Stages of Labor

Pregnancy A-Z Series

Teaching the Stages of Labor is one of my favorite things to do in my Comfort Measures for Childbirth Class. Read on to learn about the 3 Stages!

First Stage: This begins with the onset of contractions and ends with the cervix being fully dilated (open) and effaced (thinned out). Within this stage, however, there are also three phases. The early phase, the active phase, and transition or transformation. A lot happens during the first stage! Many of the comfort measures, pain relief techniques, breathing exercises that we think of for coping with labor are used during this stage and of course many people choose to get an epidural.

Also in this stage you will learn about the Station of the baby’s head. What is the Station? An indication of how far the presenting part of the baby (usually the head) has progressed through the pelvis. A baby who has just begun to descend may be at -4 or -5 station. A fully engaged baby (one whose head has reached the bony landmarks of the pelvis) is said to be at “zero station”. As the head continues to descend through the pelvis, it is considered +1 or +2 station until it crowns at the vaginal opening at +5 station. When I work with birth doula clients I want to know where the station of the baby is so we can use positions to help encourage baby to descend through the pelvis.

Stage Two is pushing and when the baby is born! First, however there will some amount of pushing – maybe a little, maybe a lot. And this is where the station of the baby also comes in. Where was baby when pushing began? What pushing positions can help baby be born?

Stage Three is the delivery of the placenta. Once baby is here you may not notice that your uterus is continuing to contract to expel the placenta but it is! Usually the placenta comes fairly quickly -15 to 30 min, sometimes even sooner. If the placenta does not seem to be detaching on its own your provider may give you some medication such as pitocin to encourage the placenta to come out.

Taking a childbirth class can help you better understand the different stages and phases as well as different coping methods, effective pushing techniques (even with an epidural!), different options available to you — and you know I am going to highlight the advantages of having a birth guide, a doula, with you to navigate labor and birth. Sending warm wishes for your labor!

<a href="http://<a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/pregnant-mother">Pregnant mother vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.comhttp://<a href=”https://www.freepik.com/vectors/pregnant-mother”>Pregnant mother vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a&gt;

Kimberly Sebeck, CLD, CCCE, HCHD, Knoxville Doula, All Rights Reserved 2022

Recovery After Cesarean Tips

Pregnancy A-Z Series

Some tips for cesarean recovery healing once you get home. You will stay in the hospital for 2-4 days, typically, after a cesarean birth unless there are complications where you may stay longer in that case. Once you are home things may feel more difficult as you navigate healing and regular life with a newborn (and possibly older siblings as well).

• Rest whenever possible. A cesarean birth is major abdominal surgery and your body needs time to heal. This may mean asking your family and friends for help with meals, cleaning, laundry, sibling care – or having a postpartum doula available to aid in these tasks so you can focus on your newborn and rest.
• Set up your home/resting area for ease – especially in the first two weeks. Stairs can be very difficult to navigate after a cesarean so if your bedroom is upstairs consider moving to the main floor or have everything you might need brought up to you. Keep food, drinks, diapers – everything you need close by. Do not lift anything heavier than the baby and if someone is available to do diaper changes and burping, let them. While you should rest as much as possible it is important to have some gentle walks/movement throughout the day to prevent blood clots. This can also help with gas pain and constipation.
• Follow your pain management plan. Your doctor will have given you a pain management plan that may include prescribed and/or over the counter medications for pain management as well as possibly stool softeners. It is important to follow this plan. You can also use a heating pad for pain relief and a pillow held against your incision when moving/sneezing/coughing. Ask for a cesarean postpartum recovery belt/band. Talk to your doctor if your pain seems out of the ordinary.
• Get good nutrition and fluids. Your body is trying to heal and if you are nursing baby you will need extra calories and fluids. Extra fluids will also prevent or help constipation.
• Remember you will still experience postpartum changes with a cesarean birth. You will still experience vaginal bleeding, hormonal changes, after pain, night sweats, etc. Take care of yourself and again ask for help as much as you need and treat each postpartum symptom as they come.
• Be patient. Cesarean recovery can take up to 8 weeks or longer. While some seem to rebound quickly if you take longer remember you are unique, everyone is different, and you will heal in your own time.
• Stay in touch with your doctor and go to your postpartum visits. While it is normal to be sore and tired after a cesarean, call your doctor if you have heavy vaginal bleeding/a fever/difficulty breathing/chest pain/redness, swelling, pus at incision site/redness or swelling in leg/bad smelling discharge from vagina/severe depression — this is not an exhaustive list so be sure you obtain, keep, and follow your specific doctor and hospital discharge instructions of when to call. And if in doubt – call.

