Look into my eyes …Incredible but true … some women don't want artificial pain relief
to get through labour. But before you dismiss them as, at best - mad,
at worst - superhuman, check out hypnobirthing - a natural form of pain
management during childbirth. What is hypnobirthing?>> The
benefits of using hypnosis for childbirth>>
Increasingly, hypnotherapy is gaining credence in mainstream medicine for its powerful and beneficial effects at pain control and relief, with no nasty side effects. Its effectiveness has been particularly observed in birth and is now being practised by many women throughout the UK and beyond. The theory behind it is quite simple: that fear leads to tension and that tension leads to pain, as Maggie Howell, clinical hypnotherapist, explains. "If you go into the birth feeling and being frightened, your system will respond accordingly. This fear will lead to increased adrenalin in your body, which leads to increased tension in your muscles and your cervix, with less 'contraction' hormones being produced, so that your uterus is having to work much harder to flex and tighten. This subsequently makes contractions far more painful, in the same way that if you tense up when you are in pain, the pain becomes far greater." Many people assume that a hypnotised person will be in a daze and unable to communicate sensibly with anyone around them. However, according to Hypnobirthing UK, this is not the case. " HypnoBirthing doesn't mean you'll be in a trance or a sleep. Rather, you'll be able to chat, and be and in good spirits - totally relaxed, but fully in control. You'll always be aware of what is happening to you, and around you." Maggie Howell is also keen to stress that, with hypnosis, you are still very much in control. "Hypnosis is a natural state, which we all experience many times a day. It when your conscious (analytical, reasoning) mind takes a step back and your subconscious (feelings, memories, emotions) comes more to the forefront. With intended hypnosis, you purposefully take yourself into a daydream-like state using music, soothing images and guided visualisation. Once the critical and analytical part of your mind also relaxes, you become more receptive to positive suggestions and affirmations. As the mind does not know the difference between imagination and reality, the more times you give yourself positive suggestions, the more real they become." The benefits of using hypnosis for childbirth Hypnobirthing teaches women simple but powerful self-hypnosis techniques to induce feelings of relaxation and peace during labour and birth. The aim to help release any fears and anxieties that naturally affect many pregnant women either in the run-up to their first experience of labour and birth or those who have had previous traumatic births. The emphasis is very much on the woman staying in control of her own mind and body rather than feeling helpless and disempowered. "When you are relaxed, your breathing is even and rhythmical; ensuring a high level of oxygen is entering your body," says Maggie. "This oxygen goes through to your baby, ensuring that he remains calm and stable. Increased oxygen stimulates the production of oxytocin and endorphins. Your blood pressure remains at a healthy level and you conserve your energy, with all excess energy being channelled through to the muscle that is really working hard, namely your uterus. As the uterus has no resistance or tension from surrounding muscles, the contractions are more effective and more comfortable." Babyworld member Gomi had a very positive experience using hypnobirthing. "I tried it and would highly recommend it. I didn't need any pain relief at all as I didn't feel any pain - just pressure. Even the midwife was amazed." The Hypnobirthing UK website also includes positive feedback from mums who have used the technique, citing considerably shorter labours, fewer surgical and non-surgical interventions and feeling more positive and energised after the birth. The University of Vermont also carried out research into hypnobirthing and breech babies and found that, of the 100 women who presented a breech baby at 37-40 weeks, 81% were successful at turning the baby using posture and hypnosis. Hypnobirthing can be used effectively in all settings - home births, water births, hospital births, etc. And the techniques can be used to help calm and relax you whenever a stressful situation arises, so it's of long-term benefit! Will it guarantee a pain-free birth? This is the key question we all want to ask but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a clear-cut answer! Although Hypnobirthing UK stresses that "severe pain does not need to be part of labour", it also points out that a totally pain-free labour cannot be guaranteed. It says that 65-70% of mums using hypnobirthing techniques need no pain relief and that around half of these experience no pain, just pressure. A further 20-25% need a mild form of pain relief such as gas and air, with the remaining 5-10% needing special intervention for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, Babyworld member Susan was one of the apparently few hypnobirthing mothers for whom the technique did not help. "I tried it - listened to the CD religiously. It totally went out of my mind after 42 hours of contractions!"However Marianne Monie had more success - read her story here. Hypnobirthing is taught by private practitioners throughout the UK, either with a particular organisation or as qualified individuals on their own. Teachers normally will run courses lasting approximately 12 hours or so in total, either in several sessions or over the course of a weekend, and take on either small groups or, sometimes, individual couples. As with other antenatal classes, you will learn about anatomical and physiological issues but you will also be taught other essential things such as:
The cost of the course depends on where it is running, who is running it and how many people are taken on. Courses with larger groups might cost around £200 per couple, including any materials, whilst private tuition can cost up to £450. If you prefer a more private approach to this method, you could opt, instead, to teach yourself self-hypnosis with a special natal CD. Maggie Howell has produced her own materials for this purpose and explains how they work. The idea is that, after listening to the CD repeatedly before labour, your body and mind associate the birth experience with calm, relaxing emotions, which will also help boost your confidence and reduce any anxiety. Maggie sells various types of Natal Hypnobirthing packs (taking you right through pregnancy to birth) on her website, including one for hospitals and birthing centres and one for home births, which retail at £50. Alternatively, she also has individual CDs for labour and birth that cost £16.00, which are available from babyworld's shop. What do I need to ask prospective instructors? As with anything related to pregnancy and birth, it is essential to gain the relevant and necessary information to make a considered decision. These are the kind of questions you might ask:
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