Last night I finally listened to the “Learning Self-Hypnosis” track in my Hypnobabies program all the way through. In fact, it was the first time I’ve been able to stay awake through the entire thirty-plus minute tracks since I started the program. Something tells me that I’m missing something by falling asleep. In this particular track the voice, also known as Kerry Tuschhoff (the creator of Hypnobabies), actually instructs you on how to hypnotize yourself. It’s kind of important to stay awake for the lesson that is the foundation of the program and yet? I fall asleep. She has you count back from 100 and by 94 I am out. It’s a waste of time to listen to them if I’m just going to fall asleep. Last night, in an effort to stay awake, I didn’t lay down in bed like I was planning on falling asleep. I sat up, propped up by pillows so that I wasn’t leaning against the headboard. I didn’t crawl under the covers either, and I left the bathroom light on so it wasn’t completely dark in my bedroom. I removed some of the ‘sleepy time’ elements from my routine and it worked! When Jacob came to bed, he turned off the bathroom light but by that point I was mid-way through the track and already in the zone with no ‘risk’ of falling asleep. And you know what? This stuff works. She instructed to send anesthesia to my arms and I did and my arms felt tingly and heavy. It was freaky and awesome. I sent it to my lower body and felt a heavy, numbing wave from my hips all the way down to my toes. I couldn’t believe it was actually working. Now, I wasn’t feeling a contraction or pressure wave (as it’s called in the program) so I don’t know if it was actually creating some sort of natural anesthesia but I will say this – I was completely relaxed and when I tried to move my hands once I turned my switch off (another Hypnobabies term; maybe I should create a glossary for the blog), I couldn’t. That’s pretty cool, right? I am learning so much about the whole mind over matter philosophy. We are truly in control of our bodies no matter what is going on around us. If a woman can block out or transform the less pleasant feelings during labor and turn them into something comforting, don’t you think we are capable of doing just about anything? I’m not very far into the program but I believe in it already. For once, I am feeling totally in control of my pregnancy and of my life. No one else can make me feel any way that I don’t want to feel because I’m in complete control. That’s powerful stuff. Imagine if you could block out negativity and only focus on receiving positivity from others and the universe; the world would definitely be a more pleasant place. But for now I’m just focusing on me, the baby, and getting the baby out without pain or fear.
This sounds very hippy-dippy new-agey and it kind of is. But who cares?
All of the things I enjoy most have a commonality – yoga, going to the beach, reading, sleeping – all very peaceful, calming, very introspective activities. I’m a high-strung person and sometimes I need to be brought back to center. I cherish any activity that aides me in doing that. I would love to always be laid back and have a go-with-the-flow attitude but I don’t. Maybe with my continued practice of Hypnobabies (I listen to the daily affirmation while I’m at work plus my nightly session) it will help me incorporate these tranquil feelings into the rest of my day.
When I start my yoga practice, which should hopefully be next week, I know that I’ll really be in the zone. Every time I have maintained a consistent yoga practice (classes, not DVDs- those don’t do it for me) it has made me feel amazing. I’m still a novice and my body type prohibits me from holding certain poses but I don’t let that get me down because that’s not what yoga is about.
I will continue to update you guys on my Hypnobabies journey which has really turned into a journey of the self. Seriously, that’s on the wall of a yoga studio studio somewhere and I can’t believe I just typed it. I’m no expert in relaxation or self-exploration but dammit, I’m going to do my best to bring out my inner calm. Just call me Guru Lauren.
Sounds awesome!
That is pretty much exactly the essence of what is taught in the Bradley childbirth classes that I have taken for my 2 births. Learning how to relax on purpose is key. That is what your body needs to truly open up (and by that I mean YOUR CERVIX). I do want to say that I thought my ability to relax would take away more of the pain than it did. After 2 natural births, I do not agree with anyone who says that relaxation or knowing what is going on, or giving birth outside a hospital is going to make the pain go away entirely. It is painful. But that is OK! The pain is productive, anticipated, intermittent and natural. And there will be a point that you think “I was wrong, I can’t do this”. But you CAN!!!