tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12930680192861057112024-02-02T15:35:06.794-08:00Las Cruces HypnoBirthingHypnoBirthing - The Mongan Method: Childbirth education classes in Las Cruces, NM. Private and group classes. Contact me at (888) 670-1875 or nurtureandrelax@yahoo.com.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-2095379645705009952012-09-03T18:19:00.001-07:002013-07-16T14:08:12.379-07:002013 HypnoBirthing Classes in Las Cruces<i><i>HypnoBirthing® is a childbirth education method based on the philosophy that a birthing woman and her baby benefit most from a birthing environment that incorporates confidence, deep relaxation and focus, information, and optimal health.</i><br />
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I am certified by the HypnoBirthing® Institute to teach a series of 5 classes (2.5 hours each), where we focus on each mother's inherent ability to give birth as comfortably as possible and according to her own informed decisions. You will watch videos, learn and practice a comprehensive set of relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques, become familiar the process of labor and birth, and learn how to advocate for yourself and your baby to achieve the best possible birthing experience.<br />
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<u>Upcoming Group Class Schedule in Las Cruces</u><br />
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At this time, I provide private instruction--we can arrange the classes according to your schedule, in your home or at my location. Lots of chances for personal attention and questions!<br />
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If I receive enough interest in a group class at one time, I will do my best to coordinate a group class schedule that fits everyone's needs.<br />
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<u>Cost</u><br />
Group Classes: $295 <br />
Private Classes: $395 (in Las Cruces*)<br />
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Fee includes includes all 5 classes, HypnoBirthing textbook, 2 CDs, & all scripts/handouts.<br />
*Additional travel fees apply for private classes in cities outside of Las Cruces, such as Alamogordo, El Paso, Truth or Consequences. <br />
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If you have questions, or would like to register, email me at <a href="mailto:nurtureandrelax@yahoo.com">nurtureandrelax@yahoo.com</a> or call me (773) 732-4038 or (888) 670-1875 for a registration form and instructions.</i>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-13381801499432085562012-04-01T16:35:00.002-07:002012-04-20T12:14:23.873-07:00Natural (Mother-centered) C-sectionA cesarean section does not need to be a cold, quick, anxiety-provoking, and/or inhumane procedure. It is still a birth! It can be worth it to spend time planning for a c-section in a way that prepares you and your baby to have a very special, gentle experience. One of the ways that HypnoBirthing can help is by incorporating relaxation and visualization into the birth room--even if it is in the OR. You can also advocate for immediate, uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with your baby and immediate breastfeeding.<br />
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This is not selfish! It is best for the baby, if it is possible. It is not always convenient for hospital/OR staff, but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5RIcaK98Yg&feature=share" target="_blank">here is a video</a> that shows some of these ideas. I hope it helps you, or someone you know, plan for a more gentle, natural, or mother-friendly/baby-friendly cesarean section:<br />
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Link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5RIcaK98Yg&feature=share" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5RIcaK98Yg&feature=share</a>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-49596561235366531642012-04-01T16:35:00.001-07:002013-07-16T14:14:05.388-07:00About Me<div style="text-align: center;">
Credentials:</div>
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Certified HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator (HBCE) since 2005<br />
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Former Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE)<br />
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Certified Hypnotherapist (CH); Certified in Clinical Hypnotherapy<br />
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Licensed Massage Therapist (Illinois, Texas, & California) & Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCTMB)<br />
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Certified Massage Doula<br />
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Certified Prenatal Massage Therapist<br />
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Certified Infant Massage Instructor</div>
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In addition to what is listed above, I also have a vast and varied background in movement, bodywork and alternative health; I hold a B.A. in Dance, have studied modalities such as neuromuscular massage therapy, acupuncture/acupressure, Oriental medicine, yoga, tai chi and holistic nutrition. Although I have spent many years working in the massage field, I chose to specialize in pregnancy in 2003. After discovering the joy of working with women during this enlightening time, I then began attending the births of my clients--and soon became certified as a doula and a HypnoBirthing practitioner. I was a Lamaze-Certified Childbirth Educator between 2008-2011 (but I have always exclusively taught HypnoBirthing!).<br />
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I possess an insatiable passion for interpreting the research and truths about childbirth. I believe that most parents want the safest, healthiest birthing experience possible. Sifting through the conflicting messages provided by medical staff (who are often trained to deal with emergencies or crises) can be confusing. In addition, parents often have many fears about the process. HypnoBirthing helps moms & dads to see birth as a natural, normal process; while providing skills for relaxation, visualization, and advocacy that can be used in all areas of life--and last longer than just a CD or book.<br />
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I have taught HypnoBirthing for over 7 years to hundreds of moms & couples. In addition to teaching HypnoBirthing, I have a masters degree in Clinical Psychology, with a thesis examining cortisol reactivity to acute stress in co-occurring anxiety and depression. My other research interests are in stress and coping, mindfulness, postpartum depression, PTSD, and long-term survivors of interpersonal/sexual violence. Clinically, I have worked with substance abuse and sexual trauma. In the first half of 2010, I served as a research assistant at the University of California, Irvine for the Health Psychology department, for a major pregnancy & postpartum study. I am involved in multiple studies involving mindfulness-based interventions and biological stress reactivity. I am currently working towards my Ph.D. in Psychology at New Mexico State University.</div>
Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-59589538138117124142012-04-01T16:30:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:43:18.416-07:00New Birth Story!<span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" >Hi Cindy,<br /><br />It’s official. Baby <span style="font-style: italic;">L</span> has arrived...We are all home and doing well. Adjusting to new life has had some bumpy moments, but all in all I couldn’t feel more blessed or grateful. I thought you would be eager to hear how things went:<br /><br />I experienced a lot of practice labor during the month of June. Lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions and lots of cramping. Nothing that ever mounted to anything or had any kind of rhythm until Sunday night. I started experiencing lower abdominal cramping, felt like period cramps. These were different then ones I had experienced before because I could feel it in my lower back and they were coming and going. It wasn’t an intense cramp, very mild. I started timing them, Z came home and I told him he should pack his bags, this could be the night. However the contractions didn’t seem to be progressing it was getting late and we decided to go to bed and that was that. Skip forward to Tuesday. I had a midwife appointment at 7:30pm. I was experiencing some cramping and Braxton-Hicks contractions during the visit. It was kind of like a dull ache, nothing that was cyclical. My midwives don’t check to see if you are dilated or not, they let the baby come when the baby is ready to come. I told them about Sunday, they said to just keep doing what I was doing, things looked good and we set up an appointment for the following week.<br /><br />Sunday night starting around 9:00pm. I started feeling the cramps again with the lower back pain and a cycle. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > and I timed them. They weren’t at the right intervals to call the midwives and they weren’t very strong. I could move around just fine through the contractions, I would be a little short on breath, but I could speak. So we monitored things, but it didn’t seem to be going anywhere, so we decided to get some rest. This is when things started to pick up. I went to bed around 11:00pm. Not long after l laid down, I started to feel a stronger uterine contraction and it was coming and going. I had already had it in my head that this was probably going to be like Sunday again, so it didn’t register immediately that this was something to pay attention to. I was tired and I just wanted to fall asleep. I was doing some breathing techniques to ease the pressure and I was getting irritated that the cramping was keeping me up. That’s when it registered that this was different, they are keeping me awake, I should pay attention to these. I took out the watch and started timing them. They were coming around every three to five minutes. Stronger, they weren’t painful, just uncomfortable, so I thought it would be a good time to get out one of the meditations and see if things would calm down or increase. I wasn’t but 5 minutes into the meditation when my membranes released, this happened at about 12:10am. Then it was on and it was on FAST. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > timed my contractions as I got into the shower to wash off. We then called the midwives to let them know what was going on. They said come on in. By this time the contractions had increased tenfold. I was trying to concentrate and get my body and mind calm, but it was difficult, because the task at hand was to get to the hospital. It was really starting to get painful. When a contraction hit, I was on the floor on all fours trying to stay with it. I told </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > in between a contraction that this baby was coming fast. I was able to walk to the car between a contraction. We were on the road at about 12:50am.<br /><br />The contractions only continued to increase and become more powerful. Somewhere between North Ave and Division Street while driving south to get to the highway I started to getting the urge to push and I yelled out to </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > that my body wants to PUSH!!! We kept hitting every red light. It just happened to be that we pulled up to a police officer at the next the red light. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > rolled down the window and yelled out to them that I was in labor and we needed to get to the hospital fast and that he was just going to go through the red light. They let us go and then followed along next to us with their flashers on helping us through the intersections till we could get to the highway. I wish I could tell you that I was totally in control and staying calm through the drive, but I lost it a few times because I couldn’t fight what my body needed to do and we still had to get to the hospital. It was an extremely intense feeling, and I could feel the babies head trying to come down through the birth canal. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > was awesome though, he stayed calm. He told me to pull it together and stay with him. I was able to bring it back together, it took everything I had not to push the baby out in the car. I was doing the short, frequent breaths with a tone and that brought me back in control. We pulled up to the hospital. There just happened to be a wheel chair sitting outside close to the car. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > ran for that while I got out of the car. I got hit with another huge contraction and I was on all fours again trying to stay with it. We left everything in the car, we didn’t even bother to shut the passenger door that I had left open. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > got me in the wheel chair and we bounded for the ER. The ER nurse was a little slow to respond to the immediacy of the situation, but when I started yelling that I needed to push she moved real fast. I told </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > he could push the wheelchair faster through the hallways. By some minor miracle our midwife was already at the hospital with another mom. She met us before triage and helped us bi-pass and get us to the room. It was not ready, but there was no more time left. They pushed me to the bed. I got up on all fours and surrendered to the urges. They had barely pulled my pants off, before the baby came sliding right out of me. It took two or three pushes and there he was. The relief of the pressure felt amazing, but my body and mind were in a state of shock due to how fast everything went. They helped me lay down and put the baby on my chest to hold. </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Z</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > didn’t get his chance to announce the sex at first. I had to ask. I didn’t get to hold him very long, I had the shakes and they needed me deliver the placenta. Once things calmed down and I was all taken care of, they helped me sit up so that I could have </span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">L</span></span><span style=" Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" > latch. He latched on like a pro and he’s been a greedy little guy ever since. We couldn’t be more happy or grateful for our little guy.<br /><br />So that’s the story. I hope all goes well with your deliveries. It’s an incredible feeling to meet that little being that has been held inside of you for so long. I will say this, the breathing is really important. Although I did loose it a couple times, I was able to bring it back together and it was all about the mind and the breath. So if you loose your concentration or control during your labor, just know that you can get it back together. I can’t wait to hear from you and your stories and see pictures of you little ones.<br /><br />Blessings to you,<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">S</span></span>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-53881835135551679252012-04-01T16:15:00.001-07:002012-04-01T16:47:44.794-07:00Contact InformationCindy Unger, NCTMB, HBCE, CH<br />Phone: (773) 732-4038 or (888) 670-1875<br />Email: nurtureandrelax@yahoo.comCindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-20812959392048372492012-04-01T16:00:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:47:30.607-07:00Testimonials - From some of my satisfied clients...