Hypno...what?
Do you hypnotize me during my birth? That is mostly the first impression people have when they hear the first time from HypnoBirthing and also honestly was mine, when I came across Hypnobirthing during my pregnancy. Additionally, the term Hypno as Hypnosis gave me directly a negative feeling as I had in my past a not so positive experience. I also was completely the opinion that you cannot hypnotize me. Impossible!
Also, the images of stage hypnosis will come across your mind and all the stupid and crazy things that people do under this influence and how this can help me during birth???
All Hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis
You can not get hypnotized, if you don’t want to and also under hypnosis you are always aware of the surroundings and what happens to you. It is a state of deep relaxation and to explain it simply and in one phrase: Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation focused on one thing and open for suggestions.
How can this now help during birth and what can I learn in a HypnoBirthing childbirth course?
Get Dehypnotized first
"When you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change." Marie F. Mongan
First, you will learn how your body works during birth, especially the uterus and also how birth should be and was thousands of years ago. Education is one of the pillars of HypnoBirthing and helps to understand the magic of birth.
I just visited the family of my husband in Chile and he has a sister at the end twenties. She wants to get a mom within the next 2 years if there wouldn't be the final Act called "BIRTH".
She is totally afraid of it and panicking just thinking of it. She only knows horror stories and was part of the birth from her sister and cousin which all ended in a c-section and were with a lot of intervention and pain for the moms.
I explained to her a bit about what I am doing now and about HypnoBirthing, but like many people, you could see in her face the unbelief and scepticism. Even though I am the best example of that it can work if you prepare yourself and obviously train your body and mind daily. Sure, she was replying; you are way more strict and strong than me and also relaxation and hypnosis is not working for me at all.
So I did with her a little convincer exercise and she had to relax with a breathing technique and then I did a short and simple guided relaxation.
It was unbelievable how she could let herself go and visualize everything. You could really observe her body's response to her own mind's images produced by my words. She was totally amazed at how easy and good it worked and she could relax within minutes and also visualize everything. If you do that during birth, your body and baby can work as it supposed to be and you just give them the time and space to do nothing else than breathe and relax.
Here I also have to add that I did this relaxation with her in Spanish. I am quite fluent, but not 100% safe in grammar and even with my little mistakes she could relax and follow me and it even didn't bother her. That shows everyone can do it if they are open to it and want it.
What do I learn now exactly during this childbirth course?
The HypnoBirthing course is 5 x 2,5 hours and will prepare you for the birth of your baby mentally and physically. Each time you will gain more confidence and in the end, you might even look forward and be excited about giving birth. You might ask yourself why 5 times and not just 1 whole day? It is important that you reflect on all newly gained info and techniques and also train them at home and establish a daily routine with mental and physical exercises. The partner also plays a very important role and is completely involved in all exercises and will be your birth companion. He won't just be sitting helplessly next to you during your birth, actually the complete opposite! He will be part of it and in the end, you can say we birthed our child together.
Besides education about birth and how your body works, you will learn special breathing techniques which will help you during the different stages of labour. Besides that, you also get shown relaxation techniques, keyword anchors and massage techniques. Each course you can go deeper and deeper in a state of total relaxation.
I will help you with a birthing plan and especially for expats with the Dutch system. After the childbirth course, 'fear' won't be anymore in your vocabulary when you talk about giving birth to your baby.