What Is Hypnobirthing?

How Is My Birth Partner Involved?

Your birth support person, whether they be your partner, a family member or a medical/spiritual advisor, should know your feelings towards hypnobirthing and how far you want to go with it in case the experience does not work out the way you want it. You can have a solid birth plan and opt for hypnobirthing but change your mind and want the hard drugs within a matter of minutes.

A birth partner needs to be able to support decisions, as well as know the correct techniques and practices of hypnobirthing, including practicing to prepare for deep relaxation before the birth and guiding the mother through hypnosis prompts, relaxation, deepening and visualisation methods and providing comfort as well as encouragement.

Can Hypnobirthing be beneficial to someone who has to have medical intervention (ie, C-section or induction) and can it assist with VBAC births?

More and more obstetricians and midwives are recommending hypnobirthing classes to those considering a VBAC as a means to allow the mother to achieve deep relaxation and ease tension in what can be a stressful time. For mothers who require C-sections or inductions, hypnobirthing classes can teach relaxation skills to allow them to remain calm and in control before, during and after the procedure, allowing for shorter recovery times and less medical intervention post-birth.

What if my doctor/midwife is not in favour of hypnobirthing?

If you want to try any birthing technique and you doctor or midwife is openly against it, then our advice is to find another one! Your birth experience is yours and you are entitled to try whatever techniques you think will enable you to achieve the labour and delivery that you want.

Will the labour be pain-free?

Hypnobirthing does not guarantee a pain-free birth; if it did then we’d all be doing it! Hypnobirthing mothers have reported a manageable labour and delivery, more so than those without, for those who have done both. The concept is that hypnobirthing alleviates the feeling of fear, (which constricts muscles and causes pain) and allows the mother to work with her own body, rather than feel it is working against her.

Regardless of how you feel about hypnobirthing or any other less traditional form of childbirth, research has shown that mothers who use hypnobithing techniques do experience shorter labours and report less pain (but just as much hard work!).

Would you consider Hypnobirthing? Do you have a hypnobirthing experience to share?

Source:

www.hypnobirthingaustralia.com.au