<i>"HypnoBirthing helped me to look at labor without any fear. Everyone kept asking me if I was nervous about labor and I answered them honestly with 'No, I'm actually very excited about labor.' The breathing techniques are wonderful and so helpful, not only during labor, but any time you need to relax. I used the breathing techniques in the beginning when breastfeeding was painful and I really think it helped Jack and I to bond more easily." -Emily (pictured with baby Jack)</i> <p><i>"It was absolutely the reason I had such a calm, wonderful birthing experience...I think it's the best childbirth instruction out there." -Leanne (Professional Doula & HypnoBirthing mom, pictured with baby Adrienne)</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p> <p><i>"I had a great birth experience...I feel that the birth couldn't have been any better. I wouldn't change a thing. I really thank 'HypnoBirthing' for getting me through this experience. I used a lot of visualization techniques and I have to say that most of what I wanted and visualized came to be in reality." Wendy (pictured with baby Wyatt)</i></p> <p><i>"Cindy brought a sense of peace and calmness with her which filled the whole room and made all my fears disappear...Cindy's mere presence and reassuring look was very comforting and was very encouraging to me...We are sure that we are going to have her as our Doula for the next baby." Hima & Venu</i></p> <p><i>"In total my labor was about 14 hours and honestly through most of it, I didn't even think it was happening since it wasn't bad or 'painful,' </i><i>mostly uncomfortable. After Stephen was out I felt great and did not take any medication afterwards. So, big THANK YOU for the HypnoBirthing classes!!!!! I was really relaxed and confident through the whole labor and pregnancy. Thank you again and keep doing what you do!" (Julie, Summer 2008)</i></p> <p><br /><i>"The class was useful! The labor was pretty uneventful...not very long, so I made it through without medications. I think the most useful thing for me was actually doing the relaxation exercises in class...I would definitely use the techniques again...I feel that my recovery was faster because of the decisions I made." T.M. (First Baby)</i></p> <i>"Thanks for thinking of us and thanks for your help! The labor was long, about 20 hours, but med free and either walking or kneeling which is what I wanted...The nurses commented that they were surprised by my control. That surprised me, since I was shooting for even more than I thought I had...The breathing was most helpful and I used the countdown method to help me relax, that and [my husband's] eye contact." T.M. (Second Baby)<br /><br /></i><i>"My birth experience was a really positive one. I have to thank you for the relaxation techniques that you taught me to help me get through the events of that day...The slow inhale breathing really helped a lot..." (Name withheld by request)</i><br /><br /><i>"We'd just like to reiterate how terrific Cindy Unger was during the class, and indeed during the entire pregnancy.</i> <i>We are very grateful to her.</i><b> </b><i> The breathing techniques, the visualization exercises, & Cindy's descriptions of the labor process [were] extremely useful. Cindy was also enormously helpful outside of class, by email, etc. We also feel that HypoBirthing made the pregnancy, not just the birth, a much better experience." (Names withheld by request)</i><br /><br /><i> "We are doing well and had a wonderful birth (unplanned at home!). Thank you so much for the great classes, I am convinced that it was the HypnoBirthing preparation that allowed us to have such a smooth, easy, beautiful birth." - Angie, December 2006</i> <span lang="EN"> <span> <p><i>"Thanks, Cindy! I'm certain I couldn't have had such a great experience without your class. This was completely different from [my first baby's] birth!" - Summer '08</i></p> </span></span> <p><span style=" ;font-size:x-small;" > <span style=" font-style: italic;font-size:10pt;" > "I was SO HAPPY with our birth...I know that not everyone can say that their birth went exactly the way they wanted it to go, so I feel really blessed. Thank you for everything! I will refer you and Hypnobirthing to everyone!" - Summer '08</span></span></p> <span style=" ;font-size:x-small;" > <span style="font-style: italic;">"The birth couldn't have been more beautiful--I labored almost entirely on the birth ball and was able to birth her without any pain medications. I really used the techniques you taught, and appreciated your class." - Summer '08<br /></span></span>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-60705787802439825922012-04-01T15:48:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:49:38.437-07:00Childbirth Resources & Referrals<b>Local Resources <span style="font-style: italic;">Coming Soon</span>!<br /><br />Other Resources:</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hypnobirthing.com/" target="_blank">HypnoBirthing.com</a> - The main site for HypnoBirthing<i>®</i>, The Mongan Method.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.childbirth.org/" target="_blank">Childbirth.org</a> - Information for inquiring minds.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wikipregnancy.com/" target="_blank">WikiPregnancy.com</a> - Information about pregnancy, labor & birth in the "wiki" format. <p><a href="http://home.mindspring.com/%7Edjsnjones/">The Brewer Diet</a> - Joy<span><span> Jones is a nurse who has assisted homebirth midwives for about 30 years. A little over a year ago, she created a new website about the Brewer Pregnancy Diet. Excellent Information for Pregnant Women!!</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.prenatalcomforts.com/" target="_blank">Prenatal Comforts</a> - A wonderful site with products and resources for pregnant women.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hencigoer.com/" target="_blank">HenciGoer.com</a> - Author of The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth and Obstetric Myths vs. Research Realities, Henci is an invaluable resource for information on pre- and perinatal research. Great for truth-seekers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.llli.org//Web/Illinois.html" target="_blank">La Leche League of Illinois</a> - Lactation support & resources.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chicagohypnobirthing.com/" target="_blank">Chicago HypnoBirthing Network</a> - HypnoBirthing class listings for Chicago & Suburbs.</p> <p><a href="http://www.breastfeeding.com/">Breastfeeding.com</a> - The #1 Site for Breastfeeding Information, Support & Attitude!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.compleatmother.com/" target="_blank">CompleatMother.com</a> - The Magazine of Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding. A great source for red raspberry leaf tea.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.birthlink.com/" target="_blank">Birthlink.com</a> - Chicago-area resource for all things related to childbirth!<br /><br />Lactation Associates, Inc. - Nurse Lactation consultants, Home visits; Phone: (847) 509-8302 Pager: (847) 479-2229<br /><br /><a href="http://www.doctornancie.com/" target="_blank">DoctorNancie.com</a> - A fellow HypnoBirthing practitioner and author, Dr. Nancie Barwick. Dr. Nancie's book is entitled, <i>Unstuff Yourself: Finding Joy on the Road to Wellness.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.waterbirth.org/" target="_blank">Waterbirth.org</a> - Waterbirth International. "<i>Waterbirth is a safe and gentle alternative to the standard high-tech approach associated with giving birth today and is completely compatible with HypnoBirthing®."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.heyanyway.com/" target="_blank">HeyAnyway.com</a> - Hey! Who's Having this Baby, Anyway?<i> "In her explosive new book Breck Hawk reveals how many pregnant women<br />can avoid serious repercussions from the drugs and unnecessary medical interventions that are pushed on them while in labor...<br />simply by being aware of their basic patient rights and options.<br />Hey! gives power back to moms-to-be and shows them how they can<br />make themselves be heard!"</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ican-online.org/" target="_blank">Ican-Online.org<i> </i></a><i>-</i> International Cesarean Awareness Network.<i> </i>A great resource for ALL expectant parents, including VBAC's.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.babiesonline.com/" target="_blank">Babiesonline.com</a><i> -</i> Free online birth announcements & so much more...Find a Baby, Free Baby Stuff.</p> <p><a href="http://doulanetwork.com/">DoulaNetwork.com</a> - Doula listings<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wise-woman-center.com/" target="_blank">Wise-Woman-Center.com</a><i> - "Herbal Medicine for Women's Health and Well-Being. Articles, links galore, natural health books, workshops. Subjects include menstruation, fertility, childbearing, breast cancer prevention, spirit healing and more ... Books include</i> Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year<i>, a confirmed favorite with pregnant women, midwives, childbirth educators, and new parents."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hip-chick-pregnancy-guide.com/" target="_blank">Hip-Chick-Pregnancy-Guide.com<i> </i></a><i>- "Natural Childbirth information for the HIP and MODERN mom. Find information about cord blood banking, read pregnancy articles, find pregnancy resources and don't leave without checking out our baby names section to help you find the best baby name for that HIP baby of yours."</i><br />BabyNamesTop100.com - <i>"Your Source for the Top 100 Baby Names"</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.baby-names-plus.com/" target="_blank">Baby-Names-Plus.com</a> - More baby names!<br /><br />ABCParenting.com - Partners with HypnoBirthing International; "D<i>evoted to providing websurfers with reviews and ratings of the absolute best websites of interest to families and parents-to-be."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thelaboroflove.com/" target="_blank">TheLaborofLove.com</a> - A site for moms and moms-to-be.</p> <p><a href="http://www.epartsandmore.com/">Low Prices on MP3 Players</a>; EParts & More. An MP3 player can be very handy during your labor and birthing - for music, self-hypnosis and tuning out the outside world.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodchildbirth.com/" target="_blank">GoodChildbirth.com</a> - Good Childbirth by Dr. Steven Reid: <i>"Over the last twenty years I have been working with expectant women, trying to establish why for too many the experience of labour does not meet hopes and expectations. Out of this work has emerged the book 'GOOD CHILDBIRTH' which can increase the prospects of your having the pregnancy and labour you deserve."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pregnancy.miningco.com/" target="_blank">Pregnancy.miningco.com</a><i> -</i> This site is now the home of Robin Elise Weiss, the founder of Childbirth.org<br /><br /><a href="http://www.babyzone.com/" target="_blank">BabyZone.com</a> - a multiplicity of topics arranged from the beginning(wanting) to the neverending end(growth and development).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.attachmentparenting.org/" target="_blank">AttachmentParenting.org</a> - Attachment Parenting International.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cryo-intl.com/" target="_blank">Cryo-Intl.com</a> - Cord Blood Banking; personal storage & donation.<br /><br />Inflatable tubs for labor: <a href="http://www.qualityinflatables.com/58480.html">http://www.qualityinflatables.com/58480.html</a> or <a href="http://www.albuquerquehomebirth.com/">http://www.albuquerquehomebirth.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.albuquerquehomebirth.com/TEAremedies.html" target="_blank">Purple Thistle Tea Company</a> - Jenny West (a HB practitioner & midwife); Herbal teas, remedies and tips.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth" target="_blank">In Touch with Elizabeth Pantley </a>- Online Resources for Raising Children, free newsletter.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.menelli.com/" target="_blank">Hypnosis for Successful Breastfeeding </a>- Sheri Menelli, CLC, HBCE, CHt<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Articles & Misc. Info:</b><br /><br />Animation of Normal Delivery <a href="http://www.medicallegalart.com/displayanimation.php?&A=delivery">http://www.medicallegalart.com/displayanimation.php?&A=delivery</a><br /><br />Bonding with Your Newborn (by William Sears, MD) <a href="http://www.attachmentparenting.org/artbonding.shtml">http://www.attachmentparenting.org/artbonding.shtml</a><br /><br />Children Need Touching & Attention, Harvard Researchers Say <a href="http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/04.09/ChildrenNeedTou.htmlhttp://">http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/04.09/ChildrenNeedTou.htmlhttp://</a><br /></p> <p>Hypnosis for Pain Relief in Labour & Childbirth: A Systematic Review <a href="http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/4/505">http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/4/505</a><br /><br />American Academy of Pediatrics Medical Library <a href="http://www.medem.com/MedLB/bufferpage_aap.cfm">http://www.medem.com/MedLB/bufferpage_aap.cfm</a><br /><br /><br /><br />More coming soon!</p>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-25826924204434357572012-04-01T15:46:00.001-07:002012-04-02T16:28:43.203-07:00Penny Simkin on Delayed Cord Clamping<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/W3RywNup2CM" allowfullscreen="" width="560" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-29231002877033573222012-04-01T15:30:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:51:19.888-07:00Rapport & Continuity of CareI just stumbled upon a very important reason for having a well-known, and yet skilled, attendant or companion present during your labor and birth.<br /><br />I love to pet cats. I love to pet animals in general. I remember lying down next to our family dog (a "schoodle," schnauzer/poodle mix) as a child and just stroking her and trying to find the way she liked to be petted. Unfortunately, she was my mom's dog, and she didn't really like anyone else to pet her. I tried so hard to pet her in a way that she liked, so she didn't just get up and walk away (which she frequently did)! However, this was likely a foreshadowing of my desire to be a massage therapist--work that continuously challenges my ability to soothe others through touch, to find the way that feels best to that client. My senses were attuned during those early interactions with our dog.<br /><br />Just now, I sat next to one of our cats, petting him in the same way I used to pet our family dog. Fortunately, our current cats love to be stroked and petted (with a few exceptions--they are cats, after all!). This particular cat loves to be rubbed. His eyes light up when I enter the room, he starts to blink, and he very subtly moves along with my strokes, often moving in such small ways that I can tell where he wants me to focus. I know he likes his lower back to be rubbed and he also frequently directs me to focus on his chin and cheeks. All without saying a word.<br /><br />His purrs, body movements, and snorty-breathing tell me that he loves it. (It means he is in what we call, in HypnoBirthing, the healing room--endorphins are flowing and he feels safe and comforted.) And I respond appropriately, by following his lead.<br /><br />What if your labor and birth was accompanied by someone who knew just what to do when you gave even the subtlest hint--a movement, a blink of the eye, a light murmur of approval? <br /><br />This is why it is so crucial to get to know your birth attendants and companions. It is why I like to schedule massages with my doula clients, so that I know their cues, their peaks and valleys, how they respond to certain types of touch. For both of us, it foreshadows the interaction we will have during labor--the mother associates my touch with feeling good, and I know where I should be. <br /><br />For the record, I am the type of person who is enormously sensitive, and I would want a sensitive person around me during such a vulnerable time, as well. Too often, birth companions and attendants take a "coach-like," bossy, or directing/managing role of a woman's labor, and they don't really listen to her subtle cues. This is often because of burnout--to many births and too much work to really have the energy to care deeply. It could also be a lack of sensitivity or empathy, and a lack of training in the subtle cues of their client/patient. <br /><br />Think about that as you plan your birth. A medical provider often does not have or need these sensitive skills, as their job scope does not require it. A doula, friend, partner, or (sometimes) a nurse is more likely to fill that role.