By Nina, a passionate, experienced midwife and the mother of two babies born using hypnobirthing techniques.
Hypnobirthing has been in the news a lot recently, most people know someone who has done it and there have been a lot of celebrities being very vocal about the benefits. What is it? Why should I do it? Is it just for celebrities and hippies?
Well… let’s break it down!
What is Hypnobirthing?
Hypnobirthing is much, much more than a few techniques to use in labour. Using relaxation and breathing techniques and self-hypnosis, it’s the first step to a calm and confident birth.
Hypnobirthing doesn’t involve putting you into a deep trance state, no pocket watches and thinking you’re a chicken. It’s purely a way to access a naturally occurring deep state of relaxation, no clucking required! Your brain is the most powerful organ in your body and harnessing this power for positivity is the key to a calm and confident birthing experience for the whole family.
From my own personal perspective, I knew when I became pregnant with my first baby that although I was a midwife and therefore people delighted in telling me that I “knew what I was doing”, I was apprehensive about how I would cope with the process. I also had the disadvantage of having a “midwife brain” that I feared would over analyse the process and make it hard for me to just concentrate on having a baby.
So, I did a hypnobirthing course. My husband and I practiced our relaxation scripts and the practice and the skills we learned made an enormous difference to both of our births. My husband is now also a huge advocate, he felt informed, empowered and able to help me. As a midwife I have seen Hypnobirthing of all varieties make that profound difference to countless women I have cared for during the births of their babies.
Benefits of Hypnobirthing
For mum
- Making time during pregnancy to practice KG Hypnobirthing promotes relaxation and reduces stress and anxiety.
- Releasing fear, anxiety and negativity using the relaxations and guided visualisations leads to feeling calm and confident in labour. This in turn enables the birthing body to be as efficient as possible, progressing well in labour and producing endorphins –the body’s own anaesthetic.
- Reduced need for pain medication and intervention.
- Feeling well informed about choices and tools to cope with the unexpected helps you feel in control.
- Confidence and belief in your body and baby.
- Shorter, more positive recovery in the days after birth, tools to cope with the transition to family life.
- Significantly reduced incidence of depression in the postnatal period.
For partner
- A key active role for partners during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period enables sharing of these awesome experiences and enhances bonding for the new family.
- Understanding of the processes of pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period and different choices available reduces stress and anxiety.
- Tools and confidence to actively help and advocate for a labouring partner are invaluable.
- A calm labour and birth experience welcomes not only the baby but the newly born parents with a great sense of achievement and togetherness. A partner who may have been very anxious about the birth will be immensely proud of their role in the process.
For baby
- A calm and happy pregnancy bathes the baby in positive hormones and promotes optimal growth and oxygenation.
- Reduction in medications and interventions in KG Hypnobirthing labours increases oxygen supply to baby, bathes the birthing mother and baby in oxytocin and endorphins which optimise bonding and breastfeeding.
Author Bio
Nina is a passionate, experienced midwife and the mother of two babies born using hypnobirthing techniques. KG Hypnobirthing courses run by Your Midwives are a unique, complete antenatal education package run by an experienced midwife designed to release fear and build confidence. They offer space, time and expertise for you to prepare for a calm and confident start to your journey.
Find out more about her KGHypnobirthing Course on the Your Midwives website.
KGHypnobirthing are offering 10% for course bookings, just quote RKD2019 when you make contact.
