How Hypnobirthing change my life

Giving birth to my daughter at home, was the best and most transformative day of my life.

Not just because I became a mother and all the joys and challenges that brings but what changed me the most was the actual process of giving birth & I enjoyed it!

Now… I know you don’t usually put that statement in the same sentence as childbirth but really, it was enjoyable. In fact, it was more than enjoyable, yes it was… powerful & intense, but it was also sublime, and exhilarating. It was euphoric! 

I was so high after giving birth that the next day I wished I could do it all over again…. 

Haha 😊 let me explain…

I had been working as a personal development coach and community worker for many years before I first became pregnant & even though I was using my qualifications, training & experience in Hypnotherapy, mindfulness, communication & confidence building with my clients I had never thought to use them in my own birth experience. I had always thought that childbirth was something a woman had to endure to have her baby. It was going to be painful, probably traumatic and I was at the mercy of the medical profession when it came to my birth choices & the interventions they were going to use on me to get her out. 

I knew I would need all the drugs. 

ALL OF THEM!

I just wanted my baby and me to survive the experience and hopefully be able to deal with whatever followed. I didn't want to feel it, be present for it & I was certainly not going to stay at home to give birth… no damn way! 

And then a friend said something that changed all that.

It was just a passing comment at our annual Christmas lunch with our friends. I was 6 months pregnant, already feeling huge and was on my way to the loo when I bumped into Lori. She had just had her baby and was absolutely glowing. I didn’t want to know how the birth went. I had already heard a million horror stories to scar me for life but before I could stop myself it just tripped off my tongue… ‘OK, so how was it?’ 

“It was amazing!’ She said ‘“I just kept saying ‘out of my body and into my arms’ and then he was here! I loved every minute of it!”

I couldn’t believe my ears. 

I had never heard anyone talk about the birth of their baby in this way. Using words like amazing! 

She said it was AMAZING! She said she LOVED it!!

I needed to know more…. 

Lori told me about how she had attended Hypnobirthing classes & learnt the importance of relaxation, how the birth hormones work to make birthing more comfortable & the importance of reframing birth to reduce fear & increase positivity & confidence.

She told me she had to unlearn what she had previously believed and been told about childbirth; how the media depicts women as powerless victims who cannot birth without medical intervention. She said she was fully committed to her Hypnobirthing practice of daily relaxation, breathing techniques & listening to her calming, confidence-boosting audios until birth-day came. And when that day did come everything fell into place. 

She had no fear at all, she felt full of excitement, peace and love.

The most important thing she did to prepare for birth was to completely change the culture of birth around her. She controlled what she watched & what she heard & only invited positive & empowering stories about birth into her life. By doing so she completely changed her mindset & made the conscious decision that she was going to birth her baby with LOVE & not fear & if anything veered off her plan she would be calm & knowledgeable enough to handle it.

My friend reminded me that giving birth is the most natural thing a woman can ever do and as long as she feels safe, connected, loved and listened to her mind and body will work as one & she will have everything she needs to birth her baby easily & comfortably. 

I was hooked. 

The next day I found a Hypnobirthing course, booked me & my husband onto it & practised the techniques every day until birth-day arrived. A few months after I gave birth to Bonnie I signed up to become a KGHypnobirthing Teacher. I felt so strongly that all women should know this incredible philosophy because, if I could do then so can YOU!

That was in 2012 & the rest they say… is history.