Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Hypnosis for Birth?

Update! I discovered this website from a on-hiatus Hypnobabies instructor. Her site explains quite a bit, and in a very easy to understand way. Please check it out!
http://birthnaturally.org/frequently-asked-questions.html

Posting again so soon! I just had a conversation with a new mama about what Hypnobabies is, and why I am a big fan of the method.  I used Hypnobabies to have a very satisfying and empowering birth for my second child, and I'm specially trained in how to best support a Hypno-mama. I've spoken to most the the mamas in my life about Hypnobabies, but I couldn't resist posting some information so those of you I haven't met can get an introduction to what it is. I don't receive any kind of compensation for endorsing Hypnobabies--it's just what worked for me!


What is hypnosis? It sounds pretty "alternative."
Hypnobabies is a method of childbirth that teaches many skills including "Eyes Open Medical Hypnosis." This hypnosis is NOT like stage hypnosis, aka "You are getting verrrrry sleeeeeepy." Hypnosis, in medical use, is just a state of the brain where we are very open to learning whatever information surrounds us. It's an actual change in brain wave patterns. We all go into and out of hypnosis many times daily. Hypnosis is the state of semi-awakeness when we are waking or falling asleep, when we are absorbed in watching a movie or staring at the computer, and many other situations. I like to use the example of driving. Have you ever started off on a trip somewhere, then arrived and realized you don't consciously remember the trip because you were thinking about other things? That you "autopiloted" yourself to work? That was hypnosis! Your "subconscious," where you stored the well-learned directions to work, took over and got you there, even while your conscious mind was otherwise occupied.


What does using hypnosis do?
Hypnosis works with your mind to affect your body. Nearly all of the images of birth in our culture are negative: women screaming, dire emergencies, a frantic rush to the hospital. We have everything we have ever heard or seen related to pregnancy and birth stored in our subconscious. Using hypnosis for birth means actively filling the subconscious with positive, empowering visions of birth, and training your brain to respond to the techniques you learn with positive feelings and endorphins. There is a mind-body connection, and it can be used to increase relaxation, peace,and confidence, as well as literally assist your birthing muscles to do their job efficiently, and for many women, without the kind of pain we see depicted in the media.

Think about the feelings of nervousness you might have before a big job interview: your palms sweat, you feel unsettled, you might be nauseous. If your friends and family had spent the previous months telling you how THEIR job interviews were horrible, how scary the interviewer was, how they never got the job, how might that affect how you felt? How you feel mentally affects how you feel physically.  Now imagine how you might feel if everyone you knew told you how capable you were, how you were perfect for the job, how they knew you would succeed! You really can use your mindset to affect how you experience something. For many women, birth is made much more comfortable and even enjoyable!


Is hypnosis New-Agey?
There isn't any agenda to the hypnotic suggestions, except to help you have a safe, empowering birth. It is fully compatible with any belief system; in fact, you can tailor it to your faith by adding some of your own suggestions, prayers, or passages.


How do I learn more?
There is no local Hypnobabies instructor, so I decided to order and use the Hypnobabies Home Study Course. It is a 6 week course, so it is best to start around week 32, though there is no reason you could not start sooner. I practiced my hypnosis skills daily from week 18, and had a safe, swift, comfortable and easy birth. If you're interested, you can check out the home study course here~https://www.hypnobabies.com/self-study/hypnobabies-self-study-course

If you want to get an idea of what hypnosis is like, they have a free Mp3 for you to try! It is exactly like the hypnosis scripts in the program, so it's a great way to try it out! I suggest listening to it daily for a week, then see how you feel. They also have a Mp3 that explains more about hypnosis than I have written here. Check them both out at https://www.hypnobabies.com/about-hypnobabies/experience-hypnobabies

I hope this introduction to using hypnosis in childbirth was enlightening! If you have any other questions about using Hypnobabies in your birth, please email me!




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