will ensure that my uterus performs more effectively as a muscle and the contractions are less painful. Based on this session I was keen to give it a go as I felt that it could certainly help.

However when I got home I had a chat to my OH about it. As a result of the session his view is now that childbirth is effectively a completely pain free process and that all pain is down to the mind of the woman giving birth as according to him ’no animals experience any pain during childbirth so it all must be down to humans over thinking it too much’ .

Am I being particularly hormonal to feel very annoyed at his point of view? I am now very concerned about him as my birth partner as I feel I am being set up for failure. I am also annoyed that Hypnobirthing was presented a bit as a complete panacea, whereas I would rather see it as something worth trying to help reduce any pain. I am not entirely convinced that it can deal with all pain for a number of reasons including:

a) If you work any muscle such as the uterus for an extended period (even if it is well oxygenated) it will start to hurt after a while.

b) Although birth is a natural process I think the vast majority of people in the Western world are poorly prepared for birth as certain muscles are not regularly used and a few weeks/months practicing active birth techniques prior to labour will not entirely reverse a lifetime of bad habits (although it will certainly help).

c) Linked to point b) the above the number of back to back babies is higher in Westernised countries linked to poor posture and so on and I do not consider that Hypnobirthing will complete erase any pain from this.

d) I am not sure to what extent hypnobirthing will help with the second stage – after all people that do Hypnobirthing do still tear although the rate is reduced.

My OHs view was that if I feel like this it isn’t worth me bothering with it as I need to be totally convinced about the effectiveness of it for it to work.

I would really appreciate any views on this. Has anyone had any experience giving birth with hypnobirthing that would disagree with my view? Given this view is it worth me continuing with Hypnobirthing? If my view is indeed a rational one how can I convince my OH of this?

[ockysmith]

Can I suggest the best thing to do here is to contact your practitioner and ask for a private session for the two of you to go over this, preferably before class 2, as it sounds like you both need a little help adjusting your beliefs (I would want someone to leave class 1 somewhere between where the two of you are now!).

Childbirth *can* be pain free, I have taught at least 50 women who have said this! however most people will feel some discomfort as it is down to so many different variable - what we do say in HypnoBirthing though is that it can be a calm, enjoyable process where you feel in control. The sensations are strong, absolutely, but that they needn't be hideously painful - my two HypnoBirths (compared to my two non-hypnobirths) were uncomfortable for about the last hour and "painful" for about the last 15minutes, about as painful as a strong period (i.e: I didn't need pain relief).

If it helps - to answer your questions:

a) If you work any muscle such as the uterus for an extended period (even if it is well oxygenated) it will start to hurt after a while.

Yes absolutely (for some muscle!) - but WHEN does it hurt? to give you an example. I have just harvested a large potato patch in my garden. I dug vigorousl for about 2hrs, bending to pick up the potatoes, raking the soil over again and then carrying the heavy sack in. Did it hurt initially - no, not at all, about half an hour in my back started to get a bit achy, as did my biceps. An hour in my biceps were getting pretty tight and my legs started to ache from all the bending down/picking up. OH MY WORD though the next morning was hellish (when I had long since stopped the work), I could barely get out of bed. So now why do most other forms of muscle exertion hurt MORE AFTER THE EVENT? how many people do you know who needed an epidural the morning after labour?

Also, the uterine muscle is different to the above muscles, it is involuntary muscle, in your question you are not comparing like with like. To compare similar muscles to the uterus we would need to talk about the gut and its constant movement through peristalsis, or the iris of yourr eye which is constantly contracting and relaxing so, do they (your gut and eye) hurt right now? why not?!?!?! so your see this question has no bearing!!!! (and is one I cover in classes as standard).


b) Although birth is a natural process I think the vast majority of people in the Western world are poorly prepared for birth as certain muscles are not regularly used and a few weeks/months practicing active birth techniques prior to labour will not entirely reverse a lifetime of bad habits (although it will certainly help).

I agree they are poorly prepared, but this poor preparation takes the form of OVER preparation!!! over preparation of the mind, various antenatal classes, tv progrrammes, magazines and hideous amounts of internet dsicussion groups. They feed on the neurosis, the expectations, they are taught how to feel, what to feel etc...they override their instinct with all this KNOWLEDGE and knowledge is a BAD thing for birth - something makes women realise adrenaline in birth right? 8/10 it is this knowledge - cf. the story in the HypnoBirthing book when Grantly Dick Read met the poor illiterate woman in labour not feeling pain.

Women can girth birth in a coma or asleep, we do not need to be "active", in fact all of this training of thigh muscles, practicing active birth positions, OFP, yoga and heaven forbid all of the "machinery" and devices we have today in most cases DO NOT HELP!! they makes us uninstinctive, paranoid about being "upright and active" - they feed the problem!! it's part of where we are today. HypnoBirthing is as much about teaching you toFORGET all this modern "helpful" stuff!

c) Linked to point b) the above the number of back to back babies is higher in Westernised countries linked to poor posture and so on and I do not consider that Hypnobirthing will complete erase any pain from this.

