Just finishing up the January series and ready to announce our next group Hypnobabies Class!
BlossomBelly Hypnobabies and Birth Doula Services will be teaching a group class in Santa Cruz, CA
starting March 18th, 1:30 – 4:30pm.
Please contact me to reserve your spot!
Hypnobabies allows our moms to be self- empowered: Hypno-Moms find that preparing for childbirth using the power of their own minds, tuning in to their bodies and babies, and trusting the birth process, allows giving birth to be an empowering, life-affirming journey.
– Hypnobabies
Announcing our next group Hypnobabies Class!
BlossomBelly Hypnobabies and Birth Doula Services will be teaching a group class in Santa Cruz, CA
Starting October 30th 1:30 – 4:30pm.
Please contact me to reserve your spot!
Benefits of using hypnosis for childbirth – part 2
Many Hypno-mothers have shorter labors since hypnosis training can minimize discomfort and fear, and create less resistance between the birthing muscles. Using deep hypnosis, muscles in the body remain very deeply relaxed, which allows the uterus to work more effectively.
- From Hypnobabies
I am loving all this hypnosis! I can hardly wait for my next practice sessions, it’s so much fun. After years of meditation and putting myself into a relaxed trance state, I’m really enjoying leading my practice clients through the scripts and into hypnosis. Even my most stressed out family members tell me they feel good upon awakening. I’m realizing more and more just how much I am going to enjoy being a Hypnobabies childbirth instructor. I’m already a hypno-doula, qualified to support any mothers using hypnosis during childbirth. I can’t wait to add these childbirth classes to my list of services, and to help moms and families enjoy greater relaxation at their births using hypnosis.
Yes! I’m going to become a Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis Instructor.
I’m already a hypno-doula, or Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis Doula. If you are pregnant, I highly recommend you check out Hypnobabies – a beautiful way to easily and naturally prepare for childbirth.
My first step towards becoming a Hypnobabies Instructor is to take a class in hypnosis. I’ve started my studies and plan to update here regularly on my progress.
First up, I had to read a book on hypnosis, other than the text-book I’ve been given for my course. The book I chose had lots of scripts for using hypnosis to help us in our every day lives. So my first hypnosis client? My daughter. Why not? Lean back in your chair honey, you are going to LOVE this.
I read the script out loud, trying to keep my voice fairly monotone. I tend to speak really fast so I worked hard at slowing down. “Relax your knees, your legs, your toes.” But my daughter kept giggling. And then I did too.
This is definitely going to take some practice.
Working and Breastfeeding
Your baby can have all the benefits of your breast milk even if you plan to go back to work or school. When breastfeeding is well established, you can express milk and leave it with your caregiver for feedings throughout the day. Your breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator (3 days) or frozen (about 6 months). Refrigerate or freeze breast milk in clean bottles or bags and date them. Warm up the breast milk by standing it in hot tap water before it is used. Microwaving breast milk, or heating it on the stove, is not recommended because it can cause a loss of Vitamin C content and some of the milk’s special anti-infective properties. Microwaving and stove heating also causes the milk to have hot spots that can scald your baby.
Ask your employer about some flexibility to have breastfeeding or pumping breaks, and access to refrigeration to store your breast milk. Some mothers have childcare facilities at their place of work, school, or nearby, so they can breastfeed during their breaks.
–excerpted from Public Health Agency
The Complete Food
Research shows that breast milk is so important that it is the only food or drink your baby needs for the first 6 months of life. Remarkably, as your baby grows your milk will also change to keep up with your baby’s needs and continues to have just the right amount of nutrients. Breast milk also contains antibodies and other immune factors that help protect against infections and disease — benefits that last a lifetime.
Beginning at 6 months of age babies need to replenish their iron reserves by adding a variety of foods in addition to breast milk, which continues to provide nutrition and protection. Many mothers continue to breastfeed until their babies are two years old or more.
Breastfeeding has many health benefits for mom too, including nurturing a special relationship between mother and baby. Breast milk is convenient, always the right temperature, economical and better for the environment!
–excerpted from Public Health Agency
A few days ago we “sprang forward” into Daylight Saving Time. Only I haven’t been springing anywhere since. I’m tired. I swear at the alarm clock in the morning. I crawl out of bed complaining and grumbling that I should be allowed another hour (or more) of sleep. Why doesn’t work just start an hour later? Why should I be punished this way?
This morning, 2 days after the time change, I somehow dragged myself out of bed at the usual time. Once I’d spent a few minutes freshening up and allowed my thoughts to turn to something other than my misery, I got to thinking about ……. babies.
What is their birth day like for our sweet little babies? Birth has got to be the ultimate time change. Do they feel punished? Would they swear at us if they could? Some babies cry a bit, a few a lot, but most are immediately quieted by their mamas and papas, embraced, fed, loved, cooed at. And they respond by quieting, watching, taking it all in so openly. It’s remarkable really. The zen-like quality that babies possess, the acceptance to all that is so new. What a huge leap these babies make, and how beautifully they take it, all things considered.
I then considered that maybe there is a lesson in these thoughts for me, remembering how I angrily fumbled for the snooze on the alarm just a few minutes before. But no, I didn’t want to go there. So instead I thought about what we can all do to help our babies’ births be as beautiful as possible – for them. Surely their transition from inside the womb to the great big world can be less unpleasant than my transition to DST. I am convinced that the steps we take to create a calm, comfortable and peaceful environment for our babies’ births can make a huge difference in their transition. So, whenever possible, let’s take those steps. Lower the lights, quiet the voices, put on soft music if you like it and your baby is used to hearing it from the womb, and lots of skin-to-skin contact after birth.
What a beautiful transition it can be. Now that has me thinking that tonight I could take a warm bath, with candles and music. And then get to bed an hour earlier. Bring it on, DST!
Get educated!
The more information you have, the more likely you will be able to have the birth experience you want. Know your options for childbirth, and then you can make the best decisions for you and your baby. A good way to gain the information you need is to hire a doula. Doulas are trained labor companions who can help inform you of your birth options while also offering nurturing support. Every pregnant woman deserves to have a clear understanding of her childbirth options and to have a doula who honors the choices she makes for the birth of her baby.