Through learning simple self-hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques, Hypnobirthing is useful in helping you to stay calm and in control during birth. Labour can be a difficult experience and being underprepared often leads to fears and anxieties or even regrets that your child’s birth did not go as planned.
Childbirth without medical intervention is not a new phenomenon, but hypnobirthing itself came about as a practice through the work of Marie Mongan. In the mid-1950s Marie discovered the book ‘Childbirth without fear’ by Dr Dick-Read when she was pregnant with her first child. Despite wanting a natural birth, medical intervention was imposed on her and it was not until she had her third child that her wishes were taken into account. Realising the potential of deep relaxation and self-hypnosis in natural childbirth, Marie embarked on a career as a hypnotherapist in the late 1980s, eventually developing her hypnobirthing program. The first hypnobirthed baby was born in the early 1990s and since then the demand for natural births has increased year on year.
Hypnobirthing is much more than hypnosis though; it does not mean that you will be ‘under’ or in a trance-like state, instead it uses gentle self-hypnosis techniques to help you to become calm and relaxed which will assist you in staying in control of your labour and birth.
“My daughter was due on my birthday, and that’s when she arrived. I kicked back in bed all day, nibbling pizza, listening to my CD, breathing into my belly and occasionally being firmly pressed on the shoulder (“go deeper” – still hilarious when I was actually in labour, and still effective). I was letting my body get on with it, rather than rolling around on a birthing ball, or preparing to go to hospital.
By teatime, the “surges” had become so outrageously strong that they were almost beyond painful. Some bizarre internal engine had taken over and I remained calm, excited and a bit giggly. The midwife arrived, took one look at me and said “baby’s coming”.
It was a 100% positive experience and I have recommended hypnobirthing to every expectant parent ever since.”
What you will learn:
In a hypnobirthing programme you will learn how to release any fears or anxieties you may have about giving birth. You may be experiencing birth for the first time or you may have had a traumatic birth in the past that you need help to overcome. Either way, you will be given the tools to prepare for birth and learn that fear or pain does not necessarily have to accompany labour.
The main benefits of Hypnobirthing
Everyone’s birth stories are different and experiences differ from child to child. Regardless of how long/short, where you give birth or how, hypnobirthing can help childbirth to be an amazing experience for couples and most importantly assist the woman to feel calm and in control.
• Hypnobirthing can help to reduce the need for medication during labour
• It can also help to reduce the need for surgical intervention
• It gives you the tools to be confident and knowledgeable, helping you to remain in control
• You will learn how to release any fears you may have about giving birth
• It will give your birthing partner an active role during labour and can help them to become a central part of the birth
• Babies often tend to be calmer, and feed and sleep better
Medical Intervention and C-Sections
Whilst hypnobirthing can help to reduce the need for medical intervention, it may of course still be necessary in some situations. Some situations are out of our control and whilst you may ideally be preparing for a natural birth, the techniques you learn through hypnobirthing can still help you if you find things are not going as planned. Whilst we love hearing from our couples who had a straighforward hypnobirthing delivery it is even more uplifting to hear from those couples who needed every intervention going yet still had a positive birthing experience free from trauma and regret.
By learning how to stay calm and in control you will know when to let doctors take over and you will be prepared to deal with any fears that may arise from that situation.
How we can help
We work with the excellent Hanna Dabbour to help our couples prepare for their child’s birth. If you would like more information, please don’t hesitate to talk with us by calling clinic reception on 01603 665173. We run regular weekend courses as we find this is the easiest time for couples to schedule the course around any work commitments - visit our Facebook page for updates.