childbirth relaxation classes?? please help a stress-head!

[leanne30]

i will be trying (all going well) for a VBAC for baby #2 next year.

i know myself and know that it will be hard for me to put aside the possibility of a scar rupture, which might make me tense and hence stall labour.

for my first bubs, i was classed as "failure to progress", and i remember feeling so tense when a contraction hit - psychologically, maybe i wasnt helping my body progress....

just wondering if there might be some classes out there for relaxation during childbirth??! i did all the usual childbirth classes for the first bubs, but nothing prepared me for that tense/closed up feeling i had when those contractions hit.

i think it reflects on my personality - a stressed and worried person!

[leanne30]

PS i'm in melbourne!

[chrysalis]

Hi Leanne,
I am stresshead first timer ! Once pregnant I realised that aside from the "usual" pregnancy worries I was very stressed about the prospect of attending hospital after being involved in a very traumatic car accident many years ago and having to attend hospital in emergency circumstances. I am undertaking counselling with a psychologist for some of these stresses however DH and I have also engaged a doula to be present at the birth.
We are presently training in "Calmbirthing" which is a form of hypnobirthing with her. You can train in Calmbirthing with a calmbirthing practitioner without having them attend the birth.
My training has involved undertaking various meditations/visualisations and also concentrating on breathing through the birthing experience. At the moment I am undertaking practice on a daily basis.
So far I have found the whole process very relaxing both on a day to day basis but also in the sense of relaxing myself and readying myself for what is to come.
Obviously at this stage I can't speak for how it actually assists the labour process however our doula has indicated the women she has assisted with birthing after Calmbirthing training have found it has assisted enormously - she has recently assisted at least one VBACER acheive a natural birth.
Perhaps this sort of thing is what you might be looking for?
Cheers
Belinda.

[chrysalis]

PS I am in Melbourne too so let me know if you want more details. The doula in question is a Bellybelly doula.