Stephanie Mayne HypnoTherapy

01/26/2023

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎. The parasympathetic nervous system works to 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 certain 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒔 and bring about a state of 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒔 to the 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, allowing it to 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒙, and 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓 itself. Parasympathetic responses include an increase of digestive enzymes, decreased heart rate, constriction of bronchial tubes in the lungs, and more relaxed muscles. It is this system that helps us to rest, relax, and 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎. The sympathetic nervous system is known as our 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 or 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 response. When we are faced with a perceived 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 of any kind, whether 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 or 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍, our sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear and brings about automatic and involuntary responses, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, elevated respiratory rate, and more sweating. The sympathetic nervous syste also shuts down many
parasympathetic responses in order to utilize more energy for the 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 or 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎: Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆
Forrest bathing and sunshine are medicine for the nervous system.

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
and unnecessary stimuli to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

𝑯𝒖𝒈, 𝒄𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆
to elevate, and release endorphins and oxytocin. Co-regulation is very powerful if the other person is calm.

𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅
Try a weighted blanket or walk barefoot, it helps relieve anxiety and ground. Meditation, breath-work or Yoga can also help. Disciplines like yoga increase vagus nerve activity to help keep you calm and are particularly effective for people suffering from anxiety or depression. Breathing slowly and deeply activates your vagus nerve to send messages to your brain that help lower your blood pressure and heart rate.

𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆
to tend to your needs, and do activities that feed your soul.

𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇
by physically moving your body to shake off built-up energy.
Exercise is good for your brain's cognitive faculties. your mental health and your gut flow, thanks to its ability.

𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑷𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔
Cold water plunges or ice baths alleviate inflammation + increase our repair mechanisms. Exposure to cold dampens the light or flight response and increases the rest and digest response, like taking a cold shower or drinking ice water.

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
Fats are essential to build nerve tissue (including brain + nerves)
and hormones. You can improve your mood simply by silently repeating positive phrases about your friends and family.

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑
Set a personal goal of 8 hours to gain all the benefits of our body and mind in rest.

𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈
Humming, chanting and singing are all exercises that increase heart rate variability (HRV).
Higher HRV is linked with reduced morbidity and mortality and improved psychological well-being and quality of life. Laughter is a natural immune booster which, like singing can increase HRV in a group setting. Gargling with water stimulates the muscles of the pallet and has been shown to improve working momory performance.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒄𝒌:
Dr. Levine was inspired to study stress on the animal nervous system when he realized that animals are constantly under threat of death, yet show no symptoms of trauma. What he discovered was that trauma has to do with the third survival response to perceived life threat, which is freeze. When fight and flight are not options, we freeze and immobilize, like "playing dead." This makes us less of a target. However, this reaction is time-sensitive, in other words, it needs to run its course, and the massive energy that was prepared for fight or flight gets discharged, through shakes and trembling. If the immobility phase doesn't complete, then that charge stays trapped, and, from the body's perspective, it is still under threat. The Somatic Experiencing® method works to release this stored energy, and turn off this threat alarm that causes severe 𝒅𝒚𝒔𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 and 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎:

• humming
• listening to calm music
• deep sigh
• shacking
• exercising
• yoga
• touch therapy
• gargling
• cold shower
• singing
• chanting
• connecting with nature
• massage
• aromatherapy
• deep breathing
• butterfly hug
• squeezing a stress ball
• practicing mindfulness
• dancing
• body scan
• connecting with loved ones
• placing your hand over your heart with deep breathing
• petting an animal
• doing art
• gentle touch
• regular self-care
• laughter
• gentle tickling
• body therapy
• Suck ice-cubes/splash face with cold water
• Run/walk/dance/sing
• Journal
• Guided meditation
• Box breathing
• 4-7-8 breathing
• Tapping technique
• Practising gratitude
• Visualisation

Picture:

𝒃𝒚
Knowledge is Power

Via Trauma Geek - Trauma and Neurodiversity Education

01/05/2023

Next class is scheduled for January the 24th check out the link to learn more and register! http://www.mybellabirth.com

12/13/2022

A reader comments that her VBAC supportive OB gets worried about home VBACs.

Here’s how I replied:

I think a lot of physicians are scared of home birth in general because they don’t know any midwives, are not familiar with their training or scope of practice, have never been present for a home birth, and, for many, their only exposure to home birth are emergency home birth transfers.

