In 1998 I became a grandmother for the first time. My granddaughter, Caylin Dayne is adorable, but I could be just a bit prejudiced. Caylin’s birth gave me an opportunity to put my hypnosis training in to practice “in the field,” so to speak.
The Navy had sent my son-in-law to school for several months and he would not be home when his first-born entered the world. I was delighted to be asked to fill in as the birthing coach for my daughter. Jennifer lives in another part of California, so we did not have an opportunity to do hypnosis in person prior to her birthing. I did, however, send her a self hypnosis recording for relaxed childbirth, which she played daily for several months before Caylin was due. Jennifer has also learned self hypnosis from spending her teen years listening to me talk to about my fascinating new career.
Once I was there for the birth, we did a session. I gave her suggestions for remaining calm and relaxed throughout the birthing process.
By the time Caylin was born, I had experienced first-hand that hypnosis had certainly made a significant difference. Jen’s experience was extremely short (she went from 5 cm to 10 cm in twenty minutes) and she remained calm throughout. The hospital staff was amazed that this was her first baby. As painful as it was, she never became upset or screamed. She was calm and followed directions beautifully. If we’d had more time for private work, I would have taught her glove anesthesia so she could also be free of any discomfort. Update: my daughter had a third baby more recently without any hypnotic assistance and wished that she had taken me up on my offer to help her again.
When we reached the hospital, the nurse recommended that Jennifer alter her breathing. Evidently she was breathing much too quickly (she had missed taking the Lamaze class) and would tire herself out if she continued at that pace. As her labor progressed the nurses would demonstrate the next breathing technique and Jennifer would easily make the shift. Once in awhile I would remind her to slow down again, but for the most part, she acted as if she had been practicing for weeks.
Several times she said that she could not do this anymore, but what birthing mother doesn’t feel that way? I know that I certainly did. In fact, on the way to the hospital to have Jennifer, I told her dad that I had changed my mind and that I really did not feel like having the baby that day. I wanted to wait until I “felt better.”
The message on my Relaxed Childbirth recording tells the listener that she will remain calm and relaxed and easily cope with whatever comes up during her labor and delivery. I condition my clients to reach the deeper states of self hypnosis so they can relieve their discomfort and remain relaxed.
According to doctors who use hypnosis with their patients, it shortens labor by 75%! I would agree after watching my daughter give birth to Caylin.
Excerpt from Finding Your True Self (out of print)
Be joyful, be grateful, live in peace,
Katherine Zimmerman
Clinical Hypnotherapist
Photo by Christian Bowen on Unsplash.com