Pain in Labour

     Pain in labour is mainly due to the fear induced by family myths and birth stories from family and friends or frightening childbirth stories depicted by the media. When fear is not present, there is no pain. Fear causes the arteries leading to the uterus to constrict and become tense, creating pain. In the absence of fear, the muscles relax and become pliable and the cervix is able to naturally thin and open as the body pulsates rhythmically and expels the baby with ease. Language used around a pregnant mother due to ignorance of labour and the fear-fight-flight response cause pain, which in turn leads to labour failing to progress naturally. Fear causes the hormone response- oxytocin production to reduce which leads to physical exhaustion. What a mother in labour needs is not more urgency or prompting to ‘move things along’, but more awareness of the importance of calm and relaxation. Gentle encouragement and the assurance can actually move the labour along faster.

Many women choose the comfort of water birthing as a complement to hypnobirthing. The water enhances a mother’s relaxation and allows the baby to be born into an environment that makes an easy transition from life within the womb to air breathing. There is merit to the weightlessness and buoyancy that water provides and when a mother uses this combination, her mind is free and relaxed. Her body is better able to benefit from the softening effect that the water has on the birthing muscles and on the folds of the perineum and there is a slightly less risk of tearing or needing an episiotomy. Baths are calming and soothing and also give the feeling of pleasure, contentment and well-being. Research states that when women labour and birth in water there is an increase production of endorphins and natural oxytocin, also all other muscles work comfortably e.g biceps and triceps.

The next question to ask is how is Hypnobirthing beneficial??? Hypnobirthing allows the body to work at its own pace and facilitates easier birthing by using relaxation and visualization to speed release of endorphins and effect a shorter labour through release of oxytocin. When a mother and her birth companion learn to identify the emotional waves before and during labour and how to release them, the mother feels confident, free of fear and can achieve a relaxed state. The constricting hormones are overridden when the body relaxes naturally. Learning to understand the concept of living in a relaxed state (or in the parasympathetic system) and avoiding being in the stressed and fear state, sympathetic defence will ensure a calm and gentle birth. Fear can also cause the arteries leading to the uterus muscles to constrict and become tense, creating pain. In the absence of fear, the muscles relax and become pliable and the cervix is able to naturally thin and open as the body pulsates rhythmically in the ‘up’ stage of labour.

Normally there are two systems within the Autonomic nervous system which controls the communication network in the body. They are called the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system whose role is to act as the body’s defence mechanism is triggered when we are stressed, frightened or startled. It creates the fight, flight or freeze response within the body. When a mother approaches labour with unresolved fear and stress, her body is already on the defensive and the stress hormone catecholamines is secreted. In labour, the body does not choose fight or flight but freeze. Since the uterus is not designed as a part of the defence mechanism, blood is directed away from it to parts of the body involved in defence. This causes arteries going to the uterus to tense and constrict, restricting the flow of blood and oxygen.  The lower circular fibre at the neck of the uterus tightens and constrict, the upper muscles are unable to draw the circular muscles back. The cervix remains taut and closed. This in turn makes the muscles resistant causing considerable pain and cause extended labour.

On the other hand, the parasympathetic nervous system keeps the body and mind in the state of harmony and balance. It maintains body functioning in a state of calm, slowing heart rate, reducing stimulation, slowing the firing of neuropeptides, and generally keeping us in a state of well being. The parasympathetic system produces oxytocin (hormone of love), which helps the muscles of the uterus work in labour and endorphins (feel good hormone) that allow the muscles of the uterus to relax and open.

Dr Grantly Dick-Read (Obstretrician in the 1950’s was the first person to advocate Natural birthing) suggested that by denying mothers of natural birthing, the miracle of childbirth is hampered by the anguish and agony of the clinical aspects of childbirth rather than the joy it should bring.

Mumpreneur: Hypnobirthing

Mumpreneur: Hypnobirthing

By Andrea Smith BSc (hons) Clinical Hypnosis, Dip Hb

I’ve trained as a midwife and am a Registered Nurse working part time at Frimley Park NHS trust. When I trained 20 years ago, there was little or no support for pregnant mothers, they were expected to give birth and go home three days later.

My first son Kelvin was born in Glasgow. I was in labour for 24 hours with no pain medication or knowledge of breathing techniques and it was one of the longest days of my life. I remember my husband having his sandwiches and calling friends telling them funny things. He even tried the tens machine and at one point cranked my tens machine up to 10 to see me almost jump off the bed. After the birth of his son, my husband carried Kelvin to show him the Rangers football ground through the window and proceeded to drink and eat my tea and toast.

