Fear of Giving Birth?
Try these techniques to prepare you for baby's arrival day
Not only
pregnant women fear childbirth. Young girls wonder about it even before that
twinkle is in anyone’s eye. Some even decide not to have babies because of what
they have heard.
But all that
could be different for you if you join one of these birthing movements.
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Calm
birthing, and another variant, known as hypnobirthing, are becoming
increasingly popular for expectant mothers in combating the fear of labour. As
far back as 1987, hypnobirthing was incorporated into the first childbirth
education program with research showing the benefit to women during this
period.
Although
considered complementary therapies, a study done in 2016 in Australia on
effective childbirth education, showed almost half the rate of interventions
for births when educated on normal labour and birth.
Calm
vs Hypnosis
According to
the Hypnobirthing Australia website, Australian calm birthing was developed in
2004 by midwife Peta Jackson and uses mindset techniques, knowledge and tools
for calm and gentle birthing. The Australian hypnobirthing course developed by
Melissa Spilsted BA, Bed, CHt uses hypnosis/mindfulness/breathing techniques to
aid in the same outcome.
And there
are many different courses, practitioners, online tools and resources available
to use.
Personal
Experience
When I heard
about it for my second birth, I used a recording that I listened to at night during
the last trimester. I had headphones on while drifting off to sleep for
subliminal imprint. On my birth day, I breathed my way through my second labour
- right up until the transition phase when
I felt nauseous. Then out popped number 2.
Now it could
be argued that I knew what I was in for because it was my second birth. But it
sure was a whole lot better than pulling my hair to detract from the pain of
labour the first time. And if that can be achieved without medication, then I’m
a proponent of hypnobirthing.
Preparation
The most
important thing to remember when using such techniques is not to be too fixed
on the outcome. Birth rarely goes to plan (although having a birth plan is a
good idea).
But special
circumstances arise and being prepared to change can be part of that plan.
Having said
that, these techniques can be used for mums-to-be regardless of how you are
planning to birth- hospital or home, drug-free vaginal or with pain relief,
even caesarean according to practitioners.
I wanted a
drug-free approach but decided to balance natural with medical and attend a
birthing centre attached to a major hospital in case of an emergency.
Here are
some links to sites in Australia to get you started in working out whether it
could be for you.
by
E K Wills
Read
the chapter of my book “Mum’s the Word” that covers my first birthing story for
free. PM me on https://www.facebook.com/MumsandMentalHealth
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