As a Mom who had 2 epidurals and 2 Hypnobabies,
here's why I am such
a strong advocate for Hypnobabies:
I can use hypnosis from the very moment my
birthing time starts. I do not have to load up the car, drive across down ready
to jump out of my skin, wait until a nurse is convinced I'm progressing,
convinces a doctor of such, wait for orders to be recorded, wait for
the anesthesiologist, and wait for it to take effect, wait for it to be given
again, or worse, wait for it to wear off so I can push
effectively. I decide, nobody else decides
for me, and I have at my
hand the tools for far better relief than I
ever got from an epidural.
Hypnosis does not involve someone who may
be very tired poking a
sharp instrument into a part of my body
that likely wasn't designed
to be treated that way.
Hypnosis doesn't hurt. There is no local
anesthesia needed to use
hypnosis, and it doesn't involve a big long
needle or a wire to be
threaded into a tiny space in my spine.
Hypnosis doesn't require me to get into odd
positions at the least
pleasant time.
I can't get a "hypnosis headache"
I can actually feel what's going on, and so
while I don't have pain, I feel... restless, or like I need to turn, or like
perhaps being on my hands and knees would be good, or water would be good, or
any other number of things that help ensure baby is in the best possible
position, thus shortening my birthing time immeasurably.
Because I do not have an epidural I am much
more likely to have the
freedom to walk a lot during my birthing
time, or lie in positions
that work for my body and baby, not for
picking up the signal of the toco or doppler.
As paradoxical as it may sound, natural
childbirth really does leave you more energized. I always scoffed at that,
wondering how women who admitted they were in "pain" could have more energy than
me who was drugged (I did have some small measure of pain relief). I had
my first Hypnobaby and I knew: it just is. Not being drugged is a big deal in
bouncing back from birth. It made birthing my son a
relatively minor physical event compared to
the other two before, I
had energy, and strength, and was ready to
take on the role of a
larger family, much more so than when I had
epidurals.
Basically I make most such decisions in my
life based on a kind of
risk/benefit ratio. In my particular case,
that would weigh heavily
in Hypnobabies favor because I know it to
be very low risk and very
successful, whereas the success to risk
ratio for me for an epidural is not quite so encouraging.
However epidurals do seem to work for the
vast majority of women, so then it comes down to a woman doing her research and
determining
what's important to her.
Just personal opinion here: If you commit
to Hypnobabies, if you
practice Hypnobabies, if you are willing to
do what it takes,
Hypnobabies will work so wonderfully you'll
have no doubts. All it
takes is that you know you want it and will
do what it takes to get it.
Crystal