So it’s important when forming an opinion - or considering someone else’s opinion - to be clear on what that opinion is based on.

While physicians may be an expert in hospital birth, they are not experts in home birth.

The midwifery model of care is very different than the medical model.

I know physicians who work in collaboration, and even further, strongly support home birth - including home VBAC - because they have taken the time to learn about home birth by creating relationships with home birth midwives.

I believe that if this was commonplace, the benefits would be felt by all, but more importantly, birthing families.

Finally, ultimately, what medical decisions other people make is none of our business.

Informed consent means reviewing the risks and benefits, the provider making a recommendation, and then supporting the birthing person in their informed choice, even if it's different than the recommendation.

The challenge with many physicians relative to informed consent and home birth is they are not equipped to have that discussion due to their limited knowledge and exposure to home birth in their community.

So if a birthing person wants to talk about home birth, I encourage them to talk to midwives (or physicians!) who actually attend home births.

12/08/2022

😂

Ope.

11/09/2022

09/29/2022

❤ BIRTH FACT ❤
Newborn term babies that go through an uncomplicated birth into an environment that is dark, quiet and calm will initially go through the Quiet Alert State.

This state of alertness will usually last for the first hour after birth as the baby is calm, awake, alert and taking in his surroundings.

All of his attention and energy is focused on seeing and hearing everything around him, especially his mother’s and father’s voice and faces.

This is the perfect time to bond with your newborn. It is the perfect time to cuddle and speak to your baby. Holding your baby's face close to yours will allow him to see you and study your face.

This is a time not to miss or to waste with “hospital routine”. That can wait. This is a precious time to be together uninterrupted.

If the newborn remains close to his mother during this first hour, the Quiet Alert State can last even longer. ❤

Photo courtesy of 📸

09/12/2022

🌸 my existence isn't about how attractive you find me
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Illustration of a person with big long brown hair. They are kneeling on the ground, surrounded by purple flowers, wearing a purple bodycon dress. They have body hair on their legs and arms along with hoop earrings and a nose ring. On their body there's text that reads, 'my existence isn't about how attractive you find me.'

09/09/2022

Lots of different reactions to Her Majesty’s passing yesterday (conversations about colonialism abound! And rightfully so!) but I found this story of her birthing history interesting.

Queen Elizabeth after her fourth Homebirth

Her Majesty was the first royal woman to have her husband accompany her at childbirth when she welcomed her fourth child Prince Edward with Prince Philip present.
…
"The Queen, by then aged 37, had asked him to be there; she'd been keenly reading women's magazines that stressed the importance of involving fathers in childbirth and had become fascinated by the idea. Thus Philip became the first royal father in modern history to witness the birth of his child.”
….
Like her mother, the Queen gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles, at home via caesarean, after a 30 hour labor, but went on to have three VBACs although with scopolamine.
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Eventually Charles was born by a Caesarean section in a music room in Buckingham Palace which had been converted into a theatre. She was attended by Obstetricians Sir William Gilliatt and Sir John Peel, and also midwife Helen Rowe, who was thought to be present for all the births. Caesarean sections were also less common in the general public at that time; in the 1950s only around 3% were caesarean section. It would have been of some concern that the Queen required one.
…

The midwife Helen Rowe was known to be present as letters written to her by the Queen were discovered after her death. There is an irony in this as, in 1970, Sir John Peel, the queen’s obstetrician, was lead author of the report “Domiciliary midwifery and maternity bed needs”, which recommended 100% of births should be in a hospital.
…

There have been considerable changes that have taken place in maternity services since the births of the Queen’s children. The accessibility of research and information is only one thing! The Queen, in all her experiences as a woman and mother in the role, has paved the way for royal births to be different and opened the door for many of her subjects to challenge the status quo at the time. The importance of looking back in history to see how we have got to where we are should not be overlooked and I challenge others to investigate history of our profession over the past 70 years.
…
From

09/06/2022

I don't know who needs to hear this, but just because there is a new little person in the world people aren't entitled to a visit.
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With that new little person is a new mother who may or may not have had some serious s**t go down and folks need to honor that. ⠀
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We don’t bust in like the Koolaid man if someone just had major surgery or car accident so we need to check ourselves before high kicking into the room of a woman who just had a person exit her body.⠀
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She may feel great and welcome one and all, but if she doesn't, we need to respect it regardless of whether or not we like it.