In 1999, we moved to Tilford in Surrey when Kelvin was 9 months old to a house that needed total renovation. My second pregnancy was spent with organising builders and relocating to a friend’s house for 5 months in Ashington, West Sussex. I did not attend antenatal classes and was not under a midwife.  I was busy driving back and forward as my son went to nursery in Tilford. I went to The Royal Surrey hospital for regular check ups and was only concerned with getting the house back from the builders so I could have my baby in my home. One week before my due date, I was nesting as they call it scrubbing the floor of the bathroom and my waters broke. My husband took me back to our friend’s house to drop of our son and an hour later we were driving to the hospital, and 45 minutes after that my baby girl Kirsty arrived, again no pain medication or support.

My thoughts over the last few years bringing up my children - how could I make the birth of a most precious child a positive experience for women? Most of my friends, colleagues and co-workers had stories to tell about the birth of their children, some positive but mostly painful and traumatic. The experiences of the births of my two children motivated me to learn a new skill, in order to help mothers look forward to their pregnancy and birth with excitement and anticipation.

Some women during their first pregnancy can become a stressed and anxious. This may be because of the stories they’ve heard from friends or family or just fear of the unknown. Its not just first time mothers who feel like this. Women who have experienced a difficult childbirth can also feel anxious and worried. In truth, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or simply nervous and want help and support, my Hypnobirthing programme will help you with those difficulties.

Having a baby can create the most joyful moments in your life, ones that you’ll want to remember as positive and empowering. My aim is to help you to have the best possible natural childbirth. 

By attending hypnobirthing classes, you will develop a range of skills and hypnotherapy techniques that you can use during childbirth and beyond, so that you and your baby can have a calm, comfortable and relaxed natural birthing where you with your birth partner are in control.

The father or birth partner becomes an active and supportive presence during the birth experience. As a father, you will know that you have played a positive role in the pregnancy and birth of your baby through hypnobirthing.

I trained as a Clinical Hypnotherapist and completed the first science Degree in Clinical Hypnosis. Drawing on my years of experience as a nurse and midwife, I started running Hypnobirthing courses for mothers in 2011, following my training with Katharine Graves, London.

My aim is to offer this service to as many pregnant mothers and birth partners as I possibly can, even to those women who are just thinking of having a baby. It is a proven method of diffusing fear and other unhelpful emotions, which may have a negative impact during the birth of their baby. On this programme, you could deliver your baby in a natural, calm, drug-free and comfortable way and labour will be shorter.

Hypnobirthing courses run in Farnham, Godalming and Guildford and if desired in the home.

My motto as a Hypnobirthing Specialist Teacher is -

“I have a burning desire and driving passion to make a difference to the birthing experience of as many mothers as possible and in turn make a difference to the lives of as many babies as possible”.

If you want to learn more about the natural birthing programme, you can explore the website - www.hypnobirthing-hindhead.co.uk.   OR

Contact me - Andrea Smith 07967151790 for a chat, where I will answer any questions you may have.

Can healthy sleep patterns help us control our weight :

Adequate sleep enhances weight loss. It could be associated with the role of hypothalmus (which regulates sleep and appetite) or it could be hormonal?

Its relevance to hypnosis - there could be an argument that spending time in a hypnotic trance state may have a negative effect on weight loss in a similar way to sleep. Is there any evidence to suggest otherwise???

Almost anyone that comes to a Clinical hypnotherapist to lose weight has had enough information digested as to how and what to eat. Clinical Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which the unconscious mind becomes receptive to positive changes and new ways of addressing issues in your life is fed back to you. The treatment includes natural deep states of relaxation and calm, which are both therapeutic and rejuvenating. Clients come to a hypnotherapist to reframe and shift their thoughts, feelings and behavior about food and eating, hence enhancing weight loss with suggestion and motivation.

Ghrelin and leptin are both produced in the body. A sleep-deprived person over stimulates their ghrelin production, which increases their desire for food. Among the hormonal effects sleep restriction causes an increase in ghrelin levels in the blood. Ghrelin is a hormone that has been shown to reduce energy expenditure, stimulate hunger and food intake, promote retention of fat and increase glucose production in the body. Simultaneously lack of sleep reduces the production of leptin, which is the body’s appetite suppressant. So if you don’t have enough sleep the hormones in your body gets out of whack and you feel hungry and such cravings lead to weight gain.

