HypnoBirthing!

Most women feel intense pain when they deliver their children. For most people this is just a natural part of childbirth – but is it?

Is there such a thing as painless childbirth without drugs? Well, hypnotherapists think there is!

So, is it really possible to use hypnosis in childbirth without feeling any pain and even enjoying the process?

Hypnotists have a developed a hypnotic technique called "HypnoBirthing" that is designed to make the experience of childbirth painless and fun.

I know this may sound crazy but the power of the mind over the body should not be underestimated.

Although many women still feel strong pressure throughout their labour and the birthing process they are able to use techniques taught in hypnobirthing classes to cope with what is happening. In addition women who are taught the self hypnosis process of hypnobirthing almost all feel absolutely no pain.

They report that it is an exciting and very powerful feeling to give birth in a relaxed and controlled way without any pain or discomfort – they get to marvel at the miracle of what is happening and get to enjoy their experience.

Marie Mongan is the founder of the HypnoBirthing Institute. The foundation of her work is based on studies by Dr. Grantly Read who is often referred to as “the father of natural childbirth” due to his intensive and detailed work in the area. Dr Read’s curiosity, and eventual work in this area, was sparked from his experiences with childbirth around the world that stemmed from his extensive travel and interaction with different cultures.

He found that women from less “civilized” cultures did not have the same experiences or have the same level of pain and discomfort as women in the Western world and decided to investigate the phenomenon.

When Dr. Read found that many cultures had no fear of childbirth their labour and birth was almost painless so he concluded that that fear created tension in the body and this tension led to pain.

When Marie Mongan read Dr. Reads research she decided to take things a step further and design a way where Western women could have the same experiences of painless and easy childbirth. She understood if she could remove the apprehension and fear of the birthing process and teach women to relax then she could significantly reduce the levels of pain usually felt during the process.

In order to achieve her aim Mongan studied hypnotic techniques to see if the hypnosis would relax women enough to reduce the symptoms of pain associated with child birth. Her initial success was fantastic and she continued to perfect her techniques to help women reach a place of comfort, without apprehension or fear about the birthing process. Relaxation techniques are also used throughout the birthing process as well as hypnotic sessions prior to birth.

To date many women across the world have used her methods, and other forms of self hypnosis, to have completely painless deliveries and to also enjoy the process of giving birth to their babies.