Incredibly, there
is a way to reduce anxiety during pregnancy, experience
comfortable childbirth without any pain medication and
minimise the risk of post-natal depression. And it’s
available to every single mother-to-be at minimal cost.
Surprised? Well you may be
even more surprised to discover that it’s not a new
development but a simple therapy that has been around for
centuries. This miracle cure for all the modern-day trials
of childbirth was pioneered by Dr Grantly Dick-Read, the
founder of the National Childbirth Trust no less.
He was a leading proponent
of the use of hypnotherapy in labour when he wrote
‘Childbirth Without Fear’, originally published in 1933.
Inspired by the good
doctor, the HypnoBirthing movement gathered pace in the US
in the latter part of the 20th century. Created
by hypnotherapist Marie Mongan, it provides a structured
training programme for practitioners as well as books and
CDs offering practical advice and information for expectant
parents.
Extensive research, mainly
in the US but including some small studies in the UK,
demonstrates without exception the many benefits of hypnosis
in childbirth. Despite this and the fact that there are a
growing number of hypnotherapists trained to support
maternity services, HypnoBirthing is not available within
the NHS.
Midwives in Scotland who
dipped into their own pockets to pay for hypnotherapy
training earned numerous testimonials from happy parents for
their trouble. But, as is the case with the majority of
alternatives to drug-centred treatment, the medical
establishment is reluctant to acknowledge hypnotherapy as a
valid treatment for any kind of condition. And this is even
though a study conducted back in the 1950s gave it
sufficient credibility for the BMA to recommend that
hypnosis techniques should be taught to all medical
students. Needless to say, the recommendation was never
taken up.
However, the National
Childbirth Trust is a testament to parent power, proving
that sizeable numbers of us would prefer to keep medical
intervention in childbirth to a minimum using safe, simple,
tried and tested methods. On the whole, our heroic midwives
support this aim and we are fortunate indeed to have all the
technology NHS budgets can afford to provide life-saving
treatment when things don’t go to plan. That said, if you do
a straw poll of any number of mums in your acquaintance
you’ll find an unsettling number pale at the memory of their
labour and, if pressed, will reveal something traumatic
about the birth of their cherished little ones.
In fact, I’d describe my
own two experiences of childbirth as harrowing to say the
least and believe they would have been very different if I
had the knowledge I have since gained as a clinical
hypnotherapist. So let me explain how hypnotherapy helps
mother and baby, making the job easier for attending
midwives and ultimately reducing complications and
subsequent costs.
Dr Dick-Read rejected the
need for pain relieving drugs during childbirth on the
grounds that pain was principally a product of preconceived
fear and tension. He called it the 'fear-tension-pain'
syndrome and believed that women who were properly prepared
could control labour pain themselves without having to
resort to medication. Our innate fear of childbirth is a
belief derived from cultural conditioning. There are
non-westernised cultures where it is considered normal for
babies to be delivered without pain. But, for us, the term
‘labour’ automatically conjures up thoughts of pain and
struggle. And we relate hospitals to sickness and death, not
life. So, two evocative negative images already exist deep
within our psyche, in the subconscious, where thoughts and
beliefs gathered through a lifetime are deeply embedded. It
is this part of the mind where hypnosis does its work and
where hypnotherapy can begin to transform the birth
experience by dislodging negative conditioning.
Contrary to popular belief
and a mystique cultivated by stage performers, hypnosis is
no more extraordinary an experience than day-dreaming. It is
a trance-like state between waking and sleeping which we
frequently go into quite naturally during the course of a
day. What is exceptional about hypnosis is that it enables
us to access the subconscious part of our brain and change
our way of thinking through imagery and suggestion. We
cannot consciously ‘unthink’ long held beliefs any more than
we can learn not to read any more. We cannot, through sheer
force of willpower, decide not to feel pain. But hypnosis
enables us to overcome fears and focus our attention away
from pain to a degree that makes it possible to block it out
completely. This is powerful stuff so it’s worth stating
loudly that no-one can be hypnotised against their will or
be forced whilst under hypnosis to behave or think in a way
they do not wish to.
The act of becoming
hypnotised is, in effect, self-hypnosis, whether induced by
a therapist, by listening to a CD or simply by relaxing and
using well-practiced techniques. This alone reduces tension
and creates a feeling of well-being and calm. Ante-natal
hypnotherapy sessions enable pregnant women to fine tune
this natural ability. With the guidance of a clinician,
anyone can learn to use what is described as the
‘hypnoreflexogenous protocol’ to create a ‘conditioned
reflex’. Put simply, it is possible through hypnosis to
prepare emotionally to remain in control of and respond
confidently to the physical process of childbirth. So, women
giving birth can overcome the ‘fear-tension-pain’ syndrome
using self hypnosis to achieve the best possible outcome in
their given circumstances. There are even examples of
caesarean sections being carried out using hypnosis alone as
anaesthetic. But this is at the extreme end of the spectrum
of uses of hypnosis because of the degree of preparation
required for a patient to undergo any kind of surgery in
this manner.
All you have to do is
Google ‘HypnoBirthing’ or ‘hypnosis and childbirth’ and you
will find numerous clinical studies revealing to varying
degrees, but nonetheless quite staggering, statistical
success stories. Time after time you will find evidence of
considerably shorter labours, particularly for primigravid
women, with the first stage reduced by three hours or more.
Typically, twice as many women using hypnosis require no
pain medication and the majority delivery spontaneously
without any surgical intervention. Interestingly, though
perhaps not surprisingly, higher Apgar scores are recorded
for ‘hypnobabies’.
What is clear from
research findings is that hypnosis is a safe and effective
way to decrease the perception of pain whilst increasing
your ability to manage the sensations of labour. With plenty
of practice, it is possible for some women to use self
hypnosis to eliminate pain completely and experience only
pressure during contractions. While not all of us can
achieve this, we are all capable of decreasing our
perception of pain and increasing our coping skills.
When tense, anxious or
frightened, our bodies create a ‘fight or flight’ response.
Animal research shows that, if threatened by predators,
mammals will flood their bodies with ‘fight or flight’
chemicals to stop labour so they can get themselves and
their babies to safety. This was also demonstrated during
the Blitz when it was noted that women in labour would stop
when air raid sirens went off only to start again after the
raid was over. In a normal environment, the
‘fear-tension-pain’ syndrome can create the same response,
leading to prolonged labour, greater foetal distress and
lower Apgar scores.
Conversely, self hypnosis
creates a state of deep relaxation whilst fully aware,
totally relaxed and in control. It generates feel-good
endorphins, making it possible to maintain energy levels
throughout the physically demanding process of childbirth.
And the benefits don’t stop there. Research reveals that
mothers who deliver under hypnosis overwhelmingly report
positive feedback on the whole experience. Complications are
fewer and more pregnancies go to full-term. Partners are
more engaged as they are involved in maintaining the right
conditions for hypnosis to do its work and they do not have
to experience seeing the mother of their child in extreme
distress. Postpartum, these mums recover more quickly and
are less susceptible to post natal depression.
Given all this evidence,
it is my passionate belief that all parents-to-be should at
least be made aware of the incredible power of hypnotherapy
and have the opportunity to experience the advantages for
themselves.
www.hypnotherapykent.co.uk
Tel: 01892 510950
Be
confident, more relaxed and in control. Be successful in
love, work and so much more! 