Adequate sleep is an important factor in successful weight loss. During hypnosis suggestions are given that adequate sleep be a part of a lifestyle package along with diet and exercise. Sleep is one of the important factors that can influence a person’s ability to stay on a diet.

What is the difference between a natural and normal birth?

Normal birth is often not a ‘natural’ birth but a mother does use pain relieving medications and interventions. Giving birth as nature intended is a ‘Natural Birth’ having a deep intuitive instinct about the birth and when supported and released on the unnatural fear, give birth without any interventions and in a calm and gentle manner. A mother surrounded by her family, friends and health care professionals who remind her of the power of labour and encourage her quietly and patiently to birth her baby naturally, will be able to trust the birth process and be confident that she has the strength and wisdom to give birth her way. Another way of describing natural child birth is when a mother prepares for the birth of her baby confident in her own ability to give birth, being willing to feel the surges and finding comfort in her response to what she feels with no medical intervention. In contrast to a mother giving birth attended by physicians in a busy hospital with medications, machines and epidurals.

Dr Grantly Dick-Read quoted saying:

"While I have not used pure hypnotism very often I have used suggestion a great deal, indeed almost constantly, and I am irked when I see how my colleagues neglect to avail themselves of this harmless and potent remedy. It accounts for easily half of the success of local anaesthesia". This suggests that denying mothers of natural birth experience are hampering the miracle of childbirth hampered by the agony and anguish of the clinical/technical aspects of childbirth rather than the joy/enjoyment it should bring.

　

A Father’s Role in the Birthing Process

"The transition to fatherhood is one of the most significant and challenging experiences a man will ever face. In order to have a satisfying and successful experience fathers must feel safe, supported and confident. To optimize the possibilities for our families, we need to provide appropriate educational, physical and emotional support for father love". Patrick M. Houser 2009

The days when a father paced up and down in the waiting room while his wife gave birth elsewhere is over. Now fathers are in alliance with the creative process of pregnancy and birth with mothers. Today nearly 90% fathers are present at the birth and are also involved in the caretaking of their children. In 1995 fathers only spent 15 minutes a day with their children and in 1995 it went up to 2 hours. This coincidence may be due to fathers entering the birthing room and becoming involved in the birth process. Fathers are beginning to discover facets of their instinctive and parental love and are putting it into action.

The father/birth companion an integral role in the birthing. The success of the mother’s birth experience depends on the support and assistance of the father/birth companion. The father role as a facilitator during the birthing process helps to condition the mothers mind to relax and respond to his prompts, giving support and continuous assurance of her ability to birth her baby gently. He will instinctively know what to do and maintain peace and calm surrounding the birth.

The father will be a liaison between the mother and her health care professionals before and during birth as a woman in labour can be sensitive and unassertive.

The father/birth companion can protect the mother’s space, be her advocate and give her gentle prompts, gentle touches, arm stroking and shoulder stroking. He can play the CD- Relaxation for Natural Birth. He can make her a jug of water with Five-flower Remedy, spray Essential oil of Lavender in the room. Have Homeopathy-Arnica 200c from Helios ready –give her one when she will go into labour and maybe give her a couple during labour if there is time. He can also give her when her baby is born and each hour for the next 3 hours. (A good idea is to give this to a mother to support tissue under stress).

The father’s is the main point of contact between the midwife and the mother, when she is in labour. He will answer the midwife’s questions about the mothers needs. The father will be the guardian of the birthing room to make sure the environment remains conducive to a relaxed happy birthing. He has learnt hypnobirthing techniques together with the mother, which will enable her to relax and to be her coach at the birth. Fathers find that being involved to this extent enables them to form a very strong bond with their newborn. Father/birth companion involvement is integral for a successful birth as it empowers the mother and is a positive experience when both actively contribute to the birth of their child. Single mothers can have a good birth with hypnobirthing too with support from the midwife or a birth partner.

The couple can come to hypnobirthing classes together learn to enjoy their pregnancy and remain calm and confident throughout. They can practice the scripts together and the father/ partner can use the back-stroking or arm stroking method to gently sooth the mother and create a closeness between them and the baby. Together they can learn the suggested relaxation techniques and practice them daily. There is a bond already formed between the two parents and their baby, who will be tuned in to both the parent’s voices. By knowing that birthing and caring for their baby is a natural process, a mother can allow her birthing body to birth her baby naturally. ‘Whatever you do is right’ is a concept they should follow throughout the pregnancy and birth. By learning what is best for them and their baby they will create an empowering labour and birth.