HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method is as much a philosophy as it is a technique. The concept of HypnoBirthing® is not new, but rather a "rebirth" of the philosophy of birthing as it existed thousands of years ago and as it was recaptured in the work of Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, an English obstetrician, who, in the 1920s, was one of the first to forward the concept of natural birthing. The method teaches you that, in the absence of fear and tension, or special medical circumstances, severe pain does not have to be an accompaniment of labor.
You will gain an understanding of how the birthing muscles work in perfect harmony--as they were designed to--when your body is sufficiently relaxed and you trust birth. You will learn how to achieve this kind of relaxation, free of the resistance that fear creates, and you will learn to use your natural birthing instincts for a calm, serene and comfortable birth.
http://www.hypnobirthing.com/howitworks.htm
"I am very excited about this method of birthing, and feel very comfortable with this being my choice on a birthing practice: the right way for me."
_Andrea
Hypnobirthiing sounds like a very helpful method to learn to help with easing labor complications (relaxation is definitely very important). Last night,I was reading about the importance of exercise during pregnancy in " The Woman's Encyclopedia of Health & Natural Healing (Padus, 414). Did you know that "Inactivity is as detrimental as overexertion during pregnancy"?! Yes, even though a common symptom during pregnancy is fatigue the mother-to-be still needs to get a little active (this is essential in being about to achieve birth naturally for a stronger mother will be more successful). "Studies of female athletes who married and had children show that they had a greater number of complication-free pregnancies and easier deliveries. In one study of outstanding female athletes in Germany, duration of labor for them was significantly shorter than for the control group of women, and, in fact, the third phase of birth lasted only half as long. What's more, some of the women attained their best performances after giving birth to the first child. Female athletes in a Hungarian study also had shorter than average labor and the necessity for cesarean section was nearly 50 percent less than in the non-athlete control group (therefore movement is very essential). They also had fewer complications in pregnancy, especially toxemia. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. By improving your flexibility, building muscular strength and strengthening your cardiovascular system, you are preparing you body to handle all aspects of pregnancy - the increase in weight, strain on the back and abdominal muscles, the need for getting maximum oxygen to your blood vessels and, of course, labor and delivery with all the exertion those entail. Making sure you get regular exercise can lessen your chances of tearing muscles during delivery, and this makes faster postpartum recovery. Muscle-strengthening exercises can help you give a good squeeze when the time comes. And exercise helps you to relax (hypnobirthing does too!), which is very important in delivery." (Padus, 414-415)
ReplyDeleteI suggest yoga, swimming, and walking. I bet there are some great prenatal exercising books and DVDs at the library. ;-)
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