Our Latest Hypnobabies Success Stories!

Hypnobaby Aurora Lynn's birth:

Hi everyone, I used the Hypnobabies Home Study course and my birthing day went very well! My pressure waves started January 26th (2006) around 9:00 pm, so I was able to sleep through most of the night. I got up at about 3:45 am and kept moving and changing positions until we left for the hospital. My pressure waves were about 3 minutes apart and we arrived at the hospital at 7:31 am I was 4+ cm and at +1 station.

2 1/2 hours later, about 10:00 am, I was 8+ cm. My pressure waves were 90 seconds apart and lasting just as long. 45 minutes later I was 9+ cm so my OB broke my water so that I would complete faster.

Within five minutes of doing so I was pushing! Aurora Lynn was born at 11:36 am, just 4 hours and 5 minutes after our hospital arrival. Completely natural and almost pain free.The only time I felt any pain was the last push to get her head out! I did not have to use any of my CDs as just having my husband by my side kept me very relaxed. It was the most wonderful experience of my life!!!!

Allyson

Rachel’s 4th Baby!, first HypnoBaby! February 2006. And Hubby is an OB?

I mentally calculated when we would have to leave for the hospital to miss morning rush hour as the hospital is 30 minutes away without traffic. I figured with this being my fourth things were bound to pick up and go very quickly. Boy was I wrong I learned patience with this one. I sat on my birthing ball for awhile, and then I sat on my massage chair for awhile. Still 5 minutes apart lasting 2 minutes but not painful.Around 7am my three other children and my dh woke up. My dh was trying to get the kids breakfast and coach me through waves. About 11:30 the kids figured out what was going on and started jumping all over the place, they are 4, 3, and 2. They were trying to "help" through pressure waves, which you can imagine wasn't that helpful, that was the only time there was any pain, when I had 3 kids jumping on me and I couldn't relax at all. Luckily my Mom showed up then and herded them away.After timing the waves at 3 min lasting 2 min we decided to call the midwife. I told her how close they were but I felt like I wasn't dilating because they weren't very intense and I really didn't want to get sent home. For some reason that's my biggest fear is getting sent home. She said I could come into the office to get checked, but she suggested we meet at the hospital as things were probably farther along than I had thought. So I agreed to meet her in an hour, after I had showered. On the way to the hospital every time I had a wave my dh would put his hand on my shoulder and say "Relax" ( a Hypnobabies technique) and it really helped. I was able to stay totally relaxed and comfortable.My midwife was already waiting for us and had gotten a room all ready and comfortable. She asked if I wanted her to check me, I said not really because I was afraid I wasn't dilated and she'd send me home. She laughed and promised not to send me home. She announced I was at a 6 and my cervix was like butter. I said "You're lying, right?" She just laughed, and said "It's not very often women get to a 6 and not know it!"We had a fabulous room it overlooked the ocean and it was really pretty so it was easy to feel comfortable and relaxed. I sat on the birth ball leaning on the bed while the midwife massaged my back and my dh held my hands.After awhile I just wanted to get up and move around because I wasn't in any pain and basically was bored. So we went on a walk outside. It was great, it was a cool evening with a breeze blowing and the sun was starting to set. My dh commented, "This could be very romantic if you weren’t in a hospital gown having pressure waves to interrupt the mood." But it still kinda was. With every wave we would slow dance and my dh would remind me about my special place and keep telling me that I had worked so hard for this day and it was finally here and I was doing great. It was very comforting to hear that he thought I was doing great.It was kind of weird in all my practicing I always pictured me in my "special, safe place," (from Hypnobabies CDs) but during waves I wasn't actually picturing being there, but I *felt* like I was there. I had all the same feeling of safety and relaxation as when I practiced, I just wasn't "there". Kind of interesting. I kept telling my dh I was afraid I wasn't dilating because this was so easy, I felt like for my cervix to open to a 10, it should be harder than this. Between waves we were just chatting and laughing while we walked along. I was wrong... it didn't have to be any harder to be effective. Anyway after walking outside for about an hour we went back inside. Things got a little more intense. At one point I remember thinking oh no, these are starting to hurt. But then I realized, no they don't hurt... they're just stronger, I had never felt that much pressure before, and once I realized it was just pressure and not pain, I was fine.I did get a little sick then so my midwife asked if I just wanted her to break my water and the baby would come right out. I agreed. She broke my water and a couple of minutes later I had an overwhelming urge to push. It was the strangest thing to have a force making me push and there was nothing I could do about it. The midwife said she was going to check to make sure I was dilated all the way, she checked, and said "Oh my, the baby's head is right here." She had asked the nurse to go get her something but then said "Don't move, this baby is coming now!" With two more pushes the head was out. I was shocked, I kept expecting the "ring of fire" and it never came. There was more intense pressure than I ever could have imagined, I felt like my butt was going to explode, but there was absolutely no pain. I'm still amazed.With the next push the arms came out and the midwife told me to reach down and pull him the rest of the way out. That was amazing. I was the first to see and announce that we had a son, we had waited to be surprised. They covered us with blankets and we were able to just gaze at our new little miracle. I did have a small tear that only required 3 stitches. That was the worst part, the shot to numb it up. He weighed 7lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 inches. This birth experience was all I hoped and imagined and more. I had epidurals with my three previous children, what a difference! I felt like a million bucks.My dh was very skeptical when I first told him I was going to use Hypnobabies, he's in his last year of medical school and starting residency as an Ob--Gyn in July. This is definitely not what they teach you in medical school. He is very supportive though and supported me through all the practicing, read everything I wanted him to, and practiced scripts with me, all the while thinking this whole thing was loony, but keeping it to himself. Well, he's a believer now. He says now he's so glad I did Hypnobabies because he thought it would make him a better OB and opened up a whole new way of thinking to him. He'll be much slower to use interventions now.Thinking back, I never actually pictured turning my "lightswitch" Off or to the Center, (Hypnobabies techniques) but when waves started it was very automatic that my whole body would go limp and relaxed. I was good doing the Hypnobabies CDs as I learned the program so it just became automatic without me actually turning myself to Off. All I know is it worked. The only part that was the least bit painful was when my kids were jumping on me and I couldn’t relax. Even then it was just like menstrual cramps.

