Hypnobirthing: Science-backed relaxation for positive birth outcomes

Hypnobirthing: it sounds so airy-fairy that I can almost hear the collective scoff of the Obstetric Old Boys’ Club, but more and more research is amassing in support of self-hypnosis for a calm, empowering birth experience, requiring little or no medical intervention. Studies have connected Hypnobirthing practices with shortened labour, reduced pain and discomfort, and lower rates of caesarean section, gas, and epidural.[i][ii] Possibly the best part about Hypnobirthing is that the power to achieve these outcomes is entirely in your hands, taking the power away from health professionals and putting YOU at the centre of your birth – calm, in control, and fully aware of how your body is working for you and your baby in each stage of labour.

But what is Hypnobirthing exactly, and how does it achieve the kind of unicorn birth that many women envision? Hypnobirthing is based on the premise that women can use the power of the mind to work with the natural flows and rhythms of their labouring bodies, trusting their bodies to function as nature intended, rather than fearing the unknown and the potential for pain. It does this by educating women and their birthing partners about the stages of labour and what the body does at each stage; as well as self-hypnosis techniques, like breathwork, to manage fear, stress, and pain; and the ways in which birth companions can support the birthing woman. Women’s satisfaction with labour increases when they have low levels of fear and pain[iii]; receiving care that aids in their relaxation reduces fear and aids positive birth outcomes.[iv]  Hypnobirthing will give you confidence that the peaceful, drug-free birth you hope for isn’t so mythical.

Hypnobirthing is usually delivered in-person, across four, three-hour sessions, with a registered practitioner, with online options also available. You and your birth companion will learn the theory that informs Hypnobirthing, including how your hormones assist the process of labour and birth, the role of fear and stress in your perception of pain, and the power of your mind in overcoming fear. Together, you’ll practice self-hypnosis techniques, such as meditation, acupressure, massage, and deep breathing so that these practices are second nature by the time you go into labour. The ideal time to complete your Hypnobirthing course is when you are between 20 and 30 weeks pregnant, to help you feel at ease about your baby’s birth and give you ample time to hone your new skills. But if you’re late to the party, you will absolutely benefit from learning about Hypnobirthing, even very late in pregnancy. 

To understand why Hypnobirthing achieves such positive outcomes, it is useful to first look at the consequences of common birth interventions and the environment in a hospital birthing unit, and how these impede the natural processes occurring within mum’s body to facilitate a healthy birth. Normal term, spontaneous labour and birth is the culmination of a complex dance of hormonal processes, signifying the physical readiness of baby to be born and mum’s physical readiness to birth. While there is a normal, gradual rise in maternal stress hormones during labour, which should peak towards the end to aid baby’s expulsion, excess fear, anxiety, or pain throughout labour, and associated surges in stress hormones, can result in decreased frequency or intensity of contractions.[v]

One stark example of this is the tendency for labour to stall once the labouring woman arrives at hospital, as she adjusts to her new surroundings. What is comfortable and familiar to health staff might be the birthing woman’s fluorescently-lit hellscape, equipped with intimidating medical apparatus and domineering birth attendants, who encourage her to labour on her back, withhold food, and time-keep her labour to a rigid schedule. If labour fails to progress in accordance with standardised modelling, a cascade of interventions is sometimes introduced, including overzealous electronic fetal monitoring, artificial membrane rupture, and the administration of syntocinon, to intensify contractions.

Contrast the above scenario with Hypnobirthing’s emphasis on dim lighting, soft music, positive affirmations, aromatherapy, visualisations, massage, breathwork, freedom of movement, and limited intervention, pending a clear medical need, and it’s not difficult to see how a comfortable, relaxing, and empowering environment might help the birthing woman manage fear, stress, and pain, even in situations where some level of medical intervention is needed.

 Despite growing awareness of the impact of natural birthing methods, like Hypnobirthing, and more parents desiring a peaceful, unhurried, and unimpeded birth experience, medicalised birth persists. Australia’s caesarean section rate is exorbitantly high at around 34% of births, despite the World Health Organisation advice that 10-15% is an ideal caesarean rate. Inductions are commonplace, with a trend towards scheduling them well ahead of women’s estimated due date. Many women are told that they will need to be induced or schedule a caesarean if they have not gone into labour by their due date, despite the fact that an estimated due date is just that – a guess – and a healthy pregnancy should be allowed to progress to 40 weeks and 10 days.

When elective induction is chosen, with no medical basis, this correlates with an increased need for pain relief, epidural anaesthesia, instrumental delivery, and caesarean delivery for mum, and possible low birthweight, shoulder dystocia, neonatal resuscitation, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit for baby.[vi] Syntocinon, which is given to chemically induce or speed up labour, can intensify contractions and labour pain quite suddenly, and limit your ability to manage pain through Hypnobirthing.

