What Is Hypnobirthing? How to Learn It?

The term hypnobirthing implies the use of self-hypnosis strengthened by certain relaxation techniques during birth. Employment of this method should help a would-be mother feel completely prepared for the process and diminish negative factors affecting childbirth such as fear, worries, and painful labor. It sounds good enough, but it isn‘t as simple as it may seem. Do not imagine that you put yourself into a sort of a trance and when you come out of it the thing is through and you meet your newborn tiny one.

The method is surely worth taking a closer look at and weighing its benefits due to its radical difference from more traditional birthing methods that you know well. It is rumored that a number of celebrities (including Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie, and Kate Middleton) have already given hypnosis and the aforementioned techniques a try when preparing themselves for delivery.

What Is HypnoBirthing?

Basically, the idea behind hypnobirthing is to make a woman more capable to cope with any birth-provoked misgivings or anxiety she may succumb to. It is a combination of self-hypnosis relaxation techniques with a view of making the body more relaxed throughout labor and delivery.

A worried mind and a strained body can interfere with the natural birthing process, so driving the body and mind into as relaxed a state as possible ought to allow birth to proceed with more speed and less pain owing to low resistance.

Available are various kinds of hypnobirthing programs, but most of them are based on practicing self-hypnosis enhanced by using music, positive thinking, mantras, visualization producing a relaxing effect and assisting in keeping sensations in control when labor begins. These techniques are taught in special classes. The advantage is that hypnobirthing is perfectly consistent with other delivery techniques.

Scientifically approached, hypnobirthing hasn’t yet acquired definite evidence of its benefits. So far, though, there is research showing that the method might prove to be efficacious compared to other means of alleviating labor pain.

Here are some tips on hypnobirthing you might find useful:

Is Hypnobirthing pain-free?

It would be great if childbirth could be freed of pain altogether, but many women would be glad just to know they will experience less pain. Being self-hypnotized, they are well on the way to getting a welcome reprieve, although there is no hard-and-fast guarantee of a satisfactory result.

Clinical Psychology Review published an analysis of 13 controlled cases which reveal that hypnosis can really work more efficaciously in comparison with standard medical care; as regards lessening labor and delivery pain, it proves to be superior to traditional childbirth training and supportive counseling courses. What’s more, thanks to its pain-relieving ability, hypnosis may shorten labor to a certain extent.

How to practice hypnobirthing?

For those who felt they may benefit from hypnobirthing and would like to learn more about it, your health care provider will furnish the necessary information. They can also relegate you to a childbirth expert having a hypnobirthing certification or some other professional able to advise you about how useful hypnobirthing can be in your case.

Can hypnobirthing be learned outside classes?

Loosely speaking, it is believed that anyone can learn to practice self-hypnosis in general and hypnobirthing in particular given they have relevant guidelines. In some ways hypnosis is similar to meditation – both can be practiced on your own. An informed individual can learn self-hypnosis (as well as meditation) without bringing in outside tutelage.

There are also some videos on the internet on how to learn it. Check them out to get a first impression and decide if it’s the right technique for you.