preparing for baby

With all three of my kids, I have delivered vaginally and with the epidural. Yes, that drug is good and was quite necessary, but this time around I wanted to do my last pregnancy different. Yes, you heard me... last. Unless, God does some miracle untying someone later, well then I am just not going to contest against that.

This time around I (and Ben) am preparing my body, mind, and baby for HypnoBirthing. Hypno... what?!! HypnoBirthing. Yes, sounds strange I know. Ben and I tried lamaze with True and that didn't work, and with the consequent two pregnancies I already knew what I was in for so I knew I wanted the epidural when the pain got tough. This time around, I definitely think the epidural has affected my back just a smidge and I really want to experience this last birth differently. If I could have the baby at home, I would, but insurance doesn't cover that and paying out of pocket is really ridiculous for us, so this technique seemed the best way to let me enjoy my labor as much as possible.

I first learned of HypnoBirth when I came across Jill's post right when I found out I was pregnant and what she did definitely intrigued me. I did a lot of research in the beginning, spoke to my midwife about it as she has seen it done at the hospital, but then put it on the back burner because I was still in my first trimester. The only persons who I told about this idea was my BFF and Ben. I wasn't going to tell anyone else in case I chickened out in the end, but now I figure hey... maybe this will help someone going through what I am going through right now too.

My midwife had given me a card for a Dr. AnnaLynn Zinn de Vine, a clinical hypnotherapist and HypnoBirthing specialist in the area and I finally gave her a call a few weeks ago. Once I spoke to this lady, I was even more excited to try this out. The only problem was that she was no longer in the area and had relocated to Portland, Oregon. Rats! Well, one thing led to another and Dr. AnnaLynn had figured that this process could totally be done even with the distance thanks to modern technology. Excited, Dr. AnnaLynn and I exchanged emails back and forth on what needs to be done and how this would look like. Thus, a week ago my HypnoBirthing classes began.

Let me tell you, so far it has been so good. Ben and I spend 2.5 hours with Dr. AnnaLynn via skype, we have babysitters watching the girls to make sure we are uninterrupted and the best part is we get to do all of this in the comfort of our own home and in our own bedroom. I know, I haven't used it for labor yet, but it really is so relaxing. There is a lot of information that goes with it and you have to be ready to kinda feel silly in the beginning, but seeing videos, reading articles and testimonials makes me think that having an "enjoyable" labor is really possible.

In the first class we learned about the basics and just the main idea behind it. It is all about learning to release fears and tension. I used my hankie and scent (pictured above) to help put myself in hypnosis, along with some relaxing music of my choice that will help bring me to "that place". Ben and I have been practicing almost nightly and the first time we tried it together, it put Ben so deeply relaxed that he was snoring just a few minutes in. It was kinda funny.

I admit it and I tell Dr. AnnaLynn all the time, that I am still so nervous cause I have gone through 3 births before, recently mind you, and I know what it feels like. Now here I am, trying to kind of rework my mind, my idea of labor and pain, and learn to just relax. Contractions are just surges and I will be calmly breathing down the baby. Sounds strange I know.

I am pretty excited and if you have never heard of this before, I am sure it all sounds so foreign and "new agey". It basically is you having the control to completely relax your body, while your mind is still alert. Hypnosis doesn't mean you aren't in control because now that I have been in hypnosis, I am still alert and I can hear and understand everything. The difference is that my body is so completely and utterly relaxed that I really don't want to do anything. I know, still sounds weird. Well, that is why I am blogging it so you can join this journey with me and we can learn about it together.

Ben and I just completed class 2 and I will save that for another post coming up soon. This one is lengthy already. I still have 3 more sessions to go and labor to get through until I really completely understand it all, but really, I am kind of excited. Nervous, but excited!

If you are curious, I would go through the HypnoBirthing site or even call my clinical hypnotherapist (here info is here) because she really help put me at ease about the whole process. I am still a newbie, but I do think this will really help me.

I would love to hear if any of you have been through HypnoBirthing or even if you care to join me, cause it would be fun to go through this with someone! I try to explain to my friends what my body is going through when I am in hypnosis, but no one really understands. I am their guinea pig, so they say if it works for me, then that is what they are going to do too!

Just had my midwife visit today and I have about 10 weeks left... eeks!!!