H Y P N O - B I R T H I N G

A  C e l e b r a t i o n  o f  L I f e

Hypno-Delivery is as much a philosophy as it is a technique. Based on the concept of natural birthing, this method teaches you that in the absence of fear and tension, pain, stress and worry does not necessarily have to be an accompaniment of labor.

I N  O B S T E T R I C S

Reduction or eradication of fear, tension and pain before, during and after labor and delivery.

There are many advantages to the use of hypnosis in early pregnancy, by early I mean as soon as confirmation is obtained, normally around 3 to 4 weeks gestation, this will not only in most cases guarantee a good outcome at birth but will alleviate most of the normal aches, discomforts and anxieties.

The emotional highs & lows may however, need further investigation using Hypnoanalysis, to allay any endogenous anxieties, tensions or depression, relating to prior life traumas and experiences. For a successful outcome in childbirth, I feel that analysis is essential and should be carried out on every client, as early into the pregnancy as possible, once this has been carried out and all fears, anxieties and tensions have been alleviated, pregnancy can become a wonderful and pleasant experience.

It is normal for midwives during ante-natal clinic attendance's during this trimester of pregnancy, to expect all sorts of moans and groans plus fluctuating blood pressure and so on, they are pleasantly surprised to see a mom-to-be relaxed and in control, this is also evident when the baby is monitored, midwives immediately comment on how relaxed the baby is, even at this early stage.

The next trimester of the pregnancy, is relatively uneventful, this gives the Hypnotherapist plenty of time, to increase depth of trance, to teach self hypnosis and to produce analgesia & anesthesia in preparation for the 3rd trimester and imminent birth.

The 3rd trimester can be quite daunting, with many minor ailments but to the mom-to-be these ailments can be the most troublesome, with heartburn, flatulence, hemorrhoids, backache, swollen feet & legs, blood pressure, headaches, fluctuations in temperature, aching joints & aching of the breasts, almost all of these ailments are due to the increased weight as the baby grows.

The last few weeks of the pregnancy can be frustrating particularly with first time moms, It?fs now a waiting game, this is the time for the Hypnotherapist to keep the clients mind occupied using visualization of the birth without Pain, ensuring to cover all eventualities (complication) and to give suggestions to alter the clients perception of the contractions, from that of painful and prolonged to enjoyable tingling sensations, at this point involve their birthing partners, by teaching them how to put their partner into the trance state and how to reinforce positive suggestions, throughout the labor, all of which can now be done by the installation of triggers and posthypnotic suggestions.

If everything to this point has gone well, there is now no reason not to expect a successful outcome, the only reasons for failure at this point are that the client has not been practicing self hypnosis or that there are still some unresolved anxieties.

Again the birth itself is a waiting game, slow labor (un-established labor) can last from 1 hour to 72 hours and in some cases even longer, therefore during this time there is no point in inducing the trance state, until such time that labor has been fully established, the clients self hypnosis will work well during this waiting period. You will note, if the client has practiced self hypnosis successfully during pregnancy, that their breathing into each contraction is exceptional and natural as well as enjoyable, this should now continue throughout the labor.

It is essential during early labor that the midwife check the client at regular intervals as the client could be more advanced in labor than the midwife realizes, It is common for midwives to believe that the client is not in established labor because of the belief that they should feel pain.
As soon as the midwife has confirmed established labor, the trance state should now be induced, many Hypnotherapist believe that the coma or plenary trance should be used, this I feel takes away the experience of birth, the somnambulistic state however allows the client to see, hear and participate in the birth by being able to converse, drink if needed and enjoy the experience in a wakeful state with eyes open and with full memory of events.

Once labor is fully underway, constant positive suggestions should be given to relieve aching or discomfort, stresses or tensions and to breath into each and every contraction, as well as to follow all instructions given by the medical team. It is essential to keep the client in the trance state until well after the placenta has been born.

Once the placenta has been born, suggestions can be given to stimulate lactation (if breast feeding) by simply suggesting a tingling sensation in the breasts, asking the client to confirm the sensation, should repair be required after an episiotomy, analgesia can now be suggested in that area.

Once all is complete then suggestions of well-being and energy can be given with wonderful results, the client will be up and about straight after the birth with no tiredness or fatigue, suggestions for control of bleeding can also be given.