HIPPOBIRTHING

This is the lovely card that Aaron made for me for Valentine's this year. He knows how to make me laugh.  The reason he made it for me was to joke about the book I was reading on Hypnobirthing. It's a method of natural childbirth where you use breathing and visualization to get through the pain.  My friend who has done hypnobirthing gave me her book to read. After reading the book and talking to my friend I was really interested in trying it out.  The only thing stopping me was convincing my husband that it was a good thing. I had to approach him very carefully because I knew he would think it was completely wacky.  We both joked about it at first because honestly it is a little wacky.  There are CD's that come with the book that you listen to to help you relax. The smooth talking lady on the CD has you imagine you are in the middle of a rainbow and with each color of the rainbow you are going deeper and deeper into a relaxed state. Kind of kooky? Kind of.  I never had Aaron listen to that.
There are kooky things, but for the most part it feels and sounds right.  The whole idea of hypnobirthing is that your body was meant to give birth. Women throughout the ages have given birth naturally and easily without medication.  If you fear childbirth then your body can't function like it's supposed to and it will hurt.  All this made sense to me and thinking positive thoughts about the delivery was so helpful. I wasn't completely sold on the idea, but I wanted to try it out.  We never took the class partly because I didn't think I could get Aaron to go and partly because we literally had no free time. I hardly ever practiced the breathing so when the day came for the baby to be born I wasn't too sure of my ability to do it.
I didn't follow the hypnobirthing plan exactly, but I did do the breathing and listen to the CD's while in labor. I added some instrumental music and good ol' Motab to the ipod and went for it.  Though I doubted myself a few times along the way I kept going and pretty soon I was in "the zone." Two hours of contractions felt like ten minutes. During breaks in contractions I would actually look forward to the next one saying to myself, "bring it on." It was amazing.
The end was very painful, but it didn't last long at all and I was able to remain relaxed and calm.  I felt so good afterwards. I was so alert and happy and my recovery was really quick. The baby was as calm as could be.  It is seriously the best way to go.
Aaron and I had finally had a serious conversation about hypnobirthing when my due date got closer. He resisted, but in the end let me do my thing.  I think he is now a believer. Too bad that's likely the last time I'll have a chance to do hypnobirthing.  Although it really is something you could use to get through any pain, not just the pain experienced in childbirth.