This is a brilliant tool to have in your labour strategy box. KGHypnobirthing is not a completely new concept as twenty plus years ago antenatal classes ran by NHS midwives used to focus on breathing and relaxation techniques for labour and birth. Due to many cuts over the years; there are few hospitals which offer this as part of standard antenatal preparation.
KGHypnobirthing is not chanting hippy techniques. It isn’t stage hypnosis either where you will be made to transform into a chicken. It is a way of changing the language, mind set and focus around birth. It’s about changing the negative focus birth is portrayed as in the media to a more positive, manageable and calm birth. Labour and birth can cause a woman to feel anxious, worried and fearful which absolutely impacts on the physiology. Stress during labour causes adrenaline to be released which blocks oxytocin receptors (the contraction hormone). As a result labour can then slow down, be prolonged, and women will often report more anxieties, fears and overall more perceived pain with the birth. Hypnobirthing aims to reduce the anxieties, fears and stress to increase the positive Oxytocin love hormone, increase natural endorphin (the body’s pain relief) which in turn aids women to feeling more in control of how they are managing the surges.
There is mixed evidence on hypnobirthing from randomised controlled trials so far. Some studies have found an increase in spontaneous vaginal birth, less need for augmentation or interventions in labour and slight improvements in neonatal outcomes. Further information is available from: https://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/related_documents/Research%20overview-%20Self%20hypnosis%20for%20labour%20and%20birth%20%282011%29_2.pdf which focuses on the Cochrane database.
From practice I have seen the amazing benefits hypnobirthing can offer all mums to be. From practice I have seen quick first births from women who used hypnobirthing. I’ve witnessed calm subsequent labours with women using hypnobirthing when they had experienced traumatic births previously. And I have observed increased maternal satisfaction with their labour and birth because or the perceived control by using the breathing techniques, relaxations and birth affirmations to manage the labour sensations.
The evidence on hypnobirthing does show that women do use less pharmacological pain relief in labour when compared to women who choose not to hypnobirth. Hypnobirthing does not mean by any means that you can’t use other pain relief but it will complement your other choices during labour and birth. Hypnobirthing can be used under any circumstance with any pain relief on board. I have watched women who knew that they wanted an epidural but used hypnobirthing until they entered established labour to remain calm throughout the early labour stages at home and remain still whilst the epidural was being sited.
Also with the increasing cesarean section rate in the UK hypnobirthing can be a great tool to help keep you calm whilst the medical procedures are happening especially for those with anxieties, fears and phobias of particular interventions. Hypnobirthing can be used before entering the theatre, whilst the cannula or spinal is being inserted or even throughout the cesarean section when the sensations of pulling and pressure can be overwhelming for some women.
KGHypnobirthing is a tool to aid a more positive birth whichever way you birth your baby. Some of the techniques can even follow you through into the postnatal period for the more challenging days of parenting ahead.
This KGHypnobirthing course will also give you the full antenatal birth and parenting preparation needed
For more information and testimonials either message me directly or go to www.kghypnobirthing.com
The Eco Midwife 