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-78939656090247557842012-04-01T15:15:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:56:17.121-07:00Birth ChoicesIn celebration of a recent HypnoBirthing mother, in one of my recent classes, who switched providers at 38 weeks, I have some inspiration for you. Yes, you read that right--she switched at 38 weeks, and gave birth between 39 and 40 weeks. What's more, her baby was breech at 37 weeks and she was told by her previous provider that she should schedule a c-section. Well, that wasn't good enough for this mama. She worked on turning her baby with many methods, switched to a more appropriate provider and hospital, had an External Cephalic Version (ECV or "version", for short), and gave birth naturally to a perfectly healthy little girl after about 12 hours of labor. That mom feels like a million bucks right now!<br /><br />So, I ask you: What is keeping you from the most incredible birth experience you can imagine? Are you settling for a provider who is cool or luke-warm about your birthing plans? Do they fail to discuss the particulars of your birth preferences, or doubt whether you can actually give birth naturally?<br /><br />There ARE providers out there who are ECSTATIC about natural birth, who witness it daily, and who are passionate about letting your body follow its own natural course. But you won't know this until you interview them. And when you meet them, you'll know!<br /><br />Lamaze International just released this video clip about making good choices in preparation for childbirth:<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tWbhgg4AGxQ&hl=" fs="1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-82306525644169905402012-04-01T15:00:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:57:08.178-07:00HypnoBirthing Birth Story<em>This is a story from a new first-time mom who took my class.</em><br /><br />Cindy:<br /><br />Sorry it has taken me so long to thank you for the HypnoBirthing class. I wanted to share my amazing birthing story with you. I delivered an eight pound boy with absolutely NO pain medicine.<br /><br />My labor was 18 hours and was filled with a lot of excitement. It all started when I went to the hospital at 1 AM because I thought my water broke and my contractions were like 4 minutes apart. I soon found out there are different kinds of contractions and my urine was leaking it was not the water breaking and I was only one cm. So I went home and woke up at 7 AM feeling a lot more intense contractions.<br /><br />I returned to the hospital at 10 AM and was 3 cm. Seeing how we were in the middle of massive renovations I decided the hospital was the best place to labor. I was lucky to have an awsome nurse who gave me a silicone hep lock and didnt evaluate me unless I requested it. She even let me go outside and eat too! The only pain I felt was at the beginning before listening to my HypnoBirthing cd. The CD helped me breathe through the contractions and suddenly the pain dissapeared. I got tired of the hospital and decided to try the nipple stimulation and thanks to my husband, my water broke probably 10 minutes later.<br /><br />I was breathing down the baby until my doctor said if I didnt start pushing I would not be able to have my baby vaginally (how rude). So I pushed the baby out in 15 minutes. I delivered only 2 hours after my water breaking! Thanks for everything I loved giving birth so much I wanna have another baby soon! I love being a mom too!<br /><br />P.S. - During labor I enjoyed rocking back and forth holding onto my husband, the bed, on the birthing ball, on the toilet and also enjoyed showering a few times and walking. Another thing I forgot to mention, resting when I got tired was really really important. I just popped the tape in and went to sleep.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-1462687047726816932012-04-01T14:45:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:58:16.068-07:00Good Example of SuggestibilityIn my HypnoBirthing classes, I love to talk about how suggestibility can affect the labor and birthing process. Plainly stated, suggestibility is the openness to language and predictions that is prevalent when someone is hypnotized--hypnosis is a state of being suggestible and vulnerable to others' predictions about our experiences. Since hypnosis utilizes the altered state of consciousness that is experienced by all of us throughout the day, (we are most familiar with this concept when a commercial makes us feel hungry for a certain food or when the first song we hear in the morning sticks in our heads all day long), it is a normal and natural response.<br /><br />During labor, suggestibility goes hand-in-hand with the natural trance state of the laboring women. It doesn't matter if you took HypnoBirthing. You will naturally go within and become more focused on your body...and more suggestible to what others predict about your labor. In class, we talk about how laboring women often feel exactly what they are told to feel or have the labor length they are told they will have. THAT is suggestibility. And it is important to be aware of what is being said around you, during your labor, because it can have serious consequences.<br /><br />As I was sitting on the couch watching TV the other night I came across <a href="http://watchfamilyguyonline.org/movie/38-Family_Guy_317_Brian_Wallows_and_Peter039s_Swallows.html"><strong><em>this episode of Family Guy</em></strong></a>. Watch from 8:14-8:55 in particular. Summary of the clip: Brian, the dog, arrives at a woman's house and she throws a white powder on his face. He is shocked, but not bothered by this. She promptly predicts that "it's gonna burn like hell in 30 seconds," and continues to banter with him. He notices nothing else until she soon reminds him, "By the way, it's been 30 seconds..." and he suddenly responds by screaming, grabbing at his eyes in pain, and running around the room in a panic.<br /><br />Interesting! Sounds like a lot of labors where mom was doing just fine, until she was told that she would feel one thing or another, or that labor would progress in a certain way--usually a negative, rather than positive, suggestion. Lo and behold, it happens. And we wonder why!<br /><br />Well, some of us wonder why. <em>Some of us</em> are not surprised at all.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-79190914436157988792012-04-01T14:30:00.000-07:002012-04-01T16:59:23.160-07:00Kismet!I had the most interesting random meeting today. <br /><br />As a massage therapist, I occasionally perform fill-in work at a spa in the city of Chicago. Yesterday was one of those days. My last client proved to be a talkative one, making small talk about relaxation music, which lead to me talking about music used for hypnosis and a conversation about my involvement with hypnotherapy. This occasionally comes up in my client sessions, as clients are curious about how I got into massage therapy, how long I've worked at that location, and what I do with my life outside of massage. This time was different.<br /><br />As I talked about my work with hypnotherapy, I said my main focus was working with women who were preparing to give birth. This often intrigues my clients (but not always!), and this client was intrigued, asking how it worked, etc. I said the major premise is that childbirth shouldn't be painful, as every other normal body function happens without pain, and the source of that pain is fear and tension in the mother's body. He was very, very interested and said it made sense.<br /><br />The next thing I remember is my client telling me he was an anesthesiologist. I thought (and said), wow, that's interesting. I asked if he worked in Labor & Delivery. Yes, he said. <em>The room started spinning!</em> Automatically, I thought, this guy must be an advocate for drugs during labor, and I probably have a lot of explaining to do!! Why did I say all of that simple language about birth without even thinking about who my audience was?? I was most definitely talking down to him! The thoughts were racing.<br /><br />But he was surprisingly easy to talk to and accepting of everything I said. (I also felt kinda bad that we were talking through his massage, but neither of us could resist!)<br /><br />Then, the most interesting part was revealed: He works for one of Chicago's most interventive, epidural-laden, non-natural-birth-friendly, "baby factory" (I won't reveal the name to preserve privacy on this public forum, but ask me personally and I'll tell you)! Without blinking an eye, he tells me how that hospital just works on getting women in-and-out, actually using the phrase "baby factory," and he doesn't quite agree with the rushing of all of the births. After all, he said, what would happen if we just see how things progress on their own? He says (and I know this well) that so many women are given oxytocin (a.k.a., "Pitocin" or "Pit"), even without any idea of what unknown effects it has, and it is clear that he is frustrated by the machine of this hospital.<br /><br />Then, he says something very interesting. He mentioned that electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) has never been shown to improve outcomes--a clear, indisputable fact from scientific literature. I was shocked that he knew this--more specifically, I was shocked that medical doctors knew this fact so well, even though it is standard procedure. Clearly, the frustration is felt by those working on the "front lines" and not just us doulas and childbirth educators!! He made it clear that malpractice was the driving force for the use of EFM. I knew this, but clearly the validation was priceless.<br /><br />We then talked about the specifics of epidural use. In particular, the fact that this hospital does not use "walking epidurals" (which would, essentially, give the mother more mobility and ability to work with her body--a very good thing) because of liability issues. This means that the hospital could be liable if the mother was a little unsure of her footing and slipped while walking, moving, sitting on a birth ball, etc. So, even though a lower dose of anesthetic would be helpful in so many ways, it is looked over in the name of liability by this hospital (and, I'm sure, many others).<br /><br />He also described why IV narcotics are used. I won't go into that here, but he clearly stated that this type of anesthetic needs to be removed 2 hours before the birth because it can cause serious, life-threatening breathing problems in the baby--causing a need for resuscitation and intubation (and, of course, the requisite stay in the NICU, away from mom & dad).<br /><br />He said his instructor was trained in the use of acupuncture and he is personally interested in alternative approaches to pain relief in the hospital--including hypnosis--in order to prevent the obvious side effects of medical anesthesia. He asked about other, less interventive hospitals and what they offered that helped mothers. I mentioned the use of water. And, not just water, but permanent tubs, like at West Suburban, since the moveable tubs seem to annoy the nurses who have to take the time to fill them (and so they often don't). He asked why water was helpful. He was truly interested and intrigued in the alternatives.<br /><br />In the end, I learned a valuable lesson (one that was validated by one of the comments on my Facebook status): Even medical professionals are frustrated by the state of maternity care!! Interestingly enough, though, it takes more than just one frustrated person, even if a medical doctor, to change the state of hospital policy and procedure. In some ways, this is frustrating. In other ways, it is encouraging--because it means that those of us who are frustrated are not just daydreaming or full of fantasy about care.<br /><br />Speaking of fantasy, I'm hoping to arrange an in-service where I can go and talk to the residents about the use of hypnosis during birth. In particular, I would love to emphasize the benefits of relaxation (and the Fear-Tension-Pain cycle) and the reality of hieghtened suggestibility during labor.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-71550632066300526962012-04-01T14:15:00.000-07:002012-04-01T17:00:21.867-07:00Scare Tactics and AdvocacyIf you have taken my class, you will remember a popular phrase that I often repeat (and if you are <em>going</em> to take my class, you will hear me say this):<br /><br /><strong>There is a bias towards short labors and labors that start earlier (i.e., right at the due date, and not too long after).</strong><br /><br />Who holds this bias? Pretty much everyone! Moms want short labors (and dread longer labors), friends and family want to know when you're giving birth and tell horror stories of long labors, doulas and childbirth educators brag about short labors, and most importantly--<em>medical professionals and hospitals want you to have a short labor that starts right around your due date</em>.<br /><br />Statistically speaking, it is impossible for all labors to start right at the due date, especially with a median gestation length of 41 weeks/1 day (1 week + 1 day PAST the due date) for first-time moms and 40 weeks/3 days for moms who have given birth before. It is also impossible, statistically speaking, for every mother to have an exceptionally short labor, when the normal distribution always peaks around the average and tails off at either extreme.<br /><br />The first problem with this is assuming that a long labor is a bad thing. That's a topic for another day--particuarly when short labors come on (guess?) very fast and can stop you in your tracks when you least expect it!! Long labors give you time to get used to the idea of your baby arriving soon. And they are not necessarily as intense as short labors--they creep up slowly and give your endorphins a chance to kick in, kind of like a long walk that builds gradually into a jog (rather than an instant sprint!).<br /><br />The next, and most troublesome, problem with this bias towards slow labors is the medical response to such labors. The problem is that there is no open admission about this bias. It is a silent secret.<br /><br />How do you know that the bias is creeping into your birthing room? Likely, you will hear threats of great harm being done to your baby, perhaps even death, declarations that your body is not working properly, or predictions of neverending labor and suffering, <em>in the complete absence of any signs of distress or trouble</em> (including the fetal heart rate), if you continue laboring as you are.<br /><br />Here is a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) story that illustrates this--it is long, but well worth reading:<br /><br /><a href="http://thefeministbreeder.typepad.com/the_feminist_breeder/2008/05/jules-michael-birth-story.html">http://thefeministbreeder.typepad.com/the_feminist_breeder/2008/05/jules-michael-birth-story.html</a><br /><br />You might think, Wow! How can something like that happen? How can doctors threaten a mother like that? Surely it must be a fluke!<br /><br />No. It's not a fluke. In fact, it happens with <em>virtually every mother</em> that goes past her due date or experiences a longer-than-average labor or longer-than-average birthing (i.e. "pushing") phase. <strong>I see it all the time</strong>. About the only time it doesn't happen is with homebirth midwives or certain infamous non-interventive providers. And some providers are more subtle.