Ever wondered what happens in the mind of a psychologist while giving birth? I do! You gotta love the mind in birth. This show delves into an induction process with a diagnosis of gestational diabetes with a real positive outlook on this birth. How would you feel when facing this? This show we are joined with Dr. Erin Bowe, even better Erin is also a Hypnobirthing practitioner! Lots of developments and changes in this story. Also hear how Erin helped integrate her dogs with a new baby in the house. This episode is great insight into parenting, Hypnobirthing, emotional birth language and how you can better frame a process such as induction. Erin wanted to really share this story to inspire others that you can do it!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:20:55 — 74.2MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | TuneIn | RSS
We had a lot of laughter in this episode and Erin begins to show us some background into her growth as a Psychologist. Erin talks about her early miscarriage and how they managed to become pregnant quite soon after. Erin knew the feeling that this was right and things were going so well with the pregnancy until she rocked up for the GD test, the diagnosis was positive. Erin offers some good insight into the reactions from her surrounding community on gestational diabetes and what a body should look like. Erin got a little peeved with this so she actually went and wrote an article (see resources)! Great vent!
So heading into the last past of the pregnancy, things were travelling well and Erin was testing daily with the diagnosis. Not so much emphasis was placed on this which helped Erin enjoy the pregnancy. So close to the 41 week mark an induction was booked, with all the intention that Erin would birth well before then. The day rolls around and things had to shift, acceptance of this had to be made. Erin really found some strategies to relax into this process and start to look forward to the induction. The path of least resistance was chosen.
Now before this Erin was interested in the Hypnobirthing method, so instead of just doing the course she decided to go the whole way and train as a practitioner! Erin got so into this training she really felt that if she did not have this during the induction it may have looked a whole lot different.
So the morning of induction Erin was up at 5am. And this is what she remembers to pull her into a great headspace. The sky was pink, rose candy pink as Erin describes and with this Erin said ‘today is the day that I am going to meet my little girl’. She was excited, and this set the outlook going in for the induction process. So the induction process began and things were progressing well and Erin felt supported by the midwives. 10am and Erin was already to go inward and change her breathing. The support from her husband was all that essential spectrum that Erin needed, the familiarity was such a comfort to Erin especially when she suspected that she was heading into transition.
Things moved fast and well and Erin can credit the Hypnobirthing in these stages. She describes her self as being rather quiet. Then during the stage of pushing baby Erin becomes vocal and identifies with her voice during this. Silly songs come to Erin and we have a good laugh at the timing of Johnny Cash ‘Ring of fire’!
Baby was born not long after, with a few manurers with a nuchal hand she come into Erin’s arms and Erin’s first words to baby were ‘happy birthday’ she then went to thank everyone in the room for coming! We talk postpartum here and how things shaped for Erin in the intermediate time following birth.
We have the important talk on Erin’s work and focus on birth trauma, this is a great discussion into how we can better support women physiologically and emotionally.
From Erin
“It’s amazing what works out in life when you are hopeful and positive”.
“The transformative part of becoming a mother is that you learn how to better stand up for yourself”.
“It’s a snapshot of your life for nine months, then you give birth.”
“These are skills that we pass to each generation so that they can see birth as a normal process”.
“I hope that future generations don’t have this anxiety around birth”.
“With the birth language based around failure, it is understandable why there is allot of missed support”.
“It has to be about what that women is experiencing and what she has to express”.
Resources:
Erins Article on perceptions on size of baby and gestational diabetes – http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/birth/stages-of-labour/the-truth-about-birthing-a-big-baby-20150619-ghs8j1
Hypnobirthing – https://hypnobirthingaustralia.com.au
Can you reverse a positive group strep B result without antibiotics? –http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/can-you-reverse-a-positive-group-strep-b-result-without-antibiotics-20150813-40ym9
More articles from Erin – https://www.doctorerin.com.au/writing-media/
Book – Tell your dog you are pregnant – https://www.bookdepository.com/Tell-Your-Dog-Youre-Pregnant-Lewis-Kirkham/9780987053060
Connect with Dr. Erin Bowe:
Website: www.doctorerin.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/doctorerinpsych/
Instagram: @doctorerinbowehypnobirthing
About Erin
Hi, I’m Dr Erin Bowe. I’m a Clinical/Perinatal Psychologist, freelance writer, and general birth nerd living in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria. I am a Mum to one happy little Hypnobub, and have another on the way, so I’m chronically sleep deprived, but I shuffle my work time between pregnancy and general counselling, birth trauma debriefing, psychologist supervision, and teaching Hypnobirthing Australia classes. As a freelance writer, I write about pregnancy, parenting, child/adolescent mental health, relationships and women’s health. I also provide expert comment for media articles.
I have over 10 years experience working in private practice assisting women and families with perinatal support before and during pregnancy, and even postpartum with parent coaching and child/adolescent mental health. I love helping women with the general guilt-fest that is mothering.
I’ve always enjoyed variety in work, and my logo, a hydrangea was designed to reflect this. The flower symbolises heartfelt emotions. It can be used to express gratitude for being understood. Whether it’s psychology work, teaching hypnobirthing, mentoring students or writing, I bring passion to what I do.
When something is a passion, I think we tend to filter the way in which we see the world through that passion. I had this confirmed only recently when one of my friends posted an article on Facebook that peaked my interest. The title was something like ‘Gas or Induction – which method is best?’. Being a single, hipster guy in his 50s, I was initially a little surprised he’d posted an article about birth, but I was intrigued. See, I’d just automatically assumed it was about birth and not cook-tops…oops.
I grew up on the apple isle in a city (yes, technically Devonport is a city) once described by Lonely Planet as a “sedentary, mildly menacing place”. I then moved to Hobart for university where I managed to live in not just one, but two houses where a murder-suicide was committed. I finally made the decision to move from St Kilda to the country when I came home one day, exhausted and suffering with morning sickness to find not just one but five men urinating on my front gate!
Sadly, I can only speak one language but convince myself I can actually speak two, because I don’t need the subtitles on for Ken Loach movies. I grew up playing English interpreter for Glaswegian parents, but I cannot roll my ‘R’s.
My experience in psychology is pretty wide ranging. I’ve worked with people as young as 9 months and as old as 90 years. There have been mums, murderers, Olympic athletes, chess champions, sex workers, and CEOs. I believe that everyone has a story, and am always interested in listening to yours.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.