Are you to welcome a new life in your home, or is someone close to you awaiting a baby? In either case, you can consider hypnobirthing. So, without much delay, let us get you acquainted with what hypnobirthing means.
Quite a few specialists have come up with their theories of hypnobirthing. But the context is common. Hypnobirthing, mainly, refers to using hypnosis during labour. Labour for women is hard times and apparently, there is no plausible solution to such a kind of pain.
In this article:
What is it?
Methods of Hypnobirthing
Techniques of Hypnobirthing
Does it Work?
Benefits of Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing Classes
Hypnobirthing Books
Difference Between Hypnobirthing and Hypnobabies
What is it?
The logic behind hypnobirthing was the insufficient supply of blood to the lower half of the body. Hypnosis is what helps achieve relaxation, and hence a remedy quite effective. The painful experience of labor can now be dealt with hypnosis. Women who have themselves tried this method often report to have felt relaxed and calm during the entire process. In hypnobirthing, the emphasis is on achieving relaxation. Some of the methods that you can follow are mentioned below.
Methods of Hypnobirthing
- Breathing- The first and foremost is breathing. Even in normal days of stress, we compose ourselves by breathing deep a few times, isn’t it? So imagine the stress during pregnancy. Breathing deep can help relax your mind, and also help you get rid of negative thoughts.
- Verbal Therapy- These are most professional guided therapies that help you relax your mind by feeding positivity.
- Visualization- Now this can work wonders for some women! The visualization could be something like a flower opening, which will help you relate and feel natural and calm.
- Music and Meditation- Be it a celebration or giving some time to free yourself from stress, what better than music! Play one of your choices and enjoy it.
- Nature- When stressed, we always tend towards nature. Nature is, indeed, the perfect home to everyone. Spending some time amidst the chirps of birds and the rain can really help release your anxiety.
Techniques of Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing as a process focuses on controlling anxiety by achieving calmness of the mind. Apart from controlling thoughts, guiding them in a proper positive direction, relaxing the body, controlling breathing can be a major factor too.
In conditions of stress and panic, practicing it yourself may get difficult. This is what we call self-hypnosis. You can also seek professional help in this regard, for there are several hypnotherapists out there to help you during your beautiful yet stressful days.
It’s for you to choose what suits you best. Also, steer clear of any misconception about the process of childbirth. Educate yourself on the process and how it occurs, so you may not get anxiety stricken during labor.
Does it Work?
There isn’t doubt if hypnobirthing helps. Anything that helps get rid of the stressful situation of labor, in fact, speeds up the healing process after childbirth.
The method is a manipulative method, where you make the mind believe in what you feed yourself. The adrenaline rush can be dealt with if hypnobirthing is practiced properly.
The cherry on top is that hypnobirthing is no rocket science! It is quite simple to practice and you can do it at home too.
Benefits of Hypnobirthing
- Relaxes the Body and Mind- Hypnobirthing methods relaxes the entire body and the stressed mind, a craving of most laboring
- No Side Effects- Since there are no chemicals and hormones involved, it is absolutely safe for the health of the baby and the mother.
- Directs Your Energy- Why spend energy stressing over something that has got for you something amazing! Hypnobirthing will reduce your fear during labor.
- Enhanced Postpartum Recovery – The less you stress over pregnancy and labor, the better it is for your health and recovery.
Hypnobirthing Classes
Most hypnobirthing classes employ professionals in order to give you the best education on the process and how you can benefit from it.
You can ask your gynecologist for help in this regard. You can also go for online hypnobirthing classes these days.
- The first step is that they will introduce you to the functioning of your body and how childbirth is a natural and safe phenomenon.
- You will be taught next to how to prepare yourself for the wonderful experience that is to follow post-labor. All the pain is worth it!
- Treat yourself or ask your professional for a verbal or musical therapy, or try breathing deep and shed negative emotions.
- Educate yourself on the process and aftereffects on your body and mind because escape is never the way out.
Hypnobirthing Books
There are a lot of many books that you can find in stores and online about hypnobirthing and childbirth. These books can be really informative and helpful to pregnant women. But before you buy one, research carefully, for some might spread misinformation, which is no good. Although you can buy one yourself, your doctor could suggest to you the best!
To name a few, The Hypnobirthing Book: An Inspirational Guide for a Calm, Confident, Natural Birth by Katherine Graves, Hypnobirthing: The Breakthrough to Safer, Easier, More Comfortable Childbirth by Marie Mongan are two of the most popular ones. Mongan’s book is also available as an audiobook online, a very useful hypnobirthing audio.
Difference Between Hypnobirthing and Hypnobabies
The Mongan method of hypnobirthing is a kind of art that many professionals have mastered. It is not much pain during labor that the woman has to undergo when she has practiced hypnobirthing. As mentioned above, hypnobirthing can be practiced without many efforts.
The process of hypnobirthing is often confused with what is commonly known as hypnobabies. Hypnobabies is another process of practicing hypnosis during childbirth. This hypnobabies method is a Painless Childbirth Program initiative by Gerald Kein, an acknowledged hypnotherapist.
Although the idea behind both hypnobirthing and hypnobabies is similar, there exist some key points of difference. Hypnobabies does not believe in concealing or guarding information for the sake of delusion but rather emphasizes on educating women about the pain associated with the process of childbirth and how they can manage and cope with the pain.
Conclusion
If you are expecting a child too, or some dear ones of yours are, tell them about hypnobirthing and hypnobabies, because this can really help them in coping with the stress. As of drawbacks, there are none! Just make sure you are not misinformation, educate yourself, and if needed, contact a professional.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23914611