<br /><br />Folks, it has nothing to do with you or your baby. If you think your doctor or midwife just wants to go home and go to bed, you're probably right. If you think he/she just wants to get it over with by the weekend, you're probably right. If you think he/she is being pressured by hospital policy, you're probably right. If you think that there must be some kind of arbitrary time limit for your labor in general or for pushing your baby out, you are most certainly right (most hospitals want the baby out within 24 hours total, with a maximum limit of 2-3 hours of pushing/birthing beyond the 10cm point).<br /><br />Don't let anyone talk to you like that. Ask for <em>clear </em>evidence (the heart rate is ok, but those monitors are extremely unreliable). Take a lesson from Jules' mama--stand up for yourself and your baby. If you don't, who else will?? Your doctor/midwife will probably forget about it by the time they are getting their full night sleep that night or vacationing with their family. But you won't forget.<br /><br />Better yet, hire someone to attend your birth who will show you the utmost respect.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-85003395945513024072012-04-01T14:00:00.000-07:002012-04-01T17:01:10.815-07:00Birth Story<em>Another wonderful birth story from a 3rd-time mom who took my class:</em><br /><br />Cindy,<br /><br />Here's our GREAT birth story!<br /><br />Last Wednesday night I dozed off after listening to Rainbow Relaxation on my ipod. Between midnight and 3 am, I realized that birthing waves were waking me up every few minutes. They weren't strong, and I'd had a few nights like this, so I didn't think much of it.<br /><br />By 3 am, the waves were coming every 4 minutes, so I was no longer falling asleep in between them. I decided to throw our last minute items in the suitcase, but I still thought it was just practice labor. The waves were short and not at all painful, so I didn't wake up X or call the midwife until 6 am. The waves at that point got closer together and stronger, so I asked X to get our daughters ready for daycare. We decided to leave for the hospital around 7:15 am. I felt like we were leaving home much too early, but I didn't want to get stuck in rush hour, which might lengthen our drive from 15 minutes to an hour.<br /><br />When we got to the hospital, I was still smiling and chatting between waves, although now when the waves came I needed to go silent and limp in order to stay relaxed. They monitored the baby for twenty minutes before checking me and announcing that I was at 6 centimeters. WHAT?? I wasn't even sure I was really in labor up until that point! I hadn't experienced a second of pain, and after two previous unmedicated births, I didn't think I could possibly progress that far without any discomfort! But there I was.<br /><br />So they sent us to the alternative birthing center room as we'd planned, and I got into the shower for 15 minutes while X and our midwife filled the tub. I climbed into the tub, and after one contraction my water broke. Suddenly, the contractions changed, and I started shaking and feeling a lot of pressure. I ought to have recognized it as transition, but it seemed far too soon for that! Still, my body (and midwife) knew that it was time for the baby to come. After two incredibly powerful contractions, he was in my arms! And he was perfect.<br /><br />He was born at 9:15 am, so it was a VERY good thing we didn't get stuck in rush hour! I'm pretty sure we'd have had him in the car.<br /><br />[Baby] was (and still is) calm, bright eyed, and alert at birth. He didn't even cry, he just looked at us all as though a bit surprised by his new surroundings.He nursed well immediately. At our request, we were discharged just 12 hours after we arrived at the hospital, since baby and I were both healthy and ready to roll. It was wonderful to spend [baby]'s first night in our home.<br /><br />Our fast, easy, peaceful, beautiful waterbirth was not only everything we'd hoped - it was more than we hoped. My two previous births were empowering, wonderful experiences, but there was pain and at least a few moments of fear. This time, I felt in control and confident throughout, and I felt wonderful afterwards. X and I are thrilled that we were able to have such a fantastic experience during our third, and likely our last, birth.<br /><br />Thanks for telling us about West Suburban Hospital and Gayle and Julie's midwife practice. As you know, they are wonderful midwives, and West Suburban is a great place for families seeking a natural, positive birth experience. We are so glad that we learned about HypnoBirthing, and we're grateful to you for your instruction and support throughout the pregnancy! Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help you once you're back in Chicago. We'd be thrilled to act as references for your class and to share our great experience with other couples.<br /><br />A pic of the little guy at less than an hour old is attached. Thank you again-- so much -- for everything!Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-10994126659943137112012-03-31T16:57:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:58:14.142-07:00HypnoBirthing Birth Stories - Digest #1In my quest to offer a glimpse into the births of other HypnoBirthing moms, I have decided to post several beautiful birthing stories, which I have received from other HypnoBirthing instructors. Note: These stories have not been edited, with the exception of names, which have been changed.<br /><br />1. <em>First, a birth story from the UK; a wonderful account of the many sensations of labor...</em><br /><br />Like most pregnant women, during the last trimester of my pregnancy I'd nervously read as much as possible about the signs of labour. All the books told me about mucus shows experienced days and possibly weeks before active labour; about worsening Braxton Hicks;about waters breaking. Most of all about how, if you're not sure whether or not you're in labour, you're almost certainly not. After completing the Hypnobirthing course, you'd have thought I'd be more cautious about blindly believing everything the pregnancy books tell you.<br /><br />The night before the birth at 36+5 weeks pregnant, my husband Dan and I had gone out for a meal with one of Dan's colleagues, to a trendy new restaurant in town where I'd had prawn and salmon salad and a couple of incidences of backache which I put down to the restaurant chairs. Nothing unusual or untoward was happening – certainly nothing to suggest a baby might be arriving soon.<br /><br />After a lovely night out, Dan and I tucked ourselves up into bed with the "Parenting" relaxation track on the Hypnobirthing CD, and I fell into the comfortable sleep I always experience when I'm listening to any of those self-hypnosis scripts. I slept on, uninterrupted, until about 4.00 am when I was drowsily aware of some period-like cramps in my lower belly. Too drowsy to think about it, I shifted about for a while to try and get comfortable and drifted in and out of sleep. The drowsiness didn't last though; as the crampy feeling got more intense over the next half an hour, I became more and more convinced that I had an upset stomach which I immediately put down to the fact that I'd eaten dodgy seafood at therestaurant. I had a sudden, desperate urge to go to the loo (which fed my conviction that I'd had some kind of reaction to the food) and began a relentless, unvarying cycle of trying to find a comfortable position in bed, shifting about impatiently, getting up to go to the loo yet again, before returning to find some comfort in bed. I considered just shutting myself in the bathroom and having done with it, but I was longing to curl up in the warmth of bed as well. In any case, I tried hard not to wake Dan – he had to get up for work in a few hours anyway, and it was pointless interrupting him for nothing. Besides, judging by how he was last night, he'd be grumpy with a hangover.<br /><br />At 6am, Dan finally responded to my restlessness and woke up. "My tummy feels really uncomfortable low down", I explained "and I keep needing the loo. I'm getting so frustrated with it – I wonder what's wrong". "It's probably just down to a bad prawn", he reasoned. Earlier, about an hour into this little episode, I'd briefly entertained the notion that I might be in labour but discounted it immediately, surmising that it was far too early (I was going to go on till at least 41 weeks), and anyway I'd had no show and no waters had broken. I was with Dan on this one - the damn restaurant hadgiven me a bad prawn.<br /><br />Ten minutes later during yet another visit to the loo, I noticed there was a tiny bit of blood when I wiped. Now I was angry. "This stress of this stomach upset has made me bleed so it must be affecting the baby. I'm going to sue that bloody restaurant if anything happens" I vowed, and went to tell Dan what was going on.<br /><br />"I think we ought to call someone and ask for advice", he said. "Bleeding can't be good. I'll find someone to call". I continued pacing back and forth, rubbing my tummy and listening to the one-way conversation on the phone:"…crampy pains low down…yes…well no she's not in a lot of pain at all, but she's obviously uncomfortable… not a lot of blood, just spotting, but we'd like to get it checked out…no, no contractions… no show or waters breaking, no…ok, we can be there in twenty minutes".<br /><br />"Right, we have to go now, they want to look at you and see what's causing the bleeding", he said. Having something to do took my mind of the discomfort. "I'll just have a quick shower then".<br />Dan looked at me in disbelief then, while I showered, dashed round the house chucking stuff in an overnight bag in case I had to stay in. In a moment of blessed lucidity, he chucked the iPOD and earphones in while I faffed around trying to find some clothes that were comfortable enough.<br />In the car, things got more uncomfortable. Had I known what was happening I'd have lain on the back seat, but as it was I strapped myself into the front and regretted it for every bump we encountered on the road.<br /><br />We arrived at the hospital and Dan dropped me off at the entrance. "I'll just park the car – go to Reception, they'reexpecting you". I didn't think to ask which Reception was expecting me. Instead of going to Delivery, I set off for the Fetal Assessment Unit. Luckily, Dan found me before I disappeared and steered me in the right direction. The midwife who checked me in led us to a spare delivery room where I could be examined. She was obviously overworked and in a hurry soI explained that I had some crampy pains and had to take my time. "Oh, I thought it was just bleeding. Ok, I'll tell the doctor".<br /><br />A midwife came and sat with us, but explained that they were very short-staffed and she couldn't stay. She'd sent in a student midwife when one was free, and the doctor would be with us shortly. At this point I was in a world of my own. The room had a rocking chair so I sat and rocked myself gently back and forth, nodding drowsily to anything anyone said, not really caring. I decided that it was a good time to try some 20-20 breathing in practice for the birth in a couple of weeks' time. The breathing helped ease the crampiness, and I felt pleasantly dozy. Suddenly I felt sick. As I was throwing up in the sink, a midwife walked in. "Ah yes!" she said cheerfully, "that's a sure sign of labour!". I looked at her bemused, thinking "no, it's a sure sign of food poisoning", and went back to my chair to continue rocking sleepily.<br /><br />A student midwife and her colleague arrived to tell me the doctor would be with me shortly, and asked me to describe how I was feeling. I tried to give some brief details, aided by Dan. I just couldn't be bothered to speak. Between us we relayed the message that I had an upset stomach with constant cramps low down like period pain, but that cramps didn't really come and go much so probably weren't contractions, and that I'd had a tiny bit of blood loss. "Ok", said the midwife, "well it could be that you're in the very early stages of labour, but we'll let the doctor see what the bleeding is about before we do anything else" "They're all insane", I thought. "They'll soon realise I've got food poisoning and send me home once they've sorted out the bleeding".<br /><br />Although I have to admit that reality was slowly starting to dawn. Deep down I think the certainty was there - I know that if they'd tried to send me home I would have refused to move. At about 8am the doctor arrived and asked me to get onto the bed. My cramps had got worse, so I serenely held my hand up to signal "please wait", and continued to rock back and forth, breathing calmly. After asking me twice she started to get tetchy. "I can't examine you in the chair, you need to get on the bed", she snapped. "She understands" , said Dan, "but she's a bit uncomfortable so if you could just wait for it to pass".<br /><br />The doctor huffed for a bit but waited. The cramp started to ease and I did as I'd been told. "Right, I'm just going to examine you with this", she said, waving a speculum in front of my face. "Uh huh", I mumbled. A few brief moments later, and with slight surprise in her voice, I heard her exclaim, "oh – umm – that's the head". There was a rapid movement around me as the two midwives darted to the end of the bed. "Where? Are you sure?" "Yes of course I'm sure. Look, that's hair" Some more fumbling ensued.<br /><br />"Err, I'd say she was at least seven centimetres. Actually, make that eight". There was a sudden flurry of activity as people dashed in and out of the room bringing equipment, a cot, blankets. At least, that's what Dan tells me happened. I was still sort of dozing. The doctor, now more conciliatory, kindly asked me if I'd be more comfortable in thechair. I sat and rocked again. That chair was bliss. The midwives, now back in the room, were thoroughly disconcerted. "How on earth did you do that?" one asked. "How did you get to eight centimetres just by sitting there breathing?" I didn't answer. Again, I just couldn't be bothered. Dan mumbled something about Hypnobirthing and the midwife replied "ah ok. I'll just let you get on with things".<br />Oddly enough, as soon as the doctor had confirmed I was in labour, the cramps felt more intense. After all, I'd had stomach upsets plenty of times before, but I'd never been in labour. I was excited but nervous. This was it. Oh my god, I was having a baby. I lent on the bed and asked Dan to rub my back, while the midwife asked if I'd like gas and air. Overwhelmed, I nodded. I didn't feel that I needed pain relief, but now I knew I was in labour I wanted something there, just in case.<br /><br />I knew that relaxation was the key. I'd been extremely successful so far – the Hypnobirthing was working – and I knew I just needed to maintain my relaxation. I asked Dan to plug me into the iPOD at the same time that the midwives were plugging me onto the monitor, and I switched to the Rainbow Relaxation. It had been sending me to sleep nightly for the past two months. Immediately I started to relax again. The rest of the labour is pretty much a blur. It's not that I'veforgotten it, it's that I just wasn't fully aware of what was going on around me. The time whizzed by – I'd glance at the clock every now and then thinking that five minutes had passed, to find that it was more like twenty-five. The "few minutes" I thought I'd spent leaning on the bed having my back rubbed by Dan later turned out to be three quarters of an hour. During that time the cramps became more intense then eased, on and off but with no rhythm and no discernable pattern. I remember feeling it mostly in my back, and thinking that if I could just get in a comfortable position, my backwould feel better. The wires on the monitors were impeding my movement, and I felt frustrated. In my birthplan I'd requested no continuous monitoring, but I was together enough to realise this was a slightly premature birth and that the rules might have to be different. Besides which, making the request would entail stringing a sentence together and I wasn't sure I wanted to. The midwives were buzzing round behind and underneath me with a torch. They were taking to Dan but with the iPOD on I couldn't make out what was being said and although I was curious, I didn't really care. He told me later that they were telling him a blue line had appeared on my lower back which indicated I'd reached 10centimetres. I was beginning to want to bear down. "Do you feel a little bit pushy?" asked the student midwife"A little" I mumbled.