Hypnosis and Birth

Hi everyone,

I have been doing some research on the different birthing classes/methods out there recently.  I know that I have some time, but I like to be prepared.  J  I am interested in doing a drug-free birth, for a few reasons-1. I have experienced really negative side effects from anesthesia in the past (massive headaches, severe depression) and I really don’t want to deal with that right after giving birth and learning how to be a new mom.  2. My sister had an emergency c-section 7 years ago, and I was with her for the aftermath and it was AWFUL.  It scared the heck out of me.  3. I just really like the idea of giving birth the way women have always given birth.  I completely believe that modern medicine is wonderful and life saving, but I also think that medical interventions should be saved for when they are needed.

Anyway, I am very interested in hypnobabies, but I have a few questions about it.

1. I read on a message board somewhere that many women who have done hypnobabies get really overwhelmed during transition and they experience a great deal of pain and panic.  Has anyone seen/experienced this?  And if so, is there a way to minimize this experience?
2. I read on a childbirth options website that women who do hypnosis during childbirth are less likely to report remembering much of the labor/birth because they were so focused on the hypnosis.  For those who have done the hypnobirthing/hypnobabies did you experience any memory dulling or feeling disconnected to the birthing process?  Is there a way to reduce the disconnection and still have the relaxation/pain reduction benefits of hypnosis?
3. Part of the reason I am so interested in hypnobabies is that I have experienced the positive effects of hypnosis/meditation on my health and well-being in the past.  However, I am also VERY prone to anxiety and worry and I have had panic attacks in the past.  Is hypnosis during childbirth a good option for me, or would there be problems with my anxiety and learning and using the techniques?

TIA for your replies!

Hi Rebecca,

Welcome to the board and congratulations on your pregnancy.

While I can't give you specific information on the Hypnobabies program since my training and experience has been with HypnoBirthing only, I can answer your questions from a general point of view about hypnosis for birth. 

1.  I believe that when women are overwhelmed by pain, they're not actually using their hypnosis techniques, and/or their medical caregiver is pressuring them to do something other than simply continuing to relax and have their baby their way.

2. In my HypnoBirthing classes, I didn't find moms saying that they felt disconnected at all!  They said that their focus actually allowed them to feel very connected with their babies!  When you are extremely deeply relaxed, you can kind of "drift" and this is fine - why is it necessary to have a concrete memory of every moment of labor?  I didn't use hypnosis for my births, I had Bradley births, and I don't remember every single moment.  I think this idea of being "disconnected" is a myth - it's not actually women using hypnosis method who are saying it, its' "experts" who aren't familiar with hypnosis.  I feel that there's also the idea that if women aren't experiencing pain and suffering during labor, that they aren't really "connecting" with their labor and hypnosis method don't require you to have pain to be "connected" with your labor.

3. HypnoBirthing is simply deep relaxation, that's what basic hypnosis is.  This is usually a very effective tool for combating anxiety!  I believe that Hypnobabies is more of "hypnoanesthia" and while I can't imagine there being a problem with this, one of the Hypnobabies instructors who sometimes visit the board can likely give you some reassurance here

Thanks for the reply! 

Your answers made a lot of sense, especially the one about feeling disconnected.  I know that my previous experiences with hypnosis have actually made me more aware of my body, in a good way. J  Also, I wonder if you really need to be connected to what is happening until you need to push?  Isn’t most of the labor process just your body getting ready for the big moment?

I also am interested in the relaxation part of the hypnobirthing/hypnobaby techniques because I had kidney stones last year, (which I’ve heard the pain is similar to labor) and I noticed that when I got scared (I didn’t know what was happening-I didn’t even think it could be kidney stones) the pain became unbearable and when I was able to relax (when I finally got into the ER, when they finally saw me, and when I knew the doctor was on the way) the pain became merely uncomfortable.   So, I think that I can deal with the pain/discomfort fairly well if I have education, a sense of control and techniques to keep me relaxed. 

Anyway, thanks for the info, I really appreciate it.

I used Hypnobabies for my baby that just turned ONE two weeks ago! Since then, I have become a Hypnobabies instructor too. I wanted to reply to your concerns, from the perspective of being a new hypno-mom and an instructor too.

1) "many women who have done hypnobabies get really overwhelmed during transition and they experience a great deal of pain and panic."

Not at all, in my experience! Actually, quite the opposite. One of the suggestions you are taking in during your Hypnobabies practice is that you are going deeper into hypnosis and relaxation as your birthing time progresses. The acceptance of that suggestion came as such a surprise to me during my own birth. When I reached transition...I was so focused and deeply relaxed that it was the *easiest* part of my birth process!! So, I actually experienced my labor getting easier, not more difficult or overwhelming at all.

2)"women who do hypnosis during childbirth are less likely to report remembering much of the labor/birth because they were so focused on the hypnosis"

Again, Not at all!! This is a common myth of hypnosis. It does not make you forget! If anything, I would say you are hyper-aware. Very "in" the process, being a part of it and being connected with your baby. If anything, I think moms that experience a great deal of pain or trauma during their birth are more likely to not remember (probably because their brains can block it out to protect them) rather than a very connected, calm and peaceful mom. I would say this one is totally MYTH.

3) "I am also VERY prone to anxiety and worry and I have had panic attacks in the past. Is hypnosis during childbirth a good option for me"

I second the response that hypnosis can help combat that. And I want to add that I have also had some anxiety and panic episodes in the past. In particular, I had some anxiety surrounding this birth, and felt pressure to "perform", which contributed to my anxiety. 2 things that I would say will be really helpful for you. 1) The Fear Release! It is a special part of the Hypnobabies program that you do during pregnancy (and in the beginning of labor if you want) which allows you to address any specific fears and release them. It is very powerful and effective. 2) You can create your own positive affirmations. Hypnobabies has an affirmations CD (for pregnancy and birth) which will help you have a positive outlook on your pregnancy and birth. However, it will also help you to create your own positive affirmations that are specific to you. That really helped me with my anxiety. I wrote down the specific affirmations that helped calm me down when I felt panicky and I repeated them as part of my birth mantra in early labor. It helped me to not go down that road to panic.

Those were good questions. I hope my answers are helpful to you! I highly recommend the Hypnobabies program.

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