Many people find it helpful after they have healed through the initial 6-8 weeks to go to pelvic floor therapy for further assessment and healing with trained professionals. Many also find it helpful to attend to their emotional needs surrounding a cesarean as they may have feelings of disappointment, sadness, even trauma if they were not expecting to have a surgical birth. Your feelings are as important as your body when it comes to healing. It is possible to be thankful for an often lifesaving surgery and still want or need to emotionally process the event.

Kimberly Sebeck, CLD, CCCE, HCHD, 2022, All Rights Reserved
Knoxville Doula

Quickening in Pregnancy

Pregnancy A-Z Series

What is quickening in pregnancy? The medical definition is: the first motion of a fetus in the uterus felt by the mother usually somewhat before the middle of the period of gestation.

In more exciting terms, it’s usually when you can first feel baby move! But wait! You might not be certain it is baby moving! It could feel like gas, bubbles, flutters, even your clothing “moving”. Soon you will know it is your baby moving.

When does it happen? The timing can vary. First time mothers may feel it later than those who have been pregnant before. Some may feel movements as early as 13-16 weeks from the start of their last period while others may not feel movement until 18-20 weeks. There is a wide variation of normal. The position/placement of the placenta can impact how soon and strongly you feel those early flutters as well. If the placenta is in the front (anterior) it might be a longer time before you feel movement. This is still normal. It will also usually still be some time before baby’s movements can be felt externally by someone else, especially if you feel the flutters early on.

Around week 28 you will want to begin counting your baby’s movements every day, at the same time of day. Please go to Count the Kicks for more information and handy charts and an app!

In the beginning, however, relish those early flutters! If you have felt the quickening, what did it feel like to you?

Kimberly Sebeck, CLD, CCCE, HCHD, All Rights Reserved 2022 Knoxville Doula

PROM – Premature Rupture of Membranes

Pregnancy A-Z Series

Well, the pandemic has kept me and many other doulas very busy but I’m finally back to blogging! Time to resume my Pregnancy A-Z series, much later than I had intended but here we go!

PROM, or Premature Rupture of Membranes is the water releasing before the onset of labor. The water comes from the amniotic sac surrounding the baby and is often referred to as the water “breaking”. Water cannot actually break so it’s more accurate to say the sac has broken open and the water has released. Normally the amniotic sac breaks after labor and contractions have begun, although some statistics put it around 8-10% of births will have the water release before contractions begin.

PPROM is Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes and occurs before 37 weeks of labor. Statistics say this occurs is approximately 3% of births.

What causes PROM? Often PROM is water releasing close to term and could be from the natural weakening of the amniotic sac membranes or it could be from sporadic contractions. It might be for an unknown reason or it could be linked to some of the reasons listed below for PPROM.

Potential causes for PPROM include: cigarette smoking, lack of prenatal care, infections, vaginal bleeding, previous preterm birth, and again unknown reasons. There is a high correlation between smoking and PPROM so stop smoking as soon as possible.

How can you tell if your water has released? You may feel a gush of water or a small trickle. You may notice a constant wetness in your underwear. Sometimes it’s hard to tell! If at any point you aren’t sure, call your provider. Your provider or the hospital can do a test on the fluid to see if it is amniotic fluid. Don’t feel silly or embarrassed if it turns out not be amniotic fluid – it is better to get checked out.

What happens if your water has released but aren’t in labor yet? Much of that will depend on how far along/what week you are in pregnancy and if you are having any signs of labor. Your provider should do a thorough exam and discuss all options with you. Occasionally amniotic membranes can reseal, however waiting may depend on if there are signs of a fever, infection, increased fetal heart rate, and much more. If you are close to your due date/time, active labor may be just around the corner. If it is PPROM and you are weeks from your due date/time you will have to have a thorough conversation with your provider about the best course for you and your baby.

Please remember that there is often no reason found for PPROM and PROM so if it happens to you and no answers are found, do not feel it is something you caused. Hollywood movies and TV shows even love to capitalize on the unsuspecting nature of when waters can release – although it is far rarer and usually much less dramatic than what we see on TV.

Remember if in doubt, get checked out!

Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula, All Rights Reserved 2022

Finding — A-Z Series

It seems to me that becoming a parent is a lot about Finding.

