What is hypnobirthing? Everything you need to know

Even though pregnancy and the lead up to birth can be a time of great joy and excitement, it is normal to have feelings of apprehension or anxiety when thinking about the actual labour and birth process. Hypnobirthing may be a method to consider when exploring pain management and relaxation techniques for your labour and birth. This article explores what it is and how it might offer effective techniques for pain management and relaxation.

Learn more about hypnobirthing

1. What is hypnobirthing?
2. How can it help me?
3. Can I learn hypnobirthing online?
4. The Mongan Method. Marie Mongan and HypnoBirthing®
5. What is rainbow relaxation and how can it help my experience?

1. What is hypnobirthing?

As the name suggests, hypnobirthing includes aspect of (self) hypnosis to assist during labour and birth. Despite its almost mystical name, it’s actually a down-to-earth method. Hypnobirthing is a gentle process that uses techniques such as deep breathing, visualisation, prompts from a birth partner, and labour comfort measures to elicit a deep relaxation response. This response in turn minimises anxiety and assists with pain management. The techniques of hypnobirthing are based on the fundamental premise that giving birth is a natural process and that a woman’s body is ideally designed for this purpose.

2. How can it help me?

Hypnobirthing techniques are designed so that they can be used primarily by you as a birthing mother, but also with your birth partner or companion (should you have one). As you progress through the hypnobirthing process, you and your birth companion will learn about all the necessary mental relaxation and pain management methods, and massage techniques. Your birth partner will also receive tips for communicating effectively with medical staff so that you can focus on your labour.

Your midwife or doula can also play a supportive role and assist you in implementing your techniques during your labour and birth.

Hypnobirthing empowers parents to enter labour prepared for the process, and with tangible tools. You are able to focus on your goals with the knowledge that your body knows what it is capable of. Mothers who have used it describe feeling calm, relaxed, aware, and in control. If a medical intervention becomes necessary, parents are still able to use the skills learned to remain calm and present.

Possible benefits include:

• Natural pain relief withour medication.
• Less fear and anxiety
• Feelings of relaxation and relief during labour and childbirth.
• Being alert and aware of the birth process as it happens.
• A positive and empowered birth experience creates a better postpartum experience.

3. Can I learn hypnobirthing online?

There are a number of hypnobirthing practitioners who offer online courses, either live or pre-recorded. Hypnosis or deep relaxation is similar to meditation. You may find that you are able to learn the techniques and methods for hypnobirthing without any in person classes.

Like with other online services, it is important to do your research to find a course that works for you and that is supervised by a properly trained practitioner. There are many free resources available online for hypnobirthing, but enrolling for a course supervised by a certified hypnobirthing educator will mean that you have support available to you if you should need it.

4. The Mongan Method. Marie Mongan and HypnoBirthing®.

You might have heard about Marie Mongan. She was an educator and later hypnotherapist who developed what is now one of the standard of hypnobirthing methods – the Mongan Method. After using the theories of Grantly Dick-Read to bring herself to a totally relaxed state during the births of her own children, Mongan developed the HypnoBirthing® (with capital H and B) programme. Her philosophy as described to the Chicago Tribune, was “to teach a woman to know and trust her body; her body will know how to do it”.  “HypnoBirthing®: The Mongan Method” is now in it’s 4^th edition and is written as a guide through the techniques and philosophy of Mongan’s method. HypnoBirthing® is usually taught in 5 consecutive weekly sessions of about 2.5hrs. There are also other hypnobirthing methods such as KGHypnobirthing.

5. What is rainbow relaxation and how can it help my experience?

Rainbow relaxation also frequently comes up when searching for more information around hypnobirthing. Marie Mongan wrote Rainbow relaxation as a 2-part track to condition the mind to quieten and relax. Track 1 contains affirmations. Track 2 “Rainbow Relaxation” uses the colours of the rainbow to symbolise the chakras (or energy centres of the body). Its aim is to help both mother and birth partner find balance within themselves. Your trainer might use these 2 tracks as part of the training. 

*Note: It’s important to remember that each mother and pregnancy are unique. The benefits described above may be experienced in varying degrees by different people.

Browse through our network of selected hypnobirthing trainers and book an appointment now!

Do you want to find a hypnobirthing course? Browse through our selected network of trustworthy hypnobirthing instructors. Then select the one who most closely meets your needs and plan an appointment when most convenient. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to our team at hello@parentally.nl. Help is just around the corner! 

—