Birth Goddess

Empowering Women for a Positive Birth & Beyond

overcoming fear and tension during childbirth

Phenomenal Birth: Can’t believe I did this thing I was so scared of!

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When I met Steph as a first time pregnant mother at my Reclaim Your Birth Power workshop, she had a lot of fear around birth. In fact it was her number one fear – more than death!

Attending the workshop opened up that conversation and enabled her to look at birthing in a totally different way and gain a new perspective as well as calmness and peace around it. It was an amazing experience and she felt heard and understood which is so important when you are going through something so big and life changing.

At the workshop, Steph picked up the book A Modern Woman’s Guide to a Natural Empowering Birth and Birth Goddess Cards – they were like calm birth oracle cards and she pulled a card every day. The cards were so beautiful and reminded her of the positive outcomes that can happen with birth.

Her first birth was a phenomenal experience – for the first hour afterwards she kept saying “I did it, I did it, I can’t believe I did it!” (as someone who was completely petrified beforehand)

She says, both the book and cards were a great support throughout this whole process.

The second time round, Steph only had 5% fear and Katrina’s book and cards (which she revisited again) played a big part in that.

She would describe it as infusing positivity, a new perspective, dealing with any fears that are present and would highly recommend Katrina’s workshop, book and cards to other pregnant women.

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From terrified and anxious of childbirth to positive, excited & healed psyche

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Hi Katrina,

I haven’t finished all of your book yet, but already it has made such a difference to me.

Ever since I was young I have had a deep-seated fear of childbirth. I don’t know where it came from, but I would commonly experience nightmares about going into labour and childbirth which I found terrifying, years before even considering having a child.

Becoming pregnant I obviously was anxious about childbirth but buying your book has completely changed my outlook. I actually had a dream last night of going through labour and childbirth and instead of it being a nightmare, it was such a positive dream and I was so excited. I think it was a message to me that my psyche has finally healed. I have you to thank for that!

Thanks a lot and keep doing what you are doing!

Melissa

Mother’s Day Interview – Katrina Zaslavsky on Channel 31 TV

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Be careful what you wish for! When I put it ‘out there’ to get the message of empowering women for birth on TV, I didn’t expect it to happen so soon!

In the name of celebrating motherhood, Henry Greener from channel 31~The Shtick, kindly invited me back on the show to talk all things birth, motherhood and the launch of the exciting new Pregnancy Pamper Retreat….and here is how it went….{click play on the pic above to get the party started!}

Meet Katrina Zaslavsky, founder of Birth Goddess, as she shares the inside story behind her inspirational book for new expectant mothers, A Modern Woman’s Guide to a Natural Empowering Birth with Henry Greener on Channel 31 TV.

She also speaks about the importance of preparing for motherhood and taking time out for self care and relaxation with the launch of the exciting new Pregnancy Pamper Retreat together with Acacia Wellness.

Order the {paperback edition} book or grab your kindle e-book copy on Amazon here

Need to see more first? Read your free preview chapter here

More about the NEW Pregnancy Pamper Retreat 

A Natural Easy Birth – Can Hypnosis Help?

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Hypnobirthing-in-Action1

Would you like to experience a more natural birth with less need for medication, medical intervention and that is better for you, your baby and your partner? This article covers the increasingly popular option of hypno-birthing, how it works and the benefits for everyone involved in the birth.

Childbirth has to be painful, right?

If you are pregnant then you may be worried about the birth. After all, you have heard all those stories of endless labour and pain to be endured. Surely there must be a more natural way?

One man thought that there must be a better way. Dick Grantly-Reid, a UK doctor, started some research in the 1950s that is still benefiting women and their partners today. He found that relaxation during labour could dramatically reduce pain. He also found that hypnosis was an easy way to achieve this relaxation. Thus, hypnobirthing was born.

As Western Society has progressed, so we have lost some of our connection with nature. Less developed societies have a much more natural relationship with childbirth, believing that the woman naturally knows how to do it. Western medicine has made huge advances that mean childbirth is a lot safer for both mother and baby than in the less developed parts of the world. This has to be a good thing, doesn’t it?

However, a side-effect of this ‘medicalization’ of childbirth is to take away from the mother the control of the process. This lack of control means that often mums-to-be enter into the hospital as labour starts in a state of apprehension. With this lack of control, tension can set in.

Dick Grantly-Reid in his 1950s research found that pain had a relationship to tension and fear in childbirth. He found that if the fear was removed, the tension and pain went too!

Relaxation is the key

OK so if the fear is gone the pain goes too. But how do we do this without drugs? Hypnosis offers a drug-free way of relaxation that can help reduce the pain and fear of childbirth. By using hypnotic inductions, the woman can enter a state of trance where she is in control, even of the pain sensation during childbirth.

A bit of history

Hypnosis isn’t new. The ancient Egyptians had ‘Sleep Temples’ where priests performed healing rituals. We suspect they were using hypnosis. Until the birth of modern medicine, hypnosis was used in surgery routinely. Sadly since Victorian times, hypnosis has become associated with the stage and trickery. However, modern research is once again showing the usefulness of this ancient art.

What is Hypnosis?

Have you ever sat watching the TV or reading a book and you became totally absorbed? Time disappears… This is a hypnotic state, also like the feeling you get before falling asleep. hypnotherapists use this state to explore problems and give helpful suggestions all in a state of relaxation.

You are always in control, as all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

Hypnosis and Childbirth

Relaxation is key to managing the pain of childbirth. Hypnobirthing involves the woman learning a number of hypnosis techniques to enable her to remain in control all through labour. She learns:-

1. Hypnotic inductions for all the stages of labour. She can listen to these on a music player or have her birth partner read them.

2. Anchoring. By practising a process of associating a positive memory with a place in the birth room, the mum-to-be can bring herself back to focus throughout the labour. It’s like having a mgic switch that makes you feel better at once!

3. Visualisation allows the woman to manage her body’s response throughout the birth. Used with hypnosis, this can relieve pain and regain control and calmness

Childbirth can be an enjoyable experience if the fear and tension is managed. Hypnosis offers tools and techniques that can be easily learned and quickly used. research is showing that labour times are reduced and babies are happier too!

Ken Scott is a Master Hyponotherapist and NLP Master Coach who practices online and at clinics in Sheffield in the UK. He specialises in hypno-birthing using the easibirthing ™ method and helps couples with infertility too. Have a look at http://ashesscott.com