Hypnobirthing

by Amanda Wallace, MA, C.Ht.

Pregnancy & Birthing that Mirrors NatureFor centuries societies of various cultures have used hypnosis for one purpose or another. We use it today for weight loss, to quit smoking, to heal trauma, for pain management, surgical procedures, as well as for childbirth. The latter is what I am going to discuss here, because it is absolutely necessary for women to be informed and empowered with options to birth without routine medical intervention and to trust their own birthing instincts. Self-hypnosis provides women with the tools and the opportunity to do so.

When we talk about hypnosis, it helps to understand that we all have been in trance states many times in our lives. For example, when we are driving our cars on automatic pilot, we are in a light state of trance. The conscious mind is that part of the mind that may be ruminating over some past event or planning for some future one, while the subconscious is actually directing the automobile. The subconscious has all the information about driving without one having to consciously think about it. During childbirth women naturally go into a state many practitioners call "lablorland", where the conscious mind basically turns off, and the subconscious mind runs the show through the perspective of its held beliefs, emotions, and fears.

A good metaphor for the subconscious is the concept of a bio-computer, because it stores everything you have ever experienced in a maze of memory patterns that reside within the mind and body on a cellular level. The subconscious does not have the guard of the conscious mind, and it absorbs verbal and non-verbal messages from others very literally, which is why a woman birthing is especially vulnerable.

When hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis are used during pregnancy, we have access to the "bio-computer", giving a woman the chance to clear out any harmful or negative programming and reprogram with positive affirmations and images. So the subconscious mind during the actual birthing can be focused, relaxed, and free of fear. When the mind relaxes and gets out of the way, the birthing body naturally knows what to do - and does it. A woman who has the practice of self-hypnosis during her pregnancy, not only bonds with her baby on a deep level, but also gives her little one the opportunity to move down and out into the world in a peaceful, calm manner, the way nature intended.

The mind-body connection during childbirth is essential to understand, since the subconscious mind regulates the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls the "fight or flight" response, which becomes activated when one’s life is in danger, by fearful or anxious "self-talk", or by unresolved trauma that has been stored in the subconscious. When the "fight or flight" response is triggered, catecholamines (stress hormones) are released, and the body goes into a state of alert.
If a woman becomes anxious when she thinks about giving birth, her body tenses and she sets in motion a myriad of physiological and chemical responses that affect adrenal functioning, hormone balance, blood pressure, and other bodily responses. Ongoing and intense fear and anxiety during pregnancy can lead to hypertension, preeclampsia, migraines, and premature labor. During birthing when a woman is anxious and tense, oxygen is directed to the parts of the body that are involved in the "fight, flight or freeze response". Because the uterus is not involved in this response, the muscles that we want relaxed, actually constrict, tighten, and work in opposition to each other causing pain, fetal distress, and prolonged labor.
The beauty of the female body is that it was created to carry and support a baby and to birth normally. The uterus is a powerful organ with muscles that work in harmony if the mind and body are relaxed. When a woman relaxes her mind, her birthing body can take over and sensations of pain can be considerably reduced or eliminated. This is because Mother Nature made sure we had our own natural epidural with beta-endorphins. When Mom is relaxed, the appropriate amount of beta-endorphins are released, providing comfort and relief.

We live in a culture that values technology and where birth, for the majority of women, is a technological event, so it is invaluable to access this innate wisdom within. With the power of information, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, and the breath, a woman connects with her own vital energy and inner resources, allowing her to trust and enjoy the miracle that is happening.

Amanda Wallace, MA, C.Ht., provides counseling and hypnotherapy specializing in fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and bonding. Amanda loves facilitating HypnoBirthing™ Childbirth Education in Longmont and Honoring the Mother groups at Parenting Place, and helping women use the power of self-hypnosis techniques, visualization, and the breath in their daily lives. She can be reached at 303-507-5210 and is always happy to answer any questions.