I will say from the outset that I am not really a great believer in all things natural therapy, but that probably comes from a lack of experience and knowledge of it rather than firm evidence.
When the idea of hypnotherapy came up I wasn’t altogether convinced but I was hearing more and more stories of women who had been to sessions who subsequently found the birthing experience quite a positive affair rather than a hideous one.
Sure it still smarted, they said, but they felt much more in control of what was happening.
Casting my mind back to my own experience, something I have hidden away in a dark corner of my mind, I thought it was worth giving it a go.
I also quite fancied the idea of an hour and a half to myself, just chilling out on some rugs and mats to some peaceful music.
In the event, I came away feeling a lot more upbeat that the second time around needn’t be the shocker I had experienced with Ben.
I remember dissolving into tears when, a few days afterwards, the midwife asked me how I thought the birth went. I wasn’t really able to form any sort of response but I think my blubbering said it all.
I felt I had let myself down for not handling it well and although I went into it knowing it would hurt – a lot – I had no idea how to cope with it as the labour continued to draw out into what seemed like weeks.
I wasn’t really keen on the idea of hypnotism as I had visions of me running around the labour ward clucking like a chicken, which wouldn’t have been very useful.
But, in fact, the programme teaches you to visualise a place for yourself that you can focus on – a beach in this instance – and how to make simple breathing more effective. All in all, the course is rooted in getting rid of the fear factor and giving you a boost of confidence that you can get through it.
Being the only one in the room who had given birth before, I am sure my sceptical eyebrow went up more than once but, on the whole, I have to say it has given me more belief that perhaps this time I won’t be reduced to a wailing mess and pleading for a Caesarean from anyone who would listen to me.
