What is HypnoBirthing? This extremely in depth and comprehensive childbirth education class is a proven method that fully prepares and gently guides parent’s to be in giving birth to their baby in an environment that is calm, joyful, and full of excitement and love.
Hypnobirthing covers all aspects of childbirth. It does not matter if you are giving birth at home, in a hospital, or at a birth center; HypnoBirthing prepares you for ANY type of birth.
Hypnobirthing classes focus on bringing the mind and body together to allow the mother to tap into her natural, instinctual capability to give birth. Techniques such as visualization, relaxation, breathing practices and deep relaxation methods are combined to create the ultimate toolbox for mothers to tap into as they are nearing and going into labor.
This type of childbirth education class not only just covers everything you need to know about birth, but it also combines mental, emotional, physical and spiritual techniques that prepares you to greatly reduce and in many cases eliminate any anxieties and pain associated with childbirth.
Not only do HypnoBirthing classes cover relaxing techniques to use while giving birth, but parents learn about specific nutrition practices, bonding practices, and everything they need to know about creating the best pregnancy experience possible.
The physical and mental well being of the family unit: the mama, birthing partner and baby are at the forefront of this course and educates parents on the importance of selecting a birth team that allows you to have a birthing experience that supports and nourishes the mother and baby.
Ready to join a class? Register now.
Hypnobirthing allows the mother to release herself from negative thoughts and fears surrounding giving birth.
If you think about it, everything you may have seen on TV and in the media are stories of negative birthing experiences such as women going through excruciating pain, complicated interventions, and fear filled labors.
You may have also heard horror stories from friends and family around giving birth. This constant exposure to negative stories around labor leads to the mind being conditioned to truly believe that labor will also be scary and painful for you.
Fear also creates a physiological response in the body; tension, increased heart rate, erratic breathing, and a racing mind. All of these physical responses from fear prevents the birthing body from performing an instinctive birth.
When our body tenses up, our organs responsible for giving birth are hindered, and this leads to (you guessed it) a painful, long birth and in many cases interventions that otherwise would not be needed.
Women who are drawn to HypnoBirthing are searching for a childbirth education class that can liberate them from fear and negative assumptions around going into labor, and replace these thoughts and expectations with excitement and a knowing that they will have a gentle, calm and confident birth.
By combining specific, proven relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques and childbirth education, it is 100% possible for women to have a satisfying birthing experience. Students of Hypnobirthing learn how to put their trust back into their bodies so that they can birth in an undisturbed, positive environment.
HypnoBirthing allows laboring women to remain fully awake and aware while in a deeply relaxed state.
You may think of hypnosis as a state of consciousness in which the person experiencing hypnosis is easily suggestible by the words being spoken to them by someone else, but with HypnoBirthing, the birthing mom is completely awake and present while putting herself in deep relaxation using self-hypnosis techniques.
These HypnoBirthing techniques significantly relax both the body and the mind not even during birth, but before birth, and when both the mind and body are relaxed and in sync with each other, the entire birthing process becomes calm, less painful, and progresses at it’s naturally rhythm in a way that allows the body to simply surrender to the process, instead of fighting the process.
Let’s look at some HypnoBirthing techniques a bit more in detail:
Visualizations and mental rehearsal.
By tapping into the power of visualization, you can lead your body with your mind, instead of having your body lead your mind.
What I mean by this, is that when your body feels pain, it sends signals to your brain that cause your thoughts and emotions to go into panic mode. Yet, when you take control of the event before it happens by visualizing in your mind a calm, gentle, and joyful birth, your mind then sends signals to your body to relax, release and be at peace.
Because the body does not know the difference between what is happening in your outside environment and what is happening in your mind through visualization, the body literally creates chemicals that promote relaxation and peace.
By diving deep into the art of visualization, you can create an experience that allows you to labor in a beautiful serene level of consciousness.
This allows you to be almost in a trance while still being fully aware of what is happening within and around you. This also allows your body to remain relaxed and limp, instead of tense in the fight or flight mode.
And most importantly, the chemicals that your body releases when you train your body with your mind through visualization are specific hormones and endorphins that allow you to beautifully manage any anxieties and pain levels.
Specific Breathing Techniques
There are three specific breathing techniques taught in a HypnoBirthing childbirth education class, the first technique grounds and calms the mother as she nears and begins the labor process.
The second breathing technique is used when the mother is experiencing uterine surges to allow her body to work with the sensations she is feeling, vs against the sensations.
The third breath is used as the baby enters and journeys through the birthing canal and is being brought earthside. Again, this technique allows the mind and body to work with the natural process of childbirth, versus against the process.
By using these specific breathing techniques, the mother is physically altering her body to switch off the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and turn on the parasympathetic nervous system
Being mindful of language, words, and everything you consume that has to do with birth
Words are extremely powerful, and when we change how we speak about birth, what we read about birth, and what we tell ourselves and those around us about birth, we are naturally conditioning our mind to associate giving birth with positive and exciting emotions. This is why in HypnoBirthing classes we focus on using language such as sensation and surge instead of contraction, and saying opening of the cervix instead of dilation.
Why Hypnobirthing has been one of the most sought after childbirth education classes for decades:
Hypnobirthing has been at the forefront of childbirth education classes since 1989 for many different reasons. Some of the most common reasons women choose hypnobirthing include:
— Decreased chances of getting unnecessary interventions: There are studies showing that those who practiced HypnoBirthing did not need pitocin, which is a synthetic form of oxytocin. As well as studies showing that only 17% of Hypnobirthing moms needed a c-section compared to the ever increasing rate of 32% in the US!
— First stage labor goes by faster and becomes quicker (going from early to active labor).
— They are searching for ways to experience an unmedicated and/or natural birth. Hypnobirthing allows moms to tap into their natural capabilities to manage any sensations that arise during childbirth. And there was also a study done showing that 51 percent of women who used Hypnobirthing only experienced pain on a level of 5.8 out of 10.
— Those who are fearful of giving birth or have experienced trauma from a previous birth turn to HypnoBirthing as almost half of this type of childbirth education class focuses on eliminating fear around birth.
— Women are searching for a course that helps them feel empowered, in control and knowing what to expect. When students leave a HypnoBirthing class, they are filled with wisdom that allows them to have a birthing experience that they have more control over.
Wow! After learning about all there is to know about HypnoBirthing, it’s time to feel excited and confident leading up to your due date. Are you ready to release yourself from fear, confusing information and myths surrounding how birth will be? Are you eager to find a childbirth education class that educates, empowers and equips you with all of the tools you need to have a tranquil and emotionally elevated birth?
HypnoBirthing Chicago is honored to be able to provide this esteemed childbirth education course 100% online and LIVE to provide access for students all around the Chicagoland area and the nation. Sign up for our next class series HERE!