I also feel better post partum than with any of my other kids. I feel great. I never had to take even a Tylenol for the pain afterwards. My baby is sooo easy. He sleeps great at night and when he's awake he's so alert. The whole experience has been amazing. Before this if anyone had told me I could go through 18 hours of labor and delivery without pain I would have told them they were nuts.

THANK YOU HYPNOBABIES!!!!

Rachel

Mommy: Amy, 7 lbs 15 ounces

My baby arrived! He's 7 lbs 15 ounces. He was born at 11:50 am after 2 hours of active labor and 25 minutes of pushing. Now, don't hate me yet, I think I had a full week of early labor (10 days after I lost my mucous plug). I kept trying to increase the intensity of the contractions (which were 5-15 minutes apart for many days) - by walking, sex, enemas, evening primrose oil, you name it - to no avail. They didn't hurt, but I was really getting tired (they were strong enough to keep me up between my Hypnobabies tapes).We finally went to the hospital Wednesday morning - and the midwife broke my water. I don't remember any pain, only the intensity of the pushing stage. I spent some time walking, sitting on the birth ball with my Hynobabies tapes, and in the whirlpool tub. All were so comfortable.I did end up with a sizable tear, since Andrew had his hands up around his mouth as he was pushed out (very quickly due to his heartbeat slowing down near the end). But it's not nearly as bad as I imagined it would be.

All in all, it was marvelous. I highly recommend a doula - and I also did the Hypnobabies Home Study course. It really helped me prepare and think positive about the birth (despite the bombardment of horror stories from well meaning girlfriends). My husband was incredible - I find myself falling in love with him again all over again when I think of the incredible support he provided through labor!

