Perinatal
The aim of hypnosis in childbirth preparation, or Hypnonaissance as it is commonly called, is to help you give birth in a relaxing, calm environment, free from stress, anxiety or fear. Anxiety, tension and stress during childbirth, and all the other feelings that are very common at this time, can prevent your body's muscles from functioning as they should. The hope is that by taking a hypnosis for childbirth course, you can learn techniques to promote a sense of calm and tranquility.
On this page, we'll look at hypnosis in more detail, how stress influences pain and how hypnosis for childbirth can help you gain confidence and feel more empowered.
Table of contents
The benefits of hypnosis during pregnancy
Hypnosis is said to have a number of benefits, some of which are mentioned below. Everyone is different, and it's important that you do what works best for you. If you have any questions before, during or after hypnosis sessions, ask your therapist or midwife.
The advantages of hypnosis are as follows:
More chance of a shorter delivery.
Reduced risk of surgical or medical intervention.
More chance of feeding the baby and getting a good night's sleep.
Increased sense of attachment between mother, partner and child.
Reduced recovery time for the mother.
Since it's an all-natural approach, there's no risk of harmful side effects, which appeals to many expectant mothers.
There's a lot to talk about when it comes to childbirth, but remember that there's no right or wrong way to go about it. If you're pregnant, exploring all your options, and learning more about different approaches is a great first step to knowing how you want your birth to go.
Ultimately, we're all different, and it's important to listen to you and know what you want from your childbirth experience. It has to be a magical, empowering experience, so any way you can harness this wonderful experience is worth exploring.
HypnoNaissance® courses
HypnoBirthing® classes enable mothers to experience birth in an atmosphere of gentleness, calm and joy, thanks to a program based on self-hypnosis, deep relaxation, breathing techniques and visualization.
Hypnosis for managing pre- and post-natal anxiety
The major life changes that accompany pregnancy can generate a great deal of anxiety or stress. Changes for anxiety can help build confidence and self-belief, while reducing feelings of intense fear and worry. It can help you develop the ability to access the relaxed state of mind needed to overcome the often overwhelming emotions that accompany anxiety.
The link between stress and pain
During childbirth, if you feel anxious, highly stressed or even frightened, stress hormones, particularly adrenaline, will be released in your body. Adrenalin is the hormone that puts us in "fight or flight" mode. This means your blood will be pushed to the largest muscle groups in your limbs, in case you need to flee the imminent "threat".
In this case, this "threat", perceived as such, gives way to something you can't escape, no matter how fast you might escape! Since blood flows more easily to these muscle groups, your uterus doesn't receive as much blood or oxygen as it needs, which can make its muscles less effective.
Stress hormones can also make the body less able to produce the "love hormone", which eases the pain of childbirth. While stress occurs naturally during childbirth, keeping it low can help your body cope better with the process, and reduce your perception of pain.
