Blissborn birth hypnosis natural childbirth

The year was 1936, and then-famous obstetrician Joseph DeLee was speaking about hypnosis at a meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) in Kansas City:

"It is not illogical to assume that the conditions of the mind affect the muscles active in childbirth. The best and safest aid to mothers will come when the obstetrician learns how to use suggestion. On occasion I have given a woman small doses of an innocuous substance, assuring her in doing so that the substance would put her to sleep. In such instances the woman actually did go to sleep, pure suggestion taking the place of drugs."

The physicians in the room didn't disagree, but they didn't embrace DeLee's ideas about suggestions either.

A well-respected leader in obstetrics, Dr. DeLee's ideas about various medical interventions changed the face of obstetrical practice, and his ban on midwives in his hospital, sadly, helped defame an ancient art. Many of his worst ideas persist today, but the use of suggestion apparently didn't have that staying power. Why?

Partly because a wide variety of pain-relief drugs were coming to the forefront, including chloroform, twilight sleep (morphine and scopolamine), and ether. Partly because most women were still giving birth at home with their family physician in the 1930s, and so the field of obstetrics, and all its comfort measures, was not in high demand. For those physicians who could attend AMA meetings, the drugs appeared to be the silver bullet to end women's suffering. And according to the dominant belief system at the time, to alleviate a woman's suffering in childbirth was contrary to God's decree to Eve in the Garden of Eden that she should suffer in childbearing.

Hypnosis and suggestion dwelt under the shadow of all this. Dr. DeLee was immensely bugged that hypnosis, "the only anesthetic without danger," was ignored. He later said to a gathering of physicians, "I am irked when I see my colleages neglect to avail themselves of this harmless and potent remedy."

Since then, obstetric procedures have improved, monitoring devices have been installed, drugs are safer, doctors specialize and sub-specialize, midwives are back and better than ever, and hypnosis is openly endorsed by the AMA and many other professional organizations ... but hypnosis seems to remain in the shadows.

That is, until now! More women than ever before are turning to this 'harmless and potent remedy.' Studies show that its use rises year over year as more women hear from friends and relatives how well it works. In fact, this appears to be the dawn of a new era in both hypnosis and obstetric medicine. Within a few years, some predict hypnosis will become a key player in safe, natural, empowered birthing.

So will you be among those who say, "Darn, I wish I had done that when I was having my babies..." Or will you join those of us who can say, "I was there when it happened! I did it!"

(The quotes and historical info in this blog are taken from Time Magazine: "Medicine: Childbirth: Nature v. Drugs," May 25, 1936.)

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Having your baby at home with a registered midwife is as safe as a conventional hospital birth, and may lead to fewer complications, a new study says. From the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2004, the new study compared almost 13,000 births in British Columbia. The groups were made up of home births attended by registered midwives, hospital births attended by the same group of midwives, and hospital births attended by doctors.

Women planning birth at home experienced reduced risk for all interventions measured, and similar or reduced risk for adverse maternal outcomes. The infant mortality rate per 1,000 births was 0.35 in the home birth group, 0.57 in hospital births attended by midwives, and 0.64 among those attended by physicians, according to the study.


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Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 9/15/2009

- by Blissborn Educator and Trainer Laura Wood, CHt

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Here's a wonderful article Blissborn co-founder Laura Wood wrote about the birth of her second child, before she knew about hypnosis, but after she knew she wanted a natural birth. This comes from the archives of the summer of 2006. Enjoy!

I fought for a natural labor, and I got it…I got a lot of it. In all, I had 73 hours of labor. And I loved it.

The birth of my second child, Cayden, was a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, otherwise known as a VBAC. This was no easy task in today’s VBAC-discouraging hospital environment.

Five years earlier, my first son Baxter had been born by cesarean because of his breech, or upside-down position. After a failed attempt to have him turned in utero, we sadly set a date for a C-section. Although the surgery was a success, I needed two epidurals, and my blue and unconscious baby needed oxygen – his head was stuck under my ribs and he had to be wrestled out with forceps. I got a brief glimpse of my new baby as he was rushed by; my husband Irby accompanied him to the nursery while I lay still, strapped down and shivering, feeling empty and alone. I met Baxter 45 minutes later in the recovery room, unable to sit up or move the lower half of my body.

When we found out we were expecting another baby, I knew I wanted a different experience. Knowing the current medical trend discouraging VBACs, I steeled myself for the battle. There was only one hospital in our area that allowed VBACs because of the requirement that there be an anesthesiologist on duty at all times.

