{l r':

The birthing tub, that is, Find

why four mums chose unusual
methods in their bid to have a
positive labour experience.
By BRTDGETTESEE

:
:I
:l

d o n 't k n o w a b o u t y o u . B u t d u r i n g
had no lack of enthusiasric friends
their "horlific" birth stories whether
hear them or not. Always, as they
my pregnancy, I
p l y i . , g " _ . *i t h
I wanted to
i
summed up thei:
most nobl e houl s of motherhood
i ni ti ati on, they w oul cl
advi se, "R emember, j ust go for
the epi dur_al . l .he pai r.r,.
not w orth i t."
I w as pi qued. S "rdl f, chi l dbi rth,
w hi ch rs a natul al
process, can't be that scary. ri gl ,rt?
In my quest to seek a
posi ti ve experi ence. I fbund a w hol e ,,w orl d,,
fore new ol
w ho had sornethi ng ver.y di ff'el ent
O.f T",h:.., to say about
f tl 'rei r l abours.
These w omen usecl w ords l i ke "rel axed,,, ,,dr.ug
free...
"comfortabl e", "hi gh"
and',w onder.l -u1,. to descri be thei r
bi rthi ng experi ences. What w as
thei r secret. I asked.
P rayers, medi tati on, exerci se,
doul as, deep breathi ng, a:r
l ack of fear w ere some of the ansu,ers.
 IT'S AB O UT VI SUALI SATTO N XI w ork i n compl ete harmony to make bi rthi ng easi er", and
opted for hypnobirthing classesa couple "each surge bri ngs my baby cl oser to me."
of months before my baby was due. This frame of mind led me to welcorne my contractlons
Developed by Marie Mongan in the when they came. I felt that the contractions ,,on
were my
198os in the United States,this method side", helping to bring my baby to me. I didn't feel
pain,
focuses on bringing babies calmly into just an intense urge to use the toilet when the surges
came.
'--.: *'orld. Its philosophy is to allow women to
birth at their My labour progressed very quickly. 'When we got to
"- : r pac e, w i t h o u t u n n e c e ssa r y m e d ica l
the hospi tal , I w as al ready 8cm di l ated, and I del i vered
:-:en'ention and drugs, as long as the
within the hour, using a birth stool. Unlike what we
:;c r's healt h i s n o t c o m p r o m ise d .
have seen on television, I was never in a trance
it :men are taught to relax
or asleep during self-hypnosis, but rernained
. ::n self-hypnosis, using
alert and calm while talking to my doula.
: :eathing techniques and
Finally, when my baby was ready to arrive,
, :.--ralisations.Hypnobirthing
my doctor knelt on the floor to receive him
inspired by Dr Grantly
-:. ashe slipped out of me.
l:ck-Read, who wrote the
While there rnay be no scientific ways to
: - tk Childbirth Without Fear
measure if hypnobirthing mums actually
:. :he IgJos. Dr Read had
feel pai n, D i ann B ustamante, w ho runs
.::nessed severalwomen give
courses for Parentlink, says that medical
::rth easilywithout painkillers,
professionals here are becoming increasingly
..-.ich led him to study about
Bridgette receptive to the idea.
::in during childbirth. He "Several doctors have referred
Seechose mums to
::,ncluded that fear causesthe
Igpnobirthingbut us for hypnobirthing classes,"said
-::reriesleading to the uterus
remainedolertandclam Diann, who is also a doula. She
-t contract and become tense,
duringher labour. has taught over IOo couples
: : e ating pain .
and attended the births of
\\-hen women are relaxed,
gO. A bout /o per cent of
:::e cervix thins out naturally, while the body
'rulsates these mums are l ocal .
rhythrnically and expels the baby
. : : h ease. "
During a hypnobirthing session, Ginny
SandraSchallerfeels her water
i:rang, my doula from Fourtrimesters, asked
birth wasa gentlertransition
:::e if there was anything "in the way" of rny
into theworldfor herbab1,
:::ildbirth. I revealedthat I was scaredof my
Julius. Sheremained relaxed eaen
:rrineum tearing, thanks to an aunt's persistent
when the contractions came.
;laring ofher scary labour stories in the past.
Ginny asked rne to visualise those thoughts and put
::.em into balloons. We then releasedthem, one by one,
A WA R M WE L C O M E ', . I f s e l f _
::rro the imaginary sky. This was an exercise that I would
hypnosis is not your cup of tea, you
:eDeat on my own, to "let go" of those fearful thoughts that
could also try a water birth, where
::'uid become mental blocks to mv childblrth.
you labour in a tub ofwarm water and
deliver baby while immersed in it. The
BA BY ' S O N YOUR SIDE +Anot her us ef ul s k ill was
water soothes, relaxes and comforts labouring mothers;
':re power of self-affirrnation.
Just as athletes visualise it also reduces body weight, allowing the woman to move
: i e i r w inning fin ish es, mo t her s c an als o v is ualis e
more freely and iabour in various positions. This is said to
:asr'. cornfortable births. Twice a day, for two months,
promote blood circulation, and is hence less painful.
- -istened to a hypnobirthing CD that helped me to Only the National University Hospital u.ri Morrrrt
. : s u alise my ba by's a rriva l, r epeat ing v er s ess uc h ,,I I
as Alvernia Hospital allowwomen to birth their babies in E
:eel confident, safe, secure and relaxed", ,,my muscles tG
water. Sandra Schaller, !3, who delivered her son Tulius at s
o
 P R F:G ${Ar * C
T

