Can hypnobirthing reduce the pain of natural birth?

An expectant mother is often bombarded with horror stories of labor pains. Birthing is always assumed to be highly painful and extremely uncomfortable. Infact most women get so traumatized by these negative stories that they start to dread childbirth. This can lead to unnecessary stress and complications. The answer to all questions related to birth pain is mindful hypnobirthing. There has always been a debate among birth keepers around the world as to whether pain does or does not exist in childbirth with each group sticking firmly to its stance. We still do not believe in a pain free childbirth and the mothers who say that they had comfortable or minimal pain childbirth are assumed to be extremely lucky or having high threshold for pain. Or maybe we can say that they have practiced hypnobirthing! Most women are encouraged to take pain medications or epidurals in order to have a comfortable birthing experience.

When a person undergoes hypnosis, her mind is in the state of deep relaxation blocking all outside distractions. In this state, a person is more open to suggestions and hence certain beliefs and behaviors can be modified. When a woman opts for hypnobirthing, suggestions are made to replace fear and expectations of pain into a painless, safe and comfortable birth. Hypnobirthing is a method that prepares and guides a woman into giving birth in a natural, gentle and pain free manner. It is a program where the physical and psychological well being of the mother, the birth partner as well as the newborn is taken into consideration and this can be done anywhere from a hospital setting to even the quiet  comfort of your home.

 Hypnobirthing is a unique prenatal program that teaches expectant mothers simple but specific self hypnosis techniques which include special breathing techniques, relaxation, visualization, affirmations in order to foster a much easier, gentler birth which is often associated with significant reduction in pain.  Hypnobirthing does not teach mothers how to give birth because according to therapists give a mother an undisturbed and safe environment and her primal brain takes over and her body automatically gives birth.

Most of our lives we are conditioned to believe that pains are associated with childbirth. This extreme fear causes the body to tense up and normal physiological functions are affected which results in exactly what they feared- painful and sometimes interventional birthing. Hence birthing mothers are taught to relax and banish fear so that ‘feel good’ hormones like endorphins and serotonin are released. This they say relaxes a mother to a point where she feels less pain or no pain at all.

Advantages of hypnotherapy birth which are supported by evidence are fewer cases of preeclampsia, fewer intervention or surgical births, shorter first and second phase of labor, happier and content mothers and babies which result in healthier kids when they grow up. Also no postpartum depression was found in hypnobirthing mothers.

Read: prenatal yoga to your rescue

Couples who followed hypnobirthing, say how easy and gentle their birthing experience was. Some have reported that  how empowered and proud they felt and went on to describe their child birth as one of the most memorable experiences of their life.

We can conclude in the words of Ms Marie Morgan who is credited to being one of the founders of hypnobirthing who says “when a healthy woman gives birth to a healthy baby, experiencing a healthy labor, trusts birth, is free of fear and is appropriately relaxed, her body will function normally without pain or incident.”

Read: Enjoy motherhood with postpartum yoga

Healclinic has hypnobirthing practitioners on their panel. If you are looking at making your pregnancy and the birth of your child easy, happy and healthy Contact us