We found a doctor who would, reluctantly, allow me not a VBAC but a Trial of Labor (TOL), apparently named to dissuade any ideas about the surety of the outcome. At nearly every appointment, she reminded us that we could set up a cesarean at any time if we changed our minds. I had several discussions with the practice's Nurse-Midwife, who warned me about the battles I might face if I got certain doctors, if my water broke early on, if my labor didn't progress at the right pace. We were told that we should remain at home for as long as possible to retain control of our situation. Irby and I found a doula who agreed to advocate for us if necessary, and we prepared mentally for what lay ahead.

The night my labor began, Irby and I stayed home alone together to labor quietly through the night. Contractions very quickly moved to five minutes apart. Then 10 minutes. Then 20. We were excited, but confused by the erratic timing. We rested and labored, and each contraction was a bit stronger. Normal vaginal delivery seemed only hours away.

We went to our doctor the next morning for an examination. I was dilated about one centimeter – far short of the ten centimeters considered fully dilated. We were warned about something we had never heard of, pro-dromal labor. "It can take days," our doctor said. "Relax. After all, having contractions 20 minutes apart really isn't labor."

Our five-year-old went to stay with friends, and we went home to rest. I had strong contractions all day. I learned to appreciate the periods of rest between contractions. Another night passed as the contractions continued. We found a rhythm. We walked at three in the morning, outside in the beautiful summer air. I clutched my husband for support, moaned, breathed in his strength, thought of my baby.

The next morning, tired but feeling strong, we went to the hospital to check the progress. I was two centimeters dilated. I cried, feeling discouraged and worn out. After two nights of almost no sleep, there was very little progress. Since labor was progressing so slowly, I was told to come back to the hospital when my water broke.

Back at home, the hours blended together as we tried walking and sitting, standing and crouching, labor balls and beds. In between contractions, I ate and napped, laughed, cried and rested. My doula, Claire was in constant contact, suggesting homeopathic remedies and strategies to speed labor. My sister Shelley came and went as needed. I made it through the third night often alone, finding strength in my body, borrowing strength from my exhausted husband when I needed it. I shook him awake to hold me up.

Early the next morning, my husband was delirious from the lack of sleep. I was in a state of calm, and although I was tired, I was still feeling strong and capable. My husband and Claire expressed fears that I couldn't go on and have enough energy to finish. They agreed that I should get a morphine shot to give me some rest before the final push. My husband told me firmly that we needed help. I shook my head, astonished and crushed by their disbelief in my ability to continue. In one of the most powerful moments of my life, I told them, "No. I don’t need help. I have more in me."

After a few more hours at home, my resolve began to weaken. We were going on 65 hours of very little sleep, and I was still having strong contractions somewhere between five and 15 minutes apart. I started to wonder if I could do this. Maybe I did need to rest. I was terrified to go through another night.

Claire met us at the hospital and I checked in. The nurse came in to check the progress. Five centimeters. Not quite what I was hoping for, but enough to remind me that my body was doing its job. Slowly, ever so slowly, but still progressing. At about noon, I decided against the morphine.

Shortly after my decision my labor began to pick up and the contractions got stronger. To make a long story shorter, Cayden was born about seven hours later. My water broke as I started pushing. My son Baxter came in just as I was getting ready to push, rubbing my back and watching me carefully. My husband and my sister held my hands as I pushed, using every ounce of my strength. Claire held me to the earth. I found my moan. I moved my head like a wild animal. In between pushes I reached down and felt the top of my baby’s head, his precious hair, and there I found my deepest strength. I was euphoric. I pushed. My husband took my hands and we caught our baby and brought him into our world. Cayden was alert and wet and alive and beautiful.

I was alert, and I delivered my son into my life. I felt everything and I loved every minute of it. The pain was powerful and horrible and took every bit of my strength. It also made me more human, more woman, more mother than ever before. It was amazing.

I cannot overstate the effect the experience has had on my life. I don't fear death anymore. I am not afraid of pain. I am fierce and in love with my child. I was on a high from the moment Cayden emerged until six weeks later. Everyone was amazed that I wasn’t tired, but elated, and that I was thrilled with the entire experience. I had the birth I wanted so desperately, fought for with my whole being. My baby and I were both awake and alert and in love with each other. I was a little more in love with myself. I didn’t know my own strength until I looked for it…and there it was. I will never doubt again.

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