? about hypnobirthing and possible c-section

[prettygirlsmom]

I have a ? about using hypnobirthing to possibly prepare for a c-section. I've been practicing for a month now, and I've been really excited about using hypnobirthing for this coming birth. However at my u/s @ 23 1/2 weeks, they saw that my placenta is low. The dr said that it's "on the lip of the cervix" We're going to have another u/s around 32 weeks to see if it's moved up any (which I'm really hoping for) but if it doesn't get out of the way since it's partially over the cervix there is a good chance that I'll end up with a c-section. If it only moves up a little, then we will try for a vaginal if it's high enough that the head can engage. I'll be fighting tooth and nail for a vaginal delivery, I'm likely to even make them do an u/s right before cutting just to make sure.
So how would I go about preparing myself for either possibility? I know that if I don't prepare myself mentally ahead of time for either that I will be severly disappointed if things don't go the way that I want them to. Also any advice on overcoming a fear of both needles and knives would be good. Vaginal birth doesn't scare me at all, but the idea of being cut open freaks me out.
Anyhow, any experience with this or advice is appreciated. TIA

[ubertulip]

You might consider trying acupuncture if there is a good place to go in your area. The needles are super thin, it's realllly relaxing and can ease many pregnancy complaints, and they're used to folks who aren't fond of needles. Often you can't feel it at all. My husband went and he hates needles, and he loved it. (I just got back from an appointment myself, so hey, I love needles! At least little ones.)

:)

[hunter]

Good for you for thinking ahead!

While not quite the same as your circumstances, I had a similar mental preparation for my second birth. Alison was breech, despite all attempts to turn her. I know that sometimes there are good reasons for a baby to remain breech. A short cord is a common reason for a breech presentation, and a very short cord can prevent the baby from descending into the birth canal. I'd already given birth, so I knew my body was capable of a vaginal breech, but I also had to be mentally prepared for a c-section, even after labor had started.

I've never used hypnobirthing techniques; I used Bradley and Birthing From Within. My BFW exercises included journaling about my fears, which I found extremely helpful; they seem rather insignificant when they are just letters on paper, KWIM? Bradley focuses on unmedicated birth, but acknowledges that medication, and even surgery, are warranted if the mother's or baby's life is in danger. I went into my labor feeling confident that I *could* birth my baby vaginally, but that I *would* birth her surgically if that was what was necessary. I didn't have any "what I want" except a healthy baby and a sound medical reasoning behind whatever way she arrived.

As for your fear of needles and knives, I was with my sister last year when she had a c-section, and I can tell you you won't be seeing any of them. Her epidural was inserted earlier in her labor, and she didn't see a thing, because her back was to the doctor! Our mom was the person she chose to stay with her, and mom only recalls seeing some plastic tubing, no needles at all. I was in the operating room during my sister's c-section, and I filmed the entire thing. You never once see a scalpel, and I've watched it a half dozen times! They had a little curtain up in front of her, and lowered it so she could see the baby being lifted from her. Then they pulled the curtain back up when they put her back together. I'm sure hypnobirthing could be helpful in relaxing, but you'd probably need to make sure your hypnobirth person could accompany you in the operating room. Good luck with whatever works out for you!

[hedra]

Talk to your hypnotherapist (if you have one) - HB is superior for handling not only fear of the procedures but also helpful for pain management in recovery. The teacher/therapist can work out custom scripts to manage the issues for either option. If you don't have a hypnotherapist and are using tapes, you may have to mentally modify some of the visualizations/scripts to cover the issues you are coming up with - needles and surgery are reasonable fears, but also can be handled very well with HB. Plus, those I know who had c-sections with HB had superior recoveries. (Harvard Medical School actually recently recommended that all surgical patients in ANY surgery should be provided hypnotherapy beforehand if they were willing, as they require less anesthesia, have fewer side effects, and have smoother recoveries with less need for pain meds - and strangely enough, the surgical procedures tend to take less time when the patient had hypnotherapy beforehand!)

Good luck - most low placentas move up, BTW, especially in the last trimester, where your uterus is expanding a fair bit. (it stretches upwards, taking the placenta with it...) I think my midwives said over 90% of those that are centered to one side of the cervix move off it enough to deliver vaginally (we're well designed for birth, and all that!). Only if it is really centered on the cervix are you usually stuck with that placement. Exceptions occur, of course.

[hedra]

Oh, and your HB instructor would not have to accompany you in for surgery - you probably would just use headphones and a tape, at the most, or your partner/DH/SO/doula would provide prompts.

[prettygirlsmom]

Thanks for all of the advice. If anyone else has any I'd love to hear it too.

Hedra- I know that a great many placentas move up in the third trimester, I just know that I need to prepare myself now for the possibility that it won't. I'm really really hoping to be in the 90 % that do move. I just know that if I don't start resolving the fears that I have about a c-section that I won't have them resolved at the time of birth, kwim? I'm the kind of person that takes a long time to get over fears. Also, there is a sincere lack of specialists where I live, and I am just learning the hypnobirthing on my own using the hypnobabies scripts. I'm thinking that maybe I can change one of the scripts to address the possibility of a c-section, and that I'll be comfortable with the idea if it becomes a necessity, and just record it on tape myself but I'm not sure how exactly to go about doing it. I don't want to convince myself to have a c-section, just to be comfortable with the idea, if my placenta doesn't move.

[catkrazy99]

I used hb'ing but ended up with a c-section. Personally,I found the hb'ing techniques I learned a great way to handle the c-section recovery. I don't like taking meds and I found with my hb'ing techniques, I could limit myself to one pain pill each morning (to help get out of bed) and didn't need them the rest of the day.

Good luck!

[hedra]

If you email me your idea on a script, I can review it - I've written them for my HB instructor.

And yeah, I know about planning ahead. I'm a 'panic early and get it over with' type, myself! :o

[hedra]

Also, check the HypnoBabies website - they might have a 'overcoming fears' script on tape - those are done so you insert your fears yourself, then destroy those images.