What Is Hypnobirthing?

In essence, Hypnobirthing uses the tools of hypnosis to help women remove fear from their births, and teaches practical tools and techniques to make the birth process smoother, calmer and for many women, an empowering and transformative life event. Hypnobirthing also provides birth education that is rooted in science, and no matter what type of birth you end up having, you can use the techniques to keep you calm and feeling in control throughout. 

When did Hypnobirthing emerge?

Hypnobirthing is still a relatively unheard of term, surprisingly. I say this because most times I tell someone what I do for work, I’m met with a slightly perplexed look before I  explain what it is. Unless you’re a mother that’s experienced hypnobirthing, or read about it, very few people talk about it, despite the fact that it was being used as early as the 1850s. Hypnosis techniques were also being taught for birth preparation until the 1960s but after this point birth became more medicalised and drugs became standardised in birth. 

A pioneer in the Hypnobirthing space was Marie Mongon, who was a licensed hypnotherapist in the United States, and mother of 4 children: 2 of which she birthed in the 1960’s without medication, which was unheard of at the time. When her daughter later became pregnant, Marie developed a method to help her labour without medication and without pain, and then released a book in 1989. Shortly after, Katherine Graves pioneered an approach in the UK (I studied under her method).

In the nineties, the use of hypnosis in pregnancy and birth started gaining wider popularity again and nowadays it’s definitely gaining traction due to the overmedicalisation of birth in developed countries. Social media also plays a big role in spreading the awareness of hypnobirthing all of which is extremely encouraging, as I believe women need this education now, more than ever.

It’s interesting that our female birthing ancestors and ancient day midwives would have likely used the same tools taught in hypnobirthing, and passed down their wisdom with each generation. In contrast, this sacred knowledge is now being delivered via courses which shows just how far removed women have become from each other collectively, over something so intrinsically personal to women and that only women are blessed enough to experience. It’s time that women reclaimed birth as a rite of passage. You can read more about this here (insert Rachel Reed link).

How hypnosis is used in Hypnobirthing

The term hypnosis is one that some people are initially sceptical of, as many of us are familiar with stage hypnotism, however hypnobirthing couldn’t be further from that. In fact, hypnosis is a state that we drift in and out of at various points throughout the day, for example, when you first wake up, or are dozing before sleep - think of it like a sort of trance state. Similarly, when you watch TV, are driving a familiar route, do something creative like make music, have sex, or make art etc, the thinking mind switches off, and you change your brainwaves from normal ‘Beta’ waking state, to a combination of ‘Alpha’ and ‘Theta’, that sit between 7Hz to 8Hz. At this frequency, you are conscious of your surroundings, however your body is in deep relaxation. It’s when you are completely relaxed and it’s also the time your mind is at its most open to suggestion. Once this mental state has been activated, it is much easier to affect your subconscious mind, and reprogramme hidden fears.

But you have to be really willing and open to the subject you’re trying to hypnotise yourself about, or without that genuine desire, it won’t be effective. This is why if someone tries to give up smoking but in reality there are reasons deep in their subconscious mind that means they aren’t fully committed, they won’t be successful. Maybe they view smoking as a fun way to catch up with friends over a beer, being in the ‘smokers area’ of the pub garden means they are part of a little tribe and actually that feeling of belonging is more important to them than cutting out smoking. 

Hypnosis, and self-hypnosis, will never work unless you’re open to change and really want it to work, as it takes practice and work on your part.

Let’s consider how the mind works and apply it to most people’s views on birth. Using the iceberg analogy is helpful. The tip of the iceberg is the ‘conscious’ mind and the part of the brain that is responsible for logic, reasoning, analysing and action. Now, the vast, submerged part of the iceberg is what is known as the ‘subconscious’ mind. Our ‘subconscious’ mind has been conditioned with all held beliefs and views of the world through everything we have seen, heard and experienced since we were born. You could call it the ‘hard drive’ of the brain, where information on all topics are stored and filed. 

When we need to make a decision in our awake and ‘conscious’ mind, the brain does a quick scan of the subconscious hard drive, first and foremost, to determine whether we are safe and then will act according to that view. This all happens in around a fraction of a nano-second. The subconscious mind therefore plays an enormous role in what action we take, and in fact, 88-97% of what we do each day is based on the ‘truths’ that have been filed away in our subconscious over the years. In the context of birth, if you’ve only ever seen birth depicted in the media as scary and dangerous, and most birth stories you’ve heard have been described as a painful and horrible experience, then that is what your subconscious mind believes and this is going to affect your approach and mindset around giving birth. 

Healing the subconscious mind of fear is therefore at the heart of hypnobirthing. By using tried and tested relaxation mp3s, breathwork, positive visualisations, mantras, and positive affirmations about birth, we reprogram the mind to think and feel differently. These become anchors that help to keep your mind calm and ground you throughout birth. This process of achieving deep relaxation opens the mind up to suggestion that the positive affirmations can affect, and it is through applying a daily practice in this relaxed ‘window of opportunity’,  that you can heal fears and beliefs that are stored deep in the subconscious mind, and reframe birth as a positive event.

