This mom's birth story highlights the importance of preparing your mind and body, building your birth team, and believing in your own power.
"In 2016, I delivered our firstborn son via an unplanned c-section after 30 hours of labor. Words are difficult to find to express the physical and emotional exhaustion I felt for several months after - Guilt, grief, confusion, frustration, betrayal, distrust, and disbelief come to mind most often. When I found out I was pregnant again, I quickly felt obligated to do everything in my power to change the impact that birth would have on our family." (continued below...)
I decided to take HypnoBirthing®, with my primary intention being to avoid the interventions I had with my first birth experience. The course and our instructor, Erin, connected me with the local birthing community, which in turn helped me find a doula and even change providers from an OB to midwives. Rather than take classes to be informed about what would happen to me, I was holistically empowered to make decisions about what could happen. In a sense I took back control.
HypnoBirthing® gave me tools that resulted in a positive and healing birth experience the second time around. I went into labor feeling strong, calm, and confident because throughout the pregnancy, I had a team of like-minded professionals who believed in me, my vision, my needs, and my desires. I felt free in expressing what was important to me. Rather than “allowing me to try,” HypnoBirthing® and my birth team helped me to succeed. Our beautiful daughter was born via VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), and I know that without HypnoBirthing® and all of the knowledge and tools I gained, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it alone. I will be forever grateful that I met our daughter in a moment of joy and triumph rather than fear. Thank you so much Erin for helping me change my narrative into a success story. - Ashley Sharing is Caring! Please use the social share buttons on the right to spread the joy from this story on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! ------- Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified HypnoBirthing® Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and assisted hundreds of families. Feel free to email her at erin@flutterbybirth.com with any questions!
1 Comment
Many thanks to this first-time mom for sharing her triumphant birth story after a lengthy, medically-necessary induction!
Our little girl, Nova Therese, was born on October 6th after a labor induction due to preeclampsia. I believe that HypnoBirthing® made a day and night difference between the birth that I had, and the birth experience I could have had!
We were planning to have a home birth, and everything was set and good to go until my 38-week appointment, when I found out that I had preeclampsia. Everything changed in an instant and we found ourselves having to completely change our birthing plans and go to the hospital that day to get induced. Though I was upset, I was able to remember my Birthing Affirmations, and pretty quickly accept and step into the change that was about to happen. My induction took three days, with the last full day being on Pitocin and having very intense surges toward the end. If it weren’t for the things I learned in HypnoBirthing®, and the way I practiced daily, I don’t think I would have made it three whole days. Honestly, I was pretty much "losing it" at the end, but managed to have a completely natural, drug free birth (aside from a little bit of nitrous)! All of the nurses and midwifes that I had through those three days were very impressed with how calm I was, and how I was handling the intense surges from being induced. I am also proud of myself, and and so glad I chose HypnoBirthing®, because I believe it helped me have a WONDERFUL birth experience, despite all of the scary changes that I had to make! - Grace, Andrew & Nova Sharing is Caring! Please use the social share buttons on the right to spread the joy from this story on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! ------- Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified HypnoBirthing® Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and assisted hundreds of families. Feel free to email her at erin@flutterbybirth.com with any questions!
Many thanks to this first-time Flutterby family for sharing their story!
At 41 weeks and 2 days, it wasn’t unusual to have middle of the night surges. As much as I kept reminding myself that my baby doesn’t know what a guess date is, I was convinced I would be the first person to be pregnant forever. I didn’t think much of the first few surges as I was able to fall back asleep after each. However, when I woke at 6 am on July 4th, I noticed my membranes had released. I called the midwife who said that if I would like, I could come in, but she advised that if the membranes had released I would have to stay at the hospital. We agreed that I would labor at home and be in touch.
While Kyle and I were home, we did our best to make it a calm and relaxed morning. I focused my attention on breathing through the surges, and we even found time to do the Rainbow Relaxation together. Between tidying up the house, to focus my attention on things other than the surges, I read through my affirmations, walked around, and bounced on the birth ball. At this point, I was calm and really not convinced I was having a baby yet. Once the rain stopped that morning, I called the midwife to see if I could go for a walk outside. She confirmed if I was comfortable enough and the temperature was cool enough, I could go. We got the dog, Luci, excited to go but I quickly changed my mind. At this point, the surges were becoming more frequent and more intense. We agreed that a walk was necessary for Luci, so Kyle left, and I continued to labor at home. When Kyle returned I very calmly, but urgently, asked “How much longer until you’re ready to go?” This was the signal . . . finally . . . that we were going to have our baby! We arrived at the hospital around 12:30 pm and were admitted to a triage room. Monitors placed to check the baby and I confirmed what we already knew: that the surges were 3 minutes apart, increasing in intensity, and indicating that the baby would be joining us soon. Our midwife checked how far I had thinned and opened, but she did not tell me the result, as per our birth plan. After this check, we immediately transitioned to a birthing room. Once we were admitted to a birthing room, we continued using our Hypnobirthing tools - calm and surge breathing, using our key words and phrases to move me into deeper relaxation, and scents and sounds we utilized during surge practice before birth. I can honestly say I had never felt so relaxed as I was feeling between surges during our baby’s birth. Kyle was an amazing birth partner and fully embraced all the techniques we had learned with Erin and practiced at home. We labored at the hospital for several hours, and after 2 ½ hours of breathing the baby down, Vivienne Kate arrived - at 5:09 pm, 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 21 inches long on July 4 2018. It was the most incredible feeling holding our baby after a completely natural birth, especially considering that 24 