Finding out you’re pregnant. Finding a childbirth provider. Finding a childbirth education model that appeals to you. Finding how overwhelming the choices are when it comes to breast pumps, pacifiers, bottles, even swaddling blankets– and then making choices. Finding out where every bathroom is when your bladder is full, or if you have to vomit (thanks, “morning” sickness). Finding you cry at the drop of a hat. Finding out every bit of it was worth it when you saw your baby for the first time. Finding out you can go with less sleep than you imagined possible. Finding your village. Finding your rhythm through those first nights, weeks, months.

The Free Dictionary defines the word “finding” as “something that has been found” —

You have been found as a mother, a new experience but something that was already in you waiting to come forth. What a beautiful thought.

Underneath it though is this description for the word “findings”:

“Small tools and materials used by an artisan”

You, my dear, are an artisan. You have the tools and materials to create works of art. And as any artist, your skills grow as you use them. Believe in your abilities and capabilities.

Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula 2020
All Rights Reserved
www.knoxvilledoula.com

Expectations – A-Z Series

Expectations — we have many months to build up in our heads the “perfect” birth scenario, the “perfect” baby, the “perfect” postpartum experience. Some of us try to conceive for some time, too, and imagine/long for a “perfect” pregnancy as well. And really there is a benefit to visualizing things going in a positive way. Imagining worst case scenarios isn’t the best way to spend our time or energy while growing our babies and preparing to add to our family.

So how do we balance optimistic expectations with reality?

• Education — whether that be by experience, classes, reading books or online material, etc. Seek reputable sources.
• Set yourself up for success for your desires — if you are wanting a natural unmedicated birth, for instance, seek out a provider and birthing facility in line with that goal. Consider hiring a doula. Take a natural childbirth class. Practice any techniques you learn and are taught.
• Realize that pregnancy, birth, and postpartum are times of great changes and can be unpredictable. Some flexibility may be required. A change in your plans does not equate to failure. Take the time to acknowledge there may be some disappointment at the change without attaching judgment. *
• All babies are good babies. Some are low key and some are more needing of attention. Some come out with perfect scores and take to feeding immediately and others have multiple doctor visits and require more of a learning curve in their transition to the outside world. All of this falls into a spectrum and you will get the swing of things very soon!
• Having a new baby, juggling your own healing, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, a different body, can all make us feel like a different person.  This is ok! This is a period of adjustment. Perhaps you aren’t feeling the rush of love for This is othe baby you thought you were or you are just really tired. Again, all of this is new to your new family and give yourself some time and grace.
• Having flexibility, a plan for some help after baby comes, giving yourself grace/being non judgmental, and injecting some humor when possible are all ways to balance those first few weeks. You’re a new parent! That’s amazing! You’re doing hard work– pat yourself on the back, give yourself some time — oh and take a nap if you can.

 

*If you find yourself traumatized by an experience, please reach out to someone to talk to, such as an experienced counselor or physician, or even a friend if you are unable to speak to a professional in a timely manner.

 

Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula 2020
All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Due “Date” A-Z Series

Continuing in the A-Z Pregnancy Blog Series we come to the letter D. I bet you thought I was going to write about doulas, didn’t you? Well, I have written previously quite a lot about doulas. Here a few links if you want to read about:

https://knoxvilledoula.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/reasons-to-hire-a-doula-for-cesarean-birth/  Reasons to hire a doula for a Cesarean Birth

https://knoxvilledoula.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/doula-musings-today/ What I can and cannot do as a doula

https://knoxvilledoula.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/hiring-a-postpartum-doula/  Hiring a postpartum doula

So for D I thought I would write about the “due date” or EDD, estimated due date. It is an estimate and some feel it should be more of an estimated due month rather than a date. After you see how it is calculated perhaps you will also feel the same.

In order to calculate your due date, add 7 days to the date of your last period and then add nine months, with the assumption of a 28 day cycle.  But remember that babies don’t know anything about this estimated calendar date and a full term pregnancy is considered anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks.

Due dates are usually calculated on your last period instead of the date of conception because of a number of reasons.

• Although the average woman ovulates (releases an egg) approximately 2 weeks after her period, the exact time is not always known.
• Once an egg has been released, it can remain fertile for up to 24 hours.
• Sperm can last for up to 7 days after intercourse to fertilise an egg.

Nowadays an ultrasound is frequently used for dating but the date can be off by a week or more. Depending on which study/evidence is cited, approximately only 5% of women give birth on their estimated due date. But it’s fun when it happens! Only 35% of women go into labor the week of their EDD.

