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HypnoBirthing for Childbirth, Breastfeeding & Beyond

May 26, 2021/0 Comments/in Breastfeeding tips, Exclusively Pumping, Real Mom Story /by Melissa Portunato

By Patty M. Castellanos, LMHC, CHT, HBCE

You’ve heard the stories from your mother, sister, friend, or even that mom you don’t know, but she’s in a Facebook group you’re a part of. You’ve seen the movies; Hollywood loves dramatic birth scenes. Your provider may have even talked to you about what birth is like. Perhaps you have even had a birth experience yourself, which left you wondering if pregnancy and birthing could be different.

Mothers have been conditioned to believe that excruciating pain is associated with labor, and because of this, women often hold a deeply rooted fear of giving birth. This intense fear may cause their bodies to become tense, and that tension prohibits their bodies from quickly allowing the body to function as it is intended to. This leads to what many fear most – long, painful birthing, unnecessary interventions, and feelings of failure or inadequacy.

I became a HypnoBirthing educator after experiencing an empowering birth experience with my daughter, as a  Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean. This led me to believe that our bodies were designed to release, heal, relax, focus, surrender, and trust that my baby and body work together in harmony for birth.

HypnoBirthing is a childbirth education method that emphasizes the use of self-hypnosis,  guided imagery, and relaxation techniques to reduce fear, anxiety, and childbirth discomfort. HypnoBirthing is a method for all mothers and birthing couples, those seeking the calm confidence to give birth as calmly, safely, and gently as possible, in a hospital, a birthing center, or at home. This method is beneficial for mothers seeking natural unmedicated birth, medicated birth, cesarean section birth, or elective or non-elective. Mothers of all walks of life, birthing alone or with a birth companion, benefit from dispelling deeply rooted myths of birthing and discovering that they are capable of giving birth in a very different and empowered way. From healthy, low-risk women to women who need medical assistance or interventions due to particular circumstances, they learn to eliminate the fear-based stories, myths, and the words of well-intentioned people, and they are guided to see birth as normal, learn to trust that their bodies how to birth in a calm and gentle way.

 So now you may be wondering what this really looks like in practice:

 ✔ Confidence-building classes are hosted in a series of five, 2.5-hour classes, once a week, providing a thorough yet simple to follow program of guided relaxations, hypnosis, and education.

 ✔ The five-week series includes a HypnoBirthing® the Marie Mongan Method book, Spiral Workbook, Relaxation Audios, and everything you need to know to create an amazing birthing experience.

✔  When giving birth with HypnoBirthing, just as with the practice, a mother is not in a trance or asleep but instead in a state of deep focused relaxation—awake, aware, and fully in control, as she impacts her subconscious mind towards release and trust.

 ✔  Mothers and birth companions learn through a process of special breathing, relaxation, visualization, deep intentional bonding practice, attention to nutrition, and positive body awareness. Through this, it encourages communication, mutual respect, and understanding for the mother, the birthing family, and the care provider. This, in turn, allows the mother to remain in complete trust and confidence.

✔  Mothers and the birth companion are encouraged to bond with their babies. For some, this time is the first time in their pregnancy that they deeply connect and communicate with their baby and a team.

 ✔ Mothers learn what makes labor hurt, or what’s called the cycle of Fear-Pain-Tension, but more importantly, they learn the reasons behind why labor doesn’t have to hurt and what they can do about it.

 ✔ Mothers and their birth companions learn how past learning, programming, fear, and anxiety affect their mindset and how it affects the body’s physical and chemical processes. In other words, we break down the fight, flight, or freeze response and replace it with calm, confident relaxation.

✔ The HypnoBirthing techniques are practiced in class. Then they continue the practice in what I call the white space of change between classes, where the deep transformation and mindset shifts occur. As they listen to the Affirmations and Relaxations, their subconscious mind shifts limiting beliefs or negative thinking to thinking that is calm, confident, and surrendering to the breath and purpose of birth.

This mindset and practice extends to breastfeeding and the bond of a mother and child through their feeding relationship. Mothers receive basic breastfeeding education and are guided to understand how relaxation supports milk production and a mother’s bond to her baby using the same calm breathing exercises they learned for birthing combined with Breastfeeding Affirmations.

The overall effect of practicing the HypnoBirthing techniques is that the birthing mother and others supporting her can better appreciate the benefits of calm, gentle birthing, clear open communication, and instinctive bonding. HypnoBirthing can make the childbirth experience a more trusting, relaxed, and joyful one for mother, baby, and others involved—benefits that can last a lifetime. 

You are Greater than your Story…

Connect with Patty at www.theexpressioncenter.com to inquire about HypnoBirthing virtual classes and to learn more on how this affirming relaxation technique can support your individual goals for birth and journey through motherhood. 

