Monday, April 13, 2009

More info about Epidurals

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
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Complications of epidural use


These include:


Block failure (about 1 in 20). Partial failure may still give satisfactory pain relief. However, if pain relief is inadequate, another epidural may have to be performed.
Bloody tap (about 1 in 30-50). It is easy to injure an epidural vein with the needle. In patients who have normal blood clotting, it is extremely rare (e.g. 1 in 100,000) for problems to develop. However, in a patient who has a coagulopathy, the patient may be at risk of epidural hematoma. If blood comes back down the needle, the anesthesiologist will normally place the epidural at another level.
Accidental dural puncture with headache (common, about 1-3 in 100 insertions[29][30][31]) The epidural space in the adult lumbar spine is only 3-5mm deep, which means it is comparatively easy to cross it and accidentally puncture the dura (and arachnoid) with the needle. This may cause cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to leak out into the epidural space, which may in turn cause a post dural puncture headache (PDPH). This can be severe and last several days, and in some rare cases weeks or months. It is caused by a reduction in CSF pressure and is characterised by postural exacerbation when the patient raises their head above the lying position. If severe it may be successfully treated with an epidural blood patch (a small amount of the patient's own blood given into the epidural space via another epidural needle which clots and seals the leak). Most cases resolve spontaneously with time.
Catheter misplaced into a vein (uncommon, less than 1 in 300). Occasionally the catheter may be misplaced into an epidural vein, which results in all the anaesthetic being injected intravenously, where it can cause seizures or cardiac arrest[32][33] in large doses (about 1 in 10,000 insertions[31]). This also results in block failure.
High block, as described above (uncommon, less than 1 in 500).
Catheter misplaced into the subarachnoid space (rare, less than 1 in 1000). If the catheter is accidentally misplaced into the subarachnoid space (e.g. after an unrecognised accidental dural puncture), normally cerebrospinal fluid can be freely aspirated from the catheter (which would usually prompt the anaesthetist to withdraw the catheter and resite it elsewhere). If, however, this is not recognised, large doses of anaesthetic may be delivered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid. This may result in a high block, or, more rarely, a total spinal, where anaesthetic is delivered directly to the brainstem, causing unconsciousness and sometimes seizures.
Neurological injury lasting less than 1 year (rare, about 1 in 6,700).[34]
Epidural abscess formation (very rare, about 1 in 145,000).[34] The risk increases greatly with catheters which are left in place longer than 72 hours.
Epidural haematoma formation (very rare, about 1 in 168,000).[34]
Neurological injury lasting longer than 1 year (extremely rare, about 1 in 240,000).[34]
Paraplegia (extremely rare, less than 1 in 100,000).[35]
Arachnoiditis (extremely rare, fewer than 1000 cases in the past 50 years)[36]
Death (extremely rare, less than 1 in 100,000).[35]





Prolonged labour and risk of instrumental deliveryEpidural analgesia is associated with longer labor.[38] Some researchers claim that it is correlated with an increased chance of operational intervention. The clinical research data on this topic is conflicting. For example, a study in Australia (Roberts, Tracy, Peat, 2000) concluded that having an epidural reduced the woman's chances of having a vaginal birth, without further interventions (such as episiotomy, forceps, ventouse or caesarean section) from 71.4% to 37.8%. Conversely, a 2001 study by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and a 2002 study by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Ontario demonstrated that epidurals do not increase the likelihood of a caesarean section. In 2005, a meta-analysis of 21 studies also showed that epidurals do not increase the likelihood of caesarean section, but they do increase the chance of a forceps or ventouse delivery by 40% (Anim-Somuah, Cochrane Review, 2005).[39] The COMET Study, published in The Lancet in 2001 (vol358, No9275 p19-23) showed that a combined spinal epidural in labor may speed up the labor process by a few minutes, although those women receiving an epidural had a caesarean rate of 28% and only 35% had a normal birth without instrument assisted delivery.[40]
These differing outcomes may be explained by data that demonstrates that the likelihood of increased intervention is directly related to the quality of the institution or practitioner providing the care: epidurals administered at top-rated institutions do not generally result in a clinically significant increase in caesarean rates, whereas the risk of caesarean delivery at poorly ranked facilities seems to increase with the use of epidural[41]
An alternative explanation is that women are more likely to request an epidural during a prolonged or difficult labor, which in turn is more likely lead to an assisted vaginal birth.







Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Guided Imagery/ Visualization

