Hypnobirthing Class: Part 1
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Hubby and I went to the first of five Hypnobirthing classes last night. When I first proposed the idea, Hubby was dead set against it, but he finally decided to go to the first class to see what it was all about and then decide if he wanted to continue. I worked it out with the instructor, that if he didn't want to continue, I could switch to a private class. So, we drove to the instructor's office, which was her apartment. There were supposed to be two other couples there, but one couple was stressed from buying a house that they couldn't make it and the other couple got so lost and frustrated that they decided not to take the class after all. So, it ended up being just Hubby and me and Hubby wasn't sure he was going to go back! Yikes.
Oh! And while we were waiting for everyone, the instructor put on the birthing video to entertain us. It's a good thing her TV was only 13 or so inches, because the video was full of one up-close birth after the next! I thought Hubby would just die watching it! The point of the show was to demonstrate that women can have babies without agony, but Hubby pointed out that they just edited the screaming out and showed the rest!
Anyway, the class got better. The instructor went over some basics of anatomy and science of relaxation, which Hubby, being an Engineer, really understood and appreciated. The basic idea of hypnobirthing is that we are so conditioned to be afraid of labor that when it happens, we're scared and all our muscles are tense, making it more painful. The program is supposed to give you the tools you need to embrace the experience and make your body relax. I really like it and think that it'll help me. I don't have unreal expectations and fully intend to have an epidural if I'm in too much pain.
I've been dreading the due date since I found out about the pregnancy. Labor seems extremely scary and soooooooooooooooooooooooo embarrassing. I don't want any witnesses! It wasn't until I started taking this instructor's prenatal yoga classes that I started to feel like I could actually do this. I'd much rather embrace the experience than dread it and I really think this class will help with that. Hubby isn't particularly interested in coming to all the classes, but he feels comfortable with the program now that he knows more about it and thinks the principles are sound and scientific.
We start regular childbirth classes in three weeks.
posted by Avorie @ 8:17 AM,
3 Comments:
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At 10:09 AM,
Isabel said...
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I am so happy to hear that your class went well and that your hubby was okay with with he heard. I can't wait to hear about your next few classes.
And try not to worry about labor too much (says the other pregnant woman who is in denial about her own labor). -
At 11:44 AM,
Corinne said...
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Sounds like you guys got a good deal... we haven't even looked for a class yet... aren't we smart?! *scoff* I'm kinda worried too, but I try not to think too hard about it...
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At 1:53 PM,
Reesh said...
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The important thing to remember is that "All babies come out." I also like to remind myself that women have been given birth since the beginning of time and have only just recently began to use drugs to deal with pain. Yes, it's going to hurt, no doubt about it, but I agree, fearing the pain is just going to make you tense up and make the whole process a lot longer. The hyponobirthing class sounds like a great tool to help you learn to listen to your body, because I believe that the body has all the answers, after all, it was born to birth...
