Hypnobirthing uses self-hypnosis, breathing and relaxation techniques throughout labour and birth to facilitate a calmer and more positive delivery. For anyone that has never done any meditation or relaxation practice, the concept of hypnobirthing can feel a little bit like a walk on the wild side. However, there are some fantastic benefits to giving hypnobirthing a try.
Here are my thoughts on hypnobirthing:
“As an expectant mum, I decided that hypnobirthing was not for me and was far too 'out there' for me to master. I was fortunate with my labour, and I can now look back on my experience positively, despite it being a bit of a bumpy ride! Now that I am a midwife, I would love to know whether I would have had a different experience had I used hypnobirthing techniques.
I have watched some fantastic births with women who have taken time in pregnancy to practise deep breathing and relaxation. Surprisingly though, the women that have done just that, and had emergency c-sections are often the ones that report that hypnobirthing helped them navigate the unexpected".
Read more on my thoughts and feelings about hypnobirthing.
Our advice when considering hypnobirthing:
Find a class that encourages mum and partner to explore all different types of delivery. Learn what forceps, ventouse and c-section deliveries can be like and what you could expect.
Visualisation is compelling, but ensure you visualise all the different scenarios, not just a water birth (obviously, imagine a water birth too) - that way, you have prepared for every eventuality and every setting.
Breathing and relaxation practice is vital during pregnancy. Recognising when tension enters your body quickly will allow you to switch on your relaxation skills and keep unwanted body tension at bay.
Another tip - don’t change the word ‘contraction’ to ‘surge’ as most hypnobirthing instructors suggest! Doing this is a little detrimental to you sometimes. Your midwife or doctor uses the word 'contraction' 100s of times a week, and if they forget that you have asked them to use a different term, it can throw your concentration off and have the opposite effect on the goal of relaxation.
For fantastic hypnobirthing workshops, visit Let's Talk Birth and Baby, where you can be guaranteed a midwife-led class that will give you all the amazing benefits of hypnobirthing without some of the fluff!