What is the best type of Hypnobirthing course to do?

Hypnobirthing courses are offered online as self-guided courses and also with an instructor (per couple or in a group). Most people will begin halfway through their pregnancy around the 20/25 week mark, to allow enough time for the learnings to become ingrained before birth. However it’s never too late to get started, as something will definitely stick that could work as an anchor for you while birthing. Not to mention, the additional information around the birth process, potential risks, your rights, and how to advocate for yourself, can make all the difference to your birth experience, and optimum start for your baby. 

There are a few factors to consider when deciding on a course, aside from the financial cost and availability. If you’re self-motivated and highly disciplined, then a short online course could work for you, as dedicating yourself to putting in the practice is key to cultivating a new mindset that will positively impact your birth. 

However, most people will see the best results working with a coach or instructor over a 10-12 hour course. When you consider that you are already managing a great deal as you prepare for the birth of your baby, having a friendly supporter to guide you through the process and keep you accountable, can make everyday more enjoyable and transformative. I cannot emphasise enough how transformative it is to receive in-depth, deep-dive sessions where you talk and learn about the physiology of birth, and have your very own ‘birth cheerleader’ who can advise on what to expect, signpost you to where you can find additional information, and be available for questions and ongoing support. And while not all hypnobirthing classes go deeper into the detail, understanding the science of birth, and importantly learning about the limitations of current maternity systems worldwide, and how these can be a threat to you achieving your birth preferences, are indispensable. So choosing a hypnobirthing course and instructor that goes the extra mile with insight and understanding, can be incredibly helpful. 

At Conscious Birth Hub, the 'conscious approach' combines three pillars which form the basis of everything I teach.

*being conscious of the physiological process of giving birth

*being conscious of our rights and advocating for our choice of birth

*feeling consciously-connected to our intuitive knowings​​​

Because when we are conscious of these aspects, we can confidently advocate for ourselves to bring the best outcome for our birth and our baby, no matter how we choose to give birth.

Hypnobirthing techniques can help you to have an enjoyable, and even transformational vaginal birth, but can also help to manage the fear of surgery for a caesarean section, and manage the associated pain afterwards. 

Does Hypnobirthing guarantee a natural vaginal birth?

For many women Hypnobirthing is viewed as supporting you to have a natural vaginal birth without any drugs or interventions, however the learnings of relaxation, positive mindset and affirmations/visualisations can be applied to support you through any type of birth. And while hypnobirthing is incredibly helpful for achieving a natural, vaginal birth, nothing can 100% guarantee it.

Sadly, if a natural vaginal birth isn’t experienced some women can often feel they have failed and that their bodies have failed them, resulting in a negative birth experience, even though this in’t the case It’s therefore important to be really clear that doing a focused hypnobirthing course cannot guarantee this type of birth will unfold, as it depends on each woman's set of circumstances, and so many variables. 

Unfortunately, with hospital births, too often external factors - such as a ‘fear culture’ around birth, a rude or discouraging remark by a midwife/doctor, threat of interventions when birth isn’t progressing at the speed doctors/ midwives want it to, lack of emotional support and specifically a lack of privacy - I could go on -  can throw a birthing woman out of sync with her calm and altered birthing state, when she was actually managing perfectly well initially, using hypnobirthing techniques. 

If these challenges occur, the analysing and thinking part of her brain switches on (this is the part of the brain you really need switched off when birthing!) and all effort to stay calm and feel safe becomes compromised. This in turn can lead to her body tensing up, slowing down the birth process, and it can become difficult to regain composure and find the flow needed to connect with your body and baby again. The parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxed one, which counteracts the ‘flight or flight’ response) is needed for your body to birth easily and as nature intended. 

Science tells us that when the body is tense, the uterus muscles don’t work as they should, the process slows down, and birth is actually painful for that reason. And then the more pain you feel, the more likely you are to agree to interventions. If this is the path your birth takes, while it can feel disappointing, it’s important to remember that hypnobirthing tools can help to calm the nervous system, and potentially return you to the path you were originally on for a natural birth, but regardless of the type of birth you end up having, the tools  can help through the birth, and beyond.

Having a supportive birthing partner who will advocate for your wishes, being fully informed about the benefits as well as the risks that come with interventions, and learning to trust your baby, your body and the process, will lead to the best outcome. If you put in the hours of practice to heal your mind of any fears, learn to relax deeply around birth and most importantly, believe in yourself, then hypnobirthing will likely enable you to stay calm and in control, leading to a powerful natural vaginal birth, if that’s your preference. 

In the words of Marie Morgan, ‘ when you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change’. 

So beautifully worded and so true! You can do this mamas! 

Love, Melina x