How to Avoid Artificial Induction - Hugs Before Drugs

How to start your labor NATURALLY?

• There are ways to encourage labor along naturally, however, the most effective solution proved to be relaxation and hypnotherapy.
• Go to a long walk in the park, or up and down the stairs, do some physical exercises
• Acupuncture/ Acupressure/ Reflexology/ Aromatherapy with a professional
• Raspberry leaf tea/ spicy foods

Make sure you have eliminated any lingering issues and limitations that may be dragging from your past. Thoughts about your own inability or childhood doubts are often very limiting. 

Make sure all the issues related to your organization of your birthing day are finished. Lingering painting job in the baby room, or husband's availability for the birth date, mother's and sister's unresolved issues, or who is going to take care of your 3-year-old daughter, when you are giving birth to her brother? 

You may also be having last minute concerns about giving birth, so a fear release/ limiting concern hypnosis session with your hypnotherapy professional will help. If you haven't yet attended a HypnoBirthing course, do so now, where you and your birth companion will get a birth release hypnosis script that will help you start your labor.

Mostly it is all about hugs. Kissing and stimulating the areas of sensitivity, nipples, light touch massage, tickling the skin, all bring up the levels of oxytocin that help start the labor. 

Get yourself into relaxed state, where the more you relax the more your muscles can get on with doing their job of thinning and opening.  

Use peaceful visualisations you’ve practiced, such as the opening flower bud, hot air balloon and birth release.

Don’t dismiss sex as a pleasurable option to start your labor.  What got you into this situation, and it can get you out of it. It may be the last thing on your mind at 40+ weeks pregnant, but semen contains prostaglandin which will start thinning your cervix. In fact, a synthetic version of prostaglandin is used to induce labor, so why not give a good go to the real thing?

And finally, remember to ask your baby to cooperate, explaining why it would be good for them the healthy aspects of natural birthing. Tell your baby how much you’re looking forward to meeting them, holding them, and what you’ve done to prepare for their arrival. You already learned that your mind is very powerful. They will pay attention to you, after all you are their mother!!!

Last and not least,  remember to use SELF HYPNOSIS. I can't tell you how many times I keep hearing form moms that this self-hypnosis helped her dilate and save her birth from being induced artificially, so you could have a wonderful experience of the peaceful safe and natural birth that you desire. 

Morrin is available to speak with you regarding your desire to have a peaceful calm birth that you want. 

Final Labor Stage - Placenta Birthing

Many people of the world have known the secret power of the placenta as a medicinal supplement. Among the Chinese and Vietnamese, it is a customary practice to prepare the placenta for consumption by the mother. The placenta is thought to be rich in nutrients that the mother needs to recover more readily from childbirth. In Italy, women have been known to eat parts of the placenta to help with lactation. Hungarian women bite the placenta to expedite the completion of labor. And knowledgeable midwives in this country have their birth mothers take bites of raw placenta to help stop hemorrhaging, due to its beneficial oxytocin content.

There are a variety of potential benefits to placentophagy. For one, the placenta contains vitamins and minerals that may help fight depression symptoms, such as vitamin B6. For another, the placenta is considered rich in iron and protein, which would be useful to women recovering from childbirth, and a particular benefit to vegetarian women.

Stage V / Birthing of the placenta

Physical Aspects

• Surges will temporarily stop.

• Placenta will detach and come out.

• Experience vaginal bleeding, chills, shaking, possible hunger, thirst or exhaustion.

• Eat a piece of placenta for healthy quick restoring of hormonal balance

• Start breastfeeding baby.

Role of Dad and/or Support Person

• Absorbed in looking at baby.

• Praise all of mom’s efforts.

• Share experiences and feelings.

Emotional Aspects

• Absorbed in looking at baby.

• Feel a sense of accomplishment.

• May be very excited and relaxed like after a workout.

Social Aspects

• Wants a lot of contact with baby.

• Alert, happy talkative. Possibly laughing or crying.

• Expresses a sense of great relief.

HypnoBirthing Stages of Labor - Birthing

Stage IV / Birthing of the baby (baby enters the world)

Physical Aspects

• Surges spaced further apart, every 2-5 mins, lasting 45-99 seconds.

• Bulging bottom with possible bloody vaginal discharge.

• Getting a second wind, breathing deeply and slowly with surges.

• May feel a burning sensation so relax pelvic floor.

Emotional Aspects

• Oxytocin inflow, more excited, expectant.

• “I can’t do this.” Means the end of labor is here

• Excited that labor is almost over, and amazed.

Social Aspects

• Silent concentrated breathing.

• Wants dad and/or support person around

• No track of time and surroundings.

• Concentrating only on birthing the baby.

Role of Dad and/or Support Person

• Assist mother into the desired position (squat, or other).

• Keep encouraging her and keep her abreast of the progress of the baby’s descent.

• Keep her focused on her breathing, bearing baby down.

• Remind her to relax

• Use deepening techniques

• Remind her to relax her bottom and remind her to breathe and not hold her breath.

• Birth will be a profoundly moving experience.

HypnoBirthing Stages of Labor - Transition

Stage III

Transition-Active Birthing Mindful Breathing (dilating 8-10cm)

Physical Aspects

• Strong surges, 1-3 minutes apart, lasting 50-90 seconds.

• Frequent surges are double or triple peaking and feeling a premature urge to push – resist and breathe.

• Body temperature fluctuations - hot during surges, cold between surges.

• Hiccuping, vomiting, leg cramps and severe backache are common.

• Use relaxation to prevent those.

• This is the shortest part of labor, but it is the most intense.

• KEEP CALM BREATHE SLOWLY and DEEPLY

Social Aspects

• Complete self-focus.

