Hypnotherapy Birthing

Hypnotherapy Birthing

Hypnotherapy birthing is designed to reduce fear and facilitate relaxation and calmness during birthing. One to one sessions with a therapist coupled with our CD’s are the best way to accomplish this

The Uterus:- The birthing muscles.

It is important to understand how the uterus functions naturally, and how fear can upset the workings of this smooth birthing muscle during birthing. With this understanding, the concept of easier more comfortable birthing becomes obvious and therefore attainable. This process is exactly the process your body will work with during labour.

There are three layers of muscles in the uterus. The layers that concern us are the outer layer that has vertical muscles and the inner layer that has circular horizontal muscles.

The circular muscles of the inner layer are found in the lower area of the uterus, with the thickest just above the opening, or neck of the uterus. In order for the baby to move easily down into the birth canal, these thicker muscles have to be drawn up and back.

The stronger vertical muscles at the top outer layer of the uterus are strong vertical fibres. These muscles go up the back and over the top of the uterus, drawing up the relaxed circular muscles of the inner layer.

When the birthing mother is in a comfortable state of relaxation, the two sets of muscles work in harmony in a wave like motion. The surge of the vertical muscles draws up, flexes and expels; and the inner circular muscles relax, open and draw back to allow this to happen. Birthing then goes smoothly and easily.

Fear is the problem

Fear creates stress and stress sends messages to all the receptors in the body, creating physiological and chemical changes in the body. This comes from the flight or fight response once needed to help us survive, this defensive reaction is triggered by stress hormones, causing the muscles to tense, and although appropriate if our lives are in danger, this flight of fight response is not an appropriate response in birthing.

To defend itself in stressful situations, the body directs all possible effort to areas that can assist in its defence, since the uterus plays no part in the body’s defence, blood is sent to other organs of the body and muscles by constricting the arteries going to the uterus. When this happens there is a constricting of the circular muscles of the inner layer, so instead of relaxing the muscles of the neck and opening, the muscles fibres at the neck of the uterus tighten. As this happens the vertical muscles are still trying to draw the circular muscles back but the cervix is resistant. When these two muscles work in opposition this way, the baby’s head is forced against unyielding constricted circular muscles, pain in contractions and lengthening labour. If the birthing mother is confident and free of fear, she can bring herself to a place of relaxed calmness at the very onset of labour and this will lead to an easier birth. Even if she begins to feel fear, if she can bring herself into a state of calm relaxation, the body’s natural relaxants, endorphins, will override the constricting hormones and allow for an easier birthing.

Where does the fear come from

Birthing fear comes from well meaning relatives, friends and associates, and a society who are conditioned to think of birthing in a fearful way. We hear birthing stories from many people in the course of our lives, and like most stories, they can get exaggerated. We very rarely hear about the easy births because there is no drama in it, its not as interesting to others. If we read the newspaper, see the news on TV or watch a political election campaign, you we see that over 90% of what we are told is negative news or information, people take more interest in drama or fearful situations. This is why amusement park rides are so much fun, or the reason people jump out of aeroplanes with a parachute on their back, but a conditioned fear of birthing is not something we want to take into the delivery room. If we look at every other animal in nature we see natural easy birthing; no one has told them it will be any different. They just accept and allow what their body is designed for. Only human beings are conditioned to fear birthing.

We know from observations that when labouring mothers are free of fear, their bodies relaxed; the muscles of the cervix relaxed; and this permitted an easier birth. The body’s natural endorphins released through relaxation can have an effect 200 times that of morphine because they suppress neuron activity that leads to pain sensation. Pressure of the baby’s head is another natural anaesthetic, think what its like when your foot goes to sleep if you sit on it.

Contractions don’t have to hurt. They are energy rushes that enable you to open your body so the baby can come out. When you feel your body begin to surge, actively think, release and let go of tension, experience that uterine wave, flowing with it and ultimately releasing and letting go. If you have the attitude that they hurt, then you’ll tense up and not be able to relax. Understanding that a contraction is a natural sensation that your body is designed for can allow you to welcome every contraction as a step closer to having your baby in your arms. Relax, be calm and enjoy the process, it will always be remembered as one of the best days in your life, and there is nothing to fear but fear itself. You will be giving birth; you have no choice, your body will go through changes to give birth; you have no choice, but you do have a choice to accept and allow this natural process or to resist and fight it, what you resist will persist, so choose to allow yourself to be relaxed and calm, give your birthing over to your body, trust it, relax and let it do its job.

Breathing during birthing

Between contractions your breathing should be deep and relaxed. Place your imagination in a place in nature. It could be by the sea or out in the country. Imagine any tensions flowing out of the body with each breath as let you mind soak up the calmness of this place. Practice this often before your time is near.
During contractions you may feel the urge to push and hold your breath, resist this urge by imagining your body flowing like waves onto a beach. Imagine it as a natural surge. If feel the urge to hold your breath and push, start panting. Make your pants as deep as possible and focus on your breathing, allowing your body to do the work it has been designed to do through millions of years of evolution. Trust that your body knows exactly how to prepare you for your birthing and allow it to do its work without resistance.

Hold the thought that every contraction brings you closer to holding your baby in your arms. After all these months of waiting your time is almost here. Enjoy this miracle of creation for what it is, the most exciting time of your life, not to be feared but to be looked forward to. The months of waiting have now turned to just a few hours. You were designed for this. Within a few hours of your contraction starting you will have given birth and feeling the best you have ever felt in your life as the body’s natural endorphins propel you to the greatest high you could ever feel.

You will look back on your moment of giving birth, as one of the greatest experiences of your life, there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

We also offer the following Relaxed Birthing CD: