11/12/2021
Leann you were amazing (both times). Thankyou for your perfect words 🥰🤍😘
“ I attended the wise hippo hypnobirthing course in may 2019, prior to the birth of my first child. This was following recommendations from my friends who had attended the course themselves.
The course was not as I expected at all. There was a much bigger focus on the process of labour and actually giving birth. With helpful discussion around every stage of labour. However this focus helped me to believe the kind of birth I wished for could be achievable. This focus prepared me for what to expect and took away the anxiety. As an older mother I had spent over twenty years listening to birthing horror stories. Weirdly no one ever tells you their successes or the pleasant happy aspects of birthing. I think the course normalised childbirth and womanhood and the power and strength inherent in the birthing process. The videos used were helpful as they provided the reality element and again showed it was possible to have a less medicalised, natural and calm birth.
The strategies were really useful. We learned how to breathe and explored guided imagery and positive affirmation. We learned how to use touch, massage, smell and sound to help maintain calmness and slow steady breathing and remain present in the process. I practiced the techniques as taught and used the online and paper resources given
I was able to achieve a natural birth without pain relief on two occasions. Both births were induced due to my age.
I was able to remain calm and in control. The breathing techniques were amazingly effective for me and were the most useful. I also think knowing the stages helped as it normalised the length of time and the changes to patterns of contractions. Without this uncertainty focus was easier to achieve and maintain”
