Hypnotherapy for childbirth

It is ideal to work with a pregnant women for help with childbirth using hypnosis over a period of 3 to 6 months before the due date for the baby. This allows for development of self hypnosis skills and the depth of trance needed for effective pain control. It is also possible to work over a shorter time with a focus on more specific triggers of anxiety.

Therapy begins with counseling leading to a clear picture of the woman’s ideas (current self hypnosis) about childbirth itself.

How do you imagine childbirth?

What are the emotions that come into your body when they think about giving birth?

Will this be your first child or have you given birth before?

What have you been told about childbirth and by whom?

Have you given birth before?

How about the experiences of close friends….?

As anxiety intensifies the perception of pain, it is important to gain a clear perspective of negative triggers, associations and predisposing fears and phobia.

Counseling leads to a therapy plan devised to clear any obstacles to the celebration of a naturally love filled and comfortable childbirth.

Establishing safety

The first step in hypnosis therapy for childbirth is establishing safety. Rapport must be built between therapist and client as they are educated about hypnosis and fears are released through education.

The client is taught how to enter hypnosis and how to practice self hypnosis. Inner work begins with creating a place of power and safety in their mind, that the client can go to at any time they choose – even during childbirth!

Inner relationship

Inner relationship is the second step of hypnobirthing with a focus is on relationship to oneself, the fetus and the wider structure of family and personal relationships.

Building confidence in the body

The body has inherent wisdom and knows how to give birth safely and comfortably, as has been done by hundreds of thousands of women before! It is not a sickness to be pregnant!

Developing confidence in the mind

Training in self hypnosis skills. The mind can control every muscle in the body. Fear is created in the mind and can be released within it. Relaxation is the primary resource to train so that one can give birth comfortably and naturally. Triggers of anxiety must be resolved maximize relaxation during childbirth.

Developing inner relationship with the unborn child inside

The pregnant mother develops a relationship with the child growing inside her. She is taught how to communicate internally and encouraged to practice in self hypnosis.

Visualization and breath work practices grow the bond between them with particular focus on love and a knowing of the partnership that already exists between them.

Birth vision

Programming a template vision in the subconscious mind for the process of the childbirth itself. Dissociated and associated creative visualization to be practiced within self hypnosis. Integrated of personal belief systems and breath work practice.

Creating a vision for the transition to motherhood

What does it mean to become a mother?

What is the vision for expansion of the family?

How does parenthood fit into the structure of relationship?

Does the mother have any fear / doubts / residual emotional patterns from childhood?

How can fear be dissolved and create a vision of motherhood fueled with confidence and love?

Pain management for childbirth with hypnosis

The client is trained in pain management self hypnosis techniques. Pain itself is relative and, while most people can learn how to reduce it’s intensity significantly with hypnosis, some people can even learn how to turn off pain completely.

Pain management integrates relaxation processes, reframing, visualization and breath work. Of prime importance is reducing fear because fear leads to anxiety which fuels the perception of pain.

Many women have been negatively hypnotized by other woman around childbirth. Since childhood, they have heard traumatic stories and many have people have even been told by their own mother’s how difficult childbirth was!

A core factor influencing any experience is the belief itself of what the experience will be! Pain is a perceptual experience that can be significantly reduced by remove negative ideas that other people have suggested to the subconscious mind.

In order to reduce the sensations associated with childbirth, it is necessary to develop trust. One must trust the body. One must truth the mind. One must trust one’s partner. One must trust the doctor or midwife. In fact, one must trust life!

Therapy for childbirth with hypnosis builds trust within therapy itself and then adds to it through breath work and self hypnosis exercises so that the client can feel confident in their ability to induce the parasympathetic nervous system response (relaxation) at will.

As the subconscious mind is always responding to “the story that we tell ourselves”, common negative language associated with childbirth is replaced with positive associations and triggers.

For example, contractions are renamed as expansions that are hypnotically queued to produce an automatic muscular response of opening and relaxing. All of the above are core elements that combine together in a rewarding and comfortable childbirth experience.