• Wants constant companionship.

• Overwhelmed and needs encouragement to keep focus.

Emotional Aspects

• Irritability easily helped by relaxation.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Needs reminders and support in keeping focus and perspective.

• Remain calm; this is the most important part

Role of Dad and/or Support Person

• Give counterpressure to sides of lower back. 

• Massage.

• Nipple stimulation.

• Active touching, sexual stimulation, kissing

• Keep focus on Birth breathing

• Responsible for the outside to let her remain focused

• Keep focused on the breathing

• Remain calm; help her by keeping calm, non-chalant, exhibit mature behavior.

• Use eye contact to keep her focused.

• Reassure her that the baby birth is near.

HypnoBirthing Stages of Labor Part III Birthing Phase

Stages of Labor 

Birthing Phase

Baby descends and emerges 

Natural Expulsive reflex--NER

            

Mom feels need to change breathing pattern to breathe down              

Mom follows the lead of her body, quieting and calming surges

Mom remains in or assumes whatever position she is comfortable with for Birth Breathing,

   

Inhales through her nose and exhales gradually through her nose, projecting the energy of the breath to the back of throat and down to the vagina—mouth closed on intake and exhalation.

   

Prompts given only by Father-To-Be/Birth Companion or Doula - Labor Companion if requested

Sitting on toilet until crowning.

              

Lateral—on her side, bended leg, supported by nurse or companion, or resting on several pillows,

Slanted J breath—(modified squat), resting just above tailbone; shoulders and back on pillows, feet outward to side at buttocks, or knees outward, resting on pillows

            

Leaping Frog; Semi-squatting; Birth Stool; Leaning on Birth Companion; Supported Squat;
                 

Leaning on Birth Companion 

Have a HAPPY BIRTHING DAY!

Stages of HypnoBirthing Labor Part II

Stages of Labor

Stage II

Thinning and Opening - Active (dilating 4-7cm)

Physical Aspects

• Regular surges 2-10 minutes apart, lasting about 60 seconds.

• Increasing back and/or pelvic sensations. walk between surges.

• Dry mouth, possible nausea and/or vomiting and diarrhea may occur.

• Drink water and

• Use SLOW breathing, relaxation and massage so it does not occur

Emotional Aspects

• Self-focused during surges.

• Need to do Relaxation and breathe SLOWLY.

Social Aspects

• Becoming more serious.

• Desiring companionship.

• Use bath tub to labor

• Keep calm

Role of Dad and/or Support Person

• Help mother get more comfortable

• If decided - go to the hospital.

• Talk to mother between and during surges, don’t expect answers during surges.

• Eat, feed her and rest.

• Light touch massage

• Accept, reassure her with positive affirmations.

• Praise her efforts.

• Tell her you love her.

• Encourage position change and hourly urination.

Animation of Baby Birthing - Stages of Labor

Click picture to view animation

Stages of Labor

Keeping fit and in a good mood in expectancy of your baby is a good practice. Repeat your daily affirmations and your daily relaxation practice. 

In the weeks before birth, your body increases production of other hormones – including prostaglandins, which soften the cervix, and oxytocin, which triggers the uterine muscles to contract.

True labor contractions (or as we call them surges) are rhythmic, and consistent. As the long vertical muscle bands of the uterus tighten, they pull the cervix open. The strong muscles at the top of the uterus push down and release, guiding your baby toward the cervix.

The uterine plug, a collection of thickened cervical mucus that's sealed your cervix shut for nine months, may be expelled days before or in the midst of labor.

When the amniotic sac ruptures, your water has broken. It can feel like a trickle or a gush of fluid.

Your cervix will begin opening and thinning, known as dilation and effacement.

Once you reach about 4 centimeters, your body will move into active labor.

In active labor, surges become stronger and closer together. 

At 8 centimeters, you enter what many consider the most exciting part of labor – transition. Relaxation is key here.

By 10 centimeters, think of your birth as a bird, let go of the bird.

You're fully dilated and may feel the urge to push. Resist. This is your signal that the second stage of labor has begun. Breathe the long slow breaths.

Your baby will move down with each surge. The three separate soft bones of the baby's head will temporarily overlap so the baby can pass through the snug birth canal/baby path.

Again, relaxation is key here. You must direct all your attention to relaxation of the birth path. Visualizations are very effective at this stage.

Your baby's scalp will come into view. When the widest part of his head is visible, your baby is "crowning." With several more surges, and your breaths, your baby's face, shoulders, and body will emerge.

In the third and final stage of labor, your placenta detaches and is expelled.

With your baby's first breath, the incredible journey of birth is complete.

How will you welcome your baby?

What is your baby's name?

Did Your Labor Start Yet?

Stage I 

Thinning - Early (dilating 0-4cm)

Physical Aspects

• Mild, possibly irregular surges, felt in front and/or back, 5-39 minutes apart, 30-40 seconds in length, get longer, stronger and closer together.

• May have diarrhea.

• Water may break.

• Possible pink vaginal discharge.

Role of Dad and/or Support Person

• Help with timing surges, relaxation, visualizations, breathing, and diversionary activities.

Emotional Aspects

• Excited and confident.

• Talkative, social.

Social Aspects

• Wants to contact family.

• Excited, giddy, happy.

• Nesting, cleaning, preparing. Don't overdo it!

• Timing surges with support.

What to Do:

• Eat and drink lightly.

• Call your doula, midwife, doctor.

• Alternate rest and activity periods.

• Use gravity positive or upright positions as much as possible,  

• Remain active and social

• use breathing, relaxation, and massage if needed.

• Use bath tub to labor