<br /><br />"That's fine, just go with what your body tells you". I continued making teeny little pushes. Disconcerted, I took myfirst suck on the gas and air, partly to distract myself and help with the breathing, partly just to see what it was like. As pain relief it was useless and made no difference whatsoever to the way I felt, but that was ok. I wasn't really in much pain; it was just intense and uncomfortable. I kept hold of the tube anyway. For some reason I found it's presence comforting. Eventually the spasms in my back became more uncomfortable. "I want to kneel on the bed", I said to Dan. They all helped me up, but the position didn't ease things. "We'd just like to examine you again", said the studentmidwife. "Sometimes you can want to push before the cervix is totally dilated and it can cause swelling, so we'd just like to check".<br /><br />"I'd rather not actually", I replied. "I'll just go with what my body is doing – it's worked so far". Dan took the time to explain politely that I wanted to be left alone. The urge to push was getting stronger, I turned over – half on myback and half on my side (I couldn't stand having all the weight on my back) and I started to bear down. The midwives obviously had a good view and were encouraging me along. One of them started rubbing my back. It was bliss. I don't know how long that stage lasted for, although on my notes it's recorded as 53 minutes. It felt more like quarter of an hour.<br /><br />Every so often I'd want to bear down, so I did. In between I rested. The feeling got more and more intense and I could feel that the baby was making her way down. The midwives became more encouraging. "That's it! That's a really nice push! Keep going!" At one point I asked what was happening – where she was. "We can just start to see the head coming – it won't be long now, keep going. Use the pain. Every time you feel the pain use it to push, don't waste it". I glanced at Dan. I wasn't feeling any pain, I was just feeling very full and needing to push. I ignored them and carried on. The intensity peaked as she started to crown. I took more sucks on the gas and air, trying to keep my breathing deep, but I noticed mybreaths were very shaky. "How much can I stretch?" I thought. I'd turned off the Rainbow Relaxation (I'd had it on loop three times) and was just listening to the music. I reminded myself that my body was built to do this, and that it would open for my baby just as it should. "She's doing very well, this is amazing" I heard someone say. "What on earth is it she's listening to?" As she crowned I could feel myself stretching more and more. I started to make a noise. It wasn't down to pain although it WAS uncomfortable and my back was hurting – it was down to determination; I was nervous of how far I could stretch, but I knew I had to keep pushing and I was longing for her to be born. I tried to use the J-breathing but kept forgetting and ended up doing a weird combination where I'd take a breath, hold it and push, thenrealise I shouldn't be doing that and turn it into a J-breath. It seemed to work anyway and the deep breaths were relaxing.<br /><br />"That's it – she's crowning now so it'll feel a bit stingy" said the midwife in response to my shouts and growls. "Use the pain – don't waste it – when the pain comes, use it to push". Again I looked at Dan and rolled my eyes at him in an attempt to tell him that there wasn't any pain. I wasn't feeling contractions, I was just feeling the need to push, coming in waves. Driven on by the encouragement the midwives were giving me ("just a couple more big pushes!"), I gave it everything I had and her head was out. The midwife told me excitedly that I'd done the hard bit now.<br /><br />"Ok, now just rest till you feel the next contraction and then give me a couple of little pushes to get her shoulders out".Well ok, I thought, although I still wasn't feeling contractions and the urge to push had passed, so I rested and waited. Nothing happened. "Do you want to reach down and feel the head?" someone asked me. "No thanks, that'd freak me out" I said and giggled. "I'd rather just concentrate on doing this". They laughed nervously, disconcerted by my sudden communicativeness perhaps. Or maybe by the giggle. "What IS she listening to?" the midwives asked for the umpteenthtime. "It's a Hypnobirthing relaxation thing" Dan tried to explain again.<br />"We'll have to find out more about this", came the reply. I'd still had no urge to push and I could feel a slight impatienceemanating from the opposite end of the bed. "Ah well" I thought, "I'd better just get on and do it". Without waiting for the surges I gave a couple of little pushes, and felt my baby's body slither out. She was plopped down on my chest and I finally got to say hello to my daughter. "Oh Callie, we've got a girl" said Dan through a sudden burst of tears. I looked at her and cried. I was totally elated. "A bad prawn indeed", I said to Dan. "She's not a bad prawn, she's a lovely prawn".Pink and wrinkly, she was beautiful. After the third stage had been completed (a managed delivery – again not on my birthplan which was a disappointment, but again something I wasn't "together" enough to communicate) the midwives turned their attention to getting me to talk. "How the hell did you do that? What were you listening to, what wasit all about?" In my drowsy state I cuddled my baby and tried to briefly explain the Hypnobirthing theory. They looked slightly bemused.<br /><br />"We'll have to find out more about this", they said. "In any case, that was a brilliant birth to start the day with – we've never seen anything like it. You can come again. When you have your second one next year, can you ask for us?"I didn't have the heart to tell them that my husband and I had only ever planned to have one. Although who knows - after such a positive, profound experience I might be dying to do it again. It was 10.45. From the start of my "upset stomach" to delivery, labour had taken six and a half hours - exactly the time I'd thought of when we'd done the visualisation exercise during the Hypnobirthing class. The baby was 6lb 12oz, my pulse had never gone above 70 throughout the entire labour, and my blood pressure and the baby's heartbeat had stayed relaxed and constant. Downstairs I was the talk of the ward for a short while. Dan, who, in genuine awe, had told me several times throughout the labour how amazingly I was doing, filled me in on the details that I'd missed while I'd been in my own head-space.<br /><br />Apparently I'd not made a sound until the crowning stage, when I'd given a few mild shouts. A couple of midwives on the ward popped their heads round the curtain. "We've heard about you!" they said. Before the birth everyone had told about the "amazing and wonderful way" the mind has of forgetting childbirth, and I can only conclude that this theory is a load of nonsense. You don't forget childbirth, you forget a traumatic experience. I might have been in my own zone during labour, and I might not have noticed what everyone else in the room was saying or doing, but I can certainly remember every feeling and every sensation I had when I was birthing my daughter.<br /><br />And I can say with all honestly that my experience is one I'll want to remember and treasure forever.<br />********************<br />2. <em>This is a story from NM:</em><br /><br />"I want to share a birth story from one of my Moms who had a 'Big Baby' (10 lbs. 3 oz)totally natural. Perhaps it iwll be an inspiration for other Moms who have GD [Gestational Diabetes] and big babies.<br /><br />"I am so pleased by my hypnobirthing experience. I did not want my baby to be drugged at birth. I learned alot during the class. Throughout my pregnancy I was seen by prenatal development doctor and nutritionist due to gestational diabetes. ( I was originally referred because I mistakenly told my midwife I have a family history of down syndrome, so they sent me there for genetic testing. I do not have any relatives w/ DS, they have cerebal palsy) These specialists informed me they would induce at about 38 weeks. I informed my midwife I was strongly opposed to induction, and she agreed I could go to term due to the gestational diabetes being at a mild level, and only a low dose of medication was being used to control it. I was scheduled for a Thurs AM. I decided not to go.<br /><br />"I had worked full time up until Tue of that week, and decided it was time to stop working so I could get a couple days rest before baby was born. I had seen an acupunturist about 4 times in the preceeding few weeks to help so I would not need to be induced. She informed me she would have like to see me more rested/stronger for the birth, but worked to get the birth started. I saw her Tue or Wed and she thought I would start surges within the next couple of days. Well again, Thurs I did not show up for the inducement: I tried to weigh a) my desire for a natural birth and b) the medical advise I was given. So I decided to give the baby a couple days more...the weekend. If he was not born by Mon, I would go in for induction. Early Sun April 1, I thought my water released - (it was really the "plug") surges began. OH NO - I did not want him born on "april fool's day".<br /><br />"I had surges for most of the day, they stopped that evening. Then Early Mon AM the water did release...I then knew the difference. Surges began again. I did not want to go to the hospital. My husband finally convinced me to go in (I had called the hospital earlier, and the suggested I come in to be "checked" - to make sure my water really did release - like I didn't know.) I already knew if I went in they would keep me, so I took all my gear and reluctantly went to the hospital. They admitted me around 5pm. Husband goes home - we had planned on him not being there. Called Brenda to let her know I was there...don't rush I'm okay (had been keeping in communication the last two days) .<br /><br />"Surges proceeded thruough the night...Brenda was right there with me every move I made. I was so impressed and thankful. She did an outstanding, wonderful job, I can't say enough about the support she gave me during my birth. At times the surges were pretty intense, but I wouldn't say painful. They were pretty uncomfortable, and I got tired of feeling them, so when they slowed down I did not mind. My midwife was wonderful also. I lucked out that the midwife I saw throughout my pregnancy was on duty during my birth. She knew my wishes and was very good about letting me do it my way.<br /><br />"Because over 24 hrs passed from water release, and irregular, far spaced surges, midwife informed that doctor was pushing for induction. I told her we were going to try some natural stimulation first. I told Brenda 'let me rest for a few minutes, then we'll go for it.' And we did. I positioned myself on the bar and began nipple stimulation which immediatley caused surges to start. These were strong surges that caused a strong pushing urge. My son was very large, and my first child. I was determined to push him out. I took alot of pushes squatting and pushing with everything I had. surge stopped, stand, wait, next surge, squat, push and push and push. Finally Midwife said he's almost under the bone. A few more pushed and down he came. She helped with warm compresses and we slowly brought him down the birth canal to the opening. We slowly worked to make sure there was no tearing, and she did a good job manuvering him out - he had broad shoulders too! Of course Brenda was by my side through it all. What a wonderful birthing experience!<br /><br />"Today my son is 4 months old. very alert, healthy 22 lbs 26 inches 2 teeth, friendly as can be, and tough as nails. I beleive my relaxation, as well as his birth helped him be the good baby he is. He sleeps well, and does not cry for anything really. (I was so proud of him too...he was so strong throughout the long birth - no problems at all with heart rate etc) I knew it could be different, and no one around me beleived I could have and plan a positive birth. They thought because it was my first child, I was dreaming, didn't know what I was talking about...you'll see when you go through it... take the drugs etc...all the stereotypes were there, but I did not let that stop me, and I did have the birthing experience I wanted. It's funny how things happen because I only heard about hypnobirthing when I happened to read an article in a magazine in the doctor's office waiting room when I went with my husband to his appointment. If it wasn't for that article, I may have had to endure a 'typical' birth experience. Boy am I glad I didn't!"<br />**************<br />3. <em>This is a story from Singapore:</em><br /><br />"It was shortly past midnight when I woke up because of regular surges. I knew immediately that that this was the day for our first child to be born. Having waited for almost 42 weeks for him to arrive, I was so excited that I couldn't get back to sleep anymore. I knew it would be sensible to save my energy for the actual labour and birth. Still, I got out of bed, listened to my Hypnobirthing relaxation cds, and regularly checked the time that elapsed between surges. Having heard from a friend of mine that she had just given birth to her first child after only four hours of labour, I felt a bit nervous about how fast things would progress in my case. At 3am my contractions were about 6-8 minutes apart, and I thought I'd better inform Helen, my doula. While speaking to her on the phone, I became aware again that things usually don't happen that fast. So I went back to my relaxation exercises, slowly breathing through every surge, and at some point got up to prepare some snacks to take to the hospital. I called Helen again at 6 o'clock, and she came to our place to see how I was doing. Two hours later the surges had become more intense, and I felt that we should go to the hospital.<br /><br />"My husband, Helen and I arrived at the hospital shortly past 8 o'clock. I settled myself in the bathtub as soon as it had filled up, not knowing then that I was to spend more than 5 hours in the water. While in the tub, I was breathing throughmy surges and relaxing in between. We had brought along some soothing music that was playing in the background. I felt very calm and focused on what was going on within my body. I didn't feel any pain, but experienced the surges as tension in my pelvis and later in my lower back. I was most comfortable kneeling in the tub, because my tailbone would start aching as soon as I tried to sit. The only sensation of pain that I felt during labour resulted from cramps in my legs. My body was just not used to kneeling in a bathtub for a long time. During the last couple hours of labour I felt the urge tobear down. When it was time for birthing, I found myself in a rather strange position for a water birth. Because of my sore tailbone I was not able to sit or lean against my lower back, at the same time I was trying to avoid another cramp in my leg. Thus I supported myself on my arms, hips raised up almost horizontally and legs braced against the side of the bathtub. Sensing that I could stay neither in this position nor in the tub much longer, I pushed rather hard for the baby to emerge. Finally, he was born, and my doctor passed him to me.