Keep your due date in mind, absolutely, but don’t panic if baby ends up surprising you. Parenthood is all about surprises! You will soon be holding your baby in your arms.

All Rights Reserved, 2019
Kimberly Sebeck, CLD, CCCE, HCHD
Knoxville Doula

Body Changes in Pregnancy & How to Love It

I know, I know. You were promised a “glow”. Instead you can barely roll over in bed, coffee makes you nauseated, it’s been days since you pooped, and what is going on with your skin?!

This blog isn’t going to minimize the fact that some aspects of pregnancy are really really hard. Hopefully some of the suggestions will give you a deep breath and a reminder that the hard time won’t last forever.

1. The first and most obvious change is you are growing another human! Whoa! That’s almost mind boggling. Another person (or persons) are taking up residence inside your body. Of course there will be some uncomfortable changes! Yet you are entrusted with this life giving task. Your body was made for it. It’s up to the challenge. You have a mission to grow this other being.
2. Feel all that stretching? Stretching of the skin, stretching of your breasts, stretching of maybe some inner organs you never thought about before? You are expansive, and in a monumentally good way. You can use this time to think about and practice these stretching sensations as how you will stretch as a mother. Your body, mind, and heart are stretching in ways they didn’t before you were pregnant and the pay off is oh so sweet.
3. Speaking of your mind and heart, this is a great time to really get deeply in touch with what your body needs. Many jokes are made about cravings but go deeply into what your body is telling you. Are you bone weary today? Your body is telling you to carve out some rest. Are you having trouble settling down to sleep? Is your body telling you to meditate before bed? Cut back on caffeine? Are you feeling anxious? Do you need to reach out to your partner for some cuddles or more help around the house? Begin tuning in to what your body is telling you and make adjustments accordingly.
4. Constantly peeing. Like.. constantly. Being hungry but only being able to eat a tiny bit. Pregnant bodies do that because the bladder has pressure on it but because your kidney volume can increase by 60%. Your colon is also compressed and your GI system is retaining more water and the whole system is slowed down. That’s the bad news of it but the good news is it’s supposed to work that way. These processes allow for room for your growing baby and uterus, as well as prepare for increased blood volume and retaining nutrients, etc. This allows us to trust that our bodies are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Trust that your body is housing and growing your baby.
5. While we are talking about nutrients, take this time to nourish yourself! You’ll need some extra calories each day when pregnant — make those delicious, healthy, and nutritious calories! Eat a rainbow of colors, plate your food in an appealing manner, pour yourself a non alcoholic mocktail. You are nourishing and nurturing yourself and your baby, enjoy it! Banish society’s obsession with thin from your mind. Your mission right now is to house, nourish, and nurture yourself and your baby and it can be glamorous, beautiful, creative, anything you want it to be.
6. Pamper yourself if and when possible. Get a pedicure, get a prenatal massage. Buy some whipped lotion and have your partner rub your feet at night. Have a girlfriend style your hair.  Use a facial scrub. Wear silky robes or sarongs if you love them. Really the options are endless.
7. Remember to exercise! It is great for you, your body, your mind. Always check with your doctor first but walking is almost always a safe outlet for pregnancy as well as water aerobics. Sometimes feeling how strong and capable our bodies are can make us appreciate and love it more.
8. Intimacy can be tricky. Sometimes during pregnancy your hormones can make you feel more intimate and sometimes it can make intimacy seem far far away. Talk to your partner about it. Maybe cuddling and massages with each other will fill the space for now. Either way, having an honest conversation and reassuring each other of your love and affection will help your relationship. Your body is going through a lot of changes after all. The changes will be temporary but you want your relationship to last.
9. As a doula I think pregnant bodies are gorgeous but I do remember having fleeting moments when I myself was pregnant. Worrying if I would lose all the weight or if I was still attractive. It seems so superficial now and yet those are very real concerns for most of us! Try this mantra: My body’s purpose is twofold now – to care for my own health and well-being and to grow and nurture my baby. 

All Rights Reserved, 2019
Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula

Advocacy and Doulas

 

Advocate is a big buzz word in the birth world. There is no wonder there is some confusion when it comes to the role a doula has concerning advocacy regarding clients and at a birth.

The definition of advocacy as a noun is “someone who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy”. Merriam Webster defines it further as someone who “pleads the cause of another”, often specifically before a tribunal or judicial court.

A court case isn’t something we would expect or hope a doula would need to be involved in at all. In fact, doulas do not speak for a client because doulas do not have a legal right to make medical decisions for clients. So what do most people mean when they use the word advocate when speaking about the role of a doula?