~ Amy

From:

Hypnobabies Home Study Mommy

Dear Hypnobabies --

 I just had an AMAZING birth and wanted to let Kerry know.

 I was due May 8th and found your course pretty late in the game.  I think I purchased my home study materials at the end of April.  Kerry was very sweet to call me at home and kind of, gently, let me know that due to how late I was starting the course, it would be kind of hard to really expect much from it.  I decided to purchase it anyhow and do what I could in the time I had to prepare, to use everything.

There was one page in the home study guide that really stuck with me through labor and delivery: the page with the "What Ifs".  What if this is the most amazing experience you ever have? What if this is the most profound thing that ever happens to you?  What if having an unmedicated birth changes you for the better, forever?  That really hit a chord with me and I found myself using those affirmations a lot during the birth and they all came true.

 I had a 7 pound, 5 oz daughter, Karolina Arielle, last Thursday and her birth is, by far, the most amazing experience I have ever had in my life!!  I used the cds during the entire labor and delivery and had a very easy, mellow, calm, relaxed experience with very little pain.  I was induced (had my water broken), had no drugs at all, got to walk around, shower, eat, and, due to how wonderfully relaxed I was, just hang out and really enjoy the experience.  Had a six hour labor and about 10 minutes of pushing.  No stitches, no tearing, hardly any bleeding at all, and just felt SO GREAT after delivery.

 I had an epidural with my other daughter's birth three years ago and the difference between the two births was remarkable; like night and day really.  This time, to see this beautiful baby slip out of me and be so bright eyed and alert and calm because of how her birth went was just remarkable.  I had a very impressed shift of ob nurses who came into the room while I was pushing because they had never seen a Hypnobabies mom before, never seen an unmedicated mom quietly and calmly deliver her baby, and had never seen a mom deliver on hands and knees before.  I just cannot say enough about how WONDERFUL the course was, even though I really crammed it into a short period of time, and how profound the experience of having an unmedicated birth was.

 It was so powerful and so incredible and I will remember it for the rest of my life.  Thanks so much for making such an amazing program and for giving me the chance to experience something so incredibly beautiful. I am so proud that I did this and so blown away by how great it was.  Thanks again!!

 

Very Sincerely,

Dawn Golik in Fresno, California

 Proud mommy to Karolina Arielle Golik, born May 15, 2008 2:07 pm

7 pounds, 5 ounces of blonde haired, blue eyed, unmedicated bliss!

Birthing Choices

Hospital Birth
...With Obstetricians
If you wish to have a hospital birth, your chances of having a natural, uncomplicated birth are optimized by carefully selecting your obstetrician and hospital, and by hiring a "Doula" --a Professional Labor Companion. Many doctors are used to working with women who hire Professional Labor Companions, and doctors who work with midwives have lower cesarean section rates.
Delivering babies by abdominal surgery has been steadily rising in America over the past two decades, so that now 25% of births in hospitals are performed by cesarean section. When comparing the U.S. C-section rate to other western, industrialized countries, one finds that those countries which employ midwives for the majority of births have significantly lower rates than ours; and also have lower infant mortality rates. The U.S., despite having the most advanced technology and highly trained medical personnel, ranks 26th in Infant Mortality. That means 25 other countries--most of which have integrated midwives into their maternity care system--lose less babies in the first year of life.

Epidural anesthesia, Pitocin augmentation of labor, vacuum extraction of fetus, episiotomy and separation of newborn and mother are standard in American hospitals. Undoubtedly, there are circumstances where medical procedures such as these are necessary, but many parents and professionals now question the routine use of such interventions such as episiotomy, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, IVs, etc. In many cases, the routine intervention of these procedures leads to iatrogenic (physician-caused) complications.
**(If your client is choosing a hospital birth with an OB, encourage her to interview several and choose well; one who has the same birthing philosophies as she does and who will be an asset to her birthing experience.)

***(Most people spend more time researching buying a car or decorating the baby's nursery than they do choosing their birth care providers, yet the impact is great.)

