Second Pregnancy
Philippa contacted me shortly after finding out she was expecting her second child. She wanted assistance to clear persistent concerns about needing a second caesarean when she desperately wanted to have a normal delivery birthing this baby.
During Philippa’s initial consultation, I explored her feelings surrounding the caesarean first time around and quickly established that whilst there was mild disappointment at this outcome, she had sailed through the procedure and healed without any concerns post delivery. Philippa’s concerns were entirely focused on the practicalities of postnatal recovery whilst caring for an active toddler and a newborn. She was anxious to avoid the limitations imposed by a caesarean in the early weeks following delivery.
The most dominant emotion we started working on at the beginning was having no control over the forthcoming birth. She was also frustrated at how she was putting herself under unnecessary pressure to have a normal birth which was adding to her anxiety. As we cleared these emotions and moved on to other anxieties, there were nagging thoughts running about how she would cope, where she would get help from during the day, how she would manage when her husband was away on business three weeks after her due date. Each of these anxieties were dissolved one by one restoring her confidence in how she would cope at the birth.
After a pretty intensive first half to the session, we switched into coaching mode and drew up a plan to overcome all of the potential obstacles which would need solutions in the event of a second caesarean. Next we talked about the steps Philippa could take to maximise her ability to relax in preparation for the birth and in so doing, unearthed a couple of significant fears about natural birthing which included fears associated with vaginal birth after caesarean and a fleeting fear of tearing or the need for an episiotomy.
By the end of this extended session, Philippa was visibly relaxed, feeling confident about how she could handle this second birth and optimistic regardless of how her baby arrived in the world.
Overcoming birthing fears isn’t always about tackling labour pain anxiety or fear of intervention. Often with the couples I see for HypnoBirthing®, they are calm and relaxed about the birth and it can be other issues that cause unwanted anxiety, such as in-laws descending to stay for a fortnight and an expectant mother fearing the lack of privacy and time to bond with her newborn or breastfeed comfortably without having to spare the blushes of others! So no matter what fears or anxieties you have, a short session may be all you need to clear them and free you up emotionally to get on with enjoying your pregnancy and looking forward to the birth of your baby.
If you would like to find out how I can help you clear fears, anxieties and phobias in pregnancy, visit my Pure Therapy Programme or 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.