**tweshouldknowseries

06/25/2022

Mutual Aid alert! This HypnoBirthing family needs our help! Please consider supporting financially if you can!

Mariah and Rob have five adorable boys and need our help! On Thursday 6/23/… Kailey Cline needs your support for Help the Runyon family during Rob's recovery

06/07/2022

Oh heeey looks who is back at it again. Second birth I’ve attended since 2020. And it had been a few years since I was attending them regularly before that. Thanks Dutch Mama Doula and Photographer for the capture and thanks Bloom Midwifery for being patient with me as I relearn the ropes.

05/03/2022

In most countries of the world, parents will be asked whether they want their baby to have vitamin K, usually within the first hour of birth.

It’s your decision whether or not your baby has vitamin K.

If you decide that you want your baby to have it, it’s also up to you to decide which kind of vitamin K (oral or injection) you want your baby to have.

So you’ll want to weigh up the pros and cons, as with every decision you’ll make for your child.

I have been researching vitamin K for more than twenty years, and I have written several books and information leaflets on this subject for a number of organisations around the world.

I also have several blog posts that might help you better understand the issues.

In ‘seven things every parent needs to know about vitamin K, I summarise some of the key facts that you might want to consider when making your decision.

You can read it at https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/information-about-vitamin-k

I hope you’ll find it useful.

04/30/2022

"Whatever it takes to get baby here safely." If you've uttered these words, perhaps you've experienced that moment when the OB begins to talk you through an unexpected transfer to cesarean. And here's the thing -- we can both mean those words with every fiber of our being *and* grieve the loss of the birth we'd envisioned. There's a wide range of experiences here, but know this: if you have difficult feelings around having had a cesarean birth, you are not alone. Consider joining a support group near you, writing your birth story, reflecting on your birth photos, debriefing with your birth team, and/or meeting with a therapist. Postpartum is a beautiful, complex, often unpredictable time of great change. We believe your postpartum care matters just as much as everything leading up, no matter your birth story 🤍

03/21/2022

I have one more spot in a virtual HypnoBirthing class starting March 31st. I keep my class sizes very small to help you get the most from the program. This complete childbirth education program covers everything you and your partner need to know to have a calm and peaceful birth. Learn with a certified hypnotherapist!

MyBellabirth.com

I provide Birth Doula (Professional Labor Support) services and childbirth education to families in the Grand Rapids Area.

02/19/2022

During pregnancy women are often reminded that the pinnacle of their expectations should be a healthy baby, most often at times when they show signs of being keen to take an active role in the decision making. ‘Birth plans’ are a crucible for this – a woman who goes so far as to outline on paper what she would like to happen to her in labour will be discouraged, at best, or even openly mocked, as we saw in 2017 when doctors on twitter joked that laminated birth plans were only useful if the woman had a massive haemorrhage.

Laminated birth plans seem to stand as a metaphor for a really organised and strong-minded woman who misguidedly thinks she can have any power in the birth room. In This is Going to Hurt, former obstetrician Adam Kay recollects a woman with a ‘9 page birth plan, in full colour & laminated’, who has abandoned it & is headed for surgery. This, he says, does not surprise him: ‘Two centuries of obstetricians have found no way of predicting the course of a labour, but a certain denomination of floaty- dressed mother seems to think she can manage it easily’.

Such attitudes pervade modern maternity care. I hear them embedded in women’s birth stories daily, & you only need at look at reactions to celebrity births to find more of the same. Meghan Markle was mocked in the run up to the birth of her first baby. “A doula and a willow tree”, an obstetrician joked, “Let’s see how that goes!”. The willow tree, like the floaty dress, pokes fun at ‘natural’ birth, & portrays Meghan as demanding enough to want a particular kind of tree. It’s all intended as humour, but underneath the surface is the rather chilling idea that a kind of satisfaction or sense of triumph might be gained from seeing a woman’s ideal hopes for her birth go to the wall.

Selfish, opinionated, controlling and difficult: women can often be to be treated like wayward children when they try to create this grown-up document. Birth plans are a fantastic opportunity for women to consider their many options and open a meaningful dialogue with their care providers about their choices. Why would anyone find this problematic, one wonders?

An edited extract from Give Birth Like a Feminist, by Milli Hill

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Give-Birth-Like-Feminist-Milli/dp/0008313105/

02/01/2022