<br /><br />"Looking back to that day, I'm still amazed at all the little wonders that life holds for women when giving birth. It is amazing how a woman's body opens up naturally to let a baby pass out into the world. When giving birth I found it very easy to go deep within my body, forgetting about time and people around me. I'm glad that with the antenatal Hypnobirthing course that I took, I had learned to focus on the positive aspects of birth, expecting a naturally easy,calm and safe birth without pains. My husband, Helen, and my doctor all helped me to create exactly this experience, for which I'm verygrateful."<br /><br />4. <em>This story is from Florida (a 2nd time mom):</em><br /><br />"I just had to share the amazing birth I attended earlier this morning...<br /><br />"I met mom at the hospital at 12:30 AM, she was 4 cm and 100% effaced. Mom was chatting, rarely even stopping to breathe through her surges. We went for a long walk around 1:30 AM. She finally stopped talking through her surges, but did not stop walking. She kept telling me that she was feeling really GREAT, really in touch with the process. When we would pass by the nurses station, I kept getting the impression that they didn't think she was really active yet ;)<br />"At 2AM her water bag released with a BIG gush. She wanted to shower as she felt really messy from the big splash. In the shower she whispers that she feels the need to change her breathing. I assist her back to the bed after the shower and onto her hands and knees.? The husband goes to tell the nurse (who by the way is pregnant, just took the HB course AND is now having a homebirth!) that we think she is close, to please notify her midwife who was already in the hospital.<br /><br />"Mom is quiet, still on her hands and knees, and whispers "a little something is coming out"...I pull back the towel expecting more fluid/show to find her beautiful baby girl's head born!? Midwife slides in, no gloves and catches. Baby born at 2:13 AM, 13 minutes after SROM [Spontaneous Release of Membranes). Perfect in every possible way!<br /><br />"Our expectant nurse was tearful, and kept repeating 'a little something coming out...oh my gosh...I'm doing it this way...HB is great!'"<br /><br />5. <em>This is a story from Utah (a natural breech Hypnobirth!):</em><br /><br />"MY BIRTH STORY<br />"This was my second baby—with my first birthing being a wonderful experience using HypnoBirthing. After becoming a HypnoBirthing Practitioner during this pregnancy, I was excited to birth my second son. After my 40 week appointment, I began to have surges throughout the day. I was already 4 cm (almost 5 cm) open at the office but I continued using HypnoBirthing imagery and relaxation throughout the day.<br /><br />"Later that evening, my surges became more intense and we decided to head over to the hospital as I listened to music and more imagery in the car. We arrived at the hospital a little before 7 p.m. "When the nurse checked me, I was 6.5 cm. She proceeded to admit me and then the midwife came into the room and checked me again. I was then 8.5 cm, but...she wasn't sure it was a head that she felt. So they got the ultrasound out which showed that the baby was, indeed, breech.<br /><br />She called the attending doctor as we decided what we wanted to do. I was, of course, worried…especially since (being a labor and birthing nurse), I knew that usually, a breech presentation will mean a cesarean section. However, my doctor was one of the few in that hospital who will actually deliver a breech baby and gave me the option to decide (a live example of how important choosing your provider is). The midwife asked me what I wanted to do and I told her I would like to try delivering vaginally.<br /><br />"They took me to the Operating Room and I was progressing so rapidly, that by the time the doctor arrived, I was completely opened with bulging membranes. They released my membranes and I breathed down about three times before our beautiful baby boy arrived—bottom first! It was 8:05 p.m. The midwife, doctor, and nurses were allamazed that I did so well through it all, using HypnoBirthing, and despite the disturbance in my ideal situation (the OR was quite bright and I didn't bring in my music or anything that I had practiced). "This was the first unmedicated vaginal breech delivery at this hospital in TEN years! It was a beautiful experience, with absolutely no complications—not even a tear! I couldn't have done it without HypnoBirthing!!"Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-56877049975813767812012-03-31T16:56:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:57:23.664-07:00Refuse an Ultrasound??This post will appear in two phases: First, I will introduce this topic; Then, I will follow-up with some articles and information for you to gather your own decision about this intervention. Intervention? Yes, ultrasound really IS an intervention. And, I hope that through this particular post, you will reconsider whether having an ultrasound is the best choice for you. I don't intend to convince you to NOT have an ultrasound, just to ask questions, do research, and decide for yourself.<br /><br />The truth is, ultrasound does have risks. Even though it is used routinely during pregnancy, and can be a valuable bonding tool, it is worthwhile to weigh the risks and the benefits. To do this, you must consider how this procedure will help you to bond with your unborn baby...how it will inform you of his or her health...what this information will influence you to do as a result...and whether this procedure is a 'Rite of Passage' or a medical non-necessity.<br /><br />What would your pregnancy be like without an ultrasound, its resultant pictures and the information it provides?? How would your peace of mind be affected? How can you justify the potential negative "side-effects" to your baby, in light of these considerations?Follow the links below to learn more about what the experts say about ultrasound...<br /><br />LINKS:<br />Here is a document detailing the American Academy of Family Physicians' Indications for Ultrasound: (According to the AAFP, these are the reasons an ultrasound should be performed.) <a href="http://www.comfortablebirthing.com/aafp_ultrasound.doc">www.comfortablebirthing.com/aafp_ultrasound.doc</a><br /><br />"FDA Cautions Against Ultrasound 'Keepsake' Images," By Carol Rados: <a href="http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_images.html">http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_images.html</a><br /><br />Ultrasound of Early Pregnancy (Creighton University Medical Center): <a href="http://radiology.creighton.edu/pregnancy.htm">http://radiology.creighton.edu/pregnancy.htm</a><br /><br />Ultrasound Scans - Cause for Concern (Dr. Sarah Buckley): <a href="http://www.birthlove.com/free/ultrasound.html">http://www.birthlove.com/free/ultrasound.html</a><br /><br />Ultrasound - More Harm Than Good? (Marsden Wagner / Midwifery Today): <a href="http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasoundwagner.asp?q=ultrasound">http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasoundwagner.asp?q=ultrasound</a>Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-37639581588580887372012-03-31T16:55:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:56:15.295-07:00"Painless Childbirth: The Lamaze Method" (Lamaze); A book reviewIf Dr. Grantley Dick-Read is the father of natural childbirth, then Fernand Lamaze is probably the uncle. He is arguably our society's most recognized expert and forerunner on the subject, and it all started with the book, Painless Childbirth. I recently picked this book up for the first time and I was surprised at the depth of knowledge that it contained, both from a physiological and philosophical perspective. Being trained as a HypnoBirthing instructor, I was always taught that painless childbirth was inherently natural and normal, although the promise of such an experience was beyond the scope of an instructor such as myself. That said, Lamaze was presented as a hopeless optimist, one who indeed brought useful ideas, techniques and outcomes to many women and families, but who varied slightly in his approach--as one would who started a movement, but did not see it through to complete fruition. This book has given me a new and different perspective on Lamaze, one that presents his philosophy and life's work as nothing less than extraordinary.<br /><br />This book talks about several pertinent topics in great detail and frequency--hypnosis, the nervous system's role in pain and the physiology of childbirth. First, hypnosis is mentioned by Lamaze several times throughout the book (particularly at the beginning in Chapter 1, where hypnosis is presented in the traditional sense as an analgesic technique for relieving pain. Hypnotic concepts, similar to those taught in Hypnobirthing classes, are also mentioned, although not given names. This content was most fascinating! He describes how the brain works with the nervous system to create conditioned reflexes (such as that discovered by Pavlov's salivating dogs) and a concept called reciprocal induction (also by Pavolv). Conditioned reflexes can be likened to the practice that Hypnobirthing moms use for relaxation, so that by the time labor comes, she knows exactly how to breathe and to move her body, and her body responds in-kind. Reciprocal induction is similar to what I understand to be pacing (focusing on a present-moment visual, auditory or kinesthetic reality). According to Lamaze, this activity in the body/mind "distracts" the mind from focusing on one sensation (e.g., surges) or one mind-set (or thought process) such as an assigned meaning that is given to that sensation (e.g., surges will hurt). He also describes the neurology behind the focus on typical Lamaze "distractions"--the purpose of focusing on other sensations and thoughts is not to take the mind away from it, per say, but to initiate the function that allows all other thoughts and functions to fade into the background.<br /><br />This function is the physiological mirror to "The mind can only hold one thought at a time." According to Lamaze, when a mom in labor chooses to focus on the physical sensations of her breathing, and the thoughts that accompany that action, the brain automatically puts more energy into that one function, while all other functions, though still happening, are allowed to proceed without undue attention. In the case of labor, those "other" functions would be the surging uterus, resulting in the brain's lack of ability to register pain.<br /><br />That is a great start, but that isn't all. There's more to it. Lamaze also talks about the effect of words and emotion in the presence of pain, and spends a chapter discussing the contributions of Grantley Dick-Read to the philosophy of painless childbirth experiences. According to Lamaze, Dick-Read's work (presupposing that pain in labor and birthing is a cause of a macrosomic devergence from more primitive, animal-like birthing practices, caused by fear and creating fear-tension-pain) was important, but lack's the attention to the modern day woman who lives in a civilized world where pain in birth is real. I think it's an important distinction, because Lamaze goes further to say that there are other reasons why moms in labor are uncomfortable, and that all of these reasons need to be addressed. In my mind, HypnoBirthing is a perfect blend of these two approaches, in that it does address all of the contributing factors to discomfort.<br /><br />Lamaze's book goes on to describe the actual labor and birthing process, with very detailed physiology. Please keep in mind that this book was written in the 1950's, which makes it a bit dated as far as birthing techniques go. It reminds me of Bradley's work in some instances, because it teaches techniques such as valsava's maneuver (a.k.a., purple pushing, forced pushing, closed-glottis pushing), which have found to be unnecessary and even harmful (to the pelvic floor) in modern studies. Without the help of the most modern science, these early natural birth advocates can be seen only as early pioneers or contributors--although, they are great ones, at that. Our modern practices are riding on the coattails of these amazing early philosophies.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-58876497562497866722012-03-31T16:54:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:55:07.923-07:00Efren's Birth<em>This is a beautiful birth story from a mom who took my HypnoBirthing class in 2007. Enjoy! -Cindy</em><br /><br />I woke up on my birthday (September 27th) thinking about how nice it would be to have the whole day off, to relax and run some errands, and especially about the delicious mac & cheese I was going to have for my birthday dinner at the fancy French restaurant. When 10 am rolled around and I was still in the house with no interest in leaving the house I started to get suspicious that something might be happening. My due date was the day before, but for some reason (mainly wishful thinking daydreaming of having a few days off) I really thought my baby would be coming on Saturday. At any rate, around 11am the contractions started, nothing too intense, but consistent at about 10 minutes apart. I remember thinking how I was supposed to eat up and drink tons of liquids to have energy for labor, but I wasn’t hungry and didn’t really feel like food (another sure sign something was happening). I forced down half a bowl of pasta, ate a Cliff bar, drank lots of water, and called Armand to let him know what was going on. At this point I had no real idea of how long the labor would last (a pediatrician at work who gave birth the week before was having contractions every 5 minutes for two days before giving birth!), but knew I wanted Armand with me so when he asked if I wanted him to come home I said yes. I also gave Bethany a call letting her know, the plan was that she would hop on a plane from San Francisco when I started labor so she could make it here in time for the birth. She was driving to work when I called and she turned around, went home and grabbed a bag and hopped on the first flight to Chicago. When Armand made it home I was still having contractions every 10 minutes apart, and he made sure I had plenty of fluids and helped me as I tried various labor positions trying to find a comfortable position. I had him play one of my favorite calming records – an old National Geographic album “Music of Hawaii.” Soon the contractions were 5 minutes apart, and after about 20 minutes of this I called Jen Benson, a friend and a midwife in the practice I had been going to for prenatal care. Jen said she could come check me after she finished seeing patients at the clinic, I said great. The goal was to labor at home for as long as possible to be comfortable at home and to avoid showing up at the hospital at only 3 or 4 centimeters and then having a long hospital labor with possible unnecessary interventions. Initially we had hoped for a homebirth but after finding out that my insurance wouldn’t cover it we decided the next best option would be a hospital birth center with a great practice of midwives. <br /><br />When I spoke to Jen on the phone I told her I was starting to have a lot of low back pressure with the contractions and she suggested a hot shower with water pressure on the low back. I tried this, which helped some. Armand and I had taken a great hypnobirthing class with the goal of training my body to go into deep relaxation through breathing and visualization techniques among other things. He was trying to help me visualize being at the Laguna de Apoyo in Nicaragua (one of my most favorite places in the world - calm, peaceful, beautiful), floating in the laguna surrounded by tropical forests, blue skies and the howler monkeys. For some reason as hard as I tried I couldn’t picture myself at the laguna, it seemed too abstract, and my mind kept coming back to one of the visualization exercises in our hypnobirthing class that I honestly thought was pretty corny – “picture your uterus as blue satin ribbons”. So that is what I did, and I think because it was something easy, direct and tangible the blue satin ribbons helped after all!