Continuous Labor Support Reduces Risk of Cesarean Section and Other Adverse Outcomes in Women and Newborns

http://childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/continuous_support_release_2-11.pdf

Does Television Cause Fear of Childbirth?

Posted by Danielle625 on December 8th, 2010 at 12:03 pm

In the past couple days, there has been a lot of talk about a clinical fear of childbirth, something that was certainly new to me, even as a childbirth educator and doula. But I am sure there is a clinical term for fear of most things in life.

The term tocophobia, or the unrelenting fear of childbirth, made an appearance in Jezebel the other day, and it sparked my interest because I have been writing about fear surrounding childbirth for a while. Just not the clinical kind.

But are women truly afraid, literally clinically afraid of having children? Or is it just a fear our society has been perpetuating through horrid depictions of birth on our televisions for as long as we can remember? I am willing to go with the less dramatic.

I flash back to watching General Hospital after school with my mother back in the day. The dramatic 1994 birth of Lulu — such a scary and surgical event for those Luke and Laura fans glued to the television like my mother was. I found myself tainted by childbirth from then on even though I was only in elementary school. I am sure other young girls shared similar experiences.

Since then it hasn’t gotten any better on television. Scary accidental home births on soap operas, Addison Montgomery turning every delivery into a near death experience on Private Practice, and A Baby Story with all their emergency situations to fuel ratings. I have come to a point in my life where I can no longer watch these deliveries on television because of what they represent.

Fear, and the broken maternity care system our country is thrusting on the next generation of mothers.

The message being sent to our sisters and daughters is that childbirth is something they should be fearing. Something scary, and emergent instead of the beautiful and peaceful event it can be. These less eventful deliveries are not making it into the public eye, while the crappy examples continue to flood the mainstream media.

Pushing these fears is a rising cesarean birth rate well over the recommended percentage the World Health Organization put in place for modern women of the United States. The multiples, and health conditions we see increasing risks in the women today. In fact, at the most we should see a 15 percent cesarean rate, and we are over double that. I know that is something that aided my fear of childbirth. Surgery is scary. Any kind of surgery. It is still scary to me after going through two c-sections myself, and various other surgical procedures over the years.

But ratings are what bring the money in. We shouldn’t expect to see low risk women birthing with midwives, or beautiful home births on these shows, and in prime time. They won’t get the numbers the networks need to stay afloat.

Although I think if we took a big time birth documentary like The Business of Being Born and put it on as a prime time special, it would get those same numbers the networks demand. And maybe help the next generation or even the current generation of mothers to take a second look at childbirth and maternity care as we know it.

Until then, we need to be the educators in our community and families, and help send the message that childbirth is not something we should be scared of because of the way it is handled today in our maternity care system.

http://blogs.babble.com/being-pregnant/2010/12/08/does-television-cause-fear-of-childbirth/

Do Epidurals affect Babies?

While some medical professionals claim that epidurals have no affect on babies, others say that epidurals do reach babies. What do we know about the way babies are affected by epidural analgesia?

Epidurals are administered to a growing number of women in labor today. A frequent question women want to know is whether an epidural will affect their baby.

Recent statistics show that anywhere from 60-90% of women today choose epidurals for labor. Though epidurals have been called the "cadillac" of medications due to their ability to reduce labor pain, controversy exists about whether or not epidurals affect the baby.

Epidurals do have the potential to affect a baby in two ways: either directly by crossing the placenta into the baby's bloodstream and/or indirectly by affecting the health of the mother.

Indirect effects to the Baby from Epidurals

One of the ways that epidurals can affect babies is if the mother's blood pressure drops during labor. Regional anesthesia tends to dilate a person's blood vessels, which can sometimes cause their blood pressure to drop. This is generally more of a risk if the mother already has low blood pressure. A drop in a mother's blood pressure in labor will cause the baby's heart rate to fall as well.

Epidurals cause the mother to lose most or all of her sensation and feedback to push. So, another indirect effect of epidurals to the baby is when mothers cannot push effectively. Research does show that women push longer when they have an epidural. Between exhaustion and not having feedback to push, instruments are used more often to help get the baby out, such as forceps or vacuum extractors. The use of these instruments are both considered to be "complicated vaginal deliveries" and can cause bruising and/or swelling on the top of the baby's head.

