At easibirthing® and parenting we believe that the best birth is the one that is right for THIS mum and THIS baby. Every woman deserves to be supported regardless of the mode of delivery.
Labour can be unpredictable, and an emergency caesarean can be the right decision for some women and babies so an important role of a hypnobirthing course should be to build a repertoire of techniques to deal with when it doesn't go according to plan.
But did you know that hypnobirthing is suitable for an elective or planned C-section birth too?
In light of the recent Ockenden report, a controversial and fiery debate has followed about what is the 'safe' mode for delivering your baby. Unfortunately this has forgotten the real point. It was not that the validity of either mode of delivery is in question, but instead that an under funded and resourced maternity service was at the root of what happened in Shrewsbury where professional decisions and choices were then flawed.
For too long the debate has solely been centred around whether a vaginal birth or C-section is the optimal mode of delivery for both you and your baby. And whilst that debate is important, it often misses the point of providing the woman with the full psychological support regardless of the decision.
Even this debate played out publicly across the media and society can leave a woman who needs or wants a C-section feeling inadequate, feeling her body is inadequate somehow and guilt and shame can result. Sadly this guilt and shame can be in the foreground of her experience, even if the birth experience she wanted was far from the scenario of a necessary or recommended C-section. These women need all the support we can muster, to let go of any guilt, that this is not only not her fault but the reassurance that it is okay, that this doesn’t change the fact that she is still having her baby, giving birth to her baby, becoming a mum to her baby. That she has every reason to feel proud of herself and her body. That sometimes things don’t go according to plan, and to forgive herself because there is nothing to forgive!
What is hypnobirthing?
- Trust that your body and baby cando this
- Confidence that you have the right people around you and you feel safe and comfortable enough to let go
- Familiarity with that no-higher brain, no thinking, relaxed state that you can easily slip into and tune out distractions
These goals do not need to change simply because you are having a C-section rather than an experience of labour
Our hypnobirthing courses are not about trying to change your mind, nor trying to convince you that another option should be considered
However we do want you to know what your rights are in making choices and decisions. Feeling ownership of decisions can be the make or break of having a positive birth experience, one that you can look back on with pride, fond memories, and confidence.
It is not about provoking shame and guilt, instead we acknowledge that circumstances often dictate the right mode of delivery for you and your baby.
Our courses are about building your confidence-in you, your body, your birth partner and the medical team around you.
If there are any feelings of guilt, shame or failure; it is about letting go of them and moving forward to be the parent you want to be.