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com



How Does Guided Imagery Work? Practitioners say that guided imagery works because, in terms of brain activity, picturing something and actually experiencing it are equivalent. Brain scans have verified that this is the case. Stimulating the brain with imagery can have a direct effect on the nervous and endocrine systems and can ultimately affect the immune system as well. If you picture yourself luxuriating at the beach on a tropical island, your muscles will actually relax and your skin will feel the warmth of the sun's rays. Likewise, if you imagine yourself recuperating quickly and effortlessly from gallbladder surgery, you are more likely to heal faster and with less pain. The brain's visual cortex, which processes images, has a powerful connection with the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary activities such as pulse, breathing, and physical responses to stress. Soothing, uplifting images can actually slow your pulse and breathing and lower your blood pressure, as well as help trigger the release of hormones such as endorphins, which make you feel good and nurture your body's restorative powers.
What You Can Expect From Guided Imagery? Although you can learn guided imagery techniques on your own from books, it is best to work with a midwife, doula, or other health care practitioner or purchase an audiotape dealing with the issue important to you. If you're a creative individual, you can write your own guided imagery script, read it onto a tape, and then use the tape as your guiding tool. If you work with a practitioner, it will probably take only a couple of sessions to learn a technique that works well for you. The sessions may be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 90 minutes. It will speed the process considerably if your practitioner allows you to tape the session for home use. During the first session, the practitioner (who may also be a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, or psychologist) will take your medical history and ask you why you want to use guided imagery. The practitioner will probably ask you questions about your favorite vacation spots and times of year, and about experiences that have made you feel confident and secure. Your answers will help you and the practitioner develop images that make you feel good. Next, the practitioner will ask you to lie on a couch or sit in a chair. You will want to wear comfortable clothing and may want to take off your shoes. Before beginning, be sure you are warm enough or cool enough, and that pillows support you in a comfortable desired position. You can have soft, sustained music playing in the background, maybe one with ocean sounds, if you want to do the ocean visualization recommended below. The music should be soft enough to hear your own breathing. Once you are settled in, the practitioner will guide you through a visualization exercise, using all five senses and perhaps focusing on a special place where you usually feel happy and peaceful. The suggestions could be spoken in a low, soft tone, with long pauses. The pauses allow you frame the image, relate it to yourself, and then to experience the sensations of that image. The practitioner may suggest some ideas, but will leave most of the imagining up to you. The best images are the ones you conjure up yourself because they will have personal meaning for you. The amount of touch involved depends entirely on the individual situation. It is possible that the midwife or doula may not touch the mother at all, or that her birth partner may be holding her hand or stroking her lightly, in concert with her breathing pattern. With practice, you will be able to bring up healing images quickly - anytime, anywhere. You'll be able to use guided imagery to help yourself relax during stressful moments, such as being in labor, as well as to treat a particular health problem.



The belief that the power of imagination can help people heal has ancient roots. Traditional folk healers known as shamans used guided imagery to treat ailments. In Eastern medicine, envisioning well-being has always been an important part of the therapeutic process. In Tibetan medicine in particular, creating a mental image of the healing god would improve the patient's chances for recovery. The ancient Greeks, including Aristotle and Hippocrates ("father of modern medicine") also had their patients use forms of imagery to help them heal.



It was not until the 1960s, however, that psychologists exploring the emerging field of biofeedback first began to appreciate the powers of the mind on the physical body. Through biofeedback, they could teach patients to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, or open lungs stricken with asthma. Then, in the 1970s, O. Carl Simonton, M.D., chief of Radiation Therapy at Travis Air Force base in Fairfield, California, and psychotherapist Stephanie Matthews-Simonson, devised a program - today known as the Simonton method - that utilized guided imagery to help his cancer patients. The patients pictured their white blood cells attacking their cancer cells (sometimes in scenes that resembled the popular video game "Pac-Man"). Simonton found that the more vivid the images his patients used (for example, ravenous sharks attacking feeble little fish), the better the process worked.



Since then, a good deal of research into mind-body connections has appeared in mainstream medical literature. And while many conventional physicians remain skeptical that the mind has an actual physical effect on the reversal of an illness, guided imagery (often conducted by psychiatrists or psychologists) is now used in many medical inpatient and outpatient programs throughout the world. Furthermore, many holistically oriented psychologists and other counselors routinely employ guided imagery for stress reduction, smoking cessation, weight reduction, immune stimulation, and the relief of both physical and emotional illness.







Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Birth Hypnotherapy- More Information

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
http://www.sweetpeainthepod.com/




Isn't this what every pregnant woman wants?! A comfortable birth, with a healthy baby and a swift recovery.

So how does hypnosis help birth?

1. Relaxation. The state of hypnosis is highly relaxing for the mind and body. In this state the entire body relaxes and so do the blood vessels. This relaxing or dilation of the blood vessels ensures a better blood flow throughout the body and especially to the womb.


2. Efficient Birth. During labour, a relaxed body will ensure that blood is diverted to the uterus in order that it can contract efficiently and progress labour smoothly and swiftly. A relaxed mind and body will ensure that the womb has the blood supply it needs. Post-natally a better milk supply is encouraged through good blood flow.


3. Calm the Emotions. The effect on the mind and emotions is profound. With hypnotherapy a woman can relieve stress and anxiety. This relief can help to achieve a calm birthing experience and later calm the emotions during the post-natal period.


4. Overcome Fear. Fear is the single greatest factor that you can change about your labour. Fear inhibits labour, constricts the blood supply and increases the perception of pain. This leads to the Fear-Tension-Pain cycle, where fear creates tension, which creates pain, which creates more fear of pain and so it goes on. If you can remove fear then you can aid your own body to do what comes naturally and that is to birth a baby comfortably and easily.


5. Stress Relief. When we are stressed or fearful we release adrenaline and other stress hormones into the blood stream. This tenses our bodies and a tense body feels pain and creates its own pain. Blood rushes to the arms and legs ready to fight or run, taking blood away from the uterus where it is needed to help the uterus to contract. If there is not enough blood flow to the uterus, it works less efficiently and slower and blood flow to the baby can be disrupted, resulting eventually in distress. Other blood vessels can be constricted, again stopping the uterus from working well. You can see that when hypnosis removes stress from the experience of childbirth, then a swift, comfortable birth of a relaxed baby will normally result.


