Secondary Infertility
Charlotte was already mum to a gorgeous three year old little girl when she sought help to boost her chances of conceiving. She suspected that the birth of her daughter may be hindering her ability to conceive second time around since she had been trying for nearly a year and had fallen pregnant very quickly first time around.
As Charlotte was comfortable doing so, I asked her to write an account of her daughter’s birth. Charlotte provided me with a very detailed account from notes she had written shortly after the birth when she worked with a counsellor.
It was clear when we started the first session, that Charlotte was still deeply affected by her birth experience. Charlotte’s emotions were very near the surface and whilst she had spent several sessions talking through her birth experience with a counsellor shortly after the birth, none of the trauma had been treated.
Charlotte’s labour had started off well at home and by the time she arrived at the hospital she was already in her stride at five centimetres dilated. Charlotte settled in well in the maternity suite until a shift change a few hours into her arrival at the unit. Charlotte described the new midwife she was assigned as much more ‘old school’ and she admitted to feeling intimidated and unable to speak up about things which were concerning her. This gradual decline in confidence and an increase in anxiety levels had a negative impact on Charlotte’s labour progress and an unwanted and much feared chain of events followed. Charlotte was induced to progress her labour and her baby was delivered with the aid of forceps.
This series of events left Charlotte with many unresolved emotions after the birth and an understandable terror of a repeat performance with a second birth. Understandably, as we started dissolving the emotions tied to the birth experience, there were many layers to clear. That said, Charlotte worked quickly, willingly connecting with each emotion without hesitancy or resistance, so we only required a couple of sessions to dissolve the emotional trauma from the birth experience. A large part of the reoccurring emotions were feelings of intimidation and lack of control. Then there were emotions of anger and shame at not being able to deliver unassisted. Finally, we dissolved the guilt Charlotte felt for not bringing her daughter into the world in a gentler manner.
Charlotte looked visibly transformed after these two sessions and just three months later she called to tell me she had just done her fourth pregnancy test and was now properly convinced that she was actually pregnant.
Just after her 20 week scan, Charlotte joined me with her husband to learn HypnoBirthing®, a series of four classes to learn basic hypnotic techniques for deep relaxation during labour and birth.
Charlotte surprised herself when she went into labour with her second baby, by being told when she arrived at the hospital that she was close to ready to birth her baby yet feeling so much calmer and more in control throughout. One of Charlotte’s proudest memories is of her midwife complimenting her on birthing so well with just a bit of gas and air near the end. Something she would previously have considered impossible.
If you would like to find out how I can help you clear residual trauma from a previous birth experience, visit my Pure Therapy Programme and HypnoBirthing® pages. Alternatively, use the form below to drop me a line or call and speak with me directly on 01276 21386.
Conception & Birth Services
Pure Therapy Programme Brief therapy to dissolve your fears, phobias, anxieties and any emotional trauma. This programme focuses on calming your mind, restoring your confidence and self-esteem, giving you back a sense of control in your life as well as the clarity to make important decisions.
Essential Support Programme Regular, short check-in sessions by phone to keep you calm, relaxed, optimistic and positively focused between significant milestones from conception to birth. The therapeutic toolkit enables sabotaging emotional wobbles to be dissolved in an instant.
HypnoBirthing® Classes The ultimate in birth preparation classes to teach both you and your partner how to use hypnotic relaxation skills, special breathing techniques and endorphin releasing massage to manage the physical demands of labour and feel calm, relaxed and confident during the birth.
Parent Coaching Programme No baby arrives with a manual and few parents have endless hours to devour a ‘how to’ book. Parent coaching is a supportive route to helping you create your own practical solutions to whatever parenting challenges you are facing, in time sensitive short sessions.