HypnoBirthing® UK

[Ruby]

Hi Hypnobirthers!

I was (and still am) very disappointed not have been able to use Hypnobirthing during the birth of my first child.

I had taken the course and was very excited and positive about the birth but didn't experience even the slightest 'surge' as my son had to be delivered by emergency caesarean at 38 weeks.

He's now 15 months and very well and I'm thinking about future babies (not just yet though!) - I know some people have used Hypnobirthing after a caesarean - but what about after no labour (sorry) at all?

I guess what I'm worried about is being in an over-medicalised hospital scenario - getting pressure to be hooked up to drips and having to have continuous monitoring (I will agree to monitoring in light of my son's birth problems) - and how all this will affect the hypnobirthing process.

Any thoughts / advice gratefully received!

Ruby

[ockysmith]

Hi Ruby,

Absolutely, why not?! new baby, new birth!

I'm not sure what happened with your son's birth, but it needn't be medicalised (the less medicalisation the better with a VBAC) and actually, you needn't give birth in hospital, a home VBAC is perfectly possible and many people achieve this everyday in the UK and yes HypnoBirthing would be great in supporting you to achieve a lovely natural VBAC.

Have you joined the VBAC support group? or the VBAC yahoo group? if not I suggest you join them ASAP and have a read about the incidence of scar rupture, home VBACs and the pros and cons of continuous monitoring. I would also recommend you read Michel Odent's "The Caesarean".

Sarah

[sarahjohnson]

Ruby,
Couldn't agree more with the other Sarah {waves}. HypnoBirthing is ideal for VBAC mums as it focuses so much on releasing fears and self-doubt about your ability to birth naturally.
One thing I'd add though - be aware that reading a book or buying a CD is NOT a substitute for taking a course with a certified HypnoBirthing practitioner who will not only monitor and guide you but also act as a wall for you to bounce off your feelings.
Good luck and I hope you will come back here to tell us how you get on!

[Ruby]

Thank you Sarahs!

Ocky - I will definitely follow up on the vbac support group and have a look at the book you suggested.

I know in my 'hypnobirth head' that I don't need to concede to excessive medicalisation but am fearful to go without regular (if not continuous)monitoring because of my previous birth experience - I wonder how that will affect the birth process?.

And thanks too Sarahjohnson - I will update on here when I get to that stage (not for some time yet I'm sure!).

As I wrote before, I did complete the Hypnobirth course before my son was born, but perhaps I will approach my tutor and see if she will agree to a brief "reminder"session!? I wonder if that is a service tutors can offer?

Thanks again for the positivity!

Ruby

[gordon_mullan]

Hi

Firstly, yes, 'reminder sessions' are worth asking your practitioner about. My wife Jenny (practitioner and UK trainer) does them.

Secondly, home VBAC after caesarean is definitely possible. Jenny had our first child as a caesarean after an induced labour (went 2 weeks overdue), but second child was born safely and happily at home, with no intervention of any kind.

Like the previous suggestions, read up on VBAC, and find a supportive midwife.

Best regards
Gordon

[Ruby]

Thank you for your comment, Gordon.

It's good to know I may be able to get a hypnobirth refresher!

Ruby