A 1997 study in Pediatrics has shown that epidurals are more likely to cause the mother's temperature to increase. In this case, medical staff is required to out rule that the mother may have an infection. So another indirect effect of epidurals can lead to a 350% higher chance of the baby being tested for infection (called a sepsis work-up) and 400% higher chance of being given antibiotics. In most cases, no infection is found in the baby.

Direct effects to the Baby from Epidurals

One way to look at the potential effect of epidurals on babies is to study their behavior as compared to babies from non-medicated labors. Researchers in Sweden have discovered that epidurals and other medications do affect babies in the first hours after birth with regard to pre-breastfeeding, latching-on and other behaviors. In a 2001 study published in Birth, infants were videotaped and their behaviors were recorded. The study showed that compared to babies whose mothers did use use pain medication, infants whose mothers used epidurals or a combination of epidurals with other medications:

Made significantly less hand to mouth movements

Touched the nipple and areola much less

Did not remained attached to the breast

Cried more

Had significantly higher skin temperatures

Researchers concluded that, "Spontaneous breast-seeking behavior in newborns is part of the interaction between the mother and her newborn and is based on coordination of body movements, sensory stimuli, and communication behaviors. This study indicates that maternal analgesia during labor might disturb and delay the important aspects of the newborn's interactive behavior and increase the newborn's skin temperature and crying."

According to authors Jensen, Benson and Bobak, (Maternity Care, the Nurse and the Family) analgesics and anesthetics do cross the placenta. "Many drugs cross the placenta readily (e.g., antibiotics, narcotics, analgesics, anesthetics)."

The medication used in epidurals (local anesthetics such as bupivicaine) crosses the placenta by diffusion. This means that when epidurals are administered, the medication rapidly diffuses across cell membranes, crosses the placenta and enters the bloodstream of the baby. According to one study, bupivicaine (administered via an epidural) was found in blood samples taken from newborns after the mothers had an elective cesarean.

While it is clear that epidurals cross the placenta and reach the baby and can both indirectly and directly affect babies, we still don't know exactly how epidurals can affect the baby in every situation and for every mother and baby.

http://www.suite101.com/content/do-epidurals-affect-babies--a8281

Hypno-Mom Kari shares her third daughter Chloe's Hypnobabies Birth Story!

Chloe’s Hypnobabies Birth Story

Wow...I can't believe the time has come for me to post my very own birth story! I wasn't sure I was going to have a very exciting birth story to tell... it was!!!

This was my third baby girl, but my very first all natural Hypnobabies birth! I'm so happy to be a part of the elite women who have a natural birth, it's very empowering!!

Chloe's ETA was September 22nd, but I had anticipated her arrival to be the weekend before, sometime between the 17th and the 19th. I even told my best friend the month before to make her trip out from Utah that weekend... so she did. We usually have our babies on weekends and I couldn't imagine her coming the weekend AFTER her guess date so it had to be this weekend!

I kept myself SUPER busy all week walking with friends, doing pre-school stuff with my 4 yr old, and making hair-bows for my THREE girls! I decided to make the last days nice and fun! I'm SO glad I did.

I had a Dr. appt. on Friday the 17th, where the doctor checked me and I was 60% effaced and 2 cm (nothing different for me during the last weeks of pregnancy). I ran some errands with my mom, Home Depot, health food store, etc. (We live in the San Bernardino Mountains in California, so trips up and down the mountain take about 45 minutes, so we do major shopping when we're down there). I had been experiencing lots of Braxton Hicks all week (as well as other changes in my body that told me she was coming soon) nothing to complain about, but they were starting to change a bit while walking around with my mom. I didn't think much of it though, didn't want to get my hopes up. I wanted Chloe to come when she was ready...even though I had felt ready for a while! We got home about 7 pm. On the drive up I felt the PW's (pressure waves) had more of a pattern and they felt a bit more like real PWs, but still didn't think this was it. I picked up my two girls from my dad and took them home to get ready for bed.

Once home I just did all the normal stuff, feeling the waves but not really giving them much thought. After my girls were in bed, my husband and I watched TV and I told him that maybe we should get some stuff packed because I was having waves about every10 minutes. So I started getting my things ready. I decided that I should try to sleep a little and listen to Hypnobabies. I did for a bit, but had to keep going to the bathroom. So, I decided I should get my kids bag packed. As I was walking around getting things together for them I started feeling them very close together, but thought it was just because I was walking a lot (they felt like a side ache from running, just in the front lower part of my abdomen.) I still was unsure if this was it! I told my husband I was going to call his mom, he told me to wait because he didn't think it was time yet either. But, I called her anyway around midnight she is a Labor and Delivery Nurse and I told her I wasn't sure if I should go down to the hospital or not. She asked how close together they were and I told her they felt about 1-2 minutes apart. I was starting to have to focus now. She told me she would come to sleep with my babies and that we shouldn't wait around any longer. She lives 5 minutes away, but in the meantime I decided I should try to make the nurses some brownies to keep my mind off of the PWs. She arrived and told me she would finish the brownies for me and we needed to go. I called my sister and parents and told them we were going down, that my waves were about 1-2 minutes apart and I'd call once I knew if this was it or not.

