Hypnobirthing explained

If you’re starting to think about the kind of birth experience you’d like and how you might approach labour and delivery, hypnobirthing may be something you’d like to find out more about.

What is hypnobirthing?

Hypnobirthing is a birthing technique that combines deep breathing, relaxation, visualisation, self-hypnosis and education for both you and your birth partner. You can use the techniques in labour and delivery to help you cope with pain.

How does hypnobirthing work?

Hypnobirthing uses techniques to shift focus away from awareness of feelings of fear, anxiety and pain that are often associated with childbirth—who hasn’t heard multiple negative birth stories?! These techniques prepare you for birth, help you feel calm and confident and empower you to feel in control for the birth of your baby.

What are the methods and techniques used in hypnobirthing?

Controlled breathing exercises

Deep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth helps you stay calm and keeps your mind focussed.

Visualisation

Visualisation techniques help you to imagine or ‘daydream’ about the birth of your baby and how it will feel and happen so that you can create a positive moment in your mind that you can revisit and rehearse over and over before you go into labour.

Deep relaxation and meditation

You’ll practice techniques to help you tune out external noise so that you can focus solely on your body and your baby.

Positive language

Hypnobirthing takes a different approach to talking and thinking about birth to reduce fear and negativity—for example, contractions are referred to as ‘waves’ or ‘sensations’ that have purpose.

Hypnobirthing techniques can be used in the early stages and when labour is established. You can use the techniques in combination with other things through your birth journey and with other types of pain relief. Hypnobirthing isn’t just for natural labour—the techniques can be used successfully if things don’t go to plan by helping you keep calm and focussed.

Does hypnobirthing work?

There isn’t an easy answer here as there are only a small number of studies which have assessed its use.  While some women believe it allowed them to have a positive birth experience and reduced their need for pain killing drugs others do not feel it helped.

Hypnobirthing as an option might appeal to you for several reasons:

• Hypnobirthing techniques can help prepare you for when labour starts and enable you to feel in control and empowered during the birth of your baby.
• If you’ve had a difficult or traumatizing birth experience before, the techniques may help you to feel less anxious or fearful.
• You may need less additional pain relief, although hypnobirthing can be used with other pain-relief options if you choose.
• You can use hypnobirthing in hospital, a birth centre or at home.
• It can be added to any birth plan.
• Attending hypnobirthing courses with your birth partner can help them take an active role.

Hypnobirthing classes and costs

How much for hypnobirth classes depends on whether you go to a privately-run class or whether it is free or at a reduced cost on the NHS.

For private classes, depending on your location and whether you learn in a group or as a sole couple, you can pay between around £250 and £500 for a course. If the NHS runs hypnobirthing antenatal courses in your area some courses are free (or the small cost of the book/CD) while others are subsidized and may cost around £100.

Any disadvantages of hypnobirthing?

The unexpected can always happen and doing a hypnobirth course won’t guarantee that everything goes to plan. That said, hypnobirthing techniques could help you stay relaxed and calm if your birth plan doesn’t unfold quite as you’d hoped.

Some women might feel disappointed that they used additional pain relief during their labour if they were keen to avoid any. Keeping an open mind will allow you to adapt your birth plan and use other methods for pain relief if you choose.

While there don’t appear to be any disadvantages of the techniques themselves, hypnobirthing and its inward focus might not appeal to everyone.

Courses take time, money and effort—you’ll need to practise at home as well as attend sessions.

This content is sponsored by Pampers®