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Using Hypnosis for Childbirth
Kerry Tuschhoff


Mention Labor and Delivery to an expectant mom in her last
trimester, and chances are good that her heart will begin to
race, her mind floods with concern and in some cases, panic. She
knows that the day is coming when a force much bigger than
herself will take over and her body will govern itself
completely. For some women, this is a very fearful event, but for
Hypno-moms, it is merely a challenge.


These wise women use hypnosis to eliminate pain and fear from the
birthing experience. In the past, the word "hypnosis" conjured up
images of stage hypnotists re-creating Elvis, or mesmerizing
others into embarrassing situations. Now it is common for
hypnosis to be used therapeutically in many areas of medicine,
dental anesthesia and personal therapy sessions. Even so, there
are many misconceptions regarding hypnosis that can dissuade
those contemplating this powerful tool. Here are a few FACTS:
(see our page on hypnosis for more information)

* All hypnosis is self-hypnosis; the hypnotherapist is only the
guide. A person chooses to enter into a hypnotic state, stay in
and come out at will.

* Approximately 90-95% of the population can be hypnotized.
Willingness, belief and motivation have great influence over
hypnotizability.

* During hypnosis you are neither asleep nor unconscious, and
will always "come out" when you wish.

* Stronger-minded and stronger-willