10 Great Ways to Have a Better Birth

1. Comfort and relief can come from sources other than medication. Relaxation techniques such as self-hypnosis, a bath, shower or massage can make it much more comfortable.  Ritual behavior such as swaying, moaning and chanting opens women to their birthing instincts, making it easier and faster. And having a supportive, knowledgeable partner, doula and/or midwife cuts the perception of pain by up to 50%! http://www.birthingnaturally.net

2. Pain medications impact labor, the mother, and the baby. Sometimes an epidural is exactly what’s needed, but all medications carry risks. Potential side effects include: slowing or stopping contractions; hypotension; respiratory distress for mom and baby; maternal fever; uneven, incomplete or nonexistent pain relief; relief that wears off just before pushing; and residual headaches. The side effects for baby can include drowsiness at birth that can last up to three days, poor sucking reflex, difficulty focusing on mom’s face, and a weak cry.  Any of these side effects can interfere with bonding and breastfeeding. http://www.lamaze.org, http://www.motherfriendly.org

3. Being chemically induced to start labor may double the chance of a Cesarean section by 50% in first-time mothers (www.ican‐online.org).  Wait for the natural onset of labor if you and the baby are doing OK.  If you need to start your labor, try nipple stimulation, acupuncture, acupressure, long walks, and definitely see a hypnotherapist!

4. Only 11% of women have their bag of waters break before labor begins.  Most of these women will begin labor naturally within 48 hours. It can be hard to wait, and many care providers like to see labor start within 24 hours of the rupture.  For those who accept medications to start or speed labor, the cesarean rate is 30‐50%.  It is wise to be patient and wait if possible; labor will usually start on its own. http://www.midwiferytoday.com/enews/enews0512.asp#main; http://www.ican‐online.org

5. Having a doula during labor dramatically increases the satisfaction couples report with their birth experiences. It shortens labor by 25%, reduces requests for epidurals by 60%, and reduces the chance of Cesarean by 50%. http://www.dona.org, http://www.alace.org

6. 85% of women using the Blissborn birth hypnosis method give birth naturally, with no medications or procedures.  Their labors are usually around  5 hours long (www.Bliss-ed.com).  Various other studies have found that about 75% of women using any form of self-hypnosis training give birth with no medication, compared to only about 22% of those without hypnosis training.  http://www.simplybirthing.org/hypnosis-explained.html

7. Self-hypnosis shortens labor.  One study found a reduction of 3 hours for first-time mothers for active labor, taking the average length of labor down to about 6 hours.  Pushing was shortened significantly as well.  http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/2008/HypnosisLabor.htm

8. Hypnosis has been shown in numerous studies to reduce complications and the need for interventions.

9. Practicing yoga during pregnancy can increase flexibility, decrease swelling, decrease anxiety, reduce pain, end insomnia and relieve other complaints of pregnancy.  It’s good preparation for the work involved in birth too.  Learning to be present with the sensations of stretching or of holding a pose, and to breathe into the sensations, teaches a kind of softening and letting go that also works for labor. Women discover that it’s the resistance to sensations that causes suffering, not the sensations themselves. http://www.wholebirth.com, http://www.yogajanda.com

10. There are overall health benefits from daily relaxation during pregnancy: it decreases post-partum depression, speeds healing, tends to produce calmer babies who sleep better.

Hypnosis is a natural, alert and focused state of mind that facilitates deep physical relaxation, visualization and positive suggestions to assist the birthing process. Birth hypnosis programs teach women to let their bodies do the work of natural childbirth without interference from pain, tension and fear.  Most women already understand the deep wisdom of the mind to manage the processes and sensations of the body.  In fact, hypnosis has been used in birth since ancient times, but has only been forgotten during the past century with the medicalization of birth.  With proper training in self-hypnosis, and daily practice in the various hypnotic skills such as instant relaxation and pain erasure, most women can give birth naturally, comfortably and easily. We believe that birth is a natural process that can actually be enjoyable.  To learn more and get your Bliss on, check out Find a Class.