HypnoBirthing® UK

[alisonmorgan]

Hi

We've just finished the course and I've found it very useful (not sure where hubby stands on it - I've done all the relaxation and affirmations by myself).

Problem is that I do the relaxation nightly and my restless legs, heartburn and itchy skin are driving me nuts! On a good night I can relax very deeply and feel so confident. On a bad night I can't get into it and I feel very low.

Also have people around me who just want to to tell me how rubbish birth is which I can ignore most of the time but I am only human!

I guess I just need some reassurance that I'm doing OK in spite of it all.

Thanks in advance for any positive comments!

[gordon_mullan]

Hi Alison

The fact you're doing it nightly is brilliant. All the repeated practice means that when you come to do it 'for real' it'll all come very naturally.

As a side note, if you're suffering itchy skin try dandelion root extract. My wife Jenny (HB practitioner and UK trainer) had PUPPP in her second pregnancy and it felt like she had ants crawling under her skin all the time. She was about ready to rip her skin off and was in tears.

She tried all sorts, including flaxseed, ointments from the doctor, etc. but nothing helped. But after a few days of taking dandelion root extract it subsided and she got through the rest of the pregnancy without it recurring.

Restless leg often has dietary triggers, so it might be worth keeping a log of what you've eaten and drunk and see if you can spot any patterns.

For heartburn, trying drinking aloe juice. It's got lots of goodness in it, and my Grandma used to drink it regularly as she suffered from acid reflux.

Anyway, hope that helps and chin up - you're doing brilliantly!

Best regards
Gordon

[ockysmith]

Have you tried listening in the daytime at all? I find all the pregnancy niggles are much less in the day and I can get a much better relaxation level then - also it means that you don't end up conditioning yourself to just relaxing at night, in bed, in the dark, laying down.

Re. your itchy skin, I'm guessing you've checked this out with your GP or midwife already? if you haven't I would give them a quick call. As Gordon says it is probably just pregnancy induced dermatitis/PUPPP but it's worth checking just to rule out obstetric cholestasis.

It may also be worth you considering going back to your practitioner for another fear release if you find that other's negativity is starting to get to you.

Good luck for the birth!

Sarahx

[alisonmorgan]

Thank you for the advice. The itching got worse last week so I rang the midwife and then spent the better part of Saturday at the hospital for blood tests etc. All the tests were clear but they are monitoring me regularly so I know if anything does crop up they will no doubt pick it up quickly.

It does mean that I can't have the home birth I had hoped for but while we were in on Saturday I just did the relaxed breathing and was able to stay really calm apart from just before they told me the blood test results so we will be all right on the day. The doctor also said the heart trace from the baby was perfect and that it's in an ideal position so that is good to know.

As for the heartburn, the baby has dropped into position which has brought a lot of relief.

And I'm now on maternity leave a little earlier than planned and yes, doing the relaxations in the afternoon is a lot easier. Also, not being at work has removed me from the people that were telling me horror stories which makes life easier - it did sometimes feel like it was a competition as to who had had the worst experience and the one and only time I tried to discuss hypnobirthing just resulted in cynical laughter.

So all is OK and thank you again for the advice and reassurance.

Alison

[ockysmith]

Glad things are better Alison. Why can you not have a homebirth? I am obviously not medically qualified, but I do run a homebirth support group and have homebirths myself so am pretty clued up on them (and the law surrounding them) and I don't see anything in your post that indicates you shouldn't have one (far from it with a good heart trace, clear bloods and a well positioned baby).

Have you looked at www.homebirth.org.uk? also the Yahoo homebirth list? http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/homebirthUK/ If you're still keen on the idea it might be worth looking into.

Sarah

[eleanorcopp]

alison , i am going to challenge you here , why is it up to doc to reassure you about baby and postion ? you know youre baby better than anyone else , and ctgs importance is really debatable ,with regards positioning , you feel youre baby 24/7 so you know where he or she is. if you were in my class i would be really checking out youre trust and confidence in yourself because you seem to be putting alot of store on what a doctor says to you. of course its important to listen and be polite, but then some time for reflection and consideration with all the facts .and more questions if needed. i think some support from youre partner to remove the burden of decision making alone would be lovely , have you asked him ? eleanor

[alisonmorgan]

Well, having slept on it (having had some sleep in fact!) and having talked to my husband we are of the opinion that there could have been a problem, fortunately there isn't a problem, we would still like a homebirth and see no reason why we can't have one.

Am seeing midwife tomorrow so have made a list of questions we would like to ask. The area I live in is very pro-homebirth, the hospital is in a different area where homebirths are not so common so it may well be that my own midwife has a different view from the hospital anyway.

I'd already had a look at the homebirth website in terms of what I needed in the house for a homebirth and it was very helpful.

In answer to my supposed reliance on what the doctor said, no I don't need them to tell me the baby is in the right position but surely it doesn't hurt for them to tell us things like that?? Especially after a sleepless night and itching like I cannot even begin to describe. It was a positive comment in what was otherwise not a wonderful day.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow. Neither my husband or I are pushovers and we know what we would like and I think my midwife will be supportive of whatever decision we make. If that's not the case then we'll deal with it if and when it happens.

[alisonmorgan]

just to say we saw the midwife this morning who couldn't see any problem with a homebirth so as long as I'm 37 weeks (which is next Tues) home it is.

[babyboos]

oh alison that is great news hope you get your homebirth in the end

[amylou]

Just wanted to say best wishes alisonmorgan
And I know how frustrating it can be people always seeing birth in such a negative light, but thankfully you don't follow that crowd, well done you!!