Sunday, July 20, 2008

Jessica Alba & hypnobirthing

Seems like a lot of celebrities are having C-sections these days, so it's refreshing to read about those doing something a bit different. Crunchy Domestic Goddess just posted some comments from Jessica Alba on her recent labor and birth. (You have to scroll down really far to see the post).

A few quotes from the post:

Jessica told OK! magazine:
“I didn’t scream,” Jessica tells OK! in an exclusive interview and photoshoot. “It was really Zen.” And Cash could only marvel at his wife’s quiet strength when she gave birth. “She didn’t make a sound,” he says. “It was amazing.” “The labor was more like meditation,” she says. “I did yoga breathing. I was focused.”
While Jessica was pregnant, she told FitPregnancy about her birth plan:
I want to spend as much of my labor as possible at home, and I’m taking a HypnoBirthing class. It’s a relaxation technique that allows you to avoid going into panic mode and tightening up. If you are calm and relaxed, your body will just do what it has to do.
For those of you who have done hypnobirthing (including Hypbirth, Hypnobabies, and Hypnobirthing, etc.) or your own forms of visualization and meditation, what were your experiences like? My labor was very serene and meditative, except for the pushing stage. That I would describe more as wild and crazy and intense.

10 comments:

  1. It was totally manageable and rhythmic until the last forty five minutes. Then my low moaning noises got higher and higher pitched. My doula reminded me to bring my power down, which was great.

    I did Hypnobabies. I only listened to two of the mp3's while actually in labor. I stayed present the whole time and just slowly went inward as I got closer to pushing.

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  2. I had second HypnoBirth (first home birth) 3 months ago and it turned out to be even better than the first one, which I didn't think was possible :) I'm hoping to post the full birth story on my blog one day, but for now I'm just happy to share the video (PG rated, lol)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qriqhDFo088

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  3. I used HypnoBirthing with my 2nd baby, which worked well to a point, but I lost focus and chose an epidura. I used Hypnobabies with my 3rd. I stayed calm and focused through the whole thing. It was very intense during transformation and I felt like I was YELLING peace to stay focused. But in reality I was whispering it. I actually really liked pushing, it felt powerful and good. Though I did "roar" through some of my pushes, it wasn't from discomfort, it was just what felt right.

    You can read Bryson's story here. http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com/enjoybryson.htm and you can see his birth video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA7Y_DnC_kA&feature=email

    I think hypnosis is a great tool for moms during pregnancy and birth. Something I wish every mom would look into and see if it is something they would enjoy.

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  4. I used hypnobabies too. Now that it's been over a year, thinking back to that birth, even I can hardly believe it. Was it just a dream? I put the affirmations recording on auto repeat and labored alone from midnight to about 5 a.m. I was so calm and focused and... levelheaded, for lack of a better word? I felt everything and I was able to work with every sensation. Even as my cervix pulled up and all the way open; and precisely when my water was about to break. The only surprise was my perineum stretching, because it happened so fast and without much straining and pushing! Even that was manageable. Really, I never even got loud? My husband will tell you so, he likes to say that I pushed her out at 6:38 a.m. "like it's no big deal". And this is the same guy who claims I "screamed" through my first birth (they call that vocalizing, hon.)

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  5. Sorry, one more thing. DO watch Olya's birth video, everybody! I just did (Sheridan your link is truncated...) and this is what I meant by levelheaded LOL. (Without giving away too much) you'll be wondering if Olya's even awake, never mind pushing a baby out -- except for a couple of very 'with it' interjections and remarks she makes during crowning. And when she sits bolt up to bring her baby to her chest :D What an amazing video. I hope you don't put background music in, Olya. Your humming and your hubby's and the midwife's gentle whispers are the best possible sound track!!! WOW.

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  6. Yes everyone, please do watch Olya's video! (I wish we saw a bit more of the baby after it was born...)

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  7. Thank you for such positive response :) I was debating about including more of the after-birth footage, but it was a very emotional stage for me (read: bawling my eyes out, instead of smiling peacefully at my new creation :) and my 'conversation' with baby is something very intimate to me. It may sound strange, since I don't mind sharing the video (which I love doing, in hopes to inspire more women to have home, water or hypno birth, preferably all at the same time :), but that's just how I feel...

    I do have some photos though:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/happy_olya/2407466221/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/happy_olya/2408299002/

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  8. Olya, I totally understand that you'd want to keep that part to yourself. Thanks so much for sharing your birth video.

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  9. I did a hypnobirthing program for a vbac when I attempted my vbac in 2005. I did find it helpful, and when I was in labor, and had a squeamish worry about my scar, it was like a switch went off in my head and I heard part of the program, "your scar is strong, healthy and will be fine through labor" and my anxiety disappeared... poof. It was very empowering.

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  10. I did hypnobirthing starting at 5 months but felt like i needed more, so I found Hypnobabies. I got 9 days practice, and had half of my labor completely pain free. Back labor hit, and I found I lost focus competely.

    with my second, I already had all my materials and started studying at 20 weeks, and then repeating the process. completely pain free, felt like sexual sensations of the penis hitting my cervix, very enjoyable. the last two hours were manegeable discomfort, and i was already 8 - 9cms dilated!! I didn't believe I was actually in labor until they checked me for the first time *I refused their previous request* and I was 6cm!! It was SUCH an awesome birthing. I napped in the birth pool, and labored on all fours which felt best for me. I pushed him out easily, felt like pushing out my 7lber, and he ended up being 9lbs 5oz. My little mountain, my first gave me faith that I could do anything, my second gave me faith that my MIND can do a whole heck of a LOT!

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