...With Certified Nurse Midwives

CNMs are Baccalaureate Degree, Registered, Board Certified Nurses who have advanced degrees and training in Nurse-Midwifery. While they have hospital-based training, they treat pregnancy and childbirth as the normal, healthy process it is. CNMs can do almost everything independent from the obstetrician; although a doctor is available for supervision, consultation or referral if necessary. CNMs can conduct prenatal exams, prescribe medications, deliver the baby, suture, etc. (just about everything short of C-Section or Vacuum Extractor). Most CNMs are supportive of clients hiring a Professional Labor Companion, however you must be aware that they are subject to the same protocols and routines that obstetricians in a hospital setting are. A hospital CNM can sometimes help a woman wanting to minimize her need for medication, shorten her length of labor and need for Cesarean section.

Freestanding Birth Centers & Water Birth

"Freestanding" Birth Centers are not inside of or affiliated with a hospital, rather they are independently-run by midwives or physicians, often in collaboration. This is an excellent choice for the woman who does not wish to birth in a hospital environment yet is not comfortable giving birth at home. While birth centers do not provide any additional measure of safety than most planned homebirths with qualified midwives, they may provide the expectant couple with the psychological comfort necessary to enable the mother to relax; and wherever a woman feels the most comfortable, she will give birth the easiest. Out-of-hospital birth centers are designed for women having low-risk pregnancies who want drug-free birth with minimal intervention in a home-like environment. Family members may participate in the birth, and C-Section rates are much lower than most hospitals.

Childbirth at Home

The Benefits of Homebirth

Birth at home provides parents with intimacy, privacy, comfort and a family-centered experience. Outcomes for mother and baby are excellent, rates of C-Section and hospital-transfers are low and parental satisfaction is very high. Childbirth at home is a safe and legal option for healthy women having normal pregnancies. It is for those who have a very strong desire for natural childbirth and who are willing to take an additional level of responsibility for their health care and baby's birth. At home, the parents and midwife are in control of the birthing environment.

Is Homebirth Safe?

In urban areas, emergency services are expeditiously obtainable. While there is the chance that a rare, but critical emergency might occur where hospital services may not be able to be obtained quick enough, most complications can be corrected prenatally, or handled by an experienced midwife at the bedside. Homebirth midwives have the training, equipment and medicine to handle complications. Some of what they bring is: fetal heart rate auscultation device such as a Doppler or fetal stethoscope, oxygen for mother or baby, suturing materials, medicine and herbs to control bleeding, IVs, and newborn resuscitation equipment. However, many of these interventions, which are routine in most hospitals, are only used if needed in a home setting.

Renting Tubs for Home Waterbirth

Birthing tubs can be purchased or rented for a birth in water within the privacy and comfort of your own home. To rent a tub, contact Global Maternal/ Child Health Association or go to Karil Daniel's WaterBirth Website, http://www.waterbirthinfo.com, on the Internet. Many freestanding birth centers offer birthing tubs, also.

Homebirth with Certified Nurse-Midwives (C.N.M)

The Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN), has passed Nursing Board examinations, has one to two years work in Labor and Delivery in a hospital and has then obtained a Masters degree in Nurse-Midwifery. After completing the Nurse-Midwifery program, the candidate must pass the American College of Nurse Midwifery (ACNM) board examination to obtain certification. In 50 states, the Certified Nurse-Midwife can establish a birth center or homebirth practice. But the vast majority work in hospitals.

Homebirth with Direct-Entry Midwives

The Direct-Entry Midwife entered the profession directly-- as is customary in Europe---not through becoming a nurse first. Rather, she learned her trade by self-directed study and experience, attendance at a direct-entry midwifery school or apprenticeship with an experienced midwife or doctor. California legalized Direct-Entry Midwifery in 1993; there are approximately 14 states which have legalized Direct-Entry Midwifery.

Traditional Midwives

However, just because a midwife does not have a license or certification does not necessarily mean she is any less qualified than her colleagues who have obtained legal status. Often, these midwives have the expertise that comes from many years experience.