Choosing a supportive birth attendant is vital. Asking the right questions of your midwife or obstetrician from your first meeting will ensure you have a true partner in the birth you desire and deserve: do they embrace Hypnobirthing and natural birth? What are their thoughts on induction? What is their caesarean rate? What will they recommend if you haven’t gone into spontaneous labour by 40 weeks? What interventions do they routinely use during labour? Are they supportive of limited birth interventions? Will they welcome and respect your birth plan? Do they have any leave booked around your estimated due date? Are they happy for you to labour and birth in any position that feels comfortable? Are they happy for you to labour in water or spend time outside of the birthing suite? Do the hospitals where they practice welcome Hypnobirthing methods? Ask for their stats. It’s a good idea to vet the hospital you wish to birth at, too, and make sure their birthing suites are compatible with your birth plan.

We offer Hypnobirthing classes in the South of Adelaide for couples seeking education. For the highest quality Hypnobirthing education, be sure to visit the Hypnobirthing Australia ™️ website[VR1] , where you’ll see my face on the certified practitioners page. Here, you can search for a practitioner in your area, or sign up for an online course. I wish you all the very best for a safe, calm, and empowering birth.  

To book into a Hypnobirthing & Childbirth Education class in Adelaide - book here

Megan x

[i] Phillips-Moore, J 2013, ‘Birthing outcomes from an Australian HypnoBirthing programme’, British Journal of Midwifery, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 41-42.

[ii] Swencionis, H, Rendell, S, L, Dolce, K, Massry, S, & Mongan, M. 2012, ‘Outcomes of HypnoBirthing’, Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 120-139.

[iii] Khresheh, R 2010, ‘Support in the first stage of labour from a female relative: The first step in improving the quality of maternity services’ Midwifery, vol. 26, no. 6, e21. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.midw.2008.11.03

[iv]  Hodnett, E, D, Gates, S, Hofmeyr, G, J, & Sakala, C. 2013, ‘Continuous support for women during childbirth’, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 7, pp. 1-20. https:// doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub5

[v] Alehagen, S, Wijma, B, Lundberg, U & Wijma, K 2005, ‘Fear, pain and stress hormones during childbirth’, Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 26, pp. 153-165.

[vi] Goer, H, Leslie, M, S & Romano, A 2007, ‘The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services: Evidence basis for the ten steps of mother-friendly care: Step 6: Does not routinely employ practices, procedures unsupported by scientific evidence’, Journal of Perinatal Education, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 32S-64S.

 [VR1]Add link to blog: https://hypnobirthingaustralia.com.au/directory/

Confessions of a maxed-out mama!

What you can do to make those early weeks and months easier on yourself as a new mum?

When I was pregnant with my first child, I envisioned my baby sleeping twelve hours a night, breastfeeding like a champ, and slotting easily into a life of part-time study and brunch dates with the girls. I know, ridiculous right? But I’d never heard otherwise. I became a mum before most of my friends and, according to my own mum, I’d been the most easy-going babe on the block.

But my reality was the marked opposite of my mum’s experience and the fairy stories I’d told myself. My son screamed bloody murder after every feed, due to dairy intolerance, wind and a gnarly case of not-so-silent reflux. Rarely did he leave my arms.

Even short trips in the car were riddled with anxiety and tears (mine and his!). I adored the endless cuddles, but I was maxed out, physically and mentally. Bub’s colicky cries had me in a constant state of fear – nervous and panicked that a barking dog or door knocker would wake the light-sleeping angel I’d just spent two hours rocking to get to that state.

I was afraid to shower, were he to wake crying and I wouldn’t be there. I was afraid to leave the house with him, lest I feel judgemental stares burn into my soul, should I be unable to settle my screaming baby.

I became incredibly isolated. Friends stopped calling because I wouldn’t venture out of my hermit cave to spend time with them. Family miffed I wasn’t all smiles when they rocked up to suit themselves and cut into the precious little time that my touched out, exhausted and anxious self wasn’t rocking a crying babe and agonising over what might be wrong.

Throw in a case of mastitis, oral thrush in bub, breastfeeding challenges and recovery from birth-related health complications and I honestly don’t know how I made it out of those harrowing early months.

Yes, friends, motherhood can be a mothereffer.

Despite the immeasurable joy, unshakeable love, and heart-swelling pride – all the many wonderful things you hear about motherhood that make it such a worthy and rewarding endeavour – I have been at my tipping point more times than I care to recall.

And while the sleepless nights and relentless cries have long been replaced by school runs and sibling squabbles, adrenal fatigue and social anxiousness persist – tattooed on my DNA from a time that I lived in constant fight or flight mode, subsisted on toast, and shut myself off from the world.

Motherhood is a mammoth task and it’s not uncommon for new mums to have trouble finding their feet. Around 1 in 7 Aussie mums experience postnatal depression, and postnatal anxiety is just as common, with some mums experiencing both.

