Thread: ~*~Anna's (AnnaRO) Birth Lodge~*~

Anna, welcome to your lodge! I wish I could take away all of your heartache. I really look forward to sharing our wonderful vbac experiences with each other. I am rooting for you mama!

Yay on your lodge!!! I will be looking forward to updates and reading your posts. You are strong and will get through this heartache.

I totally fall asleep when listening to hypnobabies too. Initially I had to fast forward through all the relaxation and just listen to the main part a few times while doing something else so I could at least hear what it was saying while awake.

I'm glad that you and DH will be going to the doctor togther this week and talking to him about all the stress and how its effecting you.

Anna, I always fell asleep during the hypnobabies tracks and they were still very helpful. Even though I never had time to use the birthing tracks. Have you listened to affirmations yet? I loved affirmations. They always made me feel so powerful and in control.

Kristi's post reminded me of something ... don't listen to Hypnobirthing tracks while driving!!

I always fell asleep during the Rainbow Relaxation at night (although not as fast as DH...we joke that all he has to hear is that first "And now..." and he is SNORING.) But I loved the control room visualization as a rest period during the day, and I had the affirmations on all the time near the end. You retain it whether it puts you to sleep or not. Don't worry!

Welcome to your lodge, Anna!! I know the days are tough right now but sweet baby Kole is going to bring such joy to you and your whole family!! Best wishes in your VBAC journey and lots of loves and hugs!!!

Welcome to your lodge Anna! I lost my father suddenly 5 years ago (he was 53) and I can't imagine dealing with that and being as far along as you are. You are an amazing woman!

I don't think I ever made it through the rainbow relaxation, even during labor it put me to sleep for a couple minutes and the next contraction jolted me awake because I wasn't doing my breathing and wasn't prepared because I was asleep. Odd part was that it couldn't have been more than 5 minutes but I felt like I had been asleep for an hour.

For me the most helpful parts of the Hypno was the breathing and ribbon visualization for the contractions. I don't think that's the correct name but the one where you visualize the uterine muscles as soft ribbons pulling the cervix up and open. I found imagining what was going on inside made it normal instead of painful.

You ladies are so amazing. I know you are all probably a bit tired of me going on and on about my dad and what I'm feeling, but I feel like expressing my emotions about it all openly is really helping me deal with the whole situation. I am so blessed to have such a great support system that includes you ladies. I don't think I'll ever get over losing him and it feels like there will always be this empty, gaping hole inside me, but I am still managing to function and do the things that need to be done.

I am having some moments of doubt that are pretty pervasive, feeling like I'm not going to be able to do this unmedicated VBAC like I want. It's coming up so fast and I'm so way behind on the hypnobabies, though I've read the workbook and was listening to the tracks earlier in my pregnancy. I'm worried that because I haven't followed it to the letter, I'm setting myself up to fail. DH is out doing contract work today, so I'm planning on listening to the affirmations all day today as I do chores around the house. I have my 36 week appointment tomorrow, so I'll post an update then.

I guess I should also start packing a hospital bag. . .

You can do it! The key part of Hypno for me wasn't self hypnotizing myself, it was staying relaxed and breathing. I listened to the rainbow relaxation just the once during labor and didn't do any other real hypnosis. I was texting Jackie, watching TV, talking to my husband, showering, ect and just pausing to breath and imagine the ribbons during the contractions. If you feel like you don't have enough time to read/watch/practice everything maybe just choose what relaxes you the most and practice that and the breathing.