When I decided to have my second child naturally, I knew I needed some kind of plan for pain management. I was going to have her at a freestanding birth center when my first was born at a hospital with an epidural and narcotics for pain. I decided to go the natural route the second time based on my own experience and on the multitude of books I had read regarding natural childbirth. I knew this was the best for baby and I was committed to going drug free. I read about “Hypbirth” in one of the natural parenting groups and decided to look into using hypnosis for childbirth.

I borrowed the Hypbirth program from a friend and was impressed. Some women who used the program claimed that they were actually being pain-free during labor. In fact, a video was included so I could see it for myself. The women had taught themselves to go limp and loose and to not fight the contractions or fear them. I had not taken the Bradley Method childbirth course the first time around, so when I found a another program that was a comprehensive childbirth home study course, I decided to use Hypnobabies instead. This included information on nutrition, natural childbirth information, and a series of discs that would teach self-hypnosis techniques. Both were good programs but I felt Hypnobabies would be able to better meet my individual needs.

I used the program just as instructed, plugging in my CD player every night and taking time out to prepare my mind for childbirth. The positive affirmations were my favorite. A calm, soothing voice reminded me that I was “born to do this” and that I was going to have a “positive birthing experience” with pressure rather than pain. I joined the Hypnobabies email group and heard from many women who had pain-free births and was delighted. I also read messages from women who it didn’t work for, but they usually said they hadn’t done all the preparation. The idea behind hypnosis is that much of our pain comes from the fear and all the negative stories we hear during our lives about childbirth. Women tend to tense up rather than relax when a contraction begins, making the pressure more painful.

So you must be wondering whether or not it worked for me! The answer is yes and no. If you’re wondering if I had a pain-free birth with my daughter, it was definitely not a walk in the park. However, labor went very quickly and I had read in my manual that women who use the program often progress more quickly. Of course, it was also my second child so that may have been part of it. I was extremely anxious about going natural and I feel that the CD set put my mind at ease about something that was so scary for me. I used the “limp and loose” technique successfully up until transition when I had to switched to moaning and breathing to deal with the pain. Looking back, even though I did my practice every night, I don’t think I ever really let myself go into a hypnotized state. I think for me, it was more about relaxation which is extremely important when preparing for and actually giving birth naturally. I had no blood pressure problems this time around and I think that was partly due to my use of the program.

I also had my husband, my doula, a midwife and her assistant there to guide me and support me through this experience. My doula was extremely helpful. (I plan to write a future article on why I recommend a doula to all natural birthing moms.) Having a great support team is essential. I also believe that knowledge is power. In preparation for Loralei’s arrival, I read many books on natural childbirth, hired a doula who counseled me through the pregnancy, and prepared my mind using the Hypnobabies childbirth program. I definitely think the self-hypnosis program was an important piece of the puzzle and had a positive impact on my birthing experience.