Most of the time when a client is interested in having a doula present they are interested in having their voice and preferences be heard. This is why hiring a doula well before birth and working with one prenatally is so important. Professional doulas who stay within their scope of practice are well versed and trained in helping their clients learn how to advocate for themselves! Prenatal meetings to go over different options, childbirth preparation, birth option plans, ways to discuss important topics with providers, and navigate twists and turns as they come up during pregnancy is vital to empowering pregnant people to speak up and be heard. Preparing your partner to answer questions and ask for time to make informed decisions is part of the process as well. As a doula I am not going to make a decision concerning the welfare of your baby and yourself. I will give you unbiased information and remind you to ask informed consent questions, just like we have practiced in prenatal sessions. I can reference your written birth plan as well. Most of this work is done prior to labor so it is familiar and second nature.

Doulas are often advocates for evidenced based birth practices as a whole, in society. We form support groups and are members of national organizations. But if it seems like you are gearing up for a fight for evidence based birth practices with your birth provider, we would encourage you to look up ACOG’s recommendations and see if those recommendations are being followed. Honest communication between yourself and your provider is extremely important — expecting anyone — a doula, your partner, a sister to “protect” you from your provider may signal that this is not a good working relationship with this particular provider or perhaps there needs to be an open communication about the disagreement in care and expectation.

So while it can be a little confusing to answer outright if a doula is an “advocate” (in some ways we are and in some ways we are not), the main answer is we teach our clients to advocate for themselves and we are there to remind them how if necessary.

All Rights Reserved, 2019
Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula

Q&A with a Hypnobabies Instructor

Q. Tiffany, I understand that you used Hypnobabies with one or more of your births and these were vbacs? Could you tell us a little bit about how you learned about Hynobabies and why you decided to use it?

A. Yes, I used Hypnobabies for two of my three VBACs. One birth was in the hospital, and one was at home.

When I was pregnant with my third baby I knew I wanted to actually enjoy my birth. During my first two births, an urgent cesarean and VBAC,  I experienced a lot of suffering and trauma as well as under preparation despite self education and professional birth classes.  So, when I had two births that didn’t go by the books and ended up being traumatic, I was devastated at the amount of suffering I had to endure to bring my babies into the world. Pregnancy number three and the rise of the internet made it possible for me to find a new way. In my search I came across a YouTube video of a mom using Hypnobabies to breath her baby out, smiling in between contractions and I was instantly hooked. I knew I wanted to have that kind of calm control and joy during my babies birth. I was able to have wonderfully healing and comfortable VBACs using Hypnobabies with zero interventions and great recovery and post partum periods.

Q.  How did Hypnobabies work for you in those births?

A. The first time I used Hypnobabies I was diligent at following the daily and weekly schedule. I remember hitting the 39 week mark and avoiding scheduling an induction at my doctor visit. At a time in pregnancy when most moms are ready to meet their babies I was able to use Hypnobabies to remain comfortable and really pamper myself that last week. I went into our birthing time at 39 weeks and 6 days while running errands. I kept my earbuds in and was able to stay comfortable even swinging at the park with my older children in the evening. Once I got them to bed things picked up and I continued to only feel pressure while using what Hypnobabies calls Eyes Open Hypnosis. It was great. Being able to snack, and spend relaxing time with my husband while in my birthing time and remaining completely comfortable was so new to me that I didn’t realize I was as far into my birthing as I was. It was an hour after I put the kids to bed that I decided it was time to head to the hospital and once we got there I was able to walk myself to the elevator and continue using my hypnosis while the nurse was checking me in. Then I sat on my ball, still with my ear buds listening to my hypnosis birthing day tracks, for about 30 minutes until I felt pushy. He was born in three pushes thanks to the unique Hypno-anesthesia tool Hypnobabies teaches! It was incredible! I was able to comfortably push my baby out and smile afterwards. When we got the pictures back that my mom took the entire room was smiling! Hypnosis really worked! I birthed an 8lb 4 oz. baby via VBAC remaing calm, comfortable, and it was so easy! I had nurses and doctors come by our room all day to find out how I did it so easily and all I could say was Hypnobabies! I was also surprised to find out that Hypnobabies techniques worked amazingly well to remain comfortable after birth as well which made my recovery period easy and comfortable.

