PHYSICIAN TESTIMONY

I STARTED DELIVERING BABIES IN 1983. I BELIEVED IN THE HEAVY USE OF DRUGS TO MANAGE OBSTETRICAL PAIN. I SAW LOTS OF COMPLICATIONS INCLUDING BABIES WITH COMPROMISED BREATHING IN SPITE OF MY BEST EFFORTS TO USE SOUND MEDICAL JUDGMENT. I BELIEVED THAT EPIDURALS WERE A MEDICAL BLESSING. I HAD A 25% C-SECTION RATE.

PATIENTS DEMANDED NATURAL BIRTHS. I THEN DID HUNDREDS OF DELIVERIES USING THE PUSHING, BLOWING TECHNIQUES AND HOLDING OFF ANALGESICS UNTIL THE MOTHER COULD NO LONGER TAKE THE PAIN. I SAW BABIES THAT WERE NO LONGER RESPIRATORILY COMPROMISED BUT WERE EXHAUSTED AND QUITE OFTEN NEEDED RESPIRATORY SUPPORT WITH OXYGEN. BUT MY C-SECTION RATE HAD FALLEN TO 5%.

NEXT, I STARTED USING VISUAL IMAGERY TO MANAGE PAIN. OCCASIONALLY, I STILL HAD TO USE NARCOTICS AND A RARE EPIDURAL. I STILL SAW EXHAUSTED BABIES WHO WERE NOT FULLY ABLE TO BOND. I STILL HAD C-SECTION RATE OF 5%.

I THEN STARTED USING HYPNOSIS TO MANAGE PAIN DURING BIRTH. THE RESULTS WERE OKAY: MOTHERS DID A GOOD JOB OF MANAGING PAIN, BABIES WERE LESS OFTEN COMPROMISED AND VERY RARELY NEEDED OXYGEN. I STILL HAD A 5% C-SECTION RATE.

I HAVE NOW MADE THE TRANSITION TO HYPNOBIRTHING. I NOW BELIEVE THAT BIRTHING DOESN’T NEED TO BE PAINFUL. I HAVE OVER 100 BIRTHS THAT HAVE BEEN HYPNOBIRTHS.I NOW “ATTEND BIRTHS” AND OBSERVE THE BIRTHING COMPANION RECEIVE THE BABY. IT IS AS IF MY NEW ROLE IS TO BE PRESENT, TO WITNESS THE MIRACLE OF HYPNOBIRTHING. EVERY MOTHER HAS BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THE BIRTH EVENT. SUPPORT PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INVOLVED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. NONE OF THE BABIES HAVE NEEDED OXYGEN OR ANY SUPPORT OTHER THAN WARMING BY THEIR MOTHER’S BODY. MY SECTION RATE IS 1%. THAT WAS VERY EARLY AND SHE WAS A VBAC. I HAVE USED ABSOLUTELY NO ANALGESIC DRUGS SINCE I HAVE USED HYPNOBIRTHING WITH MOTHERS.

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK TO ANY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL (OR ANYONE ELSE) ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES WITH TRULY NATURAL BIRTHING. I HAVE A NUMBER OF PATIENTS AND THEIR HUSBANDS WHO LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE. I ROUTINELY LECTURE TO MEDICAL GROUPS ABOUT HYPNOBIRTHING. IN THE NEAR FUTURE I WILL BE TRAINING RESIDENTS TO USE HYPNOBIRTHING AS AN OPTION FOR PATIENTS.

AS FOR MY CREDENTIALS, I AM CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF FAMILY MEDICINE AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. I AM ALSO AN ASSISTANT CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF FAMILY MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

LORNE R. CAMPBELL SR. M.D.
3 TOUTAS AVE.
LEROY, NY, 144482
(585) 768-2620

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