3 ways Hypnobirthing Australia can help you on your path to a positive birth By Jennifer Day-Sully HBAU VBAC mum 2015
1. Bin the Birth Baggage Let’s face it, VBAC’ing can come with- birth baggage. Chances are, something/s went haywire with your previous birth. Perhaps it was a medical condition, a breech position, general failure to progress; whatever the circumstances were surrounding your Caesarean,
you may be left with unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, or fears that are carrying into your current pregnancy. Core to the Hypnobirthing Australia program is guiding and teaching mothers how to let go of fear and negativity surrounding birth. When you are freed from the burden of worry and doubt, this allows you to approach your upcoming birth with an open mind and heart.
2. Getting Your Mind Right Birth in general is a mind over matter process, and this holds especially true for the VBAC mother. Being in a good headspace can make all the difference- and Hypnobirthing Australia can get you there. In our class, we create and grow a positive mindset that celebrates the miracle of birth through repeated exposure to positive ideas about birth via: education about how the birthing body works, affirmations, visualizations, exposure to positive birth stories and self-hypnosis. This includes learning new ways of thinking about the “pain” often associated with childbirth. In the course you will learn new ways to process the physical sensations of birth in a more gentle, positive fashion. We learn how to eliminate your fears and then replace them with understanding, confidence, joy and excitement.
3. Empowered to Lead A positive birth is one where you feel respected, in control and involved in decision-making. Empowering mothers to take a leading role in their birth is central to the
Hypnobirthing Australia philosophy. You are armed with the knowledge regarding how your birthing body will work. You are coached on how to create a harmonious relationship with your caregivers. You and your birth partner are taught tried and true tools, tips and techniques to remain calm and comfortable throughout the birthing process. This is the recipe for a positive experience.
And while we set the tone for a more calm, relaxed birth, we also discuss that no two births are the same and no can fully predict the turns their birth may take. But no matter what, when you begin your birth in a calm, confident manner, and you have tools to remain that way, you will be able to process information your medical caregivers may deliver in a more calm, logical state-of-mind and make decisions accordingly.
The tools to create a peaceful, positive birth apply no matter how your baby enters the world. As a mother who has birthed both ways, I can say with absolute confidence the learnings from this course apply to both vaginal and Caesarean birth. And I can also say- the Hypnobirthing Australia program was absolutely key to my achieving my VBAC and for that I am forever grateful.