After looking into the many different birthing methods, Joe and I decided that we wanted use Hypnobirthing to help naturally deliver our baby. Our decision came as a surprise, even to me, because I had heard so many wonderful stories of mothers sleeping, relaxing and even watching movies through their labor because the epidural blocked their pain. This relaxing method sounded much more appealing than the “Murphy Brown” labor and delivery episode that scarred me for life as a child (nineteen years later I can still hear her screaming and see her writhing in pain). I remember wondering, even into my second trimester, why let the experience be so painful when it can be relaxing and comfortable?
Then one day at work someone told me about a friend who delivered her daughter using a Hypnobirthing method, and she had an almost ten pound baby naturally without any pain. Obviously that’s a story any pregnant woman is going to want to hear more about, so I asked for the new mother’s phone number. After hearing her amazing experience, I started my research that night.
We are using the “Mongan Method” and taking our classes at the Blooma yoga studio in Edina, and so far we LOVE it. I think the word “hypnosis” is confusing and carries an odd stigma. There is no watching pendulums swing back and forth with a creepy voice saying, “You are getting sleepy, very, very sleepy.” Hypnosis, at least in this sense, is entering into a deep body relaxation while still remaining very aware of what is happening. In class we learn about the amazing abilities our bodies have that allow us to comfortably tolerate the labor process, and about the incredible physiological responses we can promt through visualization and touch. For me, knowing why and how it is possible to labor without pain, has really increased my confidence and belief that I can now actually achieve it.
While practicing deep relaxation and birth-breathing in our last class, Joe and I did experience a brief moment of doubt. Quietly we sat side by side with our eyes closed as our teacher walked us through the process of breathing down the baby, rather than pushing. The birth partners in the class practice everything with the expecting mothers, so that they can have a better understanding of the Hypnobirthing process. In a deep state of relaxation, we followed our teachers instructions to breathe in deeply through our noses, and as we exhaled slowly to visualize our breath pushing down and out our vaginas. Well the second she said “vagina,” I stopped breathing entirely as I was stifling an immature case of the giggles. My whole body vibrated with shakes from my inward laughing, and the more I tried to stop, the more hilarious the situation became. I don’t think it was the word “vagina” so much as it was wondering how Joe was visualizing himself pushing his breath out of the vagina he doesn’t have.
There was no doubt in my mind that the teacher must have been watching me wondering how someone who lost self-control at merely hearing the word vagina would ever be able to calmly breathe a baby out of one. Was Joe struggling next to me too? I eventually regained my composure, but realized that there was no way I could have been deeply relaxed through my first practice round. Thankfully there will be much more practicing to come, and practice makes perfect, right?
I almost forgot…Joe was indeed struggling next to me. As we walked to his car after class the first thing he said was “Man, I almost lost it in there when she said to breathe out my vagina.” As we laughed together, I think we both worried I little bit about how ready we are for everything. But hopefully that’s normal!
Here are some pictures of our past five days together:
While my body continues to expand in many different directions, I am trying to come up with little, inexpensive ways to pamper myself. I’ve enjoyed being pregnant the past 29 weeks, but am starting to feel a little less beautiful and a lot more, um, stretched. It’s hard to imagine what my belly is going to look like 11 weeks from now…it already feels so big!