The chances of developing postnatal depression and anxiety are heightened by a history of anxiety/depression, a family history or mental illness, a difficult or complex pregnancy, a premature or unwell baby, birth trauma, sleep deprivation, feeding/settling issues, pre-existing physical illness, ongoing stress, and limited support.

While it’s certainly not the case that every new mum will struggle, early motherhood is a period of momentous physical and lifestyle change, and a steep learning curve. It pays to arm yourself with a support system, well in advance of your babe’s birth.

It was through a wonderful lactation consultant, copious research and finding my village in a small Facebook group of likeminded, knowledgeable mums that I was able to get the better of our feeding and digestion issues, sonny and I started sleeping better and I was able to conquer my postnatal funk, enough so that I was ready for round two once my son turned one.

There are so many wonderful supports popping up, which recognise that modern mums need their village now, more than ever. Villagehood, in Adelaide’s west, provides fun fitness, art and cooking classes for mums in a relaxed, non-judgmental setting, with an onsite creche for children aged six months and over. The Golden Month provides a mix of in-home acupuncture and massage, nutrient-dense home delivered meals and make-at-home meal bases and lactation treats. And private midwives, lactation consultants and postnatal doulas are becoming more widely available, who can visit you in your home to help care for you and baby and answer the million and one questions that every new mother has.

Community is everything

For more than ten thousand years, we humans lived in a tight-knit village setting. A sisterhood of female relatives and friends rallied around the new mother, providing care, nourishing meals, and some respite from the demands of early motherhood. But in modern times, our sisterhood has disbanded.

It’s not that we don’t have women in our lives who care about us, it’s that they most often don’t live in the same suburb, our mothers are working until later in life, thanks to a skyrocketing cost of living, and our sisters and friends are doing the work/motherhood juggle and contending with limited support themselves.

Human connection is soul medicine. If you don’t have a circle of support nearby, get connecting. I can’t express enough how important it is to link up with mums of young children, particularly those who share your values and parenting style. They will be a wealth of support and knowledge as you navigate raising a teeny human.

Early on in your pregnancy, look up mothers’ groups in your area, join Facebook parenting groups and begin putting together your pre- and postnatal support team, which might include a midwife, doula, board-certified lactation consultant, naturopath, massage or physical therapist, acupuncturist and even a darn good meal delivery service and cleaner. Ask for vouchers for these services in lieu of too many onesies and ALL the useless baby paraphernalia, like automated nappy disposal, glowing owls, and room thermometers.

Hypnotise yourself Zen

You’ve likely heard of Hypnobirthing Australia ™️, a method of achieving self-hypnosis and deep relaxation to reduce fear and pain and promote calm during labour, but HypnoMothering ™️ is a lesser-known technique which helps mums to retain a sense of peace and balance during parenting’s more trying moments.

Persistent crying, frequent night waking and a babe who just won’t sleep can all push you to your limits. It can be difficult to keep calm in these situations and the more stressed you get, the more taxing these situations feel. In just a couple of hours, a HypnoMothering ™️ provider will equip you with practical tips for fast relaxation, tapping into positive emotions and achieving deep, restful sleep, even when you’re catching an hour or two at a time. It might sound a little woo, but hypnosis is simply a safe, natural state of selective, focused attention and a handy instrument in your parenting toolkit.

Postnatal care is *just* as important as prenatal care

As expectant mothers, we’re carefully tended to by our healthcare providers for nine months; complete strangers show interest in our wellbeing. We take care to eat all the right things and take our vitamins, and then bub arrives. Suddenly, we’re adrift in a sea of nappies and spit-up, often more physically depleted than ever before and essentially left to fend for ourselves with the most important gig we’ll ever have. We feel “lucky” if our partners can afford to take their government-allotted two weeks leave at minimum wage or have some annual leave saved up to support us in our new role but, even so, the responsibility of caring for this brand-new human falls largely with mum.

Maternal depletion is no joke. Described as physical and mental deterioration caused by birth and breastfeeding, as well as the trials and stresses of motherhood, maternal depletion is characterised by extreme fatigue, hyper vigilance and constant overwhelm. I realised just how much I’d been neglecting my health when my breastmilk dried up, 18 months into feeding my second child, and my period took an additional six months to return. A blood test revealed that I was despicably low in many major nutrients that are vital to immune function and energy.

Unchecked depletion can snowball into ongoing health issues. As mums, we tend to bury ourselves in our role and deprioritise our own needs, postponing health appointments and exercise, and spending our often heavily reduced income on our little ones instead of things that we desperately need.

Commit to making yourself a priority. If you need any excuse other than you’re freakin’ worth it, your family will be happier and everything is easier when you, mama, are happy and healthy. When you’re rundown and stressed, the smallest stressors feel unbearably taxing. Invest in yourself and your motherhood journey will be *so* much smoother.                      

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