Hypnobirthing is a birthing method that utilizes hypnosis, relaxation, and self-hypnosis to prepare for the birthing process. Hypnobirthing is gaining popularity because it helps mothers control pain and reduce stress during labor. It also helps them to relax and breathe deeply, producing a more peaceful birthing experience.
Hypnobirthing is not a method of pain management; rather, it is a way to manage the birthing process. Hypnobirthing teaches mothers to focus on the experience of birth rather than on the pain they feel. It also teaches them how to breathe deeply and relax to decrease their stress levels and manage pain more effectively.
Methods and Techniques Used in Hypnobirthing
The methods used in hypnobirthing are quite simple, based on relaxation techniques that have been proven effective in helping women cope with labor pain. Hypnobirthing aims to help women prepare for the birthing experience by teaching them how to control their emotions, reduce stress, and develop a positive attitude toward birth.
1.Controlled breathing
In this technique, a mother is taught to breathe in and out slowly to calm herself. She is advised to keep her breaths deep and long but slow.
2.Visualisation
This involves using one’s imagination to picture a positive outcome of the labour process one is going through. Imagining oneself as holding a baby and all the good feelings that come with it can help reduce pain significantly.
3.Positive affirmations
These positive statements are said with conviction to attract the desired outcome of labour or birth. For example, saying ‘my body knows how to give birth’ or ‘my body knows how to cope’ can help reduce pain because the mind always believes what it hears or thinks.
Benefits of Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing is a safe, natural, and painless way to prepare for labor. The following are some of the benefits of hypnobirthing:
- It helps to relieve stress and anxiety.
- It helps strengthen the mother’s ability to cope with pain and stress during labor by teaching her how to relax her body, calm her mind and breathe deeply.
- It reduces pain relief as it significantly reduces the need to use drugs or epidural during labor. This makes it a safer option than other options available today.
- It also reduces the time spent in the hospital after giving birth because there is no need for any recovery from epidural or drug-induced sedation or anesthesia.
Learning Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing classes are physical and emotional preparation classes that teach women how to use the relaxation techniques found in hypnobirthing. These classes are taught by a trained hypnobirthing instructor and cover topics such as breathing, relaxation, and postural alignment. Hypnobirthing classes are also widely available across the world. Hypnobirthing classes are also online, so there’s no need to go anywhere. You can learn hypnobirthing techniques from the comfort of your home and begin practicing them right away. The hypnobirthing techniques can be practiced at any time of the day. Most women can practice these techniques in the comfort of their own homes, taking an online hypnobirthing class that a certified instructor provides. The course is easy to follow and offers an interactive learning experience for each individual who chooses to take it.