Is Hypnobirthing just about being calm?
I think there is a misconception that Hypnobirthing is just about having tools on the day of the birth, to feel calmer and more relaxed. However, it’s the work that is done in pregnancy that can make the biggest difference and is what sets Hypnobirthing apart from other antenatal preparation (which tend to focus just on birth information and tools to use during the birth).
So firstly, yes it is about gaining tools to use on the day - these include breathing techniques, visualisations and listening to Hypnobirthing tracks, alongside tools to help the pregnant person and their birth partner with decision making. When I teach Hypnobirthing to expectant parents, I also share lots of information on pain management, massage and movement, along with practical tips for navigating the physical and emotional stages of labour. The beauty of being an Independent Practitioner is that I have created a course that includes everything that I feel excited about sharing, that I want parents to know - the information that is informed by my experience of working as a doula attending births. (If you’re interested in training to teach Hypnobirthing - being Independent is definitely a USP of the training that I deliver).
So back to whether Hypnobirthing is ‘just about’ about calm….
The thing is, the more calm and relaxed the person is during labour, the more their body is able to do what it needs to do.
Here are just some of the many benefits to being calmer during labour:
Less adrenaline, meaning more Oxytocin to help labour move forwards (I prefer to not use the word progress)
Less tension, meaning more effective contractions (which may help avoid interventions)
Optimising physiology to help the body work in the way that it needs to which could shorten the length of labour
Higher levels of pain relieving endorphins and being able to welcome each contraction rather than tensing up, helping labour feel more manageable. Not being able to cope, running out of energy, or panicking about ‘how long is left’ can all lead to more intervention.
So whilst it’s not just about being calm, being calmer does makes a HUGE difference.
So what about Hypnobirthing in pregnancy? Now this is the juicy bit!
Hypnobirthing incorporates Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy tools to help the pregnant person let go of or reduce their fears, build trust in their body and gain confidence in the birthing process.
How does this happen?
The Hypnobirthing tracks that I share feel like a deep relaxation for the person listening. They are structured in a way that listening slows down the person’s brains (much like they would going from reading a news article and then day dreaming). The words and pace help the persons muscles begin to relax. The conscious mind (the rational, analytic part of the brain you are using right now reading this!) switches off, so that the words and messaging within the script can be communicated directly to the subconscious. The suggestions made within the script, helps to reframe how the person thinks about giving birth, allowing anxieties to reduce.
Why is this important?
Changing the way they think about birth directly impacts how they experience birth.
The information we absorb in to our subconscious is so important because…
Did you know that it is estimated that 95% of our brain's activity is subconscious! (Gail Marra Hypnotherapy). The subconscious is where we store our memories, belief system, learnt behaviour (i.e fear is a learnt behaviour, as we aren’t born with a fear), all of which impact decision making and emotions. So it’s super important that our subconscious is filled with positive references about birth. Otherwise, we are vulnerable to making decisions in our labour and birth, that are not informed, but driven by fear.
When you think about all the messaging about birth in the media, on TV, through the stories we are told and even when taught about childbirth in school…the messaging is generally negative. Birth is seen as scary, painful, traumatic. Now unfortunately, this is sometimes people's reality of birth and in all honestly, I wish my work as a doula and Hypnobirthing teacher wasn’t needed to help people who have had difficult birth experiences. I also wish I didn’t need to support people with the 3 Step Rewind when they contact me having had a traumatic birth. But this is the reality for some people. This is also why I train people to teach Hypnobirthing, because good quality preparation and support is so needed.
So what the Hypnobirthing tracks help to do, is create a more positive reference point in relation to birth. They help the person create new neural pathways which link birth to feelings of positivity, calmness and relaxation. Then, on the day labour begins, the person isn’t full of fear, they are calm, open and accepting of the contractions. Whilst I don’t promote that birth can be pain free if you prepare with Hypnobirthing, labour absolutely can feel less painful, when all of the birthing hormones work together in an optimal way and when other bodily functions are also working more effectively.
This all feeds into the fear-tension-pain cycle. If you reduce or remove the fear, birth hormones can release in the necessary quantities, including endorphins which is your ‘morphine within’, your natural pain relief. Less fear = less tension = less pain.
Not only does this positively impact the person experiencing labour, but it also impacts how they are cared for. If someone has a high temperature, this could be because they are full of adrenaline, stress and tension, yet a midwife is likely to act quickly as a precaution should the temperature be linked to infection, and suggest intravenous antibiotics. Another example, is that when you are stressed, your body prioritises survival, i.e sends oxygen and blood to your extremities (away from the uterus where it is most needed in labour!) and will shut down that connection to your bladder, as going for a wee is not essential in a life threatening situation. A full bladder gets in the way of a baby's head descending, so there you have a potential intervention of a catheter being suggested to release the bladder.
So not only does Hypnobirthing affect the person’s experience and how they feel on the day of the birth, but also affects how they are cared for, which ultimately feeds into the person's overall experience.
Is it worth saying that there are different approaches to Hypnobirthing and if you’re reading this and you are pregnant, then it’s worth researching a teacher and course that feels aligned with your ideas, hopes and wishes for the birth. If you are looking to train to teach Hypnobirthing, again, it’s important to understand the ethos and overall messaging of the course provider.
I train people to become Independent Hypnobirthing Practitioners, meaning they get to create their own course (with my support) and teach pregnant people in the way they want to. I also regularly teach Hypnobirthing to pregnant people.
My approach is to:
Share the science so people can feel they really understand what’s happening and why.
Talk about PAIN, CONTRACTIONS, FEARS…. It doesn't benefit anyone to shy away from these aspects of birth. Let’s understand it all, reframe it and learn how to get our mind and body working together.
Give practical, useful tips that I know make a big difference. I have so many golden gems of information that I have gained through my experience as a doula attending births and supporting hundreds of parents with their antenatal education.
So as a summary….
Hypnobirthing is a tool to help the person work with their body and stay calm, as well as getting their mindset in the right place so that they feel as prepared as possible going in to birth. Women are born with the physiological function to birth, they don’t need ‘help’, but in a world where there is so much fear around birth, our mindset needs as much support as it can get.
So if you are pregnant, do check out my private and group Hypnobirthing courses.
If you are thinking of training to teach Hypnobirthing, do check out my upcoming course dates!
