One of the biggest misconceptions about hypnobirthing is that, it’s all about having babies. Women have heard that if you do everything your teacher tells you to do, you will have a quick, straight forward, pain free, vaginal birth. Now, there’s no easy way to say this…but that’s all pretty much a nonsense.
As a hypnobirthing Mum of two and a practitioner, I have fantastic things to say about hypnobirthing every single day. But to suggest that it has the same effect, as a sprinkling fairy dust over every pregnant or birthing woman; who is blessed enough to have discovered it, does everyone involved, a massive disservice. So, if it’s not about magic wands and easy births what’s the point??
1. Preparation
Hypnobirthing is just as much about the preparation that takes place during pregnancy. The practice both Mum and Dad undertake during the lead up to labour, not only prepares Mum to navigate the journey of birth, but also draws Dad back into the process; so once again ‘making baby’ becomes very much a team effort, as with conception. By taking 2.5 hours out every week, to come to class and then working on their homework together, this really allows Mum and Dad to be on the same page. It provides Dad with specific tools to help him engage with Mum and Baby and the nurturing of the child they made together, which can make hypnobirthing an infinitely more bonding experience. This is of course is equally relevant and perhaps even more so, with same sex couples.
2. Pregnancy Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the buzz word for 2014, but anyone involved in hypnobirthing, will have been talking about this – in many other guises for years. Hypnobirthing creates a space for Mum to really connect with the fact that that she’s having a baby; now whilst I appreciate that this might sound odd, how many pregnant women do you know who have rushed around like Super Woman, until a week before their baby arrives? So many! The exercises and practice encouraged during this type of birth preparation, are about slowing things down both physically and emotionally, so that Mums can tune into what’s going on with their bodies. When you are rushing around at 100 miles an hour, multi tasking to within an inch of your life, what possibility is there of achieving that….? And it’s this skill that is the most important tool, to have at your disposal, when you go into labour.
3.Reducing Fear
By teaching couples about the physiology of the body and explaining why some women do experience painful labours, we help a woman to feel more relaxed during her pregnancy. It’s almost like a light bulb goes off, when the science starts to make sense, the shoulders come down and you can physically see the confidence in our mothers, starting to grow. It means that Mum is able to approach her labour with a belief in both her body and her baby, because of the knowledge that we were designed to do this job and barring any special circumstances, that she is going to be able to do it and doesn’t need to be the excruciatingly painful experience, that in the past she has been led to believe is a given.
We know that baby’s are affected by the emotional environment of the Mother, so this calm and relaxed attitude towards labour and birth, most certainly impacts baby positively; as they are not being flooded with the negative hormones that accompany the mother’s fear and anxiety. This also works to help our couples to manage the inevitable concerns that arise with becoming a parent for the first time, or working out how to go from being a parent of one to two, or maybe even three!
4) Life Skills
As a prerequisite for being able to call upon hypnobirthing tools during labour our Mum’s need to practice the tools learnt during class in real life; not just in bed at the end of a busy day. This is because whilst we, ideally, want our mums to be a haven of peace and tranquility during labour, often the birthing environment can be anything but. With doctors and midwives walking in and out of rooms if birthing in hospital; inconvenient traffic noise at home or navigating taxis and people if travelling to birth centres, the list of distractions is endless. Therefore, knowing that you have developed the amazing ability to relax both your body and mind in just a few seconds, whether it is in the middle of a stressful scene at work; blocking out the noise from the infuriating loud woman talking on her mobile on the bus, or as with a recent client, managing the pain of fractured arm . Adds a critical dimension to a mother’s ability to be able to call upon what have become skills for life during her labour and birth.
And so now, to finally address the elephant in the room, what about the birthing?
5) Solid Foundations
So, whilst I opened the post clearly stating that it was nonsense to expect hypnobirthing to guarantee quick and pain free labours; there is, in fact, something it can guarantee. If the Mums complete their practice, hypnobirthing will immeasurably enhance their labouring experience, whatever paths their births ultimately take. Whilst it is definitely true, that hypnobirthing does put women in the best possible position to achieve, quick, calm, and fear free births, as many women will testify; a positive experience will not always mean an easy one. However, if a woman is able to draw upon skills that enable her to stay calm and relaxed during her labour, she will also stay in control and it is that element of personal control, during her most powerful and simultaneously vulnerable time, that will determine her ability to look back on her a birth positively or not…Regardless of how her baby is finally born; which in turn, will only be a part of her entire hypnobirthing experience.
So now you know the truth, I hope you see that, the time and space created for hypnobirthing women and their partners, is about much more than just birthing babies. So much so, that even if a woman was opting for an elective c-section, I believe that hypnobirthing should still be at the top of her ‘Preparing for Motherhood’ list!
As always, I would love to know your thoughts, please feel free to leave your comments below.
Beautifully written Blog Susan and one that explains what Hypnobirthing is perfectly! I will be sharing x
Thank you very much! Let’s get the word out there 🙂 x
As a HypnoBirthing practitioner, I thank you Suzy. This is the best description of HypnoBirthing I’ve ever read! I would love to be able to send it to everyone who inquires about my classes, with credit of course. Is that okay with you? If so, do you have it in a PDF format?
Thanks again,
Debby
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for such lovely response. I would am extremely flattered that you would like to use this for your potential clients. I do not currently have it in PDF format, but if you send me your email address to suzy@limitlessyou.co.uk, I will get something out to you over the next few days. Thank you very much once again.
Extemely interesting. I feel silly to say I’ve not heard of hypnobirthing before I read your blog. I’ll be looking into this in the future, thanks Suzy. Joining your list right now to keep up
Aah Kinga, my favourite type of reader. I’m so happy to be able to be talking to people that have never heard about hypnobirthing, it means that you already have more choice when it comes to thinking about the type of birth experience that you want to create and knowing that you do have choice and control is what hypnobirthing is all about. So, definitely don’t feel silly 🙂
A very informative post, and sounds like those skills would be really helpful and relevant for a mum once she’s given birth too. Thanks.
Thanks very much Ellen, it’s definitely the clients that take these techniques on as life skills that get the most out of it. Thanks for your comment!
Great post! I will share
Thanks Sarah, I appreciate it!
Great article and explains hypnobirthing in a no-nonsense way. I wish I had known about it 10 years ago when I went through the most painful two hours of my life! Like you said, whilst hypnobirthing does not guarantee quick and pain-free labour, anything that helps women enhance their labouring experience should be promoted. Also, mindfulness and learning to deal with fear are valuable life skills, something that will be helpful to mum during the coming weeks and years once the baby is born.
I’m glad you enjoyed and ‘got” this Mui and it’s great to see how many more people are finding out about hypnobirthing everyday! May the revolution continue:-)
It is indeed a perfect way to prepare for childbirth. I tried hypnobirthing online class and it helped me during my journey as a mom. It’s best for mental relaxation and gives you the confidence to make it through. Hypnobirthing is amazing!