My husband and I left about 1 am. The car ride down was a little rough with all the turns, but I listened to Hypnobabies and held my lavender and chamomile pillows to my face. I remember feeling SO good once a wave had passed and making sure my body was nice and loose during them. I told myself to "open".

We arrived at the hospital about 1:45, they checked me and I was 5 cm! "What, really??" I still couldn't believe this was it! My parents and sister arrived about 10 minutes after us, then soon after them my brother and his wife showed up. (Even though I told them all we'd call them... oh well, it was good they got there when they did!) My PWs were starting to come one after the other. I was so proud of how I was handling them. I felt a little agitated with my family just sitting there starring at me. I really only wanted my sister and husband in there but I felt bad because I didn't want to hurt my mom's feelings (she'd been there for my other two, so I just put the pillow over my face and stayed inside myself. At one point my mom said, "You can always change your mind and get the epidural!" Annoyed, I told her to "Shush or get out!" I wasn't in that kind of pain, I was just very focused and occasionally moaned and whispered "relax, peace, peace, peace, peace". I told my mom that the moaning was helping me feel better, I wasn't doing it because I was in excruciating pain.

I could feel my body trembling a bit and new that my body was entering transition. I was looking forward to it, but not sure what to expect. The nurse came to check again, I was a 6 with a bulging bag. She asked how I felt about having my water broken because sometimes things can slow down because the baby's head can't get into the birth canal with the bag in the way. I was starting to feel like I wanted this to be over very soon so I said sure.

The Doctor came in and checked me about 5 minutes later, I was a 7 and the water broke, Right when that happened my body went from having PWs to a HUGE pushing feeling which was extremely intense. I had never felt what it was like to feel the pushing waves and I got a little scared. Right after the 1st pushing wave the doctor still had her hand in there and said, "Whoa, this baby wants out NOW!" She said I was now a 9 and she was stretching things out...it was VERY uncomfortable and I told her to get her hand out of there! She apologized and began getting ready for the birth.

With each pushing wave my body just pushed on its own. With the first one I lost my focus and never really got it back because everything was happening so fast. My husband, sister and mom had never seen me birth this way so they didn't really know what to do or say so I had no one to help bring me back and try to relax me more. The sensations were very intense and I definitely was not quiet throughout them, I have to admit I let out a few choice words (and I'm not a "truck driver" kind of person) and about 3-4 pushes later Chloe was out! No tearing or anything! I was VERY happy that I had her naturally. Actually even though it was quick and intense I was happy it was quick rather than LONG and intense. MY husband joked that he'd stood in longer lines at Disneyland!!

Chloe Lynn Cummins was born at 3:36 am on September 18th, just two hours after we arrived at the hospital! She weighed 8 lbs and was 21 inches. She's the perfect mix of her older sisters Madison (4) and Riley (2). She's the sweetest little baby... We're all obsessed with her! Everyone was amazed that I predicted her birth so well, especially my friend who drove all the way out from Utah!

I loved Hypnobabies! Everything happened almost EXACTLY how I had visualized it. Funny enough the only thing I had trouble visualizing throughout my pregnancy was the pushing faze, which ended up being the part where I lost focus. Even though I couldn't think and get myself back once pushing it was a godsend during my pressure waves and made my entire pregnancy much more enjoyable. I couldn't believe how relaxed I was, which made everything move so quickly. For my next birth I NOW know what it's like to FEEL the baby coming out and I can focus more on making that experience a little less intense using my hypnosis. I still feel it was a WONDERFUL experience and a GREAT birth!

I also loved being a part of the Hypnobabies Mom’s support group and hearing all of the wonderful birth stories! If I could offer any advice to future Hypnobabies moms, it would be to really practice your visualizations and know that they make all the difference.