wanted to go without
drugs, thus both

"In the warm water,

I felt protected,
c arried a n d j u s t c o m f o r ta b le .
An d
when t h e s u r g e s c a m e ,
I fe lt r e la xe d .,,
while he used to attend
Although Sandra felt some pain to between
o n e a n d th r ee such
during c h i l d b i r t h , cases a vear.
s h e sa id it wa s
the average is now
four. Most
of the mums who opt
for a water
b ir th a r e e xpats.
"I would say at least
+o per
ce n t o f m y p ati ents
have bi rth pl ans
with alternative delivery
det ermine d t o h a v e a d r u g _ fr e e options,,,
b ir th . said Dr Tseng. ,'My
" I t hink to o f e w w o m e n u n d e r sta n d numbers are
skewed towards this
th e_ef f ec t s o f d r u g s because they are
o n t h eir b a b ie s,,,
referred to me by
said t he ki n d e r g a r t e n word of mouth. But
t e a ch e r . ,,J
anecdotally, other
gynaecolosists are

Sport psychologist Trudi

S taY -
Bannister, at-home mom V anessa
36, had been T tt' w as sure that
all set for a natural, drug_ she w oul d never have
,to'
free water birth at home
rn uplistening," *
r.. _jl"'.1J,T:::1lj
September last year. But childbirth experience. It was onlywhen she
baby Marcus re main ed read Superna tural
in Childbi"rf Uy.Ju.t l. l.li".
a breech position, despite that she found the courage
to do so. The
all her e fforts to tu rn book talks about placing
hi m faith in God to have
around. a fearless delivery.
"Our breech baby Vanessa, who did not
was born tai