6. Relaxed Baby. A tense mother will release stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream. These can in turn stress the baby, who then appears distressed to medical staff and interventions can result in order to speed up labour or bring the baby out quickly. Babies are designed to withstand many hours of labour and a relaxed baby will cope well even if labour does not progress as smoothly or quickly as hoped.


7. Post-Natal Recovery. A relaxed mother will have good blood flow around the body. This blood flow will assist soft tissues in recovery and promote a good milk supply. Stress is known to have an adverse effect on milk production so the relaxed mother has a head start.


By using hypnosis, a mother in labor can help herself to remain calm. Blood flow is improved and comfort increased. A relaxed mind and body can ease a labour to feel in control and positive. This good perception of labour and good blood flow will help post-natal recovery and the production of milk.

So how is all this achieved?

A woman’s body is designed for childbirth, it naturally opens up to allow a baby through, the brain naturally releases pain-relieving endorphins. But if you are too tense and trying to run away from the sensations then you can interfere with this process and end up feeling pain. Many women fear feeling out of control during labour. But what do they really mean by this?

Yes, the body is doing something strange that we are not in total control of but it is giving birth to a baby – a happy event. Firstly the cervix is opening and then the uterus is contracting hugely, it is a big muscle working hard. With a first baby, the woman has never felt these sensations before. But they are only sensations, just as tensing up an arm or a hand produces a sensation, a sensation of muscle contraction. If you can overcome the fear of something never before experienced then you are halfway there. The sensation of the uterus contracting to push out a baby is a powerful feeling, and you cannot stop it. You need to embrace the feeling, acknowledge it and accept it and then you will be able to achieve relaxation and allow your body to get on with what it needs to do. If you try to fight or run away, that’s when tension is produced and the fear-tension-pain cycle is started.

Women who have used hypnotic techniques as part of their childbirth preparation will have learnt how to induce their own trance, how to turn off pain, they will have addressed their fears and will have learnt how to use time distortion. Their lack of fear and acceptance of powerful feelings in the body usually contribute to a very comfortable and positive birth experience, which in turn contributes to a positive post-natal phase and less instances of depression.

It is difficult to find major disadvantages of practicing hypnosis for birth because there are no real risks associated with it. In the worst case scenario, the techniques don't work and the pregnant woman and possibly her partner have wasted some time and money on it. However, nothing dangerous can come of practicing relaxation or self-hypnosis while pregnant. If the woman finds that hypnosis isn't working as pain management for her during labor, she can choose to ask for an epidural or endure the pain.



Tiffany Patterson
http://www.sacredbirthsdoula.com/ Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Birth Quotes

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com




"The gift of a sacred birth fosters peace in our babies, our self, our community and our sacred planet."


"Sacred Birthing helps parents give birth in a heightened vibration so as to maintain the awakened consciousness possible in every newborn" - Sunni Karll 2008



"If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it." - John H. Kennell, MD



"How a woman is cared for & supported during births is a major influence, not only how she gives births, but also how she feels about it."- Penny Simkin



"Midwives see birth as a miracle and only mess with it if there's a problem; doctors see birth as a problem and if they don't mess with it, it's a miracle!"- Barbara Harper in Gentle Birth Choices"



There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don't ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it." - Sheryl Feldman




"You are constructing your own reality with the choices you make...or don't make. If you really want a healthy pregnancy and joyful birth, and you truly understand that you are the one in control, then you must examine what you have or haven't done so far to create the outcome you want."- Kim Wildner-Mother's Intention: How Belief Shapes Birth




"Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength."- Barbara Katz Rothman, PhD"



Treating normal labors as though they were complicated can become a self-fulfilling prophecy." - Rooks"Unfortunately, the role of obstetrics has never been to help women give birth. There is a big difference between the medical discipline we call "obstetrics' and something completely different, the art of midwifery. If we want to find safe alternatives to obstetrics, we must rediscover midwifery." - Michel Odent, MD"



Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn't dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line." - Gloria Lemay"



The best way to avoid a cesarean is to stay out of the hospital." - Brooke Sanders Purves





Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Birth Affirmations

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com



Birth Affirmations




I trust my body.
My belly is full of light and love.
I am a strong and capable woman.
I have patience.
My cervix is firm and strong to hold my baby safe.
I am at peace with the world.
There is no need for us to hurry.
I have an open heart.
I am strong and calm and beautiful.
Birth is a wonderful, safe experience.
My body knows exactly what to do.
My baby feels my joy.
I trust my labor.
I am open to the energy of birth.
My baby is born in pure pleasure.
I ask for and receive what I need.
My baby is healthy.
I embrace the wisdom of my body.
I have an open heart.
I am surrounded by loving, nurturing support.
I trust my inner wisdom.
I fearlessly surrender to the power of my body.
My body is nourishing my baby perfectly.
I trust my knowing of what is true for me.
Pregnancy is a joy.
Birth comes easily to me.
I feel good being pregnant.
I am whole and at peace.
My baby loves to breastfeed.
I love being pregnant.
I am aware of my balanced, calm center.
My body knows how to birth my baby.
I have everything I need.
Breastfeeding feels wonderful.
My body becomes stronger and more flexible every day.
I listen to my body and my heart.
I am patient and composed.
I believe in birth.
I cooperate with my body and my baby.
My baby knows how to be born.
I put all fear aside as I prepare for the birth of my baby.
Untapped sources of strength are available to me.
I am relaxed and happy that my baby is finally coming to me.
My baby is free to choose her own destiny in the world.
I am focused on a smooth, easy birth. I trust my body to know what it is to do.I welcome my coming labor as the perfect one for me and my baby.
My mind is relaxed, my body is relaxed.
I am an active and powerful laboring woman.
I feel confident; I feel safe; I feel secure.
I welcome this opportunity to grow and change.
My muscles work in complete harmony to make birthing easier.
I desire foods that nourish me and support my health.
I relax as we move quickly and easily through each stage of birth.
My baby is in the perfect position for birth.
My cervix opens outward and allows my baby to ease down.
I am a link in the endless chain of birthing women.
I fully relax and turn my birthing over to Nature.
I am willing to release my baby into the world.
I choose a gentle and natural birth.
I see my baby coming smoothly from my womb.
My baby's birth will be easy because I am so relaxed.
My breath is easy, deep, and full.
My baby will be born at the perfect moment.
I turn my birthing over to my baby and my body.
My body knows exactly what to do.
Each surge of my body brings my baby closer to me.
My body is wise and purposeful.
I am totally relaxed and at ease.
I can handle whatever comes up.
My body remains still and limp.
I trust my intuition.
I release my birthing over to my body and my baby.
My baby is safe.
I put all fear aside and welcome by baby with happiness and joy.
I love and trust my body.
I deserve and receive all the love and support I need.
I deserve a gentle, natural birth.
I claim my birthright for a wonderful birth.
I am a wonderful mother.











Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Recommended Links

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com


Recommended Links



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPivpCtKXi0



Birth Affirmations http://www.youtube.com/watchv=_Hd3kR9XLPM



Childbirth Affirmations http://www.youtube.com/watchv=O7kA3PMJwA8



Hypnobirthing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lahg9Asgxq0







Sacred Births Doula & Massage 239-287-8931



Hypnobirthing Affirmations http://www.youtube.com/watchv=KqW_KEBYt4k



Hypnobirthing Bring down Baby http://www.youtube.com/watchv=WZybml4TTeo







Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Recommended Videos

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com


Recommended Videos



Birth as We Know It






Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Reccomended Readings

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com



Recommended Readings

Sacred Birthing- Birthing a New Humanity Sunni KarilSpiritual



Midwifery- Ina May GaskinIna May's Guide to Childbirth- Ina May Gaskin



Conscious Conception: Elemental Journey Through the Labyrinth of Sexuality by Jeannine Parvati Baker



Parenting Begins before Conception: A Guide to Preparing Body, Mind, and Spirit For You and Your Future Child by Carista Luminare-Rosen Ph.D.



Spirit Babies: How to Communicate with the Child You're Meant to Have by Walter Makichen



The Birth Partner- Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman through Childbirth 2nd edition '01 Simkin



The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth revised '04 KitzingerPregnancy



Childbirth & the Newborn, The Complete Guide, revised '01 Simkin, Whalley & Keppler



The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth, & Everythingin Between '02 Douglas



The Simple Guide to Having a Baby- '05 Whalley, Simkin, & Keppler



Gentle Birth Choices: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions About Birthing Centers, BirthAttendants, Water Birth, Home Birth, Hospital Births revised '05 Harper



An Easier Childbirth: A Mother's Guide for Birthing Normally '93 Peterson



The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth- '99 Goer



The Ultimate Breastfeeding Answer Book 3rd edition '03 mohrbacher, Stock, & Newton



The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers '00 Newman & PitmanDr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding '00 Newman & Pitman



The Nursing Mother's Companion 4th edition '99 Huggins & Lawrence








Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, & Naples, Floirda

Donate Your Breast Milk

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarsota & Charlotte Counties
239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com



Donate your breastmilk to a local milk bank to help premature babies



Mother Nature Breast Milk Bank

3046 Del Prado Blvd S., Ste. 2E

Cape Coral, FL. 33904

Email: MotherNatureBMB@aol.com

Phone: 239-540-9010

Fax: 239-540-2229

Email: http://www.donateyourmilk.com/



Why Donate? Mothers who donate have a wide variety of reasons for becoming breast milk donors. Some have previously given birth to a preterm or critically ill infant. Others have known someone with a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit. Still others simply have an excess of pumped milk in their freezer and wish to put it to a good use.



Why is donor milk so important? Human milk is vital to the health and well-being of all babies, but for babies born too early, too small, or critically ill, donated human milk has the potential to make the difference between a long hospital stay with many complications, or a quick recovery and the ability to go home sooner.


Increasingly, parents are asking that their babies receive only human milk while in the hospital. While a mother’s breast milk can provide a large percentage of their baby’s needs, the premature infant needs more protein and calories than are naturally occurring in mother’s milk. Through delivery of concentrated human milk protein, babies are able to get the nutrition they need to grow while being fed exclusively human milk.




