Hypnosis and Childbirth

Morning
I havent used i as a therapist yet, but my tutor is a good example of it working. The midwife was round visiting her as she was due and planning on a home birth; my tutor was flitting around the house, sorting out stuff for courses/pupils etc. The midwife said I'll just check you before Igo, and I'll pop back later, so has a look and says, I'll just get my stuff as the head was presenting! my tuor was quite happy and had a trouble free delivery. Fo early days after, you can use it for boosting confidence an dreducing anxiety, hope that helps
Simon

Hi Sue

I had hypnotherapy and taught self hypnosis for childbirth some 20 years ago when I had my son. For me, it was absolutely brilliant.

The reason I decided to try it was because I had such a traumatic birth with my daughter four years previously, I was terrified I would have the same experience.

It was so different and the midwife attending me was really positive about it. I was in such a state of deep relaxation, I didn't feel a thing, until another midwife, passing my room thought I was asleep, which she said wasn't 'normal'. My husband had gone for a coffee, my midwife was dealing with another patient, and this other midwife thought she would 'interviene', she shook me 'awake' and totally brought me out of my relaxed state, because I was so far on, I couldn't put myself back and then needed the happy gas.

My husband was furious when he came back as was my midwife, who tore a strip off the other midwife for interfering in patient care.

That was the only down side for me. Other than that I would fully recommend it for anyone to try. It made for a very 'relaxing' (if you can call childbirth relaxing!!) and positive experience for me. Certainly helped with the breast feeding too.

Hope you find this helpful.

Joyce

Natal Hypnotherapy

Oh yes, I have used it with my last birth and I loved it! I used the Natal Hypnotherapy CD's and they were fantastic. I used the pregnancy and preparation for birth ones every day for 5 weeks before the birth and it really helped with those last weeks of pregnancy. For the labour, an induced labour in hospital, I used the CD on my walkman while I was lying on the bed. Labour started right away but the midwife didnt believe I was in labour because the contractions only lasted 15 seconds each and any time I went to tell the midwife labour had started she must have thought that I looked too calm and happy, so just told me it was prostin pains. This went on for a few hours until the pain worsened. SHe kept saying I wasnt in labour, even when my waters broke. She finally believed me when things were getting more intense and I couldnt get off the bed, so she went to phone my husband and mum to tell them to come in because I was in labour. She told them I was in very early labour and not to rush to the hospital. Unfortunately they ended up missing the birth because I gave birth 10 minutes later! What happened was as soon as the midwife went to call them, I started pushing, although I couldnt let them know because I was was in a trance like state and merging with the pain. Plus I couldnt work out why I was pushing when I had been examined and found out to be 2cm dilated just about 10/15 minutes before that. I had to put my CD off at that point but was still using the techniques inside my head. The midwives heard me pushing (lol), came running in, got me in a wheelchair and rushed me to the pool room because I was meant to be having a waterbirth. Baby had other ideas and was coming out quickly so I ended up giving birth to him standing up next to the pool. I still had my pyjamas on because I was not meant to be in labour and they had kept telling me to go to sleep for the night, so thats why I hadnt changed into my labour gear. They were frantically trying to get my PJ bottoms off because the head was coming. LOL. I didnt even know that the head had come out until they told me, as there was no pain at that point, but I felt his body coming out. It was all over so quickly with very managable pain. The midwife told me I was so calm all the way through and she was surprised with that. I was gutted my husband and mum missed the birth and that I didnt get my waterbith, but happy that I had a wonderful natural birth. I got to give birth to the placenta naturally and let the cord stop pulsating before being cut. I also got to breastfeed my son in the pool, since they had finished running it by then and it was just sitting there calling me.

The hypnotherapy definitely helped with the end of pregnancy, pain relief in labour, shortened contractions and speeded things up. I highly recommend it and would use it again if I have another baby. However I will not let my husband go home the next time so he doesnt miss the birth! I used the post natal CD a few times after the birth and that was nice too, although I preferred the ones for pregnacy and labour and birth better.

Oh I forgot to say that the only medical pain relief I had was 2 paracetamol. I didn't really need them and only took them because I had been induced and thought that the labour would be more painful (a previous induction I had had been really painful). I also used natural remedies like reiki, homoeopathy, aromatherapy and herbs along with the hypnotherapy and I think the comination of all that made for a great and quick labour and birth.

It is an absolutely wonderful way to prepare for birth. I used it and it wasn't at all what I expected, it was so relaxing.

Be aware that there are many different methods of hypnosis for birth, including HypnoBirthing, Natal Hypnotherapy, Hypnobabies, and many hypnotherapists that work in this area. Not everyone knows this and it can make a difference. Some of them use creativity as a key part of the process while others still feel that they need to included info on more medicalised approaches.

Cds are great if you haven't got a lot of time for classes, but there is a real difference between the rates of intervention between women who have done cds and those who have done classes. I think that the rates of sections for cds are around 17% while with classes they are nearer 10%.

If you do a class or see a good therapist 1-2-1 you will be taught how to use proper deep breathing to get yourself into hypnosis quickly and using hypnosis in different positions. Classes also give your partner much more opportunity to get involved.

It's just so sad that more women don't know about this technique.

If you are interested in why it works, read Dr Grantly **** Read's book. Childbirth without Fear - it's fascinating and it the basis for most hypnosis for birth programmes.

Good luck,

Sophie

Thanks for your comments everyone.
I'm a Clinical Hypnotherapist and I do lots of work with pregnant women - I love this area of work. I've had some great feedback, but as was pointed out - different therapists have different ways of working.
My mums-to-be visit me for 3 or 4 sessions, and they are all taught self hypnosis and pain relief methods. And they have CDs to listen to , which reinforces the feelings.
Nice to see that people have had good results.
Love Sue

hypno birthing

there is a very good forum on the internet wich will tell you all you need to know about hypnobirthing just do a search for hypnobirthing forum or the morgan method and you should find it

Wonderful Experience

I also used hypnobirthing with a wonderful teacher from Yorkshire and I can't recommend it highly enough. I had a traumatic time of it with the birth of my first child, and didn't want to go through that with my second. So a work colleague recommended I think about this instead. My husband, a born sceptic, was even impressed by it!