By: EeVon Ling ND CH

Are you pregnant and feeling fearful and anxious about childbirth?
Are you interested in having as natural a childbirth as possible?
Would you like to have more confidence and feel more relaxed about your
pregnancy and childbirth?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then hypnosis may help you achieve a more natural, comfortable and easier childbirth.

Research studies have shown that the use of hypnosis for childbirth may help:

• Shorten time in labour ^1,3
• Prevent pre-term labour ¹
• Reduce the use of pain medications (epidurals) ^2,3
• Increase APGAR scores (the measurement of the baby’s well-being at birth) ³
• Reduce post-partum depression ³

In fact, for a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy, hypnosis is the safest way to have a baby.

How Will Hypnosis Help with Childbirth?

Hypnosis helps you control your pain response. The perception of pain is not fixed. There may have been times in your life where you injured yourself (such as cutting your finger) while busy doing something, but you didn’t realize you injured yourself, and you didn’t feel any pain until you stopped what you were doing and paid attention to your injury – at which point you started to feel pain. Hypnosis can help with decreasing the intensity of pain and decreasing your sensitivity and awareness of pain while increasing the amount of endorphins your body produces.

Hypnosis will help you let go of fear and anxiety. As a protective mechanism, we learn to fear pain. Childbirth is strongly associated with pain – this association is further compounded by educational videos, movies and TV shows, as well as our growing acceptance and normalization of the use epidurals and Cesareans. This fear of pain causes resistance to the working muscles of the uterus which increases tension. High tension in the very strong muscles of the uterus and cervix will increase pain. Hypnosis can help you relax and release the tension in these muscles.

Hypnosis will help you relax. As your muscles relax, there is less resistance, less stress and tension, but more endorphins produced. You and your baby will benefit from these endorphins.

Will Hypnosis Give Me a Pain-Free Childbirth?

A totally pain-free childbirth is possible for a small percentage of the population among those with prior experience with hypnosis and self-hypnosis. Otherwise the goal of hypnosis is to create a less painful and more comfortable, easier and natural childbirth.

How Many Hypnosis Sessions Will I Need?

Each hypnosis session is 60 minutes.

For relaxation purposes only, the minimum number of sessions is 2. However, to get the most benefit from hypnosis and to get the best results at childbirth, 4-7 sessions are recommended. You will be required to practice daily relaxation and self-hypnosis exercises between sessions.

Sessions should start at least 6 weeks before your due date (week 34 or earlier).

If you are interested in using hypnosis as tool for childbirth, please contact the clinic at 416 929-6958.

References
1. Brown DC, Hammond DC. Evidence-based clinical hypnosis for obstetrics,
labor and delivery, and preterm labor. International Journal of Clinical
Experimental Hypnosis. 2007 Jul;55(3):355-71.

2. Cyna AM, McAuliffe GL, Andrew MI. Hypnosis for pain relief in labour
and childbirth: a systematic review. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2004
Oct;93(4):505-11.

3. Harmon TM, Hynan MT, Tyre TE. Improved obstetric outcomes using
hypnotic analgesia and skill mastery combined with childbirth education.
Journal of Consulting Clinincal Psychology. 1990 Oct;58(5):525-30.

Eevon Ling, ND, CH is a licensed naturopathic doctor and Certified Hypnotherapist at The Pacific Wellness Institute.

Please contact The Pacific Wellness Institute at 416-929-6958 for an appointment.

Posted in Fertility and Pregnancy, Health |

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