<br /><br />At a certain point in labor all I wanted to do was get in bed and play the hypnobirthing CD we had been listening to (or more appropriately falling asleep to) for the past two months. We laid in bed and listened to the CD which had the birth affirmations and rainbow relaxation exercise. I asked Armand to push on my low back to provide counterpressure whenever I had a contraction. He asked how he would know I was having a contraction (I wasn’t very verbal at this point, mainly focusing on breathing and relaxing), and I told him I would lift my hand up so he would know. Sometime during the rainbow relaxation I felt the counterpressure Armand was giving stop – Armand got too relaxed and fell asleep so I had to wake him up in order to get him to push on my low back! Close to 6:30pm I had a few contractions which felt completely different than the contractions up until that point. It felt like my baby was trying to push itself out. As we were still at home and the plan was to go to the hospital I was a little nervous and asked Armand to call Jen and find out how close she was, it turns out she was only two blocks away, hallelujah! She luckily found a parking spot right in front and came upstairs to check me. When she walked in the door I told her “I think this baby is coming.” She checked me and I was fully dilated and +2 (I learned that +2 means the baby’s head is right at the gate ready to come out). Jen said, “We have two options, we can either go to the nearest emergency room or have this baby here.” I voted for the second option, there was no way I was leaving my bed at that point. I knew Jen had never attended a home birth (although she had caught many many babies in the hospital), but I felt calm and secure and knew I was in great hands. And as luck (or manna) would have it, Jen being the super prepared person that she is (she says she aspires to be the ‘Sydney Bristow’ of midwives) had packed a little kit of the most essential home birth items and had been carrying it around in her car for the past three weeks ‘just in case’.<br />Jen decided to call Carrie, another midwife in the practice, who lives in Evanston just a few minutes away, to see if she could come assist as backup. When Jen was telling her the situation on the phone Armand overheard Carrie say “It’s that damn hypnobirthing!” as to how fast the labor progressed. She was eating dinner with her family when Jen called and arrived at our place 15 minutes later. Armand gathered some plastic, clean towels for the bed and a metal salad bowl for the placenta.<br /><br />I was on my side in the bed with Armand and Carrie helping to support my leg. With each contraction I focused on breathing and relaxing (and trying not to curl my toes under) and letting the process of birth happen. Jen and Carrie asked if I wanted to touch my baby’s head and I immediately had a huge smile and the excitement of anticipation of finally meeting the baby who had been living and growing inside of me for so long. It didn’t occur to me to push with the contractions because no one was telling me to push, and I thought “I’m sure they will tell me to push when I need to.” Once Efren’s head was halfway out Jen said “Okay, you need to push, come welcome your baby into the world.” It seemed like I got about two good pushes in and he came squirming out! What an intense rush of overwhelming emotion and excitement incomparable to anything else you can think of. If I recall correctly the only thing I could verbalize at the moment was a very loud “Baby!” Armand’s hands caught him with Jen’s assist (yes, we discovered for the first time then that it was a boy) and put him on my chest. They cleaned him off with a towel and I got to snuggle with him on my chest, overcome with awe and amazement and love for this little creature Armand and I had been blessed with.<br /><br />Soon after Armand got to cut the cord and not too long after that the placenta came. Everything was healthy and normal and was on a wonderful natural high from the birth. Words are inadequate to describe the whole of the experience, but it was beautiful and peaceful and perfect and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.<br /><br />Within an hour after the birth Bethany arrived, as did Armand’s mom Sue and sister Consuela (Armand had to call everyone and tell them to come to our house instead of the hospital!), and Gwen came with a portable baby scale she borrowed from her clinic so we could weigh our new little guy, Efren Gabriel Rogers Esai, born at 7:18pm, 19 inches long and weighing 7 lbs 5 oz. We spent the rest of the evening at home surrounded by the abundant love and care of family and friends.Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-13008508312797536352012-03-31T16:53:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:53:58.698-07:00Birth Story<em>Here is a birth story from a 2nd-time mom in one of my classes. Notice her description of the sensations of Nearing Completion (*) and the power of suggestion by the OB (**). </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>(Of course, we are glad that the OB suggested that the birth would take 15 minutes with one birthing option, but my HypnoBirthing side doesn't applaud the doc about the suggestion for a 5 hour birthing phase with breathing down! Sounds like it definitely would NOT have taken that long...!)</em><br /><br />Our “due date” was March 25, but I avoided telling people that date like the plague. I would just say “the end of March” in an attempt to avoid having everyone ask me why I was still there if the date passed with no baby (my son was 5 days “late”). I went to work on Monday, March 24. I had been having practice labor off and on for weeks. I had declined all internals since they had no medical purpose for me, and also so that I wouldn’t obsess about something that had no bearing whatsoever on when I would give birth. I finally got an indication that something was happening when I noticed a tiny bit of mucus on one of my dozens of trips to the ladies’ room. With my son, I lost the uterine seal all at once, so this was something different for me.<br /><br />We got home that evening, and went to bed around 10:00. As we lay down, I said that maybe we should call our friend who was going to watch our son when we went to the hospital – just to give him a heads up. I almost didn’t say anything since I would have felt foolish for bothering him if this weren’t really it. So my husband called him, and we went to sleep. Between 10:00 and 1:00, I woke up twice feeling the surges, but was able to just go the bathroom and go back to sleep. At 1:30, I finally got up. I didn’t want to wake my husband just yet, so I got onto ContractionMaster to gauge how far apart and how long they were. I didn’t want to obsess over it, but since it was my second baby, I also didn’t want to wait too long. I was also positive for Group B strep, and wanted to make sure I was able to get the antibiotics in enough time. I timed for about an hour, and they were 4-6 minutes apart and about 1min 10sec each. I was also having a lot of “show”. The contractions were strong enough that I had to breathe through them, so we called our doula around 2:30 a.m. to let her know that we were in labor.<br /><br />I called my OB around 6:00 to let her know that we would be coming in. I actually work for the hospital, and our daycare opened at 6:30 and was right next to the hospital, so I really wanted to wait to leave so that at least I wouldn’t worry about our son getting there.<br /><br />We dropped our son off at daycare around 7:00, parked the car and walked the 4 blocks to the hospital. When we got there, I was checked in triage and found to be 5.5 cm – I forget how effaced I was, but the opening was enough to get us up to L&D around 8:00. Our doula met us there, and I spent the next 7.5 hours mostly on the birthing ball with my husband sitting on the bed behind me to steady the ball and our doula sitting in front of me holding my hands. My husband talked to me almost nonstop the whole time, which I needed in order to stay relaxed. He didn’t use the exercises really, but he recited a lot of the birthing prompts over and over, and added his own encouraging words. When I would break out of it, to go to the bathroom or answer questions from the nurse, etc. the surges were much harder to manage. When I would have a surge while my husband was speaking to me, I was able to ride it out much more easily. I was even nodding off in between them.<br /><br />By about 2:00, I was starting to get tired, both from lack of sleep and from the surges. They still weren’t completely unbearable, but despite hypnobirthing suggestions, they were getting painful. I had not admitted to anyone (including myself) but I think a part of me was still convinced that, like my first birth, I would use the techniques to get to a certain point, and then get the epidural. Now that I was getting to that point, I was starting to lose my Happy Thoughts. My husband and doula were so encouraging. I laid on the bed for a while and listened to Rainbow Relaxation – and I actually dozed in and out between surges. I agreed to be checked again around 3:30, and was 8.5 cm. They offered to break the membranes to hurry her along, but I declined. Partly I was worried about feeling even MORE pressure, even though knew that I’d have to go through that pressure in order to get her out.<br /><br />They left the room, and I rolled on my side in the bed and listened to the Rainbow Relaxation again, and that’s when my waters released. WOW! I felt a HUGE gush and actually thought I’d pooped all over myself. *At that point, I told them I wanted the epidural. I was just crying and shaking all over and saying how I’d tried but I’d had enough. They called everyone back in and my OB checked me. She said that she knew how much I wanted this and how great we had done, and then she said…. If I didn’t get the epi, I would probably have the baby out in 15-30 minutes. I had wanted to use the Breathing Down techniques we learned in our Hypnobirthing class, but the OB said that she had a mother the day before use that technique and it took her 5 hours to birth the baby**. Whether it was true or she just wanted to go home, I don’t know, but that’s all I needed to hear – I was going to push. Also, the baby had passed the meconium and I wanted to have her taken care of.<br /><br />They got ready, and I felt a surge coming, and started to push. I could feel her beginning to move down the birth path, but I was having trouble focusing. I didn’t want to listen to anyone, I just wanted this to be done and over. I got to the point where her head was almost out, and thought, “There’s the ring of fire!” I barely noticed that though, because now the pressure was incredibly intense. Somewhere in my mind I thought I had better take a break so I had time to stretch and not tear. I stopped pushing for a second, and then resumed with the next contraction. I think it was at that point that I was yelling pretty loudly at my daughter – I’m not proud of it, but I was ready to be DONE, so I kept shouting “CLAIRE!” much to everyone’s amusement. I guess most women yell at the father, not the baby! She was finally born at 4:50 p.m. – after 15 minutes of pushing. Her head was actually round, not cone-shaped, since she came out so quickly. Claire Alethia weighed 8lb 2oz and was 19.5" long.<br /><br />I had two tears – one very small near the perineum and one about 1 cm long on the upper side. Yeah, not fun (especially getting stitched up!), but I actually haven’t had any pain from them. Claire is a great nurser once she gets going, and we are so glad to have our family all together at last.<br /><br />DonnaCindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-18893218710975453982012-03-31T16:50:00.001-07:002012-04-02T16:52:35.624-07:00So Much Ado About Pushing!As a HypnoBirther, all of this Broo-Ha-Ha about pushing babies out really makes me mad. It makes me mad that the 2nd stage of labor (the birthing phase) is called "the pushing phase" or "time to push." It makes me mad that providers tell HypnoBirthing moms that babies can't be born without pushing. And it really, really makes me mad that providers and nurses YELL at moms to push while she is birthing. That one makes me so mad that it affects me physically, viscerally.<br /><br />But who am I to tell parents what to do? Who is Marie Mongan? Who is the HypnoBirthing Institute? Especially when your highly educated doctor or midwife (who is <em>supposed</em> to know the research and the biology of birth) is so untrusting.<br /><br />Well, consider this:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.hencigoer.com/">Henci Goer</a> suggests that moms think in terms of breathing their babies through the birth path, rather than pushing, in her <em>The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth</em>.</li><li><a href="http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/">Laura Shanley</a>, author of <em>Unassisted Childbirth</em>, wrote an amazing article about this same topic called "<a href="http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/inspired/river.html">Don't Push the River, It Flows By Itself</a>." It includes some amazing advice from professionals such as <a href="http://www.inamay.com/">Ina May Gaskin</a>.</li></ul>So, what is a mom to do? It sure is tough. Not birthing, I mean. It is tough to do what your body wants to do, to follow your instincts, when everyone around you is advising (or yelling at or guilt-tripping) you otherwise.<br /><br />Babies are born beautifully and calmly if mom just lets her body do all the work. Trust the process. Follow this advice: "Purina's Handbook of Cat Care advises owners to <strong>pet the laboring cat reassuringly and leave her on her own</strong>. She may stay in the box; on the other hand, don't be surprised if she doesn't. <strong>The best thing to do at this point is to do nothing</strong>. <strong>Keep quiet and do not attempt to help her </strong>- it's her problem. Mother nature usually takes over at this point and it is amazing to see how she goes about doing what comes naturally."<br /><br />Breathe your baby down. I know you can do it. And I know you will <em>LOVE IT</em>!<br /><br />And, after you do, please..<span style="font-style: italic;">.TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT</span><em></em>!Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-80925447642435572762012-03-31T16:45:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:45:50.852-07:00"Baby's Choice" Story<em>A "Baby's Choice" birth story:</em><br /><br />One of the many couples I taught HypnoBirthing to (this one took the class this past spring) didn't have a doula. I was already contracted with the other couple from the same class, so after their baby was born (before their guess date), I said, as I say to most of the couples in my classes, "Call me when you're in labor. If I'm available, I'll come." That was the arrangement. I was thrilled because they planned to birth at the West Suburban Hospital ABC, one of the most natural-birth-friendly environments in town and only about 20 minutes from my new home.<br /><br />So, they called one night around 6:30pm. Labor was starting; Dad said, "We're either experiencing some really intense practice labor, or things are starting," and surges were about 7 minutes apart. He said they didn't quite want me there yet, but we agreed that we should touch base by 10/10:30 if not before.<br /><br />So, Dad called at 9pm. Things were really intense, he said--surges 2 minutes apart. TWO MINUTES APART??! There was blood. Okay, I said, that's totally normal, what has the midwife said? He said the midwife told him that she was in early labor and it could take a while. I suggested he talk to them again and said, "You should probably start thinking about going to the hospital". I asked if Mom was staying calm, and he hesitated. I saw this as a sign that things were intense for this normally very laid-back couple. I assured them that it can be very intense when things start happening fast (as it sounded like they were). I told him to help her focus on her breathing, relax her belly, take a shower, take it step by step. We hung up as Dad was going to call the midwives.