With 1 in 4 babies being born by caesarean section in the UK, it’s a good idea to plan for a caesarean even if this isn’t your first choice in terms of how you would like to give birth.
By practising hypnobirthing you can increase your chances of having a natural birth (if this is what you want) however, birth is unpredictable and can sometimes veer off down a different path. So even if you’re hoping for a natural birth, I always advise preparing for a caesarean too, that way you will feel prepared and confident.
Here are my top 5 tips to help you have a positive caesarean.
1. Start to think of this as a caesarean birth, not a c-section or caesarean section. This is still your birth, so get to used to calling it this.
2. Outline your plan for a gentle caesarean, for example, lights low, music playing, gown on backwards with electrodes placed on your back to allow for immediate skin to skin.
3. Introduce yourself to the surgeon and team, so that you can ensure they see you as a birthing woman, not just another surgery patient.
4. Plan for the golden hour and establishing skin to skin. This may not be offered as standard, so make sure you request this on your birth plan.
5. Take lots of photos. It’s so common that women who have had caesareans don’t take photos of their birth. Perhaps because their birth partners don’t feel comfortable doing so in a medicalised setting or perhaps they don’t feel that their birth is a special event because it’s happening in a theatre, but I can’t stress this enough- take all the photos! You will treasure them forever.
If you would like to learn more about how hypnobirthing can help you to have a positive birth, then visit ‘What is hypnobirthing‘ to learn more.
Photograph: Birth by Amey
