When I first qualified as a HypnoBirthing® practitioner I immediately phoned all my friends to find an expectant couple to practice on. The first was Annabel and her husband. Unfortunately they declined without giving me a reason. Later I discovered that Annabel had been worried that she would not be aware of her baby’s birth under hypnosis and I didn’t get an opportunity to explain that this was not the case; she would if anything, be ‘hyperaware’ of the birth in her altered state of consciousness.

So my first couple was Catherine and Abe. They knew nothing about HypnoBirthing® but were up for some free education. They quickly recognized the value of the material they were being taught and embraced its tenets. Catherine diligently listened to the CD and they practiced the relaxation techniques. And let’s face it, deep relaxation exercises cannot be considered onerous in any way.

Catherine and Abe attended all four lessons they learnt about the history of childbirth and why it has come to be so painful over the centuries. How this has not been helped by the rise of medical intervention in birth in the twentieth century. They learned all about hypnosis, what it is and how it helps and, most importantly, how to do it. They also learnt practical facts about pregnancy and birth. Abe learnt his role in the birthing room.

Annabel had planned a waterbirth at home. Unfortunately things did not go well, she was taken to hospital by ambulance and after a fourteen hour labour was given an epidural and the baby was delivered by ventouse (where they help the baby out with a special suction cap). Annabel was deeply disappointed in her birthing experience, had been very frightened, and felt completely out of control of what was happening to her body.

Catherine planned to have the baby in hospital. The baby’s hand was trapped under his head and after fourteen hours an epidural was administered and the baby was delivered by ventouse. So on the face of it Annabel and Catherine had similar labours but their experiences were vastly different. Catherine was delighted with her experience and felt calm, in control and totally supported by the hospital staff throughout.

She writes:
“Even though I did not have birth without medical intervention I and my baby benefited from the HypnoBirthing techniques we practiced. I also knew that it was my decision to opt for the medical assistance that was offered me and had not been goaded into anything. I still felt positive at the end of my labour and was overjoyed when I saw my baby boy he was very alert at birth and is a very relaxed child.” The baby boy is the beautiful Dylan in the picture and he is a very calm baby indeed.

So while HypnoBirthing® can claim dramatically fast and easy childbirth experiences for some women; it also encompasses those births which may need extra help. The key is empowerment; couples feel knowledgeable, relaxed and in control, having strategies they can rely on.

For more information about HypnoBirthing, contact Teresa McCrone at The Apex Practice of Clinical Hypnotherapy 020 7467 8526 or 07941 058 737.

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I first met Teresa McCrone at a business networking event over a year ago. I remember being instantly impressed by her professionalism and enthusiasm for her work. I’m really pleased that she has kindly agreed to write these guest blogs and would urge anyone who would like to make their birthing experience a more pleasant one to get in touch with her. Her credentials are superb, and I have no doubt she will be a great help to any pregnant Mums out there. Here is her story.

HypnoBirthing is an international organization training couples in hypnosis for childbirth. It is based on the findings of Dr Grantly Dick-Read and obstetrician working in the Royal London hospital in the 1920’s. His now famous story is: he went out one rainy night to attend a young woman in labour under a railway arch. She was dressed in a flour sack and old skirt. There was nothing else there, this was her home. She was so poor; the doctor, out of pity, offered her chloroform: the highly dangerous pain relief used in childbirth at that time. He was very surprised when she emphatically refused. He then goes onto describe how this woman then goes into a hypnotic trance and gently and easily births her baby. When he expressed surprise to her that she refused the painkiller she replied, ‘It wasn’t supposed to hurt was it doctor?’

The birth was an extraordinary thing to this young doctor who was amazed at the contrast between this calm young woman and the difficult births of the educated middle class women he attended in the hospital. He concluded that the young woman who gave birth easily had never learned to be afraid of childbirth and this allowed her to have an easy birth.

Dick-Read was right! Even though hormones had not yet been discovered, he realized the truth - that the hormones associated with fear (in particular adrenaline) cause the cervix to tighten and impede cervical dilatation in labour, causing pain.

Hypnobirthing is a comprehensive programme that teaches couples firstly that childbirth is not a medical event but a family event. Women’s bodies work perfectly and birth need not be painful and exhausting. We teach parents the long history of why women have come to fear childbirth. It starts a long time before Dick-Read’s work. Mothers are then taught about hypnosis.

Hypnosis is a state of relaxed focus – fasttrack meditation if you will. It has unfortunately got a questionable reputation from the ‘hypnosis shows’. However, one does not lose control during hypnosis (the participant’s in those shows are up for making a fool of themselves). Hypnosis is the antidote to those fear hormones that stop the uterus working properly in childbirth.

Mothers are taught a variety of techniques of self-hypnosis and birth companions are taught to hypnosis techniques to enhance the trance state in the birthing mothers. Mothers are also given a CD to listen to daily. The point of this is to be able to quickly and easily become deeply relaxed. Deep relaxation gets deeper and easier with practice – practice is essential.

Parents are also hypnotized as a group in the classes to familiarize them with the trance state and help them create a positive mental attitude to their forthcoming birth.

Other key thing on the syllabus include breathing techniques for different times during birth, a special massage technique that promotes the release of endorphins which promote relaxation and a healthy birth and importantly clear instructions for the role of the father in the birthing room. The birthing companion is essential but unfortunately don’t often know quite what their role is and end up feeling like a spare part. HypnoBirthing spells out the role and it’s importance.

As well as this, parents are taught about pregnancy and birth. HypnoBirthing provides total ante-natal classes. Parents are taught about diet and exercise as well as mental preparation. Also about what to expect when you give birth and what is actually happening to the body. Finally, special circumstances are covered any signs that suggest that mum might need to go to the hospital or seek medical help.

For more information about HypnoBirthing, contact Teresa McCrone at The Apex Practice of Clinical Hypnotherapy 020 7467 8526 or 07941 058 737

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