Love, Kari

http://www.hypnobabies.com/mylink.php?id=6293

Inducing Labor with Cytotec: A Questionable Practice

For one reason or another, induction of labor is becoming a more common practice in the United States. In addition to natural methods used uncommonly, there are several options that hospitals have to jump start or pick up a slow-to-start labor. One of these options is a drug called Cytotec, known by its generic name, Misoprostol.

Cytotec is a small pill produced by G.D. Searle & Co. to reduce stomach ulcers. Directly on its label, Searle warns against the use of Cytotec on pregnant women, but somehow doctors figured out that it was a cheap and effective way to induce labor. So Cytotec became an "on-label contraindicated" method of induction.

What were the reasons that G.D. Searle gave the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for warning against induction by Cytotec? Hyperstimulation of the uterus causing uterine rupture, severe fetal distress, amniotic fluid embolism, pelvic pain, retained placenta, severe genital bleeding, fetal bradycardia, cesarean delivery, and fetal and maternal death, all of which have been recorded as actual results of the use of Cytotec for the purpose of inducing labor¹. Shock, fetal brain damage, and newborn pneumonia have also been recorded as side effects of Cytotec^2,3.

Despite the fact that both the manufacturer of Cytotec and the FDA strongly advised against its use, ACOG issued a committee opinion in 2000 stating that if it is used appropriately, Cytotec is a safe and effective agent⁴. By appropriately, they meant not using it for VBAC labors, women with previous uterine surgery, or in labors that are progressing abnormally or with fetal distress. However, it has long been known that the side effects of Cytotec (such as uterine rupture) can occur in both low and high risk categories, regardless of dosage, which explains why so many organizations are still taking a stand against its use.

The only organization recommending Cytotec for use in labor is ACOG. Here are the organizations which advise against it: the US FDA, Best Scientific Opinion - Cochrane Database, G.D. Searle & Co., Society of

Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, British Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, all obstetric organizations in Scandinavia, International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, World Health Organization, as well as obstetric organizations and drug regulatory agencies in many other countries⁵.

In 2005, the FDA again released a warning to physicians, not to use Cytotec as an induction agent, saying that not enough scientific proof had been found to say that the drug was safe and effective for these uses. They also said that if physicians do use it, they must warn their patients of all known side-effects, or they may be in serious legal danger, not to mention putting mother and baby at needless risk⁶. Early in 2006, Pfizer, the current producer of Cytotec, also advised against pregnant women using the drug⁷.

According to MotherFriendly.org, the only benefits of Cytotec over Prostoglandin E2 (a similarly used induction agent) are a much reduced cost and faster labors. Both of these only benefit hospitals and doctors as shorter labors are usually more "intense, tumultuous, and difficult"⁸.

As a result of these findings, it would be appropriate for women facing induction to first consider the necessity of induction in their particular case, and second, an alternative to Cytotec, also known as Misoprostol.

Resources:
1 - www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_cytotec.pdf
2 - www.wikipedia.org
3,8 - www.motherfriendly.org
4,7 - www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=43186
5 - "Cytotec Induction and Off-Label Use" by Marsden Wagner, MD, MS. Midwifery Today Issue 67 Fall 2003
6 - www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/misoprostol/default.htm

thanks to http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/484891/inducing_labor_with_cytotec_a_questionable_pg2.html?cat=71

Discounted Hypnobabies Classes

Because the holidays are right around the corner, and The Doula House is about to start their Holiday series of classes; we are offering a $25 discount on our classes. That bring the cost to $275, which is a great deal for an 18 hour childbirth course

What is Hypnobabies?

Hypnobabies is a complete childbirth education course. Hypnobabies uses real medical hypno-anesthesia, the kind they use to put people under for surgery. Hypnobabies uses “Eyes-Open” hypnosis which allows the mother to move about during birth, while staying in a deep state of relaxed hypnosis. Using Hypnobabies will teach you how to stay in a deep state of hypnosis, and how to tell your body how to work best during your birthing time.

Hypnobabies is a complete childbirth Education class, covering everything from nutrition, and optimal fetal positioning.You will learn about informed consent and how to make the best choices for you and your baby. We help our fathers or birth partners know how to best help our hypno-moms.

Hypnobabies can be used in a hospital delivery setting, a birthing center, or a home birth.

The Course includes 6 3 hours classes held once a week. This is the optimum to allow the subconscious mind to reprogram belief systems about birth. Hypnosis can be used not only for the birthing, but for morning sickness, turning babies, and getting the birth process started when you are past-due.

