Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, used hypnobirthing during labor. And now it looks like Megan Markle will do the same! Techniques such as self-hypnosis and visualization helped Kate have a calmer birth. This is one reason why she looked so refreshed and energized for the media (Plus the help of her #glamsquad I’m sure!) just seven hours after giving birth. Amazing!
Photo Credit: https://us.hypnobirthing.com/hypnobirthing-stories-news
Why Do We FEAR Birth So Much?
We grew up thinking THIS is what child labor is like:
“It’s the most painful experience of your life.”
“You’ll be in labor for hours, maybe even days.”
No wonder why we’re afraid of birth. No one wants to be in pain and these images make it seem terrifying.
Movies and TV depict so many images of howling women in hospital beds, why wouldn’t we be biting our nails?
Our Bodies Respond to Our Thoughts
For every thought or emotion you have, there’s a physiological (or physical) response in the body. This isn’t woo-woo. Science calls it the Psycho-Physiological Response, and it’s real.
Begin replacing images and stories of birth being depicted in a negative way with birth being depicted in a positive way and imagining how exactly you want your birth to look and feel. Harness the power of your mind!
You want to stay out of the “fight or flight” response and stay in the “rest and digest” response.
When you’re in fear, your body is flooded with stress hormones like adrenaline, epinephrine, catecholamines. In this state, labor is more painful. Breath shortens and your mind is working against your body’s natural rhythm.
Think of a time when you were scared. Your body tenses up. You feel pain, which leads to Failure to Progress (FTP) during labor. You want to stay out of this zone.
Instead, you want to be in the parasympathetic nervous system. When you trust that your body can give birth to your baby, things go more smoothly. In this state, your body released feel-good hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins.
On podcast episode 28, Stephanie talks about the Love Hormone (17:00). Women feel oxytocin during hugs, orgasm, birth, and breastfeeding.
Hypnobirthing helps to clear the fear
You will experience birthing in an atmosphere of calm relaxation, free of the fear that prevents the muscles of your body from functioning as nature intended them to. In this calm state, your body’s natural relaxant, endorphins, replaces the stress hormones that constrict and cause pain.1
When the mind and body work together, things will flow. So many benefits to report:
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Happier Moms and babies
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Fewer interventions and inductions
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Fewer cesarean births
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Less need for painkillers
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Quicker and less painful labors (some women actually had orgasmic births!)
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Fewer cases of postnatal depression
HypnoBirthing teaches you relaxation techniques so that you can give your baby a warm welcome that’s calm, gentle, and safe. Create a satisfying birth, awake and alert, in a relaxed state of mind and body.2 This is my wish for all Mothers!
HypnoBirthing Techniques
In HypnoBirthing, you’ll learn many tools to stay calm:
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Breathing – You’ll learn three breathing techniques: the calm breath, the surge breath, and the birth breath.
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Visualization – Through visualization, you’ll help the position of the body and the cervix to open.
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Education – Knowing what happens inside the body helps you ask the right questions. The more you know, the more relaxed you’ll feel.
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Affirmations – When you change your thoughts, you change your life. Mantras help you be a calmer pregnant woman.
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Relaxation – As practice ways to reduce stress, blood flow is better for you and your baby.
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Support from Your Birth Companion – Learn how to ask for the support you need. They’ll understand how to aid you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
To learn more, watch my video – HypnoBirthing: Taking the Birthing World by Calm.
The more you know, the more empowered you’ll feel. Your body was designed to give life. When you embrace new beliefs about bringing your baby into the world, you’ll experience a calmer, more relaxed, and empowered birth.
Interested in HypnoBirthing childbirth education courses? Find a practitioner in your area here.
Do you live in the DC Metro area? Join me for Hypnobirthing: The Mongan Method 5-class birth education series in Tysons, VA. Find more information and register here.
2 Upcoming Series:
The first series begins on April 24th.
The Second series begins in June.
Contact me at info@purenurture.com for more details.
Works Cited
https://us.hypnobirthing.com/about/hypnobirthing-techniques-benefits
