A New Arrival
I Wish, More Women Knew About Hypnobirthing
Sadie Jakoba is surrounded by mom and dad, Sabine and Norm Starr. Photo provided by Natalie Fiocre Photography.
“Oh my God!” I heard screams over and over again in hysteria with the pitch rising. I had just been admitted to the UCSD hospital, being in active labor in a private examination room, when I heard from the next room the panicked words screamed over and over again – in regular intervals.
Facing my first birthing experience myself, I felt the contagiousness of this woman´s anxiety. Instantly I remembered my hypnobirthing teacher´s guidance and kept telling myself: “Cancel, clear! This is not my journey, it is hers.” My breath deepened and slowed down.
Fortunately I was transferred to the in-house Birthing Center soon after that, where my husband and I settled into the home bedroom style room, equipped with a dark wood four post bed, water pool and rocking chair, among other things. The contractions came strong, in short intervals, and lasted for an extended period. I kept on going through the various hypnosis exercises that I had been taught and been practicing for the last couple of months. There are several different scripts, and each woman has her own favorites that work the best and that come easiest in a time of intense physical experiences. It is also good to have the choice to alternate scripts, since it would be boring and difficult to keep the focus on just one for hour after hour.
It was by chance that I came to learn of hypnobirthing and the idea of delivering at a Birthing Center with midwives. Just when I had found out that I was pregnant (a very happy moment for us), we got new neighbors. They moved in with a parrot that was positioned about 10 yards from our bedroom window and squawked from dusk until dawn about every two to 15 seconds at high volume and various pitches and patterns. I was very tired the first two months of my pregnancy, so I needed rest more than anything. But there was no room in our little mission style home where the parrot was not heard. Mind you, this was in February, when we still all had our windows closed!
I was desperate and finally remembered that many years ago, I was able to overcome a severe needle phobia with the help of a hypnotherapist. I decided to give it another try for my current dilemma. While I was learning to fade out the bird´s noise to a bearable state with the help of a local hypnotherapist, I decided to use the time of my pregnancy to get educated in it myself. I took classes and among other applications, like the classical smoking cessation or weight loss, I also came across hypnosis in child birth. Fascinated with the main statement of hypnosis, which is “helping people access the power of their very capable mind,” and in alignment with my belief that having a baby has to be very natural, since humankind has been having babies for a long time, I decided to give it a try.
The hours at the birthing center were intense, no question about that. But the amazing thing about contractions is that there are breaks in between them for a rest, when the body can recover. Also, the intensity of contractions is not like any other pain, when something is broken or hurt. It is simply the process of the uterus pushing the baby downward and the cervix opening up, so the baby can travel through the birth canal and be born. Nothing is broken, nothing needs to be fixed. It only needs to happen. I could always focus on the current contraction, remembering that it will be over in a moment and the body will get a rest.
With the amazing guidance of two on site volunteer doulas and the wonderful nurses and student and my husband, our girl Sadie Jakoba was born on October 14 without any anesthetic or pain killer. She was alert and healthy, as was I. The energy I had right after giving birth was incredible. A friend, who also delivered without drugs shared, “One could grab the baby and run from a lion if necessary.”
I believe that´s how mother nature has intended it to be. I know that every woman´s delivery experience is different. What matters is that we are all moms on the other side. However, I do wish more women would know about the option of hypnobirthing. The experience is very empowering and special.
Category: Featured Articles, Local News