Please call or visit our website for the dates of the next scheduled class.
www.TheDoulaHouse.com
Marinda Lloyd 801-548-2917

Another FANTASTIC Hypnobabies Birth

My “guess date” was October 6th, and I planned to be a week late, just like I was with Ryker. I planned to work through the end of September.



On Monday (9/28) I had some mild birthing waves during the work day. They just felt like strong b/h so I didn’t think much about it. Around 7 pm we started timing them, not because they were strong, only because we wanted to test my husband’s cool new iPhone contraction timing application. They were 15-30 min apart at that point.



At 8:30 I decided to do a fear clearing hypnosis session. The birthing waves were getting stronger, and I was starting to have flashbacks from my sons 32 hour labor. I needed to get my fear under control. It helped a lot and I calmed down.



At 9:30 I started to wonder if this might really be it. birthing waves were still 15-30 min apart, but some were up to 2 min long and very intense. I can honestly say my initial thought was “oh crap…I still have so much to do at work before I go on maternity leave!” So I decided to work for a while (I work from home). I worked until 11:00 trying to close things out.



I got in the tub at 11:00 thinking it would slow things down so I could go to bed, but things only picked up. Birthing waves started to be 3-5 min apart and intense enough that I had to really focus on the hypnosis to get through them. I was still in denial that this was the real thing, and then I felt a big gush and knew my waters had broken.



Josh started getting our things together (I hadn’t packed, the car seat lining was in the washer, we were so caught off guard). He also called his mom to come watch Ryker, and my mom and the midwife to meet us at the birth center.



We left for the birth center around 12:30 a.m.. The drive was about 15 minutes and we listened to the Hypnobabies Birth Day Affirmations on the way there.



When we arrived I immediately got in the tub. We listened to her heartbeat and my midwife checked her position. She also tested the fluid on my pad and confirmed my water had broken. Josh used the queues we had learned which helped me relax.



After about 30 minutes in the tub I started feeling the urge to push. My midwife said to go ahead and give it a try. I was lying on my left side and moaning deeply with every wave. I could feel her moving down. Pushing felt so good!



I put my hand down and could feel her head covered in hair. The waves were very intense, but I was able to recover and smile and talk in between them. I never felt out of control. I never felt like I couldn’t handle it any more.

My midwife had me put my hand down to help stretch the perineum. She had me hoot like an owl to slow down on pushing so I wouldn’t tear. Then suddenly her head was out. I had a small break before the next wave and I felt her head. Then, one more big push and she was out! She swam up to me and I pulled her up onto my chest. She was beautiful and perfect. It was 2:13 a.m. and only a little over an hour after we got to the birth center.



It took her a minute to start breathing, but that was fine since the cord was still attached and pulsating. We sat and cuddled and massaged her for a minute and then she let out a little shriek. Once she was breathing well and the cord stopped pulsating my mom cut the cord. My midwife had me move to the bed to monitor my bleeding while I nursed Ruby and birthed the placenta. She latched right on and nursed for 45 minutes or so.



Ten minutes later I felt amazing and told everyone I would do it all again right then if I could! I had a very very small superficial tear that didn’t require stitching.



We measured and weighed her (8 lbs, 5 oz an 20 ¾ “ long). She got her vitamin K shot, and then we tucked her into the co-sleeper. Josh and I got in bed and went to sleep, my mom wet home, and my midwfe went to the next room to sleep.



At 10:00 a.m. Ruby and I had checkups and passed with flying colors, so we left and went home to begin life as a new family.

www.thedoulahouse.com

Summer Hypnobabies Class Dates

February/March:

Thursdays from 6-9pm 2 spots left

February 11, 18, 25, March 4, 11, 18

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. March 25th

*see info below*

March/April:

Tuesdays from 6-9pm 3 spots left

March 23, 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. May 4th

*see info below*

May/June:

Tuesdays from 6-9pm

May 11, 18, 25, June 1, 8, 15

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. June 22nd

*see info below*

July/August:

Tuesdays from 6-9pm

June 29, July 6, 13, 27, August 3, 10

**Skipping July 20th**

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. August 17th

*see info below*

August/September:

Thursdays from 6-9pm

August 5, 12, 19, 26, September 2, 9

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. September 16th

*see info below*

New Parent Education Course (week Seven)

