Hypno-Birthing : An Alternative View on Labor

                                                                Picture Source: pickthebrain.com
So this past Wednesday, we took a class on Hypno-birthing. I've been recently reading a lot of amazing natural childbirth stories on how women that practice hypnobirthing end up at the hospital, 9cm dilated, and super calm - the nurses couldn't believe their eyes. After reading story after story, I figured I had to try it out.

Penny Merkel who teaches Hypnobirthing at Roosevelt Hospital came over to our apartment.  I set up pillows on my sofa, propped up my legs and back and got comfortable. She led us through a hypnobirthing script and slowly we all fell into a deep relaxation. Now, I was a bit skepticle of what exactly would happen so I didn't fully let myself go all the way into the meditative state. I wanted to make sure I was still awake and in control of my body.  The script she read was simply deep visualization techniques - walking on your favorite path, relaxing every part of your body, visualizing crawling into your womb and talking to your baby (this one brought tears to my eyes) and resting under a tree to birth safely. As she brought us out of the meditation, I realized this was very similar to the tapes my dad used to give me as a kid to fall asleep (meditation for children) and I was no longer afraid to go in deep.

Next, my sister was handed a script to walk me through the meditation. This time I let myself go.  She took me on a journey on my favorite path, down stairs and on a light show that enveloped my body. At one point I heard no one else in the room - not even my sister. It is a place between sleep and consciousness and it is absolutely relaxing. As she brought me back up the stairs out of the meditation, I felt recharged and wonderful.

If I could be in this state during labor - I understood how one could feel blissful through the process.

Next, Penny made us draw pictures of me with my baby and the labor I want and the one thing that stands in my way of having that labor. My husband and sister had to draw pictures of how they envision themselves participating in my labor. Next, we had to write a chart of "unhealthy beliefs" and turn each unhealthy belief into a "healthy belief", and "affirmation" and "plan of action". These would become my mantras everyday.

This type of positive thinking is so powerful. The power of suggestion and visualization is one of the most powerful tools we have and yet Western Medicine does not promote it. Instead women are told get an epidural, mask the pain of labor instead of suggesting: your body is strong and can work through the pressure.

Hollywood has apparently also entrusted their labor to hypnobirthing techniques including Miranda Kerr and Jessica Alba. Hopefully more Americans will catch on to more progressive ways of laboring.