I wanted to write about how being more aware of the mind & body connection has helped me recently and how much hypnobirthing techniques which I learnt when I was pregnant have remained so powerful even four years later.
"Tools for life" indeed!
Since the beginning of the year I have been studying intensely with a subject that has been hugely challenging to/ for me.
If anyone would have said to me that I would be working towards a qualification in Anatomy & Physiology I would have laughed and called them mad!
And certainly wouldn't have enrolled - yet here I am now finally able to look back & reflect on just how far I have come and with the added bonus of having succeeded with something that was a huge (personal) mountain to climb.
I knew I was going to struggle with the A&P exam (I always have done under those types of conditions) and after failing my first attempt it was clear that I was going to have to really put the hours in to get the result I wanted & needed.
I spent more time than I wished - or really had - on revising and finding different ways that worked for me to help me really understand the information I needed to learn and more importantly how I was going to retain that when it came to the day of sitting the test.
It got me thinking about how I really wanted to defy the odds and have a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) when I was pregnant with our second.
I knew that investing (not just financially but also mentally ) onto a hypnobirthing course - was absolutely going to help me in my quest to achieve the right birth on the day.
I really enjoyed learning all of the new Wise Hippo Birthing Programme content week-by-week and taking the time to practice my homework in-between, to build on the education shared by my teacher.
The MP3s/ music and positive affirmations all became part of a new routine I set myself and definetly played a part on the day!
Holding my baby in my arms and being able to get up and move around so much easier than I had with my first (c-section birth experience) had been so, so worth it.
Back to the present day, as I began to spiral and despair about how on earth I was going to get to the position of being able to answer so many questions on such a complicated/ complex subject, I found the fear was rising.
I know for sure that during that first/ failed attempt that fear and tension were playing a massive part as I began to get more worked up with not knowing what to do.
Nerves had well and truly kicked in and being aware that I hadn't put in the time I needed to practice was evident with each answer I didn't know.
I needed to do this but how??
One day I realised that I really do have a wonderful set of tips & tricks that would undoubtedly support me during this period and that was all of the Wise Hippo tools that I had learnt during my pregnancy.
And also get to share with all of my wonderful expectant parents when I teach the
These 'tools for life' really are just that.
Finding and taking time to relax properly before I started my revision along with the useful breathing techniques, music and new positive affirmations that I set meant that when I got to have a second attempt at the exam I could be more calm and focused.
I had put in the work and worked on my sub-conscious mind to turn my usual thoughts of 'I just can't do this' instead, to ' I have worked hard enough to know what I need to do and get the result I want'.
And do you know what? I bloody well did!
With a fabulous pass of 83% I am now able to move forwards with my personal and business goals and not have to keep worrying about not getting what I wanted.
If you are finding that you are unsure of how to prepare for such a major life event as giving birth then I would whole-heartedly advise you to look into hypnobirthing as part of your antenatal preparation whether it's your first baby or fourth!
I am always more than happy to have a chat with you with any questions you might have about your pregnancy, birth and beyond so please do get in touch anytime.
Rebecca X
Read more about The Wise Hippo' transferable tools for life here
Special thanks and credit to Tina Ketteridge-Allen at Bee@one Coaching Ltd. for her wonderful sessions and support that help me so much too.