04/08/2019
Credit to Cherishing Birth
I felt compelled to write this after reading an interesting thread in a hypnobirthing group.
A couple of mums had expressed that hypnobirthing hadn't worked for them because they had felt pain during labour, so I wanted to talk to you about expectations and what hypnobirthing is actually all about.
Firstly hypnobirthing is not an analgesic (although it can often make birth more comfortable), it's about teaching you how to birth without fear, because when you are in the fear state, any physical experience is going to be more challenging.
When we fight against what our bodies are doing, we compromise the way our muscles are able to work. If our muscles are tight, there will be more discomfort because we aren't allowing them to work properly. When we are afraid, we are in mental distress and that is most definitely not the best state to be in to give birth.
Why do we use different words for labour pains such as surges and waves? When your attention is drawn to the expectation of pain, you are likely to find it. By using different language, we don't create fear and we don't raise the expectation of pain, because every woman and every birth is different. If you have talked about birth with your friends who have already experienced it, you will know this. Some will say it was easy, some will say it wasn't.
So we can talk about pain, but reframe it to something positive. The experience of bringing your baby into the world is a whole different thing to having appendicitis! Sensations in birth are productive and that is what we focus on.
On another note, someone remarked that a pain free birth is not possible. I do actually have to argue that, as my birth was apparently completely pain free 😊
Will I be guaranteed an easy birth? The answer has to be no! Birth is a physiological event that can take many twists and turns as it unfolds. There are so many physical variables that make each birth totally unique.
And of course, when you are in effect training your mind, which requires repetition, if you haven't committed to regularly practicing your hypnobirthing techniques then they are unlikely to be effective; just reading a book isn't hypnobirthing.
So, we've talked about what hypnobirthing can't guarantee, so why would you want to do it?
🌼 Hypnobirthing teaches you about the physiology of birth and knowledge gives you confidence. Even women who have already given birth will learn things that they weren't aware of.
🌼 You will learn techniques that will release your natural painkillers and help you to manage the sensations of birth.
🌼 You will learn how to relax and allow your body to work in the most effective way possible.
🌼 You will learn your birth rights and how to ask questions that will empower you to make the right decisions for you and your baby.
🌼 Your birth parner will learn how to be your support and advocate rather than just an observer.
🌼 If your birth should take a different route to the one you had planned, you will be in a better place mentally to accept that.
So in a nutshell, hypnobirthing isn't a magic wand, but if you research the feedback of the thousands of parents who have used it for first, second, third and more births, it always makes a difference