Tiffany Patterson
www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples Floirda

Chakra Balancing

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services
Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
239-289-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com





Chakra Balancing SessionMy Chakra Balancing Sessions are unique for each person. I use a combination of Energy Work, Sound Therapy, Essential Oils, Stones/Crystals, tunning forks & a pendulum.The first thing I will do is to figure which chakras are open, closed, or block. I use a pendulum, stones & crystals to determine this.Once I know which charkras need to be worked on, I use appropriate music, essential oils, tunning forks & hand-on energy work.




WHAT CHAKRAS ARE?
Chakras are Entry Gates of the Aura. Within the physical body resides a body double, a spiritual body, that contains the Chakras. The word Chakra in Sanscrit translates to wheel or disc. They are centres of activity that receives, assimilates and expresses life force energy. They are responsible for the person's physical, mental, and spiritual functions. They absorb and transmit energies to and from the universe, nature, celestial entities, from people even from things.
The most significant chakras are the Seven Main Chakras located along the central line of the body, from the base of the spine to the top of the head. They are located in the ethereal body and they express the embodiment of spiritual energy on the physical plane.




HOW CHAKRAS AFFECT US?
The chakras are constantly rotating and vibrating.
The activities in the them influence our:
Body shape, Glandular processes, Chronic physical ailments, Thoughts, and Behaviour.

When one (or more) of the chakra is blocked and the energy does not flow harmoniously through them, or it is wide open, it will result in imbalance that is manifested in all areas of life.
Each chakra is expressed on the physical body in one of the endocrine glands that regulate physical and emotional processes in the body. The imbalance in the chakra will also be expressed in the endocrine gland linked to it.


ABOUT THE SEVEN POWER CENTERS
According to the Eastern understanding, the Universal Life Force flows through the top of the head and down the chakras, nurturing our bodies with seven distinct kinds of energy, each essential to our physical and spiritual development. And it flows upward through the chakras, communicating individual insight and a conscious sense of universal interconnectedness.


The seven vortices of the chakras are created by the combination of these two active principles: consciousness and matter.
Consciousness enters through the crown chakra and flows downward through the body, than upward from earth to ethereal consciousness.
In order to be whole, a human being needs a balance between the downward flow and the upward flow of energy. Blockages in any of the chakras affects the flow of the currents.



What blocks a chakra?
Childhood traumas, cultural conditioning, limited belief system, bad habits, physical and emotional injuries. Or even just lack of attention all contribute to chakra blockage.
Difficulties abound in life, for each one, we develop a coping strategy. If these difficulties persist, these coping strategies become chronic patterns, anchored in the body and psyche as defence structures. It is important to recognize the blocks we carry, find and understand their source and meaning, and develop tools to heal them.




The Balanced System
It is possible to be relatively balanced through the chakras without being an enlightened master. People who have done lot of their own healing work or were lucky in their upbringing may be relatively balanced.
What would this look like?
The person would be:
* well grounded and in touch with their body,
* in good health and vitality,
* aware of their feelings without being ruled by them,
* sexually content without being driven,
* with balanced third chakra they would have confidence and confidence without dominating others,
* the heart would be compassionate and loving, yet centred and peaceful,
* could communicate feelings or ideas with truth and clarity and be ableto listen to others,
* their upper chakra would bring imagination, wisdom and a personal connection with spirit.



Chakra Seven: Thought, Universal identity, oriented to self-knowledge


Chakra Six: Light, Archetypal identity, oriented to self-reflection


Chakra Five: Sound, Creative identity, oriented to self-expression


Chakra Four: Social identity, oriented to self-acceptance


Chakra Three: Fire, Ego identity, oriented to self-definition


Chakra Two: Water, Emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification


Chakra One: Earth, Physical Idenity, Oriented to self-preservation






www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, Florida

Hypnobabies Program

Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage Services 239-287-8931
www.sweetpeainthepod.com

Hypnobabies Course Content:

The Hypnobabies Home Study Course is learned in 5 classes, advancing to a new part of the program each week, making it easy to learn, practice and use. 35 – 45 minutes a day of practice is required. The course includes the following:


Our 170 page Hypnobabies Workbook:Clear and concise details about how to use our 5 week Hypnobabies Home Study Course effectively; the goal being a safe, unmedicated and comfortable birthing. (See our Course Outline below for more information.) Includes information on many subjects ranging from nutrition, comfort in pregnancy, birth plans, and consumer issues, to Optimum Fetal Positioning and breastfeeding information.


Birth Partner's Guide Booklet: This booklet helps the Birth Partners(s) to learn their role in the preparations for and actual birth support system.
Quick Reference Booklet for Labor: Contains the *most important Hypnobabies information* for use, at your fingertips during your baby's wonderful birthing. Your Birth Partner and doula will love it too!
12 Advanced Hypnosis for Childbirth Scripts on CD:


1) Your Special Place Imagery and Relaxation: Allowing you to create a safe haven, meet and bond with your baby, and learn deep physical relaxation skills.



2) Easy, Comfortable Childbirth: This hypnosis script easily introduces you to the hypnotic state – relaxing the body and then the mind, and brings you powerful suggestions for a very positive *perception* of childbirth.



3) Learning Self-Hypnosis: You will learn how to instantly enter hypnosis on your own, and easily control your body completely with your mind.



4) Deepening Hypnosis: Taking you down three levels of hypnotic depth, this track brings you into a "somnambulistic state", which allows you to begin creating hypno-anesthesia for comfort in labor. It also introduces you to your "Peace" cue, a post-hypnotic suggestion cue that can be used at any time, in or out of hypnosis, to produce immediate pain relief!



