Comfortable childbirth; parasympathetic versus sympathetic

And here are some more of my thoughts posted on the Hypnobabies instructor Yahoo group. This was in response to another instructor's post about how to respond to someone on a message board who could not wrap her head around the FACT that childbirth does not have to be painful. Indeed childbirth can be ecstatic and comfortable and deeply empowering. I have witnessed these types of births and anyone can create such a birth.


I feel that those I have talked to are a bit more open and receptive
when I tell them that my main motivator for creating and supporting
peaceful, gentle and relaxing births is in the interest of the babies.
I tell them that I do it for the babies, and thus for creating a more
peaceful society. No one can argue with that. I also just say
matter-of-factly that birth isn't intrinsically painful . . . its
really more about the perception of pain and the whole
fear-tension-pain cycle deal.

I have also been cycling around again to reflecting on how we heal in
a parasympathetic state (rest and relax).

Someone asked a thought-provoking question at the doula group where I
presented on Monday. Her question was about pain. She was really
trying to understand how birth can be comfortable. I asked her if she
knew about the autonomic nervous system and it's two
parts--sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic. She did
understand. I told her that we heal in the parasympathetic state--on
all levels--spiritually, physically and emotionally. I then asked,
"If you were birthing a baby would you rather be in a sympathetic
state or a parasympathetic state for you AND your baby?" It was a
no-brainer and it made an impact.