HYPNOBIRTHING - Anything But Hippy. Every Bit Worth It.
It’s ok. You are not the only one. Not the only person to see the word ‘Hypno’ and think immediately of incense, candles, yoga mats, and hearing the sounds of ‘ooooom’ - as though on a retreat? (Nothing wrong with that though…) Or do you think of being hypnotised on stage and making a fool of yourself barking like a dog? It’s no wonder you roll your eyes at HypnoBirthing!
Let me tell you, it is NOTHING like that and also, there is nothing wrong with being hippy anyway! We DO NOT hypnotise you (we can’t unless you are a fully willing participant), we DO teach you to deeply relax and the power of visualisation.
Let me REALLY tell you what HypnoBirthing is and WHY I love teaching the programme.
ABOUT HYPNOBIRTHING:
The HypnoBirthing Childbirth method is as much a philosophy of natural childbirth as it is a technique for achieving a satisfying birth.
HypnoBirthing teaches you and your birth support companion the art and joy of experiencing birth in a more comfortable manner. You will learn to call upon your body’s own natural relaxant, lessening or eliminating discomfort and the need for medication.
When you are prepared for childbirth using mind and body in harmony, nature is free to function in the same well designed manner that it does with all other creatures.
HypnoBirthing teaches you to release all prior programming about birth, how to trust your body and work with it, and how to free yourself of harmful emotions that lead to pain-causing fear and tension in muscles.
HypnoBirthing will teach you the art of using your own natural birthing instincts, so you birth fully aware and in control, but profoundly relaxed.
WHAT DO YOU LEARN?
Over 12.5hrs education in class (privately or in a group) once per week, over five weeks, you receive the HypnoBirthing Book, a folder with an abundance of informational handouts and a parents manual - filled with suggestions and tips and tricks to help you through your pregnancy, labour and birth.
The ‘why’ behind HypnoBirthing (Philosophy)
How fear affects labour
Releasing fear
The power of the mind
The law of natural birthing physiology
Six HypnoBirthing component techniques
Relaxation techniques
Breathing techniques - (calm breath, surge breathing, birth breathing)
Preparing birth preferences
The onset of labour
Practice positions for birthing
When labour slows or rests
And….. a whole lot more!
WHO IS HYPNOBIRTHING BEST FOR?
Anyone who wishes to learn about birthing physiology
Anyone who strongly desires to birth at home, in a birthing centre (or if birthing in hospital) can create an environment which is calming and tranquil
Anyone who has fears and/or anxieties around labour and childbirth
Anyone who wishes to learn deep relaxation techniques for labour/birth
Anyone who wishes to learn breathing techniques which are beneficial in the process of labour/birth
Anyone who wants to have an empowering labour and birth
Anyone who has a strong desire to labour and birth without pain relief
Anyone that is on their own or has a partner and would like to be fully prepared for labour and birth
I will never get tired of teaching HypnoBirthing. I see the excitement replace fear, I see the joy instead of trepidation.
I love when there is an a-ha moment! (and there are always many)… you learn SO much from this course and the techniques you learn can be used in everyday life situations going forward (breathing/relaxations).
The beauty of being a birth doula too, is that I often end up attending a participants birth. They have the HypnoBirthing expert right there in the room with them - reminding them of the techniques that they have learnt over the programme and have put to practice up until their birthing day.
I encourage everyone who is pregnant to strongly consider HypnoBirthing, whether it is their first or subsequent baby. I have never heard anyone who has regretted attending!
Postpartum Depletion - Understanding the toll
Postnatal depletion is very real.
It is not something that will affect you for just a couple of weeks.
It can quietly exist and linger on for many months…….. or even years.
It’s the fog that lingers, tiredness that hovers over your everyday life with which sleep never refreshes.
Your GP is baffled… your iron levels are within range, as is your B12, there are no signs of infection or virus (c-reactive protein is normal), you are not feeling depressed. You are feeling just simply blah………….
Consider this: If you have given birth within the last 5 years - or 10 years even….. or have had multiple births, it is highly likely that you will be suffering from depletion. Depletion of your energy levels, brain fog, lack of ‘oomph’, issues with memory/too much going on syndrome…. just to name a few!