My next Hypnobabies birth went a little differently. I had a major water skiing accident and knee injury right before I got pregnant so I was going into pregnancy with a body that wasn’t performing at it’s best. I then had Hyperemesis Gravidarum and could barely function for 6 months. (I did not look into the Hypnobabies track “Eliminate Nausea Now” which I regret) I did not do my Hypnobabies practice as diligently as the first time either so I feel like I caused myself some discomfort early in my birthing time by not preparing as well. I went into my birthing time at 40 weeks and 6 days which once again, Hypnobabies helped me remain calm, healthy, and comfortable so my baby could choose his own birth day. We had a planned Home Birth so my midwife and her assistant came over once I knew it was my birthing time. One thing that can happen to Hypno-moms is that time feels half as long so my 25 hour birthing time only felt like 8-12 hours to me. I was able to lie down in my bed and listen to my tracks to remain comfortable while I progressed slowly from 7-9 cms. Then I was able to use Eyes Open Hypnosis once again to move from our birth pool to the bathroom and follow what my body needed and finally getting in the pool and leaning over the side on my kneeling. I was also able to be comfortable and wait for the fetal ejection reflex letting my baby and body work together. One thing that surprised me was he had a slight shoulder dystocia (from misalignment due to the knee injury right before pregnancy) and I was able to remain comfortable, thanks again to Hypno-anesthesia,  while my midwife unstuck his shoulder. Once he was out my midwife said how happy she was that I used Hypnobabies and what a different birth it could have been if I didn’t.  I was surprised once again that I was able to use Hypnobabies to remain calm and comfortable to birth a 9lb 2 oz. baby in my bedroom. Six hours after his birth I was in my kitchen (my husband had finally succumbed to exhaustion) holding my new baby and making a small sandwich for my 4 yr old.

Q. When did you decide to become a doula?

A. After I had my first VBAC in early 2003 I knew I wanted to help women have more support, better birth education, and happier birth experiences than I had. So 6 months after I had her I went to a Doula Workshop, pumping or nursing during breaks, and knew I was in the right profession. I took some time off from Doula work to attend Nursing school and then came back to Doula work lightly in 2010. In 2016 I went to Childbirth Educator training and then in 2017 I added Hypnobabies Classes and Hypno-Doula Support to my menu of services that I offer. In early 2018 I began working with Susannah’s House, a non profit, out patient treatment facility for substance use, teaching prenatal classes and offering pro bono Doula services to my students there helping moms and babies.

Q. When did you decide to become a Hypnobabies instructor?

A. I knew I wanted to become a Hypnobabies Instructor a couple of years after my 2nd VBAC and once I used Hypnobabies for the second time I knew I needed to bring Hypnobabies to Knoxville and surrounding areas in a big way. I attending training in April of 2017 and became Certified a few months later. I’ve been teaching for almost a year now and my students have had several great Hypnobabies births of all varieties and settings. I have had students come from up to 2 hours away to attend classes.

Q. Can you tell us a little about the classes themselves?

A. Hypnobabies Classes are once per week for 3 1/2 – 4 hours for 6 weeks. It is an adult education class so there is “Home-Play” which my students enjoy doing together with their partners. Hypnobabies is great because it’s the only birth class you need. It’s a childbirth preparation class as well as childbirth hypnosis which teaches true, medical grade, self hypnosis techniques and tools so moms can stay calm, and comfortable, during their birthing times and after. All needed materials are received in class as well and Birth Partners are encouraged to attend since much of the material is geared toward how they can help Hypno-moms remain comfortable although birth partner participation isn’t a must to take the class and do Hypnobabies.  I like my students to be relaxed and comfortable so moms get to use Anti-gravity lounge chairs if they would like during class and/or Hypnosis sessions. We also have a break with yummy snacks, usually with water, fresh fruit,  and veggies on the menu as well as some type of added protein. Moms and Birth Partners leave class feeling refreshed, educated, and comfortable making the pregnancy and birthing choices that are right for them knowing they have Hypnosis tools they can utilize.

Q.  How can anyone interested get in touch with you to find out more about your services?

A. To find out more about my Hypnobabies Birth Services as well as non Hypnobabies Birth Services I offer you can reach me by email at queenbeeandbaby@gmail.com or phone at 865-266-0909.  You can also find me on Facebook at Queen Bee and Baby Birth Service or Queen Bee Hypnobabies.

Thank you so much for this information, Tiffany! I have loved being a hypnodoula with Hypnobabies for the last several years and know that having local classes will only increase the interest in an easier and more comfortable birth experience that Hypnobabies offers. Please let Tiffany or I know if you have any questions.

All Rights Reserved, Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula 2018

Facebook