Hypnobirthing: Meaning & Benefits

Are you excited about giving birth but also feeling anxious about the birthing process? You're not alone. Giving birth can be gruelling, especially if it's your first time. This process comes with its own set of pain and challenges as the body goes through a lot during labour and delivery. But what if there was a way to help women manage the pain as they give birth? Here's where hypnobirthing comes into the picture.

Hypnobirth is the process whereby women are given pain management while they are in labour and giving birth - but unlike medication, this method focuses on relaxing the mind and body. Hypnobirthing techniques involve a combination of relaxation, visualisation, and deep breathing that calms the body down and help the mind focus away from the pain.

What is Hypnobirthing?

Wondering what Hypnobirthing is? It is considered to be a pain relief technique. During this process, a combination of self-hypnosis is used to help women overcome their labour pain - simply through relaxing and breathing. This method aims to assist women in enjoying the process of giving birth.

According to some experts, hypnobirthing allows women to "birth better" and helps create a shared sense of respect between a female giving birth and her healthcare provider.

Hypnobirthing can be practised anywhere - be it in a traditional hospital environment or a home birthing environment.

How Hypnobirthing Works

According to research, hypnobirthing has been known to speed up the first couple of stages of labour, which are considered the longest and probably more painful stages. The first stage can be as long as 12-19 hours and can be quite painful. This stage can be shortened by a few hours through hypnobirthing, offering a lot of respite to an expecting mother.

Through hypnobirthing, women learn how to combat the fear and pain associated with giving birth - ultimately, this method looks at pain management as "mind over matter".

The hypnobirthing process uses visualisation, words of affirmation, and inducing an environment of positivity to control one's thoughts and guide the body through the labour and delivery process. Hypnobirthing can be done either by oneself or with the help of a hypnotherapist.

Various Hypnobirthing-Like Methods

Hypnobirthing involves many methods and techniques. The most popular ones include the following:

• Relaxation

• Visualisation

• Mindfulness

• Pregnancy & birth affirmations

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• Deep breathing

• Self-hypnosis

What are the Benefits of Hypnobirthing

Hypnobirthing has many benefits, and many healthcare providers and experts are propagators of this method since it doesn't involve any external medication and is free from side effects. In addition, they say that everything a mother's body goes through during labour and delivery impacts the child. Therefore, creating a more harmonious environment for the child to be born in is essential.

Some benefits of hypnobirthing include the following:

• Medication-free way to manage pain

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• Potentially no side effects

• Decreases fear induced during childbirth, leading to a more positive delivery environment

• Known to provide relaxation and comfort during labour

How to Get Started with Hypnobirthing

From positive affirmations to creating relaxation scripts, a lot can be done if you want to get started with hypnobirthing. From trying up-and-down breathing techniques to practising massage techniques and reading about positive birthing stories, you will find that giving birth isn't just about focusing on the pain - after all, you are on your way to creating life.

As an expecting mother, if you are keen to get started with hypnobirthing, there are some techniques you can practice daily to make your final labour and delivery process manageable -

• Understand the fears you might feel and try to trust your body. This will allow you to reduce the fear associated with childbirth.

• Release any negative notions of body shaming yourself.

• Avoid all forms of negative emotions.

• Practice self-hypnosis before you go to bed - at least 3 or 4 times a week.

• Try to control your breathing; breathe slowly when dilating.

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• Try to create a calm environment around you.

References

Ashley Marcin on October 2, 2019. A Quick Guide to HypnoBirthing and Its Benefits

Terri Isidro-Cloudas November 3, 2022. The HypnoBirthing Technique: Everything You Need to Know