Hypnobirthing has become mainstream for many mothers-to-be in the lead-up to their birth, but more women are now turning to more intensive and targeted hypnotherapy courses to positively shape their birth. I am.
One of those women was me. I decided to try hypnotherapy last year before the birth of my first child, but before I share my own experience with hypnotherapy, a little background. To be honest, I was pretty shocked when I found out I was pregnant. We weren’t making any effort and had just returned from a crazy months trip across three continents. That’s when two amazing and undeniable blue lines turned everything upside down.
The news was daunting, but very exciting. I knew she would love her ten little toes and soft tufts of curls. Plus, the pregnancy thankfully went well. There was no sickness, no great fatigue, no strange craving for coal. Physically, I felt okay. But as my pregnancy progressed and my belly began to swell, a lingering fear began to cloud my thoughts at night. The question was, “How am I supposed to deal with childbirth?”
Now in my late 30s, I was a latecomer to children. Most of my closest friends had already started families and had two or even three children. So I was uncomfortably familiar with the trauma of childbirth. The stories of horror had accumulated over the years, layered like crustaceans on a ship’s hull. 5 days of labor. Instrumental, opioid-fueled births. Emergency C-section and painful recovery. The pictures were graphic, unflinchingly brutal. When I imagined giving birth, a peaceful water birth surrounded by love and expertise was not what came to mind. What I saw was blood and brutality.
“I tried hypnobirthing and I believe I was changed by the birthing experience.”
After all, I’m never alone. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports a steady increase in cases of: bed phobia – Pathological fear of childbirth – since 2000, and british medical journal estimates that more than 14% of women worldwide currently suffer from this disorder.
However, while few people develop full-blown floor phobia, many women begin their prenatal journey with fears ranging from understandable anxiety to extreme fear. This is a symptom made worse by the ongoing state of crisis in the NHS, with a less than comprehensive approach that ignores parents’ wishes and, crucially, undermines mothers’ preferred birth plans. It is often reduced to a process of checking a box. (At my first antenatal visit, I was told that my midwife was on extended leave. I was given a phone number I could never call, an email address I could never reach, and a dedicated professional I could never reach. (I didn’t see or speak to her during the whole pregnancy).
control one’s birth
I wanted to take control of my prenatal experience and started looking for a different approach. I wondered if hypnotherapy could help me positively reshape my inner story, and ultimately birth itself.
“Hypnotherapy is becoming more popular as people become more aware of the power of the mind,” says the author, who runs a birth preparation and pain clinic in London’s Wimpole Street in partnership with The Birth Company. Ailsa Frank, a leading hypnotherapist, agrees. Concerns about security and fertility.
“Most pregnant women have heard of hypnosis for childbirth and are actively seeking help. Older mothers in particular, due to their age and exposure to graphic images that incite fear. , you may worry about childbirth,” she explains.
Understanding hypnobirthing
Of course, hypnobirthing isn’t new – it’s widely available on the NHS – but Frank’s approach is designed to address personal concerns and penetrate the subconscious at a deeper level.
“While hypnobirthing certainly has its place and can help build effective breathing techniques, a personalized hypnotherapy course can address specific concerns, reduce anxiety levels, and improve mental resilience. Strengthen and ensure a sense of control during labor,” advises Frank as she begins her first labor. She sessions with me on the phone. “It uses a combination of distraction techniques, breathing exercises, and visualization to create a deep state of relaxation during labor. Some women don’t like feeling out of control, but hypnotherapy I can empower you.”
Course content
It proved to be a convincing argument, and in the month leading up to the birth, I began four-hour sessions on the phone with Frank to address the negative connotations around labor. Rather than focusing on simple breathing techniques (which are largely covered in Hypnobirthing), Frank worked to reframe my story about the “perfect birth” and focused on the unpredictability of nature. Encourages me to submit to sexuality and wisdom, and to trust my body and instincts.
Her voice was soft and had a motherly tone. Slowly over a few weeks, I found myself becoming more vocally positive about having a baby. When people asked me how I felt about the prospect of having a baby, I subconsciously replaced the word “scared” with “excited.” Instead of a guttural scream, I began to hear the sound of water running quietly. The image of blood and gore was replaced with a beautiful location along the river. I imagined my baby would be born perfect, my body completely intact, and we’d both be happy, healthy, and safe.
birth itself
When my water broke, I felt physically and mentally ready for what was to come. I listened to Frank’s “Feel Amazing” app while I was in labor, playing her “Fun Birth Hypnosis” recording on loop as I walked through the hospital hallways and munched on baby jelly. I relaxed in the light of LED candles, inhaled the scent of aromatherapy oils pre-layered on a linen strip, and focused on the rhythms of my body.
In the end, my dream water birth didn’t go as planned and I had complicated labor due to shoulder pain. difficult birth – When the baby’s head is born but one shoulder is stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. However, I didn’t take any medicine, didn’t move, and gave birth unharmed. My mental state was calm. I wasn’t a reluctant passenger when my baby was born.
“So many things can happen during childbirth. You can’t predict or control what happens to your body,” Frank told me during our session. “But you can trust the process, your body, and your instincts. You can do what’s best for you and your baby and give yourself the strength to adapt to the situation. It all starts with the stories you tell yourself. Hypnosis helps embed positive suggestions deep within your psyche, allowing you to stay calm and make clear, considered decisions during childbirth. .”
It’s a sentiment backed up by clinical research. A study conducted by the University of Central Lancashire found that women who used hypnotherapy during childbirth often felt less fear and anxiety during childbirth than they expected. Also, most people later report having a positive experience of feeling calm, confident, and empowered before and during childbirth thanks to hypnosis. “Although they were initially skeptical, their partners eventually warmed to the technology as well,” said Dr. Sue Down, a professor of midwifery and one of the trial authors.
What is the conclusion?
Having had a medically complicated birth myself, I can attest to that. Although my daughter was born in difficult circumstances, I am grateful that we are both happy, healthy, and safe and look forward to this process, just as I had envisioned during my session with Frank. I am.
While it’s essential to seek the help of a good (and preferably personally assigned) midwife or doula to shape your prenatal journey, you may also consider consulting a hypnotherapist. .
Phone sessions with Ailsa Frank start from £210 (requires 3-4 sessions). Face-to-face sessions cost £420.See her for more details Website.