Maybe it is higher because we diagnose more? maybe in other cuontries they don't care? maybe they don't know about it? hey don't frighten women and thus it has largely no effect? I HATE, HATE, HATE OFP with a passion, babies can and do come out in all sorts of positions and left to their instincts women get them out (my last baby was ROT - I was in labour for half an hour and she was over 11lbs!) - ever heard of a nocebo effect? well OFP is a CLASSIC nocebo!

d) I am not sure to what extent hypnobirthing will help with the second stage – after all people that do Hypnobirthing do still tear although the rate is reduced.

Why do you think they tear?are we so flawed that we must rip in two in order to birth? or perhaps all this knowledgfe, obsessively massaging our perineums, using devices such as epi-nos add to our stress, coached pushing, panting at the end and geneal fear of teaing makes our tissues tense and lo and behold - uh huh it's another nocebo effect! 60% of UK women tear, 6% of the women who take my courses do. When they tear it is invariably due to 1) being induced/having an epidural 2) coaches/valsalva pushing or 3) a fluke such a hand on head.

You will cover 2nd stage on your course. Suffice to say birth should be easy, none of my babies (I have 4) took longer than 10mins to come out, with my last two, my second stages were about 30 seconds long. I didn't push - at all, I didn't tear (they were both over 11lbs). I breathed and stayed calm and my body expelled them - through a perineum that easily moved out of the way, unfolded smoothly and slowly and my baby came through easily - with no effort at all from me! THAT is how birth s meant to be, unfortuantely we do everything we can to stop it being like that for most women -the most vital thing here is oxytocin and it's inhibition!!!

As I said, please contact your teacher, you should leave class 1 FILLED with positivity and not doubts

[willingtotry]

Thanks very much for your detailed and considered reply.

Before the class my view was that although I might expect some pain hypnobirthing by helping me to stay calm and relax would help to reduce this significantly if not completely remove it.

Unfortunately the class had the opposite intended effect and I now feel much more stressed about the birth. This is l because I now feel that there is now a lot of pressure on me not to feel any pain at all because if I do then it my fault because I am over thinking things.

As a practioner do you think that given my views it is worthwhile me continuing with this course? Your reply has helped to absolve my fears on most of the areas where I had concerns. However I was surprised to read your views on active birth and in particular yoga. I do enjoy yoga and was planning to use this alongside hypnobirthing as I find that yoga helps to relax me and does not make me paranoid about being upright and active – quite the opposite, I find it more natural to be upright and active, although of course my view may change on this when I experience birth. However if it feels right for me at the time is it not possible to use yoga alongside hypnobirthing?

I really would like to learn the techniques and am willing to approach it with an open mind but I don’t think I will be able to overcome my belief all births can be pain free for everyone, although I certainly believe that it can be for some people. Am I required to do this in order to get any benefit from a hypnobirthing course?

[ockysmith]

I think I would seriously consider continuing the course with a different practitioner, or at the very least having a long chat on the telephone or in person before your next class. If you carry on as you are now I think your feelings about the class will always be a hurdle to achieving the birth you would like.

I can totally see where you are coming from, you should never be put under the illusion that "your birth WILL be pain free", however it CAN be, do you at least believe in that? pain in labour is most definitely not a failing (we don't aim for pain free labour, we aim for you to feel calm and more comfortable!), neither is needing medical assistance, pain in labour is however an indicator something is not quite right, be it a poor environment, fear from somebody else with you (it is much better to have your partner as he is now than sceptical!), lack of fluid/food/sleep or some other physical factor.......


I don't not believe in yoga! and I don't disbelieve that gravity works for you in labour - I understand the science about compressing sacrums and reducing pelvic outlet!!! HOWEVER............what I am against is women **thinking** about certain poses during labour, thinking that "I should be on all fours now"...etc...and I am absolutely against the belief that if you are laying down, on your back, during labour that it will be harder/more painful.

I have seen many women in labour have amazing births when they hand their birth over to their instincts and nature and forget what they have learned.....I have seen the odd but beautiful positions that they ended up in (which weren't the ones they had planned to use). I have been at births where women have put to use their yoga/active birth knowledge which has down right got inthe way of t5heir labours. If it is a way of life, second nature to you that's fantastic!! if you write on your birth plan "i WOULD LIKE TO GIVE BIRTH IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION" I would worry! - birth is about being open minded, forgetting what the 20th and 21st cnetury have taught us and handing it over to nature, to our bodies. In the same way women did thousands of years ago before Janet Balaskas, Jean Sutton and BKS Iyengar existed!!!

Hypnobirthing is as much about teaching you to forget than it is teaching you new technoqies. It is a new way of thinking, an ethos, a new frame of mind......thus how can you fail? however your birth turns out, there is nothing to fail??!! you don';t need yoga for a good birth, heck you don't even need HypnoBirthing for a good birth. You just need your body, a fearless, quiet mind and a fab birth supporter!

[baby4]

Willingtotry, how did it go? What did you decide in the end?