1. HypnoBirthing promises no pain during labour
So this is where I got into trouble with my first labour. I thought that if I’d done HypnoBirthing, my labour would be pain free and when it wasn’t, I freaked!
Pain is so subjective, everyone has different concepts and thresholds and the sensations felt during labour and birth can differ from woman to woman. For some women it’s intense and they let you know it, wow some ladies can roar!
For some others is can be totally comfortable. A 2007-2010 study showed that mums who had completed HypnoBirthing scored their overall discomfort in birth and labour a 5.8 out of 10, with 32% of participants scoring under 5.8 including 2 participants who scored zero discomfort. Amazing hey!
2. Doctors and midwives don’t support HypnoBirthing
It’s certainly true that many doctors and midwives may not be familiar with HypnoBirthing but it’s definitely becoming better known within Australian hospitals. In fact, four major hospitals in NSW, train their midwives and pregnant couples in the HypnoBirthing techniques!
HypnoBirthing teaches parents a lot of risks and benefits for certain procedures that just aren’t learnt in hospital antenatal classes or shared in their hospital appointments. What procedures parents do and don’t want, may not be in line with the policies of the particular hospital they are birthing in. This doesn’t meant that they have to change their wishes, or change hospital but it does mean that a conversation needs to be had and their options discussed. Its important to remember that hospitals policies are not the law and you have the right to informed consent.
HypnoBirthing teaches you how to communicate easily and confidently with your care providers, having open, non-confrontational discussion with them early and often so that when it comes to your birthing day, there are no surprises for anyone.
The more parents start adovating for their rights and potentially challenging outdated procedures, the quicker this revolution in childbirth will happen. You can take pride in that you are paving the way for your daughters and nieces in years to come.
I think more than anything HypnoBirthing mums take hospital staff by surprise. They come in calm and relaxed, staff think it’s still early in the labour and quickly mum progresses and births her baby with minimal issues.
3. HypnoBirthing guarantees you a vaginal birth
Not a single person on this earth can make any guarantees when it comes to birth but learning HypnoBirthing certainly stacks the odds in your favour. Each labour is different, every woman is different and every baby is different.
In the 2007-2010 study, 22% of HypnoBirthing mums had a c-section, (compared with 38.4 % of the general public in NSW in 2008 (NSW Ministry of Health, 2009). We have new data in the process of being analysed, which appears to further reduce the HypnoBirthing c-section rate dramatically. Will keep you all updated on these exciting results when they are available.
4. HypnoBirthing is for hippies, is ‘alternative’ or woo-woo
Having ‘hypno’ in the name doesn’t do the program much justice for those not familiar with hypnosis. It might summon ideas about stage hypnosis where participants appear to loose control of their actions (and their dignity) for the comedic benefit of others.
The origins of hypnosis can be traced back 2500 years and the clinical hypnosis we see today has been proven scientifically to work incredibly well in many areas including releasing fears and managing pain.
HypnoBirthing is based in science. We look at the physical and physiological (hormonal) process of labour and how best to encourage the process. We examine the process that happen in the limbic system and neocortex of the brain and what happens to your autonomic nervous system in labour.
I believe every woman has something to gain by learning HypnoBirthing. We teach all types of woman from all walks of life. Whether you are terrified of labour, relaxed, excited and looking forward to it or have your head in the sand not even thinking about it, HypnoBirthing is for you.
5. You have to want to home birth or water birth
Where you birth is a personal choice. Many people feel safer in a hospital environment on the chance that special circumstances may arise whereas for others, the thought of birthing at home, being in their own comfortable environment and not having to make that trip to hospital, is a dream come true.
The beauty of HypnoBirthing is that it can be done anywhere. Whether you want to birth at home, at a birth centre, in hospital, in water or on land, HypnoBirthing will support you in that choice.
6. HypnoBirthing either works or doesn’t work
Some people have the idea that if you have pain-relief, any interventions or a surgical birth, HypnoBirthing hasn’t worked, that mum or the program failed in someway.
This is completely untrue. HypnoBirthing is a philosophy, a way of thinking and you don’t get it right or wrong. HypnoBirthing aims to educate and empower so parents fully understand all their options and choices. If during the course of pregnancy or labour, that choice is to accept some sort of intervention, than the parents will know that they made that choice fully informed. It may not be the choice they wanted to make and they may feel sad or disappointed but they will also know that it was the last resort and should feel proud of that.
