What does "natural childbirth" mean to you, Shelley ?
The definition that I use as my foundation for teaching is that a natural birth is one without medical intervention. A woman's body is designed to give birth and most of the time will do so without the help of pitocin, an epidural or continuous fetal monitoring. Once a woman is educated regarding their body and what it is doing, they can encourage the process by relaxing. There can be extenuating circumstances that require medical intervention and those can be discussed with your trusted caregiver as you will know, through education, what to ask. It is a balance, as you trust you body and you trust your caregiver. If you can do both of those, you are ready for a natural childbirth.
Sometimes woman who expect to get an epidural, can't, as they arrive at the hospital too late, or are too far along when they ask for one. I believe that it is important to have a Plan B in case an epidural isn't possible. A childbirth class that teaches techniques for natural childbirth would be that Plan B.
Can I really achieve a painfree birth?
You can, without a doubt, experience a significant reduction in the discomfort of labor and have an enjoyable and wonderful birth experience. Will it be pain-free? Many women experience a pain-free birth. Many others say that while they experienced some discomfort, it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. Each woman is different. Each woman brings unique ideas about birth, unique relaxation techniques and most obviously, unique bodies and babies. These all play in integral part in your birth experience.
If you don’t believe you can have a painless birth, you most likely won’t. If you DO believe that you can achieve it, you most likely will. HypnoBirthing® classes will teach you how to eliminate much of the pain that is often associated with childbirth. Furthermore, HypnoBirthing® will teach you to trust your body and your ability to birth naturally and peacefully.
How is my partner involved?
One of my goals as a HypnoBirthing® Practitioner is to help the Birthing Companion get comfortable with their vital role. As the women gets clearer about what she wants in terms of support, she is able to communicate that to her partner. A partner can be anyone who supports you during the birthing, such as a sister, cousin or a doula.
Is hypnosis the same as sleep?
No, hypnosis is not sleep. Sometimes hypnosis will resemble sleep because people will appear relaxed and their eyes may be closed. While in a state of hypnosis, your mind will be alert, you can respond to questions and remember everything that occured during hypnosis.
Could hypnosis make me do something humiliating?
You are fully in control. Nothing will occur unless you wish to act in a particular (or peculiar) way. Stage hypnotism has left us with this myth.
What if I have a c-section or want an epidural?
The skills you will learn can be used to remain calm regardless of the circumstances. At times, women will get to the hospital at a point when it is too late to get an epidural. Sometimes the epidural doesn't come exactly when you want it. It is a powerful feeling to know that you are able to maintain your center regardless of the circumstances. Women have stayed focused and calm during procedures they didn't anticipate (read some of the testimonials)
Does insurance help cover the classes?
Not that I am aware of, but please feel free to ask your insurance company. The more requests they receive for these classes, the more they will look into it. Remind them that Childbirth Education can save them money as, when unmedicated, you can leave the hospital sooner. I am actively persuing this.
Did you receive any special training and certification to teach HypnoBirthing® ?
I was trained and certified in HypnoBirthing® in April of 2002 through the HypnoBirthing® Institute. For more information you can go to www.hypnobirthing.com.
How do I sign up?
Once you submit it, I'll get back to you shortly.
