“It’s Worse Than Childbirth”?!
Antenatal and hypnobirthing expert from Northampton, Annalie Lockhart, tells us why she wants to ban the expression ‘it’s worse than childbirth’.
I really want to get rid of that expression ‘it’s worse than childbirth’. There are so many things that, in my opinion, are worse than childbirth, because my experience of childbirth is not something that I compare hideous things to, I loved it! I am not dismissing the fact that for some, childbirth really is something they’d rather not repeat, but really I want the expression to become a thing of the past, and the reason I say that is because I want all women to have the same opportunity to birth that I had. I felt empowered, I felt like it was the best experience of my life and after my first baby was born, I turned to my husband, before the placenta had been delivered and said “I can do that again”.
What did I do to have two births that I enjoyed so much? I hypnobirthed! I’m not a hippy, I am not a celebrity; I am someone who is very grateful for having a best friend who had a baby before me, prepared for her daughter’s birth using hypnosis CDs and enjoyed her 3 hour natural hospital birth. Because of her, I decided I wanted to look into it more, she lent me her CDs, and then I did a course.
When my little boy decided to arrive early and in a hurry, my birth didn’t go according to ‘plan’. There was no home birth, there was no water birth surrounded by candles, I did use gas and air. But I still had an amazing experience. I raved about it and told anyone who would listen how fantastic it was.
So Why Is Hypnobirthing So Amazing?
There aren’t many antenatal classes out there that prepare you to give birth in the same way. With hypnobirthing programmes, not only do you learn about your choices as a birthing mother, and a parent to be, and your choices for your newborn in the moments after they are born, you also go through hypnosis sessions that deeply relax you, teach your subconscious that birth is not something to fear, and prepare your mind to fully embrace the birth you are going to experience, with confidence and excitement.
When it comes to the birth itself you will have learnt how to breathe through your contractions, and then to how to breathe or hum your baby out, whilst working the body’s natural expulsive reflex, the movement that brings your baby into this world. No forced pushing in the world of birth these days.
And there is more. Your birth partner becomes more than just a hand holder or for some, a bystander. Not only do they get to experience the deep relaxation and hypnosis preparation too, the understanding they have of the birthing process, and the re-education of the subconscious mind gives them the confidence to support you fully throughout the birth.
If things don’t go according to your birth plan, either before or during your birth, you and your birth partner will have the tools to enable you both to make the right decisions to get the best birth for you and your baby on the day.
“I honestly love it so much that I had to spread to word, just telling people about it wasn’t enough for me, my passion lead me to train to teach the Wise Hippo Birthing Programme.”
And if you are wondering how my second birth went, I did get a home birth and water birth. But I had to get out of the pool soon after my little girl was born as there was a hole in it! Comedy birth that I stayed really calm throughout. And I would do it all again – there is not much better than childbirth!