Childbirth and Hypnotherapy
Who can you turn to for support?

Authored by Emily Heale

Having a baby dramatically changes a parent’s life in many positive ways. Often relatives and friends are there for support whether it is for advice or just for babysitting! But there are other people who you don’t know personally who are eager to support parents through these special although sometimes stressful times.

As a Hypnotherapist I work with expectant mums who want that extra support - I build up strong albeit temporary rapport and trust with them and help them discover how powerful they and their minds truly are. Along with treating children, working with mums-to-be gives me an enormous amount of satisfaction because you know at the end of it all there will be beautiful bundle of joy to look forward to.

I will of course not be there to support the mum at the actual moment of childbirth so my job is to make sure they can support themselves with the help of self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is very easy to learn and the techniques I teach can be used at any time in the future to help with situations other than childbirth. Incorporated into the sessions with this is Suggestion Therapy – positively phrased suggestions which take root in the subconscious mind.

Being out of control is often the biggest fear a pregnant woman has – possibly with regards to the sensations in her own body or not being able to make their own choices when they need to. Other less obvious concerns can be doubts about how they will cope with the new arrival, if they will lose their own identity and how easily they will bond with their baby.

Fears often have 9 months to build (from previous experiences, media stories etc) so by helping expectant mums overcome their fears it helps them feel so much more in control and reassured. Prior to or during childbirth often a woman will expect pain on a subconscious level so their body produces certain hormones during labour and the outcome is a restricted flow of blood and oxygen to her uterus and tightening of muscles in the cervix – the areas which needs the most help at this stage!

On the other hand if a woman is relaxed and looking forward to the birth, there will be more synergy between her mind and her body. When a woman feels no fear during childbirth there is little or no discomfort – the contractions come regularly and rhythmically and the baby is born more easily (and often faster).

It is important not to forget that partners often need support. They can sometimes feel a bit left out or useless when it comes to helping support the mother and they may even have their own fears or doubts. By being able to assess and deal with the likely weaknesses of the other person present at the birth, we can ensure the mother has the greatest possible support and that the partner feels both a part of the process and able to enjoy the experience.

So if you would like extra support from someone like myself, all you have to do is ASK for it!