LOVE this!
Hope you don't mind if I hijack but I thought I'd just add another 'real woman's' (ie no previous hypnosis experience) experience with natal hypnotherapy. I didn't have a pain free or fear free birth, but I did have a drug free birth and I did have a positive experience. I also totally agree with solitaire's views both that HCPs have a tendency to ride roughshod over women and that labour shouldn't be the negative experience it's generally portrayed as... Anyway, I'll explain...
My labour was quick - 5.5 hours - but it probably should have been at least an hour quicker - I was in the pushing stage for around 1 hour 45 mins. This is partly where the fear came from really. I was expecting a slow build up and wasn't really prepared for it to be so intense, so quickly. I felt my first contraction at 2.15am; it woke me up. I sat up in bed and my waters broke, dramatically - the bed was flooded. My DH set about trying to record my contractions and he found a notebook and a pen, wrote the first one down, but by this time I was having another. We never got around to actually timing them, but they were less than 5 minutes apart - instantly. Pain wise, they were sharp but not unbearable, like bad period pain. They caused sharp intakes of breath and gentle moans at first. I was shifting my weight from foot to foot, trying to get comfy. They did worsen. But relatively quickly (within just over an hour) I was on all fours mooing on the landing so my DH rang the hospital and they said bring her in - and quickly!
When we got to hospital the checking in mws said it was too early to have come in and I needn't be groaning or crying out as it was far too soon. This is an example of them riding roughshod really, didn't listen to me or my body, but assumed that I'd be a 'usual' case and that therefore I 'should' act accordingly. They examined me and I was 8cm (after around 1.5 hours, all on my own at home) and wheeled me to delivery. This however was scary as I didn't know what was happening as, as far as I knew they were sending me home - nobody explained. This fear and uncertainty definitely slowed me down.
Once in delivery I didn't experience visions but I did experience moments of absence. When I remember labour, there are bits I don't remember. When DH reminds me of them (e.g. going to the loo) I have a vague, hazy memory of events, like being very, very drunk, or I remember it from another position in the room, so like I'm looking down on myself. I remember my first thought when LO was born that the pain hadn't been that bad. It did hurt, but it always felt cope-able with, despite perhaps outward appearances! I refused even g&a.
Again, the mws put me on my back. I hadn't asked to be in any other position so I can't say they overruled me, but it certainly wasn't condusive to delivery.
Anyway, I don't want to hijack anymore and that's the very abridged version of the story! I didn't do a course or read the book, I just listened to the CD, but I rate it. On some level, the affirmations got me through it and I can truly say I enjoyed my labour.
. I'm hoping its still going in and my brain is taking it all on board but I'm beginning to doubt it'll work for me at this point
