Although the philosophy of some hypnosis-childbirth programs teach women that they will not have pain “if they just relax enough,” most women find that idea to be inaccurate and misleading. If this was a valid theory, literally millions of women would have had pain-free births just from practicing and using the wonderful deep relaxation techniques that are taught in most natural childbirth classes, and that is not the case. Although there are women who do have pain-free births without much preparation or through deep breathing and relaxation, for most birthing mothers there is much more that’s needed, physically, mentally and emotionally to have a comfortable childbirth experience. That’s where medical-grade hypnosis comes in.
Childbirth experiences are different for every women. There is no predicting how any one mother will feel as she gives birth, and telling a woman that she will feel no pain if she just relaxes enough is inadequate at best, and inaccurate for most. This can confuse the mother and create self-doubt before, during and after birth.
Other childbirth programs and books teach that “since childbirth is a normal physiological process for women, there is no physiological reason for childbirth pain,” or that “pain is caused mostly by fear,” and therefore “eradicating fear in childbirth” will eliminate their pain. In reality, women are moving a large object through and out of their bodies when they give birth, and there are many sensitive nerves, muscles, ligaments, organs, and other body parts being pressed on, pushed, pulled and stretched to amazing lengths during this process. The big bag of muscles we call a uterus has stretched to the size of a large melon and the contractions that tighten these muscles up are extremely powerful. Pain for most women is indeed part of the birthing process, and eradicating fear is helpful in lessening pain, but does not ensure pain elimination.
We do know of course, that pain can be made much worse by tension in the birthing body and by fear being present in the women’s mind. The Fear/Tension/Pain Syndrome is very real, and it needs to be recognized for what it is: a response to be avoided so that childbirth can progress much more easily and comfortably. Eliminating the FTPS rarely results in completely eliminating pain, however, and we do a disservice to women when we tell them that it will.
The perceived intensity of birth sensations depends partly upon:
The birthing preparation (tools) each mother has chosen, how well she practiced them and how she uses them as she gives birth
The choices women make during childbirth which can help or hinder the process, including induction, confinement to bed, etc.
A woman’s emotions, before and during childbirth, since emotional and environmental stressors can cause constriction, Fear/Tension/Pain
The size of a woman’s pelvis
The size and positioning of her baby
The strength of her contractions
Many more…
There are actually many other factors which impact pain levels and the perception of pain during childbirth. Relaxation (or the lack thereof) is only one of the keys to a more comfortable birth experience.
So what makes Hypnobabies so successful at producing easier and more comfortable births?
In Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis, during birth preparation and childbirth, we focus greatly on several elements that assist with making childbirth easier and more comfortable:
The main element in Hypnobabies that is responsible for creating an easier, more comfortable birthing is… Deep, Somnambulistic HYPNOSIS
In Hypnobabies we use a very deep form of hypnosis which takes moms far beyond deep relaxation and breathing techniques. Hypnosis actually conditions the inner mind, through prior training, to convert birthing sensations from painful sensations to comfortable or even pleasurable ones. Hypnobabies mothers still experience normal birthing sensations – sensations such as pressure, stretching, pushing and tightening, as well as baby’s movements, and they can be experienced with little or no discomfort in many cases.
The main way that hypnosis is used successfully in Hypnobabies is through post-hypnotic suggestions. These are the suggestions for easier, more comfortable birthing which are embedded into the mind so deeply that with the use of one hypnotic cue word during childbirth, their effects are instantly available. They must be repeated (compounded) during Hypnobabies hypnosis practice many times for the best effect. In order to create profound physical comfort and the deepest relaxation in your body as well as a calm. confident attitude, our Hypnobabies-mothers need to reach a hypnotic state called somnambulism and listen to their Hypnobabies scripts and audio tracks repeatedly, and as directed.
Somnambulism (the literal definition is “sleep walking”) is a very deep state of hypnosis where the person looks as if they are sleeping, and they may even breathe heavily as if they were asleep, but they are not asleep. They are as relaxed physiologically as when they are sleeping but can still be very aware of what is happening around them (IF they ant to be!) It is in this deep state of hypnosis that the inner mind is so accessible that Hypno-anesthesia can be created. With the practice and use of specific hypnotic suggestions for the lessening and/or altering of physical sensations, even surgeries can be performed comfortably without medications in a somnambulistic state. Childbirth can also be a comfortable experience by using somnambulistic hypnosis techniques; the ones that are taught in Hypnobabies.
There are two more elements that assist with making childbirth easier and more comfortable, and they are direct side-effects of our Hypnobabies hypnosis techniques:
Profoundly Deep Relaxation- The muscles of a birthing woman’s body, especially the ones around her baby must be completely and totally relaxed so that they can work efficiently and without any added discomfort form the Fear/Tension/Pain response. Hypnotic relaxation practice is essential and must be taken seriously by each Hypnobabies mom. We tell them : “When prompted to relax any part of your body, you’ll become completely limp and loose like a rag doll.” This is one of the reasons we do progressive relaxation inductions, and in every Hypnobabies hypnosis script, audio track, cue and technique , deep hypnotic relaxation is practiced so that it becomes a completely automatic response for our moms as soon as they engage their hypnosis. Hypnobabies hypnosis training instills automatic conditioning for instant and very deep total body relaxation, therefore it is our hypnosis that creates deep relaxation.
Fear Clearing Sessions- Through hypnotic suggestion, our Hypnotic-parents are gently guided to release any fears and concerns and counteract the effects of a lifetime of not-so-encouraging expectations about childbirth. Every birth story an expectant woman reads, sees on TV or in the movies, or listens to during people’s stories about their own birth experiences helps create her belief system about the process of birth. Hypnobabies Fear Clearing sessions help expectant moms and their birth partners to let go of prior cultural conditioning, and to transform any fears or concerns they may have about childbirth into a sense of confidence and happy anticipation for their baby’s birth. Releasing fears about birth and the resulting stress reduction, helps our moms’ bodies to relax and function well, to enjoy restful sleep, and to actually enjoy their pregnancies.
Hypnobabies-moms must practice their hypnotic cues and techniques on a daily basis until the baby comes to create an easier more comfortable experience for everyone involved. They simply have to do their “hypno-homework” every day, no exceptions. This hypnosis practice is actually the easiest thing our moms do during their pregnancies; getting int oa relaxed position and, with our soft, binaural beats music playing in the background, they allow themselves to float away into a wonderfully deeper mental and physical state… all while listening to suggestions for an easy, gentle, and comfortable birth. Hypno-practice is a gift they give themselves while pregnant that pays many dividends during birthing!
