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How hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques help create positive birth outcomes

Learn about the class and instructor who has taught over 1,000 couples in the Las Vegas Valley since 2008. Mandie Medford, certified HypnoBirthing Childbirth educator and Mom, has 14 years experience teaching the HypnoBirthing childbirth preparation class program. In this video, Mandie provides a brief overview of the class and explains why it is for ALL families and ALL types of births!

Have you ever heard of using hypnosis to reduce labor pain? Find out from our HypnoBirthing Instructor, Mandie Medford, how a technique called HypnoBirthing can help improve relaxation, reduce pain and prepare you with a positive mindset for childbirth. Included are tips for partners who would like to be involved and an explanation of why you might want to take a childbirth class versus reading the book. Featured in this video is Midwife, Sherry Hopkins, who is currently practicing at Well Rounded Momma and our HypnoBirthing Instructor, Mandie Medford. You can find a schedule of Mandie’s HypnoBirthing class on the Well Rounded Momma website! Well Rounded Momma is a maternity center where our Midwives provide prenatal care, birth options such as homebirth and waterbirth, postpartum and newborn care in the Las Vegas, Nevada area. We also provide various workshops, classes and seminars that support holistic pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding and parenting. WRM is comprised of Independent Contractors such as: Midwives, Doulas, Childbirth Educators, Lactation Professionals, and others who provide one-on-one consultations for expecting and new parents.

Your birth is NOT about your doctor, Midwife or labor nurse. It’s about YOU, YOUR PARTNER and the NEW LIFE that is being welcomed into your family ????

How the body can naturally “push” baby out, and why you don’t have to.

How the Law of Repetition can help you replace old messages about birth with positive new information. The new information will always win out over the old!

In the U.S., we have fallen into a “one size fits all” approach to caring for women in labor. Upon arrival at the hospital when she’s in labor, a mom is given a dull open back hospital gown to change into, she’s hooked up to a monitor, blood pressure cuff and given an IV. She may then be instructed to stay in bed to make continuous monitoring of her baby’s heart rate more convenient for the staff caring for her. These protocols (and many others) will be carried out routinely, in the absence of your birth plan. Routine procedures and interventions carried out on an otherwise healthy mother and baby, can have many negative affects on the progress of your labor and may possibly cause the very problems and emergencies we are hoping to avoid through the use of medical interventions.

It is rare that the birthing mother is seen as an individual who is undergoing an incredible life transition as she brings forth life from her body. Medical providers are very caught up in the physical act of getting baby out and often take little time to assess mother’s emotional needs and her own specific physical needs. In creating a birth plan, we are asking everyone to take a step back from the regular protocols, and treat us according to our specific medical and emotional needs. As we know, mom’s emotional state is directly related to her physical comfort and progress in labor.

So how can parents ensure a natural flow of labor?

Discuss your birth preference early and often with your care provider.

Approach your care provider with sincerity and assure them that if there is a true medical emergency that warrants intervention, they’ll have your support. If you don’t get the feeling that your doctor or midwife is going to support your wishes (in the absence of medical problems) or that your provider does not share your same philosophy about birth, consider switching to a provider who will.

Ask your doctor or midwife to sign your birth plan, and bring it with you to the hospital on your birthing day.

Items to Include in your Birth Plan:

• To allow labor to start on its own (read more about induction of labor)
• No IV unless medically necessary (birth partner will help mom maintain fluid intake and output) Read more about routine IV use in labor
• Intermittent Fetal Monitoring (rather than continuous). Generally docs will support 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off of the electronic fetal monitor.
• Freedom of movement
• Few or no vaginal exams, always with explanation of need and mother’s consent
• To eat and drink as desired
• To forego medical interventions, including breaking water and augmentation (with pitocin etc) without clear medical need. Membranes to remain intact until baby is fully born.
• To exercise patience if labor slows or rests
• Mother directed bearing down instead of coached pushing
• No episiotomy unless there is an emergency and only after consultation
• Allow time for placenta to be birthed naturally without the use of pitocin (in the absence of emergency)
• Delay clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord, until pulsations have cease

For Baby : 

• Immediate skin to skin with mom at birth
• Allow baby to crawl to breast to self attach for first feeding
• No bath please
• No eyedrops (unless there is a true medical need)
• Decline or delay vitamin K injection
• Breastfeeding only (no bottles or pacifiers) and no separation of mother and baby.