Installment 4: You are getting Sleeeeeeeepy.....

As of three weeks ago, Eric and I are official graduates of the Hypnobabies childbirth course. The idea is that I will give birth to our baby in complete comfort (or close to it) with no drugs or interventions of any kind. My friend Kate had her two kids using Hypnobirthing, a similar method, and she swears by it. The basic idea is that fear and tension cause pain during childbirth. And when you think about it, there is a HUGE culture of fear surrounding birthing- how many horror stories have you heard/told about birth in every setting from dinner parties to book club meetings? So Hypnobabies teaches you how to get into a state of very deep relaxation, and then, while you're in that state, gives messages to your subconscious that replace the notion of inevitable pain during birthing with feelings of confidence, peace and excitement. And you know what? I AM excited! To find out more, check out www.hypnobabies.com. And for local readers: www.tranquilbirthing.com, which is the website for our amazing instructor, Susan, who came to our house each week for six weeks to teach us the method. There are also a lot of clips on youtube showing women using hypnobabies while in labor- it's pretty amazing.

Susan and me after our last class...