Hypnobirthing is the use of hypnotherapy techniques to relax the mother-to-be during labour and birth.
If you are a first-time mother-to-be, television portrayals of births can often reinforce all the negative scare stories your female family and friends have told you about. Yet the birth of your baby need not be scary or painful, and many cultures recognise this. Hypnobirthing can help you to reconnect with your feminine wisdom by allowing you to go with the flow. You can then experience the birth of your baby in a calm and relaxed environment, no matter where you are.
The hypnotherapist might teach you self-hypnosis so that you can manage your own delivery or, very occasionally, they may attend the birth with you. In most situations you have a few sessions with the hypnotherapist before being able to go it alone.
Most hypnotherapy sessions are split into two distinct parts: ‘the talky bit’ and hypnosis. In hypnobirthing, the talking bit will help you to understand the birthing process and how hypnotherapy can help. The length of your hypnotherapy session could vary from 30 – 90 minutes. An initial consultation will generally be held prior to your hypnobirthing sessions. This is to agree the aims and goals of your treatment, to discuss any symptoms and to give you a guide as to the number of sessions required. This will vary depending on the client. However, it is likely to be around 4 sessions for a straightforward birth or more if there is any previous trauma or phobia to deal with.
Childbirth is a natural process that unfolds in three distinct stages. The first stage, known as labour, has two phases: the latent phase, where contractions are irregular and spaced more than 5 minutes apart, and the active phase, when contractions become more regular and intense. During this time, the contractions help to thin and open the cervix while moving the baby into the birth canal. For first-time mothers, this stage can take 8 to 18 hours, while for those who have given birth before, it typically lasts up to 12 hours.
Once the cervix is fully dilated to around 10 cm, the second stage begins. This is the phase where the baby is delivered, and it continues until the baby is born.
The third and final stage involves the contraction of the womb and the delivery of the placenta.
Hypnobirthing techniques, including hypnotherapy, can be especially beneficial during the first stage of labour, helping you stay calm, relaxed, and in control as your body works through each phase.
Preparing for childbirth can feel overwhelming, but there are several natural ways to support your body through the process. Understanding your options and staying calm can make a big difference in your labour experience. Here are some natural methods that can help make childbirth more manageable and comfortable:
Hypnotherapy can be a powerful tool to help make childbirth a more positive experience. By using relaxation techniques and focused breathing, it can help you manage the physical and emotional challenges of labour. Here are some ways hypnotherapy can assist:
Hypnobirthing was a phrase coined by Marie Mongan for a process initially developed by her. It is the process of hypnotherapy sessions for mums-to-be, while also teaching them self-hypnosis and educating them about the birthing process. Combined, these can help mothers manage the birth of their baby more easily.
The benefits of hypnobirthing include a more positive experience for the mother during both pregnancy and childbirth. It also contributes to a greater sense of well being during the period before and after the delivery of a baby.
Hypnotherapy can help alleviate any anxiety about the coming birth. It can also help to rid of any past birth traumas that the mother has experienced. Women are less likely to use pain relief during the birthing process. Understanding the birth processes gives women confidence and trust in their bodies, while the hypnosis techniques help them to remain focused and in control.
In line with the birthing process, there are two phases to the hypnobirthing process: preparation and delivery. The preparation phase takes approximately 4 hypnotherapy sessions to reassure the mother – and the father too, if he wishes – about the coming birth. If you plan on using another person as your birthing partner, then they are usually welcome too. During these sessions, the mother will gain an understanding of the birthing process and what is likely to occur during delivery and birth. She will start to use hypnosis during the sessions and be helped to learn self-hypnosis to use during the birth. Some hypnotherapists will give the mother some personalised MP3 downloads to help her access a trance state more quickly.
When you are in a trance state, you will be in a state of focused attention. Different brain waves become more prevalent and you will likely be able to see things from a different perspective, altering your stress levels. The change in brain waves will also make it easier for you to take on new ideas and new ways of thinking. Most hypnotherapists use an element of talking therapy these days and this supports the trance session by helping you to evaluate your current behaviour and the way you think.
It is always important to contact your GP or midwife as they may be able to offer you free antenatal classes. Some of these contain information about hypnobirthing.
The number of sessions you will need for hypnobirthing will vary from person to person. If it is quite straightforward and there are no other anxieties, then 4 sessions after the initial consultation should be sufficient. If you have other anxieties present around past trauma, or a phobia of needles for example, then it is likely you’ll be looking at around 8-10 sessions. Another factor to consider is the level of your commitment. You might be expected to listen to an MP3 download every night or to perform some other task between sessions. You will see results much more quickly if you do the things your hypnotherapist suggests.
The cost of hypnotherapy for hypnobirthing can vary from one therapist to another. This will depend on your location and the qualifications and experience your hypnotherapist has. To give you a rough guide prices can vary from £40- £150 per hour.
Even before lockdown many hypnotherapists were running online hypnotherapy sessions for hypnobirthing. The good news is that there is now evidence to support the effectiveness of online hypnotherapy sessions for a range of conditions. All you would need to take part in an online hypnotherapy session would be a laptop, tablet or smartphone, access to the internet and somewhere quiet where you can relax.
Some NHS areas offer antenatal classes that incorporate some hypnobirthing. Unfortunately, you will probably be unable to access hypnobirthing on a one-to-one basis through the NHS. This is despite the British Medical Association’s assertion, in their submission of evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, that ‘Hypnotherapy and Counselling may be considered as orthodox treatments’. Your GP might suggest hypnobirthing on a one-to-one basis as an option, but it will be up to you to source and fund your treatment.
Hypnobirthing teaches self-hypnosis to the mum to be while also helping her to understand what will happen in the birthing process. However, it can be difficult to achieve on your own and therefore finding a qualified hypnotherapist to help you initially can be the best solution. Once you have experienced going into a trance state a few times with their help, you will find it much easier to go into that same state on your own. It is worth pointing out that the counselling or psychotherapy element of the hypnotherapy session would be missing from any self-help approach and research has suggested that hypnosis is more effective alongside it.
The side effects from hypnobirthing are generally positive. However, you might feel very dozy when coming out of a trance state, but a walk in the fresh air will soon bring you back to normal. This is because the trance state is a natural state that we all go into everyday whenever we are focusing on something and lose awareness of the outside world, we are in a trance state.
Hypnotherapy is not dangerous as the trance state is perfectly natural. We might go into a trance state when we’re reading a book, playing a video game or watching TV. However, hypnotherapy is not suitable for you if you suffer from hallucinations or are in psychosis. It is also not advisable to be hypnotised while under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs.
Start out with the basics, Search for “hypnobirthing” in Google or Bing. The results will contain a map with local hypnotherapy businesses. Start looking through their reviews either in the search engine or on their social (Facebook) pages.
The best hypnotherapists will be registered with a professional association and with organisations that are accredited by the professional standards authority. There are only two in the UK and they are the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and the National Hypnotherapy Society.
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