<br /><br />20 minutes later, another call...Dad said they were headed to the hospital. I agreed to meet them there.<br /><br />Exactly 7 minutes later, while I'm in the car with my sweetheart (who agreed to give me a ride), heading to the hospital, Dad calls and says he can see the baby's head (and he said it was pointy). He's definitely nervous. Wow! I said, that's fine, just stay calm--it's normal for the head to be "pointy" (it's the molding, of course). At some point he put me on speakerphone. I say to mom, "Just keep doing what you're doing, you're doing great!" Next thing I know, he says something about the baby's eyes. She says the baby is coming out. I say something about "just let him come" (all I could think to say), and while whispering expletives ("The baby is being born right now!") and slapping my chauffeur on the arm, I hear mom grunting and the baby being born. I hear, "What is it? It's a boy! Oh, baby..." and then I hear the familiar cries of a newborn baby. Dad asks what to do, is he okay? I said as long as he is breathing and crying and turning pink, he is fine. We talked briefly about what to do next (Call 911? Call midwives?) and I told him to call his midwives. This was a 5-minute conversation!<br /><br />Since we didn't get far from home, I dropped my chauffeur and went directly to their house--a 20 minute drive. Baby looks amazingly good (pink, calm, cozy), still connected to the cord, and mom is lying in bed in a mess of blood and tissue! And all I can think about is getting a bowl for the placenta (which had not appeared yet)--I was obsessed with getting a bowl. I found a pot. About 5 minutes after I arrived, the paramedics arrived. Mom & Dad went to the closest hospital (not where they were planning) and the placenta was soon born, breastfeeding initiated...and all was well.<br /><br />Wow. Really, there are no other words.<br /><br />I am in total awe of this amazing woman who felt her own baby emerging between her legs and was able to follow her body and birth the way she & nature intended.<br /><br />And I just can't express fully how much joy I feel when I realize that this wonderful man was this Mom's sole birthing attendant...and that he <em>received his own baby!</em><br /><br />Now, I just want to add that, after speaking to this couple a few weeks after the birth and reminiscing together, that Mom now knows that she was laboring all day long. As is common with HypnoBirthing moms, she just chilled out and didn't think much of it. When they called me, things really started getting intense. Their midwives did not believe them, that labor was really moving as fast as it was. They assumed their calm demeanor and lack of discomfort or drama could only mean very early labor. Boy, were they wrong!Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-73260126865678479702012-03-31T16:44:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:44:36.712-07:00Deeply Ingrained - Even for an MD<em>The following is a series of emails that was shared with us by Lorne Campbell, MD--you'll recognize him as the Family Physician who wrote the Foreward to our book,</em> HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method<em>. He is the doctor with the "Take this hand, put it in your pocket, take this hand, put it in your other pocket, now step back and watch," method of teaching new doctors to attend births. Notice how even this well-trained doctor/mom has a hard time releasing her previous conditioning about birth.<br /><br />Also notice how Mom's disbelief about the reality of labor and how thoughts about how "breathing down didn't work" are very similar to what I hear from many of YOU! It's very deeply ingrained in our culture. Very deep.<br /><br />Note: Names, Dates and locations have been intentionally eliminated to allow anonymity.</em><br /><br />This is a series of emails that IHave exchanged with X, a Family Physician in [city]. I trained her to attend at births and X taught to HypnoBirth. She had a successful HypnoBirth on Sunday.Pay attention to her language to see how dificult it is to release old beliefs that are deeply held. Remember this when working with medical people.<br />Lorne<br /><br />[From the Mom:]<br /><br />X was born Sunday August X at [time] to X and X! Labor was induced by pitocin for X's high blood pressure but there were no problems or complications. We planned for a water birth and decided to get in the tub around 8 cm, 6 pm Saturday night, but X became so relaxed in the tub with the pitocin off that labor stopped completely so we had to get out of the tub and birth on "dry land." We used hypnosis for relief of pain which was very effective, and I really only experienced a low back ache. The final half hour or so of pushing was unbelievable hard work, but the reward was great with a healthy 9 pound 7.4 ounce 20 inch baby boy! (Wow thats alot of baby).<br />Pictures attached.<br />Love,X, X & X<br /><br />Campbell, Lorne wrote: Congratulations[Baby] is beautifulI posted his picture here and everybody says her looks like you. I think he looks like a baby. Now you know why I said that birth does not hurt. There was no pain relief. You just did not cause abnormal labor.<br />Lorne<br /><br />[From the Mom]:<br /><br />Youre right. It never even occured to me to ask for pain medication, and until the final pushing stage which was relatively short, I do not even recall feeling anything like a "contraction" even though they apperared on the monitor.I kept asking if the pitocin was expired. I didnt even need any cues for handling "surges" because I never felt any until the very end.<br /><br />I requested induction friday because my two best friends were in town through Sunday and I really wanted them present to support me and X while I was in labor. I am so glad I did because it made a huge difference in my ability to relax and enjoy the process. They brought music and we spent most of labor dancing to the soundtrack of Hairspray which was hilarious, and when I needed help getting to the bathoom or backrubs, they were able to help so X could get some periods of sleep, allowing him to enjoy it so much more. X was amazing, she stayed at the hospital with us from Friday night when we arrived all the way to delivery Sunday midnight and my postpartum check Sunday morning. The only thiing I would have done differently would have been to let her break my water Saturday midnight when she offered instead of waiting till Saturday 11 am, since I probably would have finished about 12 hours sooner. I did not go into active labor until she did that Saturday.<br /><br />The principles of de-programming all the incorrect things I had learned in training about pain, and doing fear release was really all I needed, not the actual hypnosis. I hadnt fully released the fear of tearing, and as a result I struggled to push effectively near the end. I think "breathing down" is good but probably did not work for me because I was not fully relaxed by that point. In the last few minutes I could read the body language of my nurse and midwife. I could see without looking at the strip that there were deep decelerations on the monitor as I tried to help the baby past the symphysis pubis and she was doing scalp stim. At this point I got determined, let go of my fear of tearing, and brought out some much more effective pushes.<br /><br />Had I not had the fear of tearing in my mind beginning the pushing stage it probably would have required alot less pushing altogether as my perineum would have stayed more relaxed. The most helpful thing [the doctor] said to me then was that it was not how strongly I pushed, but how long I pushed that mattered. With this I was less afraid of tearing and able to hold the push twice as long with great results. I had a very minor 2nd degree tear which took no time to sew, I didnt notice the lidocaine or sewing and was able to bond and nurse while it was done. I have had no continence issues, no discomfort with bowel movements, and have only taken motrin 2-3 times for perineal soreness. I did feel like I had the crap beat of of me the next two days. I think this was intercostal/oblique muscle soreness from my initial ineffective pushing. By day 4 I started feeling like myself again and am feeling better everyday. We are really enjoying our "babymoon". We spent almost on hour last night laughing in bed hysterically at all the faces he makes in his sleep. Leaving the phones off was the best advice also.<br /><br />Thank you so much for introducing us to hypnobirthing in residency. I am already looking forward to my next birth. After delivering my almost 10 pounder, next time I want a 7 pound girl in the birthing tub ;)<br /><br />Please send us your new email in the fall when you get to [city] so we can keep in touch. Hopefully we will make our way up north again in the next 2-3 years.<br />X<br /><br />Campbell, Lorne wrote:<br /><br />Next birth do a fear release around the issue of pushing. There is no need to push. It actually slows the birth down. Pushing involves the pelvic floor muscles tightening. This impedes the movement of the head along the birth path. Next time breathe the baby down. Give up all of the residual bad things you learned about birthing. You are too smart to believe the crap you were taught. I would like to forward this email to other HypnoBirth practitioners so they may learn.<br />Lorne<br /><br />[From the Mom]:<br /><br />ok. You are welcome to forward the email. I will probably type it into a 1 page story to give to X to keep for her collection of stories also. I will forward you that sometime.Thanks again.<br />X<br /><br />Campbell, Lorne wrote :<br /><br />Do Not answer my email. Get off the computer and enjoy being a mom. Happy Babymoon. Thank you<br />LorneCindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-68054554081082074792012-03-31T16:43:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:43:30.284-07:00Quote from Midwifery TodayWe must relearn to trust the feminine, to trust women and their bodies as authoritative regarding the children they carry and the way they must birth them. When women and their families make their own decisions during pregnancy, when they realize their own wisdom regarding birth and its place in their lives, they have a foundation of confidence and sensitivity that will not desert them as parents.<br /><br />There is an inverse relationship between the amount of technology used in a woman's birth and her subsequent self-esteem: The greater the number of interventions, the less well she regards herself postpartum. On the other hand, women happy with themselves in birth eagerly go on to embrace the responsibilities of mothering. The triumph of birthing on their own terms leads to new depths of self-love and self-respect, emotions readily translated to their babies.<br /><br />— Elizabeth DavisExcerpted from "Autonomy at Work: Woman-Centered Birth and Midwifery," Midwifery Today, Issue 42<br /><br />Forwarded to me by:<br />Jennifer West, LM,CPM,HBCE,TBMP,CST,CH, <a href="http://www.tubsntea.com/">www.tubsntea.com</a>, Albuquerque, NMCindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1293068019286105711.post-64048551761979904262012-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:002012-04-02T16:42:41.154-07:00"In Support of Baby's Choice"Thanks to Marie Mongan, who found this excerpt taken from “Emergency Childbirth”, a manual written for Chicago’s fire and police departments, by Dr. Gregory White:<br /><br /><em>Note: Italicized text indicates a note or emphasis by Marie Mongan.</em><br /><br />Perhaps the most important thing for the lay assistant to know is that labor and the delivery of a child are normal functions, which Nature always tends to complete successfully. Statistics show a loss of less than one mother in three-thousand, less than one baby in a hundred—and these statistics are for all deliveries, including those in large hospitals, and, therefore, include mothers who have been ill for years and premature babies too tiny to live. An attendant without medical training, called upon suddenly to assist at a birth, should have results at least as good, if not better, as those of the hospitals because he/she is usually dealing with the least complicated cases. Mothers who have been ill for some time are ordinarily hospitalized.<br /><br />The women who deliver in taxicabs, ambulances, and police squad cars <em>(or, unexpectedly at home)</em> are usually those with short labors, and these are nearly always easy, normal deliveries. Since the babies in these circumstances are not suffering from the effect of anesthetics or pain-relieving drugs given to the mother, they rarely require resuscitation.<br /><br />Generally speaking, mechanical assistance is rarely needed, but psychological or emotional support to the mother is almost always in order. This is usually given by means of a calm and confident manner and the frequent assurance that all is going well. Such moral support is given to the mother, not just because she is a fellow human being undergoing a trying experience—worthy as that reason is—but because calmness on her part and confidence in Nature, in herself, and in her attendant make it possible for her to do her part of the job better. Giving birth, at its best , is something a mother does, not merely something which happens to her <em>(or is done to her)</em>.<br /><br />Reassurance and moral support are actually the major contribution of the attendant in most cases. This point should be stressed. (Complications) must be considered here <em>(in the manual)</em> because they sometimes occur in emergency childbirths. But they are rare—very rare. In over 95 percent of the cases of emergency childbirth, the emergency attendant will be overwhelmed with gratitude and widely praised as a hero or heroine, he or she can smile within themselves at the knowledge that their simple tasks could have been performed by any bright eight year old.<br /><br />On Birthing Phase of Labor<br />The Second stage is Easier: When the mouth of the womb is completely open, the baby begins to slide into the birth canal. The mother begins to feel heavy pressure on the rectum, as though she were about to have a large bowel movement.<br /><br />The mother appears to be markedly indifferent to and withdrawn from what is going on around her, although she is not unconscious; she hears everything that is said. Usually, the mother is calmer and more purposeful during the second stage. She feels the progress. . .of the baby’s moving. . .and she becomes more satisfied that she is accomplishing something. <em>(This is the amnesiac state that we refer to. She remains in a comfortable, quiet state and just gently breathes her baby down.)</em><br /><br />At this point, the mother desires to help along by bearing down. . .and she should be allowed, but, not in the normal case, urged to do so. She should begin this work only when she feels she must, not because she or the attendant thinks it is a good idea.<br /><br />While not painful, the feeling of tightness around the external genital, or vulva, can make her tend to hold back. . . .if she is intense with fears about the birth, she may become distressed at this time more by the fear of the imminent birth rather than by pain, which has actually decreased. The chief role of the attendant is to make the mother as comfortable as possible, physically and mentally. The latter is accomplished by his/her calm cheerfulness and by frequent encouraging words, such as, “Everything is fine;” “You’re doing a good job.”Cindy Unger, NCTMB, CH, HBCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01682653341311879751noreply@blogger.com1