hours earlier we were mentally preparing for an induction. Vivienne just seemed to be waiting in the womb for so long! I’m so thankful for the tools we were given in the HypnoBirthing® class and that we had a medical team that was very respectful of our birth plan. This respect emanated out of the fact that we advocated for our family and our HypnoBirthing® plans. We did this during the prenatal visits, during the nearly two week wait past our estimated date of delivery, and during the actual birthing day. - Kaitlyn, Kyle & Vivienne Sharing is Caring! Please use the social share buttons on the right to spread the joy from this story on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! ------- Erin Stertz-Follett, Flutterby's Owner, is a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Certified HypnoBirthing® Educator, and Certified Birth Doula who has taught and assisted hundreds of families. Feel free to email her at erin@flutterbybirth.com with any questions! I often ask my HypnoBirthing students this question in their first class: "Have you ever been hypnotized?" As they picture swinging watches, people on a stage clucking like chickens, or a formal sit-down session with a hypnotist/hypnotherapist, most often the answer is "NO!" My typical response is: "Oh, really?... Have you ever gone to bed and experienced that gentle, lulling feeling as you fall asleep?"... or... "Have you ever woken up in the morning and found yourself in that in-between state of coming-to, but not quite being fully awake?" [Heads nod all across the classroom]. "Well, then, you have indeed been hypnotized!" [Light bulbs come on!]. It is comforting for most people to know that hypnosis is a natural state that we all experience at least 2x each day - When falling asleep, and when waking. When going through each of those processes, we go down through, or up through, several states of consciousness - Beta (waking), Apha and Theta (states of hypnosis/trance), and Delta (sleep). Once we know this, we can discover just how easy it is for us to slip, almost unnoticed, in and out of hypnosis! It is important to remember this: All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. This means that no one can make you do anything - No one can make you go into hypnosis. You have to be open to the experience. Someone skilled in hypnosis (such as a Certified Hypnotist or Hypnotherapist), can help guide you in and out of that state. Hypnosis allows us to naturally access our subconscious mind, which is where our beliefs, values, intuition, long-term memories, and imagination live. These things are not accessible in the same way while we are in our conscious mind. When we access our subconscious mind, and put suggestions there that match our goals or values, we can make significant change in our day-to-day lives! Find out more about hypnosis HERE. Has anyone ever told you to "just take a deep breath?"... Or have you given the same advice to someone else? It's actually great advice! You are, or they were, essentially telling you to "relax" and go into a calm state, which is very similar to self-hypnosis. Try the following exercise to bring yourself into this lovely, relaxing state: 1) Take a deep belly breath 2) Pause and hold your breath for a count of 2 3) Exhale and count out loud, or in your own mind - FIVE.... four..... three..... two..... one.... RELAX. 4) Repeat this 5 times in a row, 5 times per day 5) Enjoy the feeling of calm, quiet self-hypnosis! Don't worry - You won't (and can't) get stuck in hypnosis. As soon as you are needed, or whenever your mind is ready, you will return to a state of full awareness and alertness. Enjoy! Originally published in April 2014 My journey into birth began 14 years ago after the birth of my first nephew, Micah. I wouldn’t fully embrace birth as my calling until many years later, after the birth of my own two girls and the 'birth' of the passion inside me to bring services of meaning to pregnant women and their families. I will never forget that moment. After an induction that lasted more than 24 hours, and “arrest of descent” of the baby during pushing, my sister was told that she would need a cesarean section. I watched as her face turned from determination, to disappointment, to resignation, and to sorrow. As my mom and I left the room while they began the surgical prep, I said to Mom, “That’s not what we wanted.” With tears trickling down her cheeks, she shook her head, “No.” The grief for what Sarah so badly wanted – a vaginal birth with minimal interventions – was palpable. A few years later, as I was pregnant with my first child and wanting to learn as much as I could about having a healthy birth, Sarah invited me to an ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) meeting. At that time, the group was small and had just begun reforming here in the Twin Cities. I happened to attend on a night when a wise midwife named Gail Tully was on hand to provide information and practice in ‘optimal fetal positioning’ for birth. I didn’t know anything about birth balls or Rebozos, or the side-lying release. I just knew that it felt so good (and kind of funny!) as I was used as the ‘pregnant model’ for Rebozo belly sifting. Two babies later, both of which included my sister’s attendance and support, I began the true path to birth work as a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, doula, and HypnoBirthing Certified Educator. Again, my journey was largely inspired not only by Sarah’s first birth, but also by her successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) her second time around. To offer full disclosure, I somewhat dreaded as a doula the first time I would need to step into the surgical suite and witness a mama experience a cesarean birth. In some small way, I was traumatized by my sister’s experience. Now with many under my belt, I can say that my perspective has changed. Yes, it is still difficult. But, with my doula hat on, I enter the experience with an open heart and an open mind, with nothing but how I can best support that mama in that moment as my focus. It is at that time that we turn our trust over to the trained surgeon whose job now is to safely bring the baby forth from the mother's womb. I offer a grounding hand on the forehead, an explanation of what to expect and what is happening, sounds and smells that calm the mother, words of reassurance to the partner, and pictures if mama desires. I have seen mothers who view their surgical births in many different ways: From full-on acceptance; to complete devastation (offering my doula hands to wipe away tears); to somewhere in the middle (perhaps with resignation and a resolve to process the experience later). I have seen cesareans that are completely medically necessary, and those that fall in a grey area. Look, the cesarean rate in this country (31.9%) is too high. There’s no way around that. We can do better. For women, for babies, and for their families. It may feel daunting to tackle this subject on a grander scale and I know many of us birth workers often feel at a loss. But here is what we can do:
Below is a news story regarding the U of M's research into cesarean rates from 2014, for which Erin was interviewed: |
AuthorErin Stertz-Follett, Owner Categories
All
Archives
January 2024
|