What is it?
Hypnobirthing is the term used to describe ‘self-hypnosis’ or ‘deep relaxation’ in labour to significantly reduce, if not eliminate, pain and stress in labour. It incorporates relaxation techniques such as breathing and massage. While hypnosis in labour was described a couple of hundred years ago much of the modern philosophy of Hypnobirthing is derived from the work of Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, an obstetrician from the UK in the early 20th century.
He surmised that the pain associated with labour was born through the fear women had come to perceive about it- fear creating tension, tension creating pain and thus it became a self-fulfilling prophecy for women to feel pain during labour. Hypnobirthing aims to eliminate that cycle by ensuring the woman is well informed and well prepared for her birth- allowing her to remain calm, confident and in control throughout.
Hypnobirthing can stand alone as a method of birthing your baby but can also be used as complementary coping mechanism for labour.
What topics are covered in the Hypnobirthing course?
Session 1:
- Anatomy and physiology of birth
- Fear and the pregnant woman
- The history of Hypnobirthing
- An introduction to relaxation.
Session 2:
- Hypnotherapy and hypnosis
- The Role of the Birth Partner
- Partner script reading
- Breathing techniques
Session 3:
- What to expect during labour
- Preparing for the unexpected
- Decision making in labour
- Rapid Relaxation
Session 4:
- Massage techniques, acupressure and aromatherapy
- Birth preferences for your labour
- Real-life birth story (when available)
- Questions and answers session.
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