Source:

Victoria J. Madden, BSc, Daniel S. Harvie, PhD, Romy Parker, PhD, Karin B. Jensen, PhD, Johan W.S. Vlaeyen, PhD, G. Lorimer Moseley, PhD, Tasha R. Stanton, PhD, Can Pain or Hyperalgesia Be a Classically Conditioned Response in Humans? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Pain Medicine, Volume 17, Issue 6, June 2016, Pages 1094–1111, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnv044

Hands on Pumping

May 18, 2021/0 Comments/in Breast Pumping, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding tips, Exclusively Pumping /by Melissa Portunato

Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC

“Hands on Pumping” is a technique that uses breast massage to drain the breast better and stimulate healthy milk production. Studies tell us combining hand expression and breast massage can increase milk volume by 48%. That’s a considerable amount of more liquid gold to store or give fresh to your baby! Benefits of Hands on Pumping is higher milk volumes, increased fat content, less time pumping, preventing and treating clogged ducts. Every breastfeeding mom should use Hands on Pumping because it’s simple to do and maximizes pumping sessions!

Check out this easy to follow routine to get started with Hands on Pumping:

Step 1
Start with hand massage and expression! Use two fingers to gently massage around each breast in a circular motion for 3-5 min. This will begin to stimulate your first letdown.

Step 2
Wear a hands-free bra and double breast pump for 15 – 20 minutes. As you’re pumping, apply pressure on both breasts. Position your hands above the flanges. Move your hands around the breast throughout your pumping session, concentrating on areas that feel full. Cup your hands and apply pressure under the breast and on the sides of your breasts with the traditional “C” hold.

Step 3
Finish with hand expression or single pumping for 3-5 minutes on each breast.

Spectra IBCLC Bonus Tip – Start with the letdown mode (three-wave button) for 5 min. When milk slows down, press the three-wave button and switch to the expression mode—swapping modes when milk flow decreases is called Cycle Pumping. These settings closely mimic a newborn’s feeding pattern and can be an effective tool to make pumping more productive. Keep suction set to your comfort level. Higher suction DOES NOT mean more milk!

Instead of only relying on the pump for milk removal, use your hands in combination for more productive pumping sessions! To learn more, check out these videos on Hands on Pumping. Watch it while pumping for the best results! 

Hands on Pumping: https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/maximizing-milk-production.html

Hand Expression: https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/hand-expressing-milk.html

Source

Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers of pre-term infants. J Morton, JY Hall, RJ Wong, L Thairu, WE Benitz, and WD Rhine: Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA: Journal of Perinatology (2009) 29 757-764

What is Power Pumping?

May 11, 2021/1 Comment/in Breast Pumping, Breastfeeding, Exclusively Pumping /by Melissa Portunato

By Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC

Power pumping is a strategy used to increase milk supply by mimicking a baby cluster feeding at the breast. Cluster feeding is normal newborn behavior associated with short, frequent feeding patterns at the breast. Power pumping is intended to recreate this behavior, stimulating healthy milk production. 

Do I really have a low milk supply? 

Before starting power pumping, first, evaluate if you truly have a low milk supply. The average milk output for mothers exclusively pumping is 25-30 ounces per day, and if baby is brought to the breast as well, expect about half the amount. Working closely with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant can determine the root cause and help you successfully meet your breastfeeding goals.

When’s the best time to power pump?

Most mothers find the evening is a great time! Baby is sleeping, you have extra hands on deck ready to soothe baby if needed, and you can relax. Ideally, find the time that works best for you when you can have an uninterrupted full hour of on and off pumping. 

How often should I power pump?

It’s not recommended to power pump long term but rather 1-2x a day for four consecutive days. There’re many different ways to power pump, but the main idea is on and off breast stimulation for one full hour. In most cases, it should be done in addition to your regular pumping sessions, even though sometimes it can be used to replace a pump session mostly for moms exclusively pumping. Remember, every mom is different, but power pumping every 3-4 weeks can be an easy tool to apply and kick start milk production. 

Power Pumping Quick Guide 

Power pumping can be done on one breast or both breasts with a hospital strength electric pump or a manual hand pump. See the easy-to-follow guides below to get started. 

Single breast power pumping:

  • Pump left breast for 10 minutes
  • Pump right breast for 10 minutes
  • Pump left breast for 10 minutes
  • Pump right breast for 10 minutes
  • Pump left breast for 10 minutes
  • Pump right breast for 10 minutes

Double breast power pumping:

  • Pump 20 minutes
  • Rest 10 minutes
  • Pump 10 minutes
  • Rest 10 minutes
  • Pump 10 minutes

Don’t watch the clock as much as letting your body take the lead. If you have a letdown, wait before stopping again to rest. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see an increase right away. The extra stimulation is signaling your body to make more milk. Be patient. It can take about a week after you have stopped power pumping to see an increase. 

Do you have more questions about power pumping? 

Spectra Baby USA is happy to help! Schedule a virtual consultation with one of our IBCLCs today and get the support you need to meet your breastfeeding goals successfully! We’re here for you, and we support you! 

Sources: 

Mohrbacher, N. (2012, November 27). How Much Milk Should You Expect to Pump? Retrieved July 27, 2020, from http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/articles/2012/11/27/how-much-milk-should-you-expect-to-pump.html 

Bonyata, K. (2018, January 3). Cluster Feeding and Fussy Evenings • KellyMom.com. KellyMom.com. https://kellymom.com/parenting/parenting-faq/fussy-evening/. 

 

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