5) Creating Anesthesia: You learn and practice "Eyes Open Childbirth Hypnosis", modifying your hypno-anesthesia to exactly where you need it in your body, and ensuring your ability to move around freely and comfortably during labor.



6) Hypnotic Childbirth # 1: In deep hypnosis, you are given a hypnotic deepening cue for your Birth Partner or doula to use during labor, providing instantly deeper relaxation, hypnosis and anesthesia. Positive suggestions are reinforced for dilating easily and comfortably during labor.



7) Hypnotic Childbirth # 2: Learning another cue for entering hypnosis quickly, you ensure that your mind and body will respond instantly to your powerful birthing waves. You also practice your "Peace" cue in deep hypnosis, moving your hypno-anesthesia around to different parts of your body. Very powerful programming for comfortable internal exams, IVs or any other "spot-anesthesia", including the crowning of baby's head. No "Ring of Fire!".



8) Advanced Fear Clearing Session: beginning with the creation of your Hypnobabies "Bubble of Peace", which protects you from negative messages regarding childbirth or hypnosis, this powerful script allows you to release any fears, concerns or control issues you may have. Past birthing experiences, parenting fears or anxiety regarding childbirth are easily eliminated by your inner mind, to help you feel calm and confident about your baby's birthing. Great for Birth Partners as well.



9 & 10) Birth Guide CD (Keeps the Hypno-Mom in hypnosis during labor) Track # 1 - "Easy First Stage" brings you deeply into hypnosis and deepens it with your already programmed Hypnobabies cues and techniques, keeping you deeply in hypnosis and completely comfortable as you easily dilate and efface toward pushing! Track # 2 - "Pushing Baby Out" keeps you comfortable, relaxed and focused on mother-directed pushing with powerful Hypnobabies cues and phrases. Helps you to open and push effectively.... and reinforces - NO "Ring of Fire." Invaluable!



11) Joyful Pregnancy Affirmations:"What a wonderful way to go to sleep and wake up; thinking about how great my pregnant body is and how wonderful by birthing will be with this baby". That's what our Hypno-moms say when they listen to this script daily. It has on it around 150 one line affirmations that begin with statements about your healthy, positive and easy pregnancy.It continues on and begins affirming that *your birthing* will be easy, your body knows just what to do, and your hypnosis will work beautifully when you need it to!



12) Birth-Day Affirmations: 150 more wonderful, positive and very powerful affirmations created just for your baby's Birthing Day! All in the present tense, indicating that "Today is the Day," our Birth-Day Affirmations track helps you begin your birth with confidence and remain calm and comfortable.


PLEASE NOTE: The hypnobabies Home Study Course for Expectant Mothers is a 5 week childbirth hypnosis course. This means that it takes 5 weeks to *learn* the deep hypnosis techniques that will enable you to have a much easier and more comfortable birthing, and then you will need time to *practice them* as well for several weeks. For the best benefit, it is actually optimum for you to have at least 2 months or more time to complete your Hypnobabies course and practice our hypnosis cues and techniques.


Hypnobabies Home Study Course Outline



Class1: Introduction to Hypnobabies:Introduction to Hypnobabies' Philosophies and Positive Mindset; Pregnancy Anatomy and Physiology; Belief Systems; The Power of Words and How They Affect Us; How Your Mind Works – The Conscious and Subconscious; The Mind/Body Connection; What Hypnosis is and is NOT; Demonstrations of Hypnosis; How Fear Affects Comfort and Length of Labor; Fear Clearing for Childbirth; The Importance of Daily Birthing Affirmations; The Gifts Your Body Gives You – Your Beautiful Uterus and How it Works; Creating Your "Mental Lightswitch".CD tracks: 1 per day1) "Your Special Place2) Painless Childbirth



Class 2: Staying Healthy and Low Risk:Importance of Diet in Pregnancy; Nutritional Guidelines; The High Protein Advantage; Eggs, Salt and Calcium in Pregnancy; Drinking Water for Two; Avoidance of Harmful Substances; Safe and Comfortable Prenatal Sleeping and Resting Positions; Natural Comfort Measures for Pregnancy; Introduction of the Stages of Labor including the "Baby-Kindness" Stage; New Baby Sensitivity Through Bonding; Using Hypnosis for Pregnancy Discomforts and Health; Prenatal Exercises for Birth; Birth Partner Assistance.CD Tracks: 1 per day1) Learning Self-Hypnosis2) Deepening Your Hypnosis



Class 3: Your Options in Birthing:The Importance of Making Excellent Birthing Decisions; the "Big Secrets". Detailed Childbirth Choices – Risks, Benefits and Alternatives for Common Procedures; Getting Informed Consent, Hospital Forms and Your Rights; Questions for Caregivers - Consumer Issues and Positive Communication; Creating the Birth Plan of your Dreams; "Big" Babies; Packing Your Birth Bag; Touring Your Place of Birth; Benefits of a Professional Labor Assistant; "Hypno-Doulas".CD Tracks: 1 per day1) Creating Anesthesia2) Deepening Your Hypnosis



