When I was pregnant with Mini, I had no idea how I was going to give birth. Because I was a single mother who was jobless and directionless, I just wanted to give birth in the easiest, painless way possible. I just knew I was going to have an epidural until I met my doula who also taught a HypnoBirthing class. Up until then, I had no idea what a doula was let alone how HypnoBirthing would change my life.
What Is HypnoBirthing?
HypnoBirthing is a method of preparing for delivery that teaches you to go into a state of hypnosis and relaxation as your body feels the “discomfort” of contractions. **Spoiler alert: delivery HURTS. It’s not discomfort. It feels like your body is tearing in half down the middle.
HypnoBirthing also teaches you that your body is worthy and capable of handling the delivery of your baby. Some people still use pain medicines during delivery to help but ultimately HypnoBirthing affirms the your power as a woman delivering your baby.
My Experience With HypnoBirthing
I’ve not taken any other birthing classes but after my experience with HypnoBirthing, I wouldn’t. As a first time mom, I went into labor feeling confident that my body could handle everything that the process of delivery would take me through.
When I took the class, it was a couple months long. We would meet for 2 hours weekly and during this time we would discuss birth, delivery, expectations, fears, how we were doing, etc. We also watched the Ricky Lake documentary “The Business of Being Born” which I also recommend to anyone pregnant.
It was the understanding of everyone that we were giving birth without epidurals–this was all of our choices. I was the only first time mom but the other moms had horror stories with the epidurals and I was convinced that it wasn’t for me based on their experiences.
The Homework Is Where The Real Work Took Place
Our instructor had given us all a HypnoBirthing CD that we were required to listen to daily as preparation. We all had a set of affirmations that we would repeat as well. They included things like “My body is capable of delivering my baby healthy” and “This isn’t pain, this is discomfort and my body can handle this”. The point of the daily work was to practice for our big day and to create a habit. As we listened to the CDs, we would go into states of hypnosis relaxing our entire bodies.
Learning to relax during times of distress is critical to an effective and speedy delivery. When you relax during contractions, this helps your body to dilate and quicken delivery. The natural response to pain is to clench but HypnoBirthing teaches the opposite which is ultimately better for both delivery and life period.
How To Find A HypnoBirthing Class In Your Area
Whenever people ask me how I’ve given birth 3 times pain-med free with no tearing or issues, I share my experience with HypnoBirthing. The methods taught in HypnoBirthing have transcended the birthing experience into stress management as a mother. If you’re interested in taking a class as you prepare for your baby, you can find locations local to you here.