,.i" .lu:.:.,,
hu,,*,r..
naturally. After quite
an emotional
week , we s u r r e n d e r e d
t o th e id e a o fa b r e e ch
""0l',llJ.T;tj#
births. In fact, her second child.
birt h at t h e h o s p i t a l , , ' T r u di -
r e ca lle d . Afte r Naomi Nguyen, was born
G" inJuly
reading up and speaking
to a woman with Zoog at home becauseit
tI all"
a similar experience, "happened so
the couple decided 1a quickly.,,
X
to t ry a na t u r a l b r e e c h .- . I rt
b i rth .
" O ur doctor was ver.
having d.,s_f*." ;;j:::,..-,
" :l.l:"
breech birth, as long as he could
see that
I could handle it and
that the baby,shealth
would not be compromised,,, -.-_,-sr \.uy/ aes a and trust i n God, and
said Trudi. For I di dn,t
the Bannisters, beingweli breechbab2 but mum
informed gulr. ,tr.- panic so there was no
,tr. Trudi Bannistergaue fear or pain.
confidence to attempt the A doctor friend even
natural birth, without e_mailed me
fear or birth naturallt; Noomi
apprehension. asking what my secret
is for such a
w as born at home.
pai n_{ree del i very.,,
 a l s o s e e i n g r n o r e o fsu ch p a tie n ts H OW D O I GE T A N A TU R A L LA B OU R ?
and they are learning how to MA K E A B IR TH P LA N A bi rth pl an i s a coupl e's w ay of communic ati ng
c o p e w i th th e ir n e e d s." with medical staff on the sort of labour they would like to have, for instance,
stating clearly that you want a drug-free birth, or that they want to walk and
REVI VI NG A labour in various positions instead of being strapped down to the bed.There
T RADIT ION are plenty of resources online to help you draft your birth plan. Drafting
* So m e the plan is an empowering act as it requires a couple to actively plan and
couples are participate in the childbirth process.
even bringing CH OOS E TH E R IGH T GY N A E D o your homew ork before deci di ng on a
the experience of doctor. Remember you can switch to a doctor who is supportive of your birth
childbirth right into plan.Whatever your choice, always keep your doctor informed if you are taking
their homes. Dr Lai Fon- natural birth classes and would prefer a natural birth.
Min, who is probably the HIR E A D OU LA A doul a i s trai ned to gi ve mothers physi cal ,emoti onal and
only gynaecologist who informational support before, during and just after birth. She does not deliver
attends to home births, says the baby, but helps the couple prepare and carry out their birth ptan, staying
t h a t h e se e s a b o u t I2 ca se s with the mother throughout the labour. Most hospitals now allow doulas to
every year. attend births, while some doctors may even request that you hire one if you
The rnajority of his clients are planning a water or home birth.
::e expatriate rnums who corne TRY A COURSE Both Fourtrimesters and Parentlink offer hypnobirthing
j:
r:n countries where midwife-lead classes and doula support services.The classes range from 9450 to $500 for
- . , : r e b i r t h s a r e co m m o n . Du e to th e group classes,with discounts available. Both companies also offer doula support
: : 1 c u n t o f t i m e th e d o cto r sp e n d s a t from $ | ,300 to $ I ,700, which includes antenatal visits, a doula on-call two weeks
:::h h o u s e c a l l , th e la b o u r fe e s ( wh ich before your due date, a written record of your birth story, postnatal visits and
i:: n o t c o v e r e d by M e d isa ve ) a r e m u ch breastfeeding support.
- -iher, about double that of a normal
- -rpital delivery.
\Iy philosophy is to empower th a n i n our ow n home," sai d S hi reen. saysDr Tseng, who is now writing
: : : 1 e n t o m a k e d e cisio n s o n th e ir ' AIso, bei ng spi ri tual peopl e, w e a book on ho* to support mothers
::hs that they are comfortable with believe that the energies of a place during their childbirths.
rrder to achieve a positive birth are very important to the reception He has observed that women who
r'.:e rien ce ," sai d Dr Lai. o f a new soul ." They engaged D r opted for "alternative" birthing
Horne births represent a Lai and doula Ginny Phang who methods were less likely to suffer frorn
:-rle option for couples who are worked together to help the couple postnatal depression. "Even if they did
:-;omfortable with the hospital achieve the "safe, natural, huppy, not succeedin their quest, the act of
. ironment." Dr L a i e xp la in e d th a t short and healthy birth" that they trying alone was a triurnph in itself,"
-:,ng as the pregnancy, Iabour and had envisioned. To be extra safe, they he explained.
-:.'ery are uncornplicated, rnothers r e n te d an oxygen tank i n case thei r This I can vouch for, as I was on
:: opt for home births. "No special baby needed initial resuscitation. a "high" for days, recounting my
- : : : ^ i r i e s a r e n e e d e d ," sa id Dr L a i. hypnobirthing experience to friends,
' ,',
:,men have been delivering at home T H E B E A U TY OF B IR TH ' ' . whose first questions had been "so did
- : - . e t i m e i r n r n e mo r ia l." Whether it is a hypnobirth, water you succumb to the epidural?"
S r n g a p o r e a n Sh ir e e n birth, home birth or any other kind All the women I have spoken
. : - - - u m i h a r d j a , 3 { , d e live r e d h e r b o y o fb ir thi ng experi ence, the key to a to share the same elation and
- .:;:: i at horne in early August last positive encounter is when wornen ernpowerment. I believe that if more
::,: S h e a n d h u sb a n d He n ky h a d have a say in what they want. women start listening to such positive
. - - : : : d e d a h y p n o bir th in g co u r se , a n d "I thi nk the most i mporrant thi ng childbirth stories, they will have a lot
.::: r h e n i n s p i r e d to h a ve a h o m e that mums want is the opportunity to less fear about the most natural and
"We I
: :',r. thought, what better and have a labour that they want and not beautiful thing that their bodies were E
g
6
- - : : n a t u r a l w a y to we lco m e o u r ch ild be rnanaged in just one specific way," created to do. EE &
o