Celebrities from Jessica Alba to Kate Middleton have supposedly used hypnobirthing and related techniques to prepare for childbirth and delivery, ease feelings of fear, and even naturally manage pain. But, what actually is it?
Hypnobirthing is a birthing method that uses self-hypnosis and relaxation techniques to help a woman feel physically, mentally and spiritually prepared and reduce her awareness of fear, anxiety and pain during childbirth.
What will I learn in this blog?
• That childbirth can be an uplifting and wonderful experience
• Almost everyone can have a more comfortable birth experience
• By increasing relaxation and reducing anxiety, it’s an easier process
• How hypnosis could help you give birth naturally
How does Hypnobirthing work?
According to Parents.com, The Hypnobirthing method is based on the work of Grantly Dick-Read, M.D., the English obstetrician who wrote Childbirth Without Fear in 1944.
According to Dr. Dick-Read, use of hypnosis helps women in childbirth to break what he termed the “Fear-Tension-Pain syndrome” which makes the process more difficult. He believed the syndrome actually caused blood to flow away from nonessential organs such as the uterus to large muscle groups in the legs. He theorised that relaxation achieved through hypnosis would prevent that from happening.
London Hypnotherapist Jonathan Garside says that with the aid of hypnosis, a woman can bring her body into a state of deep relaxation in which the muscles can work the way they’re meant to during childbirth. He says hypnosis feels similar to daydreaming, or the feeling you get when you are lost in a book or movie. People who’ve used this technique report feeling relaxed, calm, aware, and in control.
And that’s exactly what you need to give birth easily!
More and more women are choosing hypnobirthing to helm make their childbirth experience more comfortable.
It’s also reported to be a much better experience for the baby too!
What are the benefits of Hypnobirthing?
Birth hypnosis offers a wide range of benefits
• It’s a natural form of pain management. There are no medications with potential side effects for you or baby.
• It can provide comfort, relaxation, and relief during childbirth..
• It can decrease stress and fear during childbirth.
• It allows you to remain alert and awake.
• It creates a better postpartum experience: “If a woman feels that she made her own best decisions for her particular circumstance, no matter how the birth then plays out, she has an easier postpartum period. If her baby is more easygoing and nurses better, which hypnobirthing babies tend to be and do, it makes it easier on mum and dad!
• When a mother-baby is immersed in the ecstatic birthing hormones that nature provided, it seems easier for everyone, and mums seem transformed and empowered.
• if a woman has a birth experience where she felt heard and supported, she’s less likely to have postpartum depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
How do I find out more about birth hypnosis?
First choose a clinical hypnotherapist that has some experience of hypnobirthing. Maybe they have some past patients you could take to so you know what to expect.
Choose someone who is recognised by an accredited body like The Hypnotherapy Association or The National Guild of Hypnotists.
Find a practitioner who offers a free consultation, so you can see what’s involved, and to see if you and your partner feel comfortable with them.
To find out more about hypnobirthing at The Hypnosis Clinic, have a look at our website: https://thehypnosisclinic.com/services/childbirth/
Or have a read about hypnobirthing on our blog: https://thehypnosisclinic.com/blog/using-hypnosis-for-natural-childbirth/
What did I learn here?
That hypnobirthing offers real opportunities for women to have a natural, more comfortable birthing experience.
At The Hypnosis Clinic, we offer a free initial consultation, either by a Telehealth video link or at our clinic right in the heart of London’s Regent Street.