We have extended each class to included a New Parent Education Course. (optional) This class will cover The Happiest Baby; which will teach you the techniques to calm and comfort any baby, every time!! The Happiest Baby class is based off the teaching of Dr. Harvey Karp, and is an essential to any new mom (see other services for full description) We will also cover Breastfeeding, child safety, and much more. This class will be taught on the same day of the week as your Hypnobabies class at the same time. We have just extended class one more week. For more information, or to register for a class (even if you aren't a Hypnobabies mom) please call 801-548-2917

2010 Hypnobabies classes, utah

January/February:

Tuesdays from 6-9pm

January 5, 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. Feb. 16th

*see info below*

February/March:

Thursdays from 6-9pm

February 11, 18, 25, March 4, 11, 18

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. March 25th

*see info below*

March/April:

Tuesdays from 6-9pm

March 23, 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27

Week 7 (optional) New Parent Education. May 4th

*see info below*

New Parent Education Course (week Seven)

We have extended each class to included a New Parent Education Course. (optional) This class will cover The Happiest Baby; which will teach you the techniques to calm and comfort any baby, every time!! The Happiest Baby class is based off the teaching of Dr. Harvey Karp, and is an essential to any new mom (see other services for full description) We will also cover Breastfeeding, child safety, and much more. This class will be taught on the same day of the week as your Hypnobabies class at the same time. We have just extended class one more week. For more information, or to register for a class (even if you aren't a Hypnobabies mom) please call 801-548-2917

NOTE: If you do not see a class on a day that works with you, we are more than willing to start a new class if we have enough interest.

Beautfiul Hypnobabies Birth (testimonial)

I had always wanted to have a natural childbirth, and I gave it a shot with my first son 14 years ago. But back then, and up until I met Marinda, I thought the way to go natural was to just not have any drugs. After 20 hours of painful exhausting labor with my first, I believed that going natural was something I would never have the strength to do.

After my first interview with Marinda, she answered questions and eased so many fears that I had and I began to believe that maybe I could have a beautiful natural childbirth.

Marinda was so kind and generous answering any questions and helping me though all my fears. She is so educated and there was never a fear that she couldn’t ease by explaining an alternative solution that did not involve drugs, and I ended up looking forward to a natural child birth.

I studied Hypnobabies and Marinda helped me to thoroughly prepare for my birthing day.

On the day I went into labor, I was so surprised at how well Hypnobabies worked for me. I didn’t even believe I was in labor because my birthing waves felt so wonderful and amazing. Nothing like I remembered feeling 14 years ago with my first. I started having pressure waves at 4am. I went to work at 8am and timed my waves, which were 4 and 5 minutes apart. I realized that since that is when most women go to the hospital, I should at least go home. I called Marinda and she came to my house right away. After observing and helping me though a few pressure waves, Marinda actually had to convince me that I was much farther along in my labor than I was willing to believe and so we headed off to the hospital with my contractions being about 1 min 30 seconds apart. The waves still felt so amazing and powerful, but not painful.

We arrived at the hospital at 11:50 and I was assessed by a nurse who said I was only 4+ cm dilated. I began go get scared because I was having all signs of transition. Marinda also believed I had progressed farther than 4+ cm dilated and helped calm me when I felt I was losing my mind. She got me up to go to the bathroom knowing that would help descend the baby down and help me become complete. When I got back to the bed, and a few birthing waves later, I felt the urge to push. The nurse checked me and I was complete. Marinda was so amazing at supporting me through my pushing. She would breathe with me and encourage me to push when and as hard as I wanted too, which pushing my baby down and out was the most beautiful amazing experience of my life.

I had my son 47 minutes after arriving at the hospital at 12:37pm weighing 8lb 4oz and 21 inches long.

Marinda’s support has not only been offered to me, but also to my fiancé. She supported him during my labor and delivery to help keep him calm. She has also helped him, as a new first time dad, on how to handle a newborn and we are both so grateful for her.

I have to thank Marinda and Hypnobabies so deeply. I know I could not have had the birthing of my dreams if it wasn’t for her. Going natural became so much more for me than just not taking drugs. It was a very spiritual, beautiful, empowering experience that I now look forward to experiencing again, which I will definitely have Marinda as my Doula when we have another baby.

Julie

Hypnobabies Utah Classes For September and October

Tuesdays from 6-9 (Starts September 15th)

September 15, 22, 29 October 6, 13, 20 ONLY 3 Spots Left

Thursdays from 6-9 (starts October 8th)

October 8, 15, 22, 29, November 5, 12 ONLY 1 Spot Left