What Are the Advantages of Hypnobirthing?

Hypnobirthing is popular because it helps to deal with the pain and anxiety associated with childbirth. Many new mothers-to-be are finding it very exciting. Fear of pain is one of the greatest causes of anxiety for pregnant women. At the same time, many of them worry about the effects of having an epidural. Many new mothers who have taken advantage of hypnobirthing are finding that these fears are no longer worthy of the attention they get. With hypnobirthing, women can experience shorter labor and have less need for using an epidural.

Another advantage is in the area of medical expenses. A lot of ‘hypnobirthing’ are making a decision to deliver their babies in the privacy and comfort of home. This saves a significant cost for medical expenses incurred at the hospital in regard to labor.

By utilizing self-hypnosis during their labor and delivery, along with the relaxed breathing techniques, women are able to stay conscious and hear what is going on around them. That means she can respond to any direction she might need to take. The pain usually associated with childbirth is reduced to mere ‘pressure’, which is handled through the breathing and relaxation methods.

A great advantage to hypnobirthing is that it is non-discriminatory. Any woman who chooses to can use it. Many women who have had previous bad birthing experiences find this to be very comforting. There are plenty of options still available to hypnobirthing as well. If they want, they can still give birth at the hospital. It is not just a ‘home’ remedy. Being able to give birth without the aid of drugs and medication, and to experience the beauty of natural childbirth, is seen as a wonderful advantage to many women.

There are also classes available for women to take. They usually last about two and a half hours and are spread out over about five weeks. This is where the woman learns and practices the relaxation and breathing techniques, and how to bring on the hypnotic state. This usually involves changing what they ‘say’ during the delivery. Instead of saying the word ‘pain’, they would say ‘pressure’, and rather than saying ‘contractions’, they would say ‘surges’. It is amazing how much this helps mentally. They also learn all about the physical changes they will experience during labor and about caring for their newborn immediately
after.

You can also read: WHAT IS HYPNOBIRTHING?

Here is a list of benefits that hypnobirthing can look forward to-

• An elimination or huge reduction in the necessity for chemical painkillers
• Eliminates the risk of hyperventilation due to ‘shallow’ breathing methods
• Shortens ‘first stage’ labor by several hours
• Makes fear, tension, and pain non-factors before, during, and after delivery
• Promotes faster postnatal recovery
• Makes birthing the beautiful and peaceful experience it was intended to be
• Eliminates labor fatigue, leaving the mother wide awake, fresh, and energetic for birthing
• Promotes that special bonding between baby and mother

And many new mothers report the following benefits of hypnobirthing as well1. Significantly shorter labor/birthing

2. The techniques can be used in everyday life as well
3. Much fewer ‘surgical’ births
4. Mothers are highly energized, calm, and in great spirits after birth
5. Reports of a large number of successful, natural births without technological assistance

Babies and Dads Benefit As Well

Another advantage of hypnobirthing is that it not only helps mom but Dad and baby too! It’s true, studies have shown that the babies born when hypnobirthing was used have a tendency to be much calmer, sleep better, have fewer traumas, and feed better. This is because they are calmly and gently ‘breathed’ into this world and come at their own pace. Research has shown that these babies also experience higher Apgar scores.

When it comes to Dads, they now move their roles from being helpless onlookers to becoming a vital and central part of the entire process. They stay alongside to help Moms remain calm and focus on their relaxation and breathing techniques. Being able to take part in the birth of their children really is exciting to fathers-to-be. It makes them feel proud to be an active part of this process. It is a form of bonding that is very beneficial to the Father’s role during birth and post-birth.

Common Fears about Hypnosis

There is a huge misconception out there about hypnosis that a lot of women struggle to let go of. The impressions given off in past decades regarding hypnosis painted a picture of mystical, dangerous, and magical mind games. It was viewed by many as being some scary type of mind control. This could not be further from the truth. It is the exact opposite. These techniques give the user ‘more power’ over their own lives as opposed to less.

Hypnosis is a natural response and state of mind. How many times have we witnessed someone reacting in anger to a situation, only to catch themselves and mentally calm themselves down before things got out of control? We control our emotions and mental states in lots of ways every day. All hypnosis is about, is reaching a state of relaxation and calm where the body can perform much better, and the mind remains calm and collected without panic or anxiety. Everybody goes in and out of some type of consciousness levels every day. It is part of life.

Scientific Facts

Studies that compared hypnosis to Lamaze training revealed that the first stage of their labor was shortened significantly (around 98 minutes on first-time Moms, and 40 minutes on second-time Moms). The women in the studies reported many benefits like lowered anxiety and an easier time getting to sleep and were more satisfied overall with their labor.

One of the greatest revelations concerning hypnobirthing is a study that showed that when 600 women were given a 30-minute session, there was a virtual absence of any postpartum depression. We’ve all heard the horror stories surrounding postpartum depression. This is indeed great news. Even women, who came in having an already established history of postpartum depression, didn’t develop it. This is in spite of the fact that 50% of them eventually do. That means that this technique not only reaches into the medical world but into the social realm as well.

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