HypnoBirthing
by Jinty Kelly & Sally Lindberg
TransformBirth
www.transformbirth.co.uk
One couple’s story...
I
n HypnoBirthing, mothers and their
birth partners learn a series of selfhypnotic and relaxation techniques
to enable mother and baby a more
comfortable, natural birth experience,
that is, one without the need for
chemical or medical intervention.
When practiced regularly, these
techniques become second
nature, instilling confidence in
the mother and partner.
Most women’s bodies are
designed to carry babies and
give birth. While there may be
special circumstances which
necessitate medical intervention,
for the majority a natural birth
can be a reality. HypnoBirthing
aims to move away from purple
pushing and panting and
return women to what they
were designed to do - give birth
naturally!
Their story
For Hannah and Matt* the
birth of their first child was
a long and most traumatic
experience, resulting in an
emergency Caesarean section.
on the
WEB @
www.abcmag.co.uk
Check it out!
there was no guarantee of a pain
They were determined to enjoy
free birth but in fact, I did not
a natural birth this time. We
need any pain relief at all during
interviewed them following
labour or birth, not
the birth of their
even a paracetamol.
second child after
I had sensation,
attending a
HypnoBirthing
I could feel
HypnoBirthing
aims to move
pressure but
antenatal
away from purple
I certainly
course.
pushing and panting
wouldn’t
and return women
describe it as
Hannah,
to what they
pain. I kept ‘in
how did you
were
designed
the zone’ with
hear about
to do...
the techniques we
HypnoBirthing
had learnt, feeling
and what made
100% confident in them."
you decide to do it?
"Our friend had a baby using
How did the
HypnoBirthing and she had
HypnoBirthing course
an amazing birth story. It was
help you?
the talk of our social group and
"Part of the course helped us to
other friends had taken the
deal with feelings from our last
course too. I read a book about
birth and overcome any anxieties
HypnoBirthing, but didn’t feel
confident in that alone. Matt and we had around this birth so
I talked about attending a course
and then co-incidentally he met
Jinty from TransformBirth. When
our first child was born, we ended
up having an emergency C-section
which left us quite traumatised.
We wanted to do it differently this
time."
we could really look forward to
it. Sally and Jinty made it feel
very relaxed and comfortable.
Combined with learning and
practicing specific techniques
for breathing, self-hypnosis
and relaxation, I felt totally
empowered and confident during
the birth."
How did your medical
team respond to you
doing HypnoBirthing?
"Our consultant wanted us to
come into hospital but was open
to the idea of the HypnoBirthing
approach and even wrote it in our
notes! Our midwives were very
respectful and all communication
went through Matt. Monitoring
was minimal and Matt was
able to pick up on my surges and
communicate that to the midwife.
(continued over the page)
People usually expect
that pain is a natural part
of giving birth. What was
your experience?
"I was aware of the surges
(contractions) walking from the
car. We were told on the course
ABC MAGAZINE - SUSSEX 127
(continued from previous page)
Our midwife was quite firm
with noisy medical staff when
they came in, asking them to be
quieter!"
What about you
Matt? What was your
experience?
"HypnoBirthing is the way birth
is meant to be. I felt prepared
and had a role. I tried to practise
the techniques regularly and felt
ready. The relaxation was good
for us both and the baby. Reading
the book provided alongside the
classes made sense. The difference
between this birth and the first
birth was vast, eleven hours total
in labour (only three active), as
opposed to eighty four hours last
time! HypnoBirthing - does what
it says on the tin!"
So Hannah, in summary,
did HypnoBirthing work?
"Yes, definitely. It completely
transformed my experience of a
painful first birth and feeling
like a victim, to enjoying it
the second time as something
beautiful, bringing a child
into the world. It was one of
my proudest achievements and
HypnoBirthing made it possible.
We tell everyone what a dramatic
change it was from first to second
birth, and have recommended
HypnoBirthing to friends. I think
the course works even if you are
sceptical, as it addresses so many
different aspects of preparing for
birth with plenty of opportunity
to practise and ask questions along
the way."
HypnoBirthing, the Mongan
Method was developed by an
American mother of four, using
her personal and professional
experience to create a complete
and unique antenatal course.
She incorporated the work of
an English obstetrician who
observed that women giving
birth without fear were relaxed
and gave birth more easily,
often without intervention. His
theory, the ‘Fear-Tension-Pain
Syndrome’ underpins much of
the HypnoBirthing philosophy.
HypnoBirthing is practised in
more than twenty two countries.
Midwives are increasingly
embracing this natural approach
and the NHS has undertaken
a large-scale study. Mothers
wishing to transform their
birthing experience can now do
so with HypnoBirthing. BAC
*The couple’s names have been changed.
Jinty Kelly DipHypPsych &
Sally Lindberg DipHypPsych,
co-founders of TransformBirth, are
registered Hypnotherapists and
HypnoBirthing Practitioners
based in Brighton and Hove.
They provide group and individual classes.
www.tranformbirth.co.uk
[email protected]
...what
Sussex
parents
really read!
Placenta encapsulation
F
or centuries the beneﬁts of Placentophagy (placenta consumption)
have been known throughout the world and after a long
disappearance, the tradition came back to the modern World in the
1970’s with the homebirth movements, especially in the USA.
Regardless of the remedy you
choose and the type of birth
you had, your (and your baby’s)
placenta can support you with five
major concerns:
Iron and recovery from
blood loss in labour and
birth: Blood loss in childbirth
is natural, but with it comes a
drop in iron levels and fatigue
that we accept as being the norm.
Consuming the placenta helps
recovering part of the blood
lost by providing high levels of
iron necessary to the balance of
hemoglobin and balance of the
metabolism.
Avoiding the 'baby blues'
and reducing the risks of
post-natal depression: After
the 'birth high', women often
find that their mood suddenly
128
ABC MAGAZINE - SUSSEX
drops two days after the arrival
of their babies, regardless of their
personal circumstances - feeling
teary, sad, anxious or jumpy are
a normal part the immediate
post-natal hormonal imbalance.
This is partly due to the lack
of vitamin B6 (nervous system
and metabolism) and of the
hormone CRH, which controls
and reduces our levels of stress.
Most pregnant women will feel
light and relaxed in the last few
weeks of their pregnancies, this is
because CRH is produced in great
quantities in the placenta, as it
grows throughout the pregnancy.
Consuming the placenta straight
after the birth and throughout
the post-natal recovery period
(around six weeks) can allow the
body to metabolise these missing
links and may even entirely
prevent this dark time.
Milk production: IPEN
testimonial records show an
increase in milk supply and in
some cases engorged breasts
withing hours of taking placenta
capsules for breast feeding
mums. Testimonials also show
a reduction in lactation-related
infections such as mastitis...
Energy levels: The blend of
hormones, enzymes, nutrients
and vitamins found in the
Placenta can contribute to a faster
physiological healing and recovery
from labour and birth, as well as
maintaining a hormonal balance
favorable to a general feeling of
well being in the weeks following
the arrival of baby into the world.
For further details please
see www.aequa.co.uk