Class 4: The Onset of Labor:Your "Guess Date" and Normal Length of Pregnancy; Preparing for your Birthing Day; Signs of Birthing Beginning; Amniotic Membranes Breaking – Your Safe Choices; True vs. “False” Labor; How to Time Your Birthing Waves (contractions); Your Birth Log; When to go to the Birth Place; Automatic Comfort and Relaxation on “The Drive” and Arrival at Your Place of Birth (if out of your home; Hypno-Guardians; Nurses – the Unsung Heroes; Using Hypnosis for Comfort During Internal Exams; Dilation, Effacement, Position and Station of Baby; The Beautiful Progress of Labor, Including Fast , Average and Slow or Stalled Labor; Artificial Induction and Natural Induction Techniques; Creating a Safe and Serene Birthing Environment; Nausea Elimination; Optimum Fetal Positioning.CD Tracks: 1 per day1) Hypnotic Childbirth # 12) Deepening Your Hypnosis



Class 5: Giving Birth to Your Baby:Birth Partners Training: Your Role During Pregnancy and Birthing Reviewed; How a Labor Assistant Can Help the Hypno-Partner; 4 Pages of Verbal Birthing Cues; Physical Comfort Techniques; the Change of Plans Hypnosis Script. Avoiding a Cesarean Section; Late First Stage Labor - Transition…or "Transformation"; Trusting in Your Body, Your Mind and your Baby; Effective Positions for Birthing; Benefits and Use of the Birth Ball; Exhale Pushing and Avoiding the “Ring of Fire” with Hypnosis; Safe Birthing of the Placenta; Cord Traction, Pitocin, Breastfeeding, Baby Kindness, Apgar Scores and Newborn Procedures; Review: Membranes Releasing, Hypnobabies Tools, Using Your Mental Lightswitch, Fear Clearing for Childbirth.



CD Tracks: 1 per day

1)Hypnotic Childbirth # 2

2) Deepening Your Hypnosis



Week # 6 – begins our Hypnobabies Maintenance Schedule, bringing all CD tracks back into the schedule: 1 track per day, rotating all CD tracks. You continue to listen to 1 track per day until your baby is born, enjoying 35 minutes of deep relaxation and positive hypnotic suggestions for easy, comfortable birthing.



We also encourage you to listen to the additional Joyful Pregnancy Affirmations every day, while waking up, going to sleep, driving or doing quiet household or office activities. This wonderfully positive 35 minute track has no hypnotic induction on it, and can be listened anytime you need some positive thoughts, feelings or visualizations about your upcoming Hypnobabies birth. With all the negative birth stories and attitudes about childbirth we are exposed to consistently while pregnant, this CD track helps you to remain in a positive frame of mind about natural childbirth, hypnosis and your own commitment level. You will love the difference it makes as you prepare for your baby's birth!

www.sacredbirthsdoula.com Ft Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples,

Scientific Research Supporting the Use of Birth Hypnotherapy

Scientific Research & Studies Supporting Birth Hypnotherapy 1. The International Hypnosis Research Institute has the following to say about birth hypnosis:

This exploratory, descriptive study, done retrospectively from perinatal medical records, compared childbirth outcomes in one obstetrician's caseload between 50 women who elected antepartal hypnosis preparation (usually a 5-class series) and 51 who did not. The groups were demographically similar. To achieve similar numbers to the hypnosis group, the control group was randomly selected from the women in the caseload who opted not to take hypnosis preparation, based on characteristics of parity and delivery mode.

Prenatal hypnosis preparation resulted in significantly less use of sedatives, analgesia, and regional anesthesia during labor and in higher 1-minute neonatal Apgar scores. Other physiologic and outcome measures did not reveal statistical significance, although some trends were of clinical interest. Well-controlled studies are warranted for clinicians to offer hypnosis more frequently as a pain relief option for childbirth. Additional information provided includes pragmatic, clinical, and cost information about incorporating hypnosis into a physician's practice.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2007 Oct;50(2):109-19. VandeVusse L, Irland J, Healthcare WF, Berner MA, Fuller S, Adams D. Marquette University College of Nursing, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, USA. leona.vandevusse@mu.edu

2. Hypnotherapy in childbirth- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hypnotherapy can be used during pregnancy and childbirth to prepare a mother for birth and/or to attempt to treat a number of issues ranging from fears and minor health conditions related to the pregnancy, to the possibility of reducing or eliminating pain during labor.

General use during pregnancy
Evidence suggests there may be value in using hypnosis for a wide range of pregnancy related problems,such as heartburn, high blood pressure and postnatal depression. Practitioners believe that during pregnancy and prior to birth, the use of hypnosis can significantly shorten labor, reduce pain and reduce the need for intervention. Practitioners also believe that babies born to mothers who have used hypnosis to relax and calm themselves will sleep and feed better.

Hypnotherapists who specialize in hypnosis for childbirth can offer a tailored approach geared towards individual women. This is especially important if they have additional phobias or fears associated with childbirth. This can include needle phobias, fear of hospitals or even fear of pregnancy itself.


Hypnosis for labor
Hypnosis can also be used as a pain relief method during labor. Obstetrician Grantly Dick-Read first wrote about the phenomenon in the 1930s in his work on natural childbirth and since the 1980s a range of different techniques have been developed that utilize hypnosis in a natural childbirth. These include the Mongan method (also known as HypnoBirthing), the Lamaze method, and the Natal Hypnotherapy method.

