In this blog I share my story of how Hypnotherapy Helped my Birth Trauma. June is Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness month, so it seemed fitting to share our story.
My Pre-Natal experience
I had a relatively easy pre-natal experience considering I was an older mum at 35. Early on morning sickness, which ginger biscuits helped control the nausea! Managing to keep working as a mobile Beauty Therapist until 6 months in, when it was too much to carry my equipment. That’s when I set up working from home.
Baby was 10 days overdue and luckily, I went into labour before being induced. After a tough, tiring, 26hours, the consultant decided to perform an emergency caesarean section. Fortunately, I had had an epidural to control the pain, so I was topped up and conscious through the operation. At 04.44 my daughter was born, and what should’ve been a lovely experience, became incredibly traumatic.
Trauma Once Laura was born
The theatre staff were concerned once Laura was born with her breathing. Her lungs were suctioned to clear away any mucous. This didn’t help. Once I was stitched up, we were taken to my room, where she was monitored closely. She wouldn’t feed, her breathing was very laboured as if she was gasping for air, and her colour was sallow. Within 15 minutes she was taken away from me and down to SCBU. They thought she might have group B strep infection and underwent tests. At this point I couldn’t walk as the feeling wasn’t back in my legs. Not only did I have the trauma from the birth, but I also now had my baby taken away from me. Why me? 4 hours later we were given the news.
CDH
Laura was diagnosed with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, CDH. Kettering General Hospital couldn’t operate on her, therefore they had to find a specialist hospital that would. Nottingham City Hospital Neonatal Unit could take both her and me. There was available room for my husband too.
So, what is CDH?
Congenital –
present at birth.
Diaphragm –
a thin sheet of muscle, usually forms at around the 7-10 week gestation period, helps you breath, as well as keeping the digestive organs in the abdominal cavity and lungs in the chest.
Hernia –
a bulge or protrusion of an organ through the structure or muscle that usually contains it.
In CDH, the diaphragm doesn’t form properly, creating a weakness, either leaving a hole, or part missing. Thus, allowing organs to protrude through in the wrong place. According to CDH.org.uk, ‘it occurs in approximately 1 in 2500 births and accounts for around 8% of all major congenital abnormalities.’
Neither pre-natal scan I had showed any abnormality, however sometimes it can.
On Laura’s x-ray it showed that on her left side of her chest, where her lung should have been inflated, there was her small and large bowel, stomach, spleen, and her heart was pushed over to the right. Such a scary sight. At this point they didn’t know to what extent the diaphragm had developed. So many negative thoughts churning through our heads.
Off to Nottingham
Later that night Laura was blue lighted up to Nottingham City Hospital. I managed to get down to SCBU to see her before she was taken away. I was devastated, exhausted, and felt like my heart had been ripped out. Sadly, I couldn’t go too because of having major surgery. I waited until the following afternoon, before organising a private ambulance and midwife to take me to Nottingham. Otherwise, it would’ve been yet another day without seeing my baby. The care we received at Nottingham was amazing, and the procedure fully explained. Laura was operated on at 4 days old. Thankfully it was a relatively simple repair. We were in hospital for 10days in total before being sent home.
Back home
Once back home, the reassurance and support weren’t there. There were no charities to offer support back in 2005 such as the CDH.org. My time with the midwife had finished as I had the care in Nottingham. The local health visitor had never come across another baby with CDH, so wasn’t helpful. I felt scared in case the operation failed, would I be able to tell? My anxiety went through the roof. I was obsessive over her, watching her breathing, looking at her colour. Felt so alone, and helpless due to the c-section.
Over time I acknowledged that I had Post-Natal Depression, no surprise there. After being prescribed Anti-Depressants and referred to counselling, I was functioning again.
Hypnotherapy Changed my Life
Several years later I went to a Hypnotherapist to help me deal with reoccurring struggles in my life. I had problems in my relationship and – as a wife, parent, and business owner – I realised I was becoming overwhelmed with stress and anxiety. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy changed my life. My experience inspired me to train in the Hypnotherapy and to provide the support others needed. Look at the About me webpage which explains more.
Once qualified, I completed the Mind Reboot Program accredited training (Integrated Changeworks CTAA) so that I can now offer this to my clients.
When I experienced the Mind Reboot program myself from James Banfield, the journey was incredible. Emotional but cleansing. Clearing all the past traumas stuck in my bucket. Ultimately, the Hypnotherapy Helped my Birth Trauma. Elevating me even further and emerging as the person I really am.
How I can Help with Birth Trauma
I am very pleased to say Laura had no further affects from her CDH. She was open ended signed off from the consultant after 3 months, as he was very pleased with her recovery. She has her scar on her left side of her abdomen which tells her story of survival.
By telling you our story, I hope has given some reassurance to others experiencing babies with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. The emotions attached to trauma, the devastation, fear, anxiety, depression, negativity, anger, uselessness, are all normal reactions which you can overcome.
Hypnotherapy Helped my Birth Trauma, consequently I can help you overcome your Birth Traumas through Hypnotherapy and the Mind Reboot Program. We don’t need to discuss the details of the traumatic experiences as we don’t dwell on them. We work through in a safe, calm way, taking control of the memories, rather than having them occur uninvited.
CDH diagnosis has a huge impact on the whole family and those close to you. Whether you are the parent, the child who had CDH, or other family member, I hope my story has clarified how Hypnotherapy can Help with Birth Trauma.
I am fully qualified, verified and insured and hold an enhanced DBS. Working either in person or if you aren’t local to me, sessions can be over Zoom videocall.
I offer a free 30-minute consultation, to find out your needs and work out the best program to help. Above all, to find out if I am the right therapist for you.
Fundraising
Instead of receiving presents from our friends, family, and clients, we asked for donations to the hospitals who took care of us. We raised a fantastic £720 which we split between Special Care Baby Unit Kettering General Hospital and Neonatal Unit Trust Nottingham City Hospital.
The donations included a last-minute fundraising campaign from our village school. Our news touched the whole community. My niece and nephew were at the school.
My dad is a member of Kettering Lions Club. Because of Laura’s story of being ambulanced to Nottingham some 10 hours after diagnosis, they chose the charity of The Children’s Air Ambulance. The charity was launched in 2005 but didn’t get a TCAA off the ground until 2012. Had that been available at the time, it could’ve been the transport which got Laura to Nottingham much quicker than road. We were very lucky to be invited to have a look round TCAA when presenting the £2k cheque from Kettering Lions.
