Gentle Caesarean -

Preparing for a Gentle Caesarean

Sometimes people assume that there is no point in doing hypnosis for birth if they are likely to have a caesarean birth. This isn’t true, preparing with hypnosis, mindfulness and relaxation during pregnancy will benefit both you and your baby. Your baby will enjoy the moments that you are relaxing feeling what you feel. If you are stressed your baby can feel it and we know that the environment in the womb can have an impact of your baby’s brain development. Mothers who have prepared using hypnosis with me for a gentle caesarean comment on how calm their babies are and they have few problems with breastfeeding.

When you prepare for a caesarean with mindful hypnobirthing you prepare a gentle caesarean for baby and a positive experience for you and your partner. Whether you have a caesarean or a physiological birth, you are birthing your baby. You have carried your baby for 9 months, you’ve done the hard part! Instead of surrendering your choices when it comes to a caesarean birth, it’s certainly worth considering that how your baby is born can affected by the choices you make. And you do have choices, even if you are having a caesarean birth.

If you are having a caesarean birth you can prepare mindfully. You can learn to find a calm centre, to feel connected with your body, you baby and the experience – without fear.

Research by Prof Fisk explores how you can be very relaxed as you receive your anaesthetic, you can request to have the lights down, your own music on. Under certain circumstances you can request for your baby to be born slower and in a way that mimics a vaginal birth, you can request delayed cord clamping, you can have the drapes lowered so you can announce the sex of your own baby, and you can ask for immediate skin to skin before weighing. This is often called a ‘natural caesarean’, I don’t see it as natural, it is a surgical birth but it can be gentle, which is why I call is a gentle caesarean.

The other benefits of hypnosis are reducing anxiety and faster recovery. Research shows that in some surgical procedures that the use of hypnosis can reduce the amount of anaesthesia needed and demonstrates shorter recovery periods.

It may be more appropriate for you to do a private course with a practitioner who is trained to prepare you in this way. All our practitioners are health professionals specialising in this birth and can help you tailor a series of sessions that help you to navigate your choices if this is likely to be an option for you.

The Mindful Hypnobirthing Way

Listen to a hypnosis mp3 throughout pregnancy
Learn some simple mindfulness exercises and connect daily with your baby
Read the affirmations daily
Learn about gentle caesareans and have a discussion with your consultant
Ask for immediate skin to skin to skin
Use hypnosis and mindfulness post birth to manage pain and discomfort
Hypnosis mp3s to stimulate milk and confidence in breastfeeding

Affirmations

I nurture and support my baby as he/she grows
I feel relaxed as I prepare for my baby’s birth
I connect with my baby while I relax and turn my attention inwards
I prepare myself confidently
I know that decisions I make are the right ones for my baby and me
I am looking forward to holding my baby in my arms
I am confident that as I relax and trust my body my milk comes in
As I relax and let go my body heals itself quickly and comfortably

Listen to the MP3 set ‘Preparing for a Caesarean’

“I came in with a very sceptical husband who was telling his mates on Saturday night how fantastic the course was and giving tips to those who are going to be Dads later in the year.
We also learned so many simple things that we wouldn’t have even thought about before like the fact that I find it so much easier to relax when Mike is touching me.”

“I would just like to commend you on designing and running such a really fantastic course! It really has empowered both of us,to the point where most of our fears about birth have disappeared already. We have always wanted to go down the natural birth route, but felt that there was not enough support & advice out there about how to do it drug and pain free. Your course, although short, covered pretty much all aspects that I felt were missing from our antenatal classes & many more. Vic now feels a lot more confidant, and I actually feel like I have a proper role in the whole event, other that driving her to the hospital & sitting on the rocking chair! “

“I did really enjoy the course yesterday and I am definitely feeling much more positive, I was surprised actually by how much Luke and I talked about the course immediately after and the impact it has had on Luke, We both feel like he is more involved now and that he has got an invaluable role to play!”

Gentle Caesarean

The Mindful Hypnobirthing Way

Further reading and research

Affirmations

Testimonials

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“The course was brilliant, although we were somewhat sceptical beforehand it was great experience, and a super day to share together our expectations and needs.”

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“I’m looking forward to my birth experience and left the venue with a smile on my face and a bounce in my stride. This Course should be standard for every pregnant mother and her birth partner.”

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“Thanks for a brilliant class. I feel so much more relaxed about the whole thing and as a lovely bonus am now sleeping at night (after practising with the CD). Feel like a different person.”

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Affirmations

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