Research A post-review of patients who had used hypnotherapy for labor was published in 2004 in the British Journal of Anaesthesia 2004 (93(4):505-511) by A.M Cyna, G.L. McAuliffe and M.I. Andrew. The review suggested that there was evidence of the reduced need for pharmacological analgesia but a more substantial trial was required. Subsequently there is a major controlled trial currently underway in Adelaide, Australia which is seeking to conclusively prove that hypnosis can a make a significant difference to women in pregnancy and labor.
In 1993, a randomised control trial by M.W. Jenkins and M. H. Pritchard, 'Hypnosis: Practical applications and theoretical considerations in normal labour' reported that hypnosis, combined with childbirth education,:

reduced the length of labor
reduced the incidence of pain medication use
produced higher apgar scores
reduced the incidence of postpartum depression
increased the incidence of spontaneous deliveries



3. Journal of Family Practice - "Effects of Hypnosis on the Labor Processes and Birth Outcomes of Pregnant Adolescents" states in its conclusion that:
Our study provides support for the use of hypnosis to aid in preparation of obstetric patients for labour and delivery. The reduction of complications, surgery, and hospital stay show direct medical benefit to mother and child and suggest the potential for a corresponding cost-saving benefit.

Effect of hypnosis on length of labour Hao et al in China measured the effect of nursing suggestions to labouring women and recommends that the conversation of the nurses be "controlled carefully for the purpose of advancing the birth process". This randomized control trial examined 60 first time mothers with a matched control group of 60 first time mothers and found a statistically significant reduction in the lengths of the first and second stages of labour.

Jenkins and Pritchard found a reduction of 3 hours for prim gravid women (from 9.3 hours to 6.4 hours) and 1 hour for multi gravid women (from 6.2 hours to 5.3 hours) for active labour (262 subjects and 600 controls). Pushing was statistically shorter for first time mothers (from 50 min to 37 min).

In a study that compared hypnosis and Lamaze training, 96 women chose between hypnosis (n=45) and Lamaze (n=51). The first stage of labour was shortened in the hypnosis group by 98 minutes for first time mothers and by 40 minutes for second time mothers. These women were more satisfied with labour and reported other benefits of hypnosis such as reduced anxiety and help with getting to sleep.

A British study found a statistically significant reduction in the length of labour of first and second time mothers: 70 hypnosis patients (6 h 21 min) compared to 70 relaxation patients (9 h 28 min) and 70 control group (9 h 45 min).

Mellegren noted a reduction of two to three hours of labour.
Abramson and Heron found a shorter first stage of labour for 100 women trained with hypnosis (by 3.23 hours) compared to a control group of 88 women. Forty-five Hypnosis for Childbirth clients (first time mothers) had an average of 4.5 hours for the active labour, a significant reduction compared to the usual 12 hours.


Medication use
In a British study, 55% of 45 patients (first and second time mothers) required no medication for pain relief. In the other non-hypnosis groups, only 22% of 90 women required no medication. Two research pieces reported on 1,000 consecutive births: 850 women used hypnotic analgesia resulting in 58 percent rate of no medication. Five other research pieces reported an incidence of 60 to 79 percent non-medicated births.

A retrospective survey notes an epidural rate of 18 percent in Southern Ontario, where the epidural rate in most hospitals is 40 to 95 percent (depending on the setting) for first time mothers.

Rates of Intervention
In a randomized control trial of 42 teenagers in Florida, none of the 22 patients in the hypnosis group experienced surgical intervention compared with 12 of the 20 patients in the control group (p=.000). Twelve patients in the hypnosis group experienced complications compared with 17 in the control group (p=.047).

Harmon, Hynan and Tyre reported more spontaneous deliveries, higher Agpar scores and reduced medication use in their study of 60 women. Of the 45 Hypnosis for Childbirth clients, 38 delivered without the use of caesarean, forceps or vacuum, a rate of spontaneous birth of 84%. This is a higher than average rate of normal birth for the general population of first time mothers.


Postpartum
In a randomized control trial of 42 teenagers in Florida, only 1 patient in the hypnosis group had a hospital stay of more than two days compared with 8 patients in the control group (p=.008).
Postpartum Depression
McCarthy provided five 30-minute sessions to 600 women and found a virtual absence of postpartum depression, compared to the typical rates of 10 to 15 percent. Women with a history of postpartum depression did not develop this condition, even though an estimated 50 percent eventually do. Harmon et al also reported lower depression scores in the hypnotically treated group.


Tiffany Patterson Sweet Pea in the Pod Doula & Massage 239-287-8931
http://www.sweetpeainthepod.com/

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Open House at Look Who's Kickin'- Estero

There is an open house event at Look Who's Kickin' Ultrasound in Estero on May 2, 2009 from 11-3. They are going to be offering discount ultrasounds & information from prenatal & birth professionals.
Sacred Births Doula & Massage is going to be there to offer information about prenatal massages & doula services. For more information about Sacred Births, visit http://www.sacredbirthsdoula.com/ Michelle L'Esperance, CPM a midwife from Warm Welcome Birth in Naples will also be joining us to talk about midwifery & doula services. There will raffles from each vendor as well. Look Who's Kickin is located at 21740 S Tamiami Trl, Estero, FL. To make a discounted ultrasound appointment for the 2nd call them at 239-992-3343

www.sweetpeainthepod.com