According to Dr. Oscar Serrallach “The placenta passes many nutrients to the growing baby during pregnancy, tapping into the mom’s iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B9, iodine, and selenium stores—along with omega 3 fats like DHA and specific amino acids from proteins.” (goop.com, 2021)
“The placenta serves two masters: the growing baby AND the mother. During the pregnancy, the mother supplies most of the nutrients that the growing baby needs, hence why many mothers become low in iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B9, iodine, and selenium. They also have much lower reserves in important omega 3 fats like DHA and specific amino acids from proteins. The placenta also tunes the mother to the baby, and the baby to the mother. This is no accident. The placenta develops at the same time as the fetal hypothalamus (a hormone-producing gland in the baby’s brain), and the hormones produced by the placenta look very similar to the hypothalamic hormones—again no accident. A beautiful example of this feedback occurs during birth. What causes labor pains (contractions of the uterus) is oxytocin, which is also known as the “love hormone” (goop.com, 2021)
After baby has arrived you try to find your feet again - hormonally, nutritionally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. It is nature’s design to allow the developing fetus to take all that it requires from its mother. “The go-between to ensure that this happens safely is the placenta. The human placenta is interesting—how extensively the finger-like projections of the placenta reach into the womb lining, thus creating a massive surface area. The reason for this lies in the fetal brain and its huge requirement for energy and fat (in the form of specific fatty acids such as DHA)”.
Zuo Yue Zi is the traditional ‘sitting month’ in Chinese culture, whereby the mother does not leave the house for 30 days, no visitors are allowed, and the only job she has is to nurture (feed) their newborn. Warming foods and drinks/teas are given to them to help ‘rebuild’ the mother post-birth and no cold showers allowed. The body, head and feet are kept warm at all times. It is believed that in order for society to prosper the mother must be well cared for so that she is able to be healthy: physically and mentally/emotionally.
WHAT DOES POSTPARTUM DEPLETION LOOK LIKE?
A COMBINATION of fatigue and exhaustion, coupled with a feeling of ‘baby brain’ - a term that “encompasses the symptoms of poor concentration, poor memory, and emotional lability. Emotional lability is where one’s emotions change up and down much more easily than they would have in the past, e.g. “crying for no reason.” There is often a feeling of isolation, vulnerability, and of not feeling “good enough.” It is experienced by many mothers, and is an understandable and at times predictable outcome associated with the extremely demanding task of being a mother from the perspective of both childbearing and child raising” (goop.com, 2021)
SYMPTOMS:
Exhaustion and fatigue - almost as though constantly low in iron (note: you could be!)
Waking unrefreshed
Tired…but wired
Dragging your feet throughout the day
Feeling overwhelmed and perhaps not coping with day to day tasks
** Note: Postpartum depletion may reveal similar characteristics as for postpartum depression, it is important to not dismiss above symptoms for just depletion.
CAUSES?
Having babies later in life. Burnt out in workplace/career and ‘not being able to switch off from work’ and then include demanding social schedules, renovating homes, in other words, just fitting it all in!!!
Stress! We live in a society where stress is the norm, being busy is normal! We simply really don’t know how to truly switch off.
Sleep deprivation that comes with having a new baby
Poor eating habits. Not enough nutrient dense food - grabbing what is there, takeaways, excessive coffee, alcohol……We are often too tired at the end of the day to cook a nutritious meal, let alone have planned our meals in advance to ensure that we have ingested the right amount of nutrients! This only worsens once a new baby arrives.
Unrealistic expectations for oneself. To get back in shape, to get back to work, to have a clean, tidy, functional home, to take siblings to school/after school activities, keep washing up to date…..
SOLUTION?
Nutrition/Supplements: ensuring iron levels are adequate and remain adequate especially if breastfeeding, as well as checking vitamin B6 and/or B12 levels are sufficient too. Blood tests from your GP will guide you as to where your levels are at. As all round general advice: vitamin C, Zinc and vitamin D daily. Magnesium for good sleep and for feelings of anxiety, restless legs. A naturopath or Herbalist may have specific supplements they recommend such as Rhodiola or Ashwaganda. Cutting down of caffeine - have one cup per day and make it a damn good one! It goes without saying, but limit alcohol or even better give it up until you have restored your energy levels
Exercise & Movement - Walking, yoga and pilates (gentle for the nervous system, great for endorphins and energy levels)
Sleep/Rest - Magnesium supplements; dose throughout the day and specifically before bed to help you unwind and fall asleep. Rest when you can - a 30 minute nap is better than no rest at all
Support - home support if possible (friend, family, doula). Meal/food delivery service, grocery delivery, laundry service etc.. but not a dog walking service - this gets you out of the house!
Book Recommendation: The Postnatal Depletion Cure - Dr. Oscar Serrallach
Find a registered Naturopath/Herbalist: https://naturopath.org.nz/