Kristine

I have been attending births as a midwife for over 12 years. During that time I have attended primarily homebirths which in general are much more peaceful and gentle than hospital births. I became trained in water birth as well and found that to be even more peaceful and gentle still.

I became a CHt (Certified Hypnotherapist) and started doing hypnosis with my birth clients prenatally in order to reduce the amount of complications and the length of labor, which I was tremendously successful with. Rarely had a transfer or a complication. I was not yet aware of HypnoBirthing®.

I discovered HypnoBirthing® before the birth of my own child and taught myself the method from the book and tapes because I could not take a class.(I was living in Central America at the time)

My biggest fear was that I would have the baby quickly as my mother and sister had with theirs and I did not want to do that because after having practiced midwifery for over 10 years I really wanted to "experience" birth and was not intent on getting it done quickly - I wanted time to enjoy it. When I tell other women this they think I am crazy!

So my birth began on Tuesday and I went about my work in my birth center with clients because the uterus was doing its job and not needing me for anything yet. Later that evening after getting home I prepared my birth supplies and got my birth pool ready because I knew I wanted to be in the pool for some of the birth at least. Hours passed and I finally filled the pool and got in. It was so relaxing. I just listened to music and breathed and occasionally would stand up and sway with the music - that is my favorite memory of that time in the birth.

I do not have any memory of all the hours I was having the surges – they are like a fog. I had no one with me so there was nothing to stimulate my neocortex and bring me out of my self. My membranes released in the morning and the surges kept on throughout the day because I did not feel I could give birth in daylight - I knew I would wait until night came again - and I did. When I finally felt my baby move down the I had tremendous pressure. With each surge these primal, guttural noises came out as I breathed him down to my perineum. I guided his head out with my hands and then waited for the next surge to come. Once it came he came floating out into the water and I reached down for him and pulled him to me.

It was more than 10 minutes before the cord was done pulsating and I went to tie it off and saw that it was a boy. The Rachmaninov Rhapsody was playing as he was born and this music still delights him today.

I was so profoundly touched by my birth experience, which I consider birth in it's purest form, that when I came back to the U.S. I became certified to teach HypnoBirthing®.

I have since started teaching women HypnoBirthing®. Most of these women have their babies at home so unfortunately the hospitals aren't being exposed to it. But the mothers are happy and have such positive and empowering experiences free from fear. My hope is that I can help many more women give birth joyfully and that they feel the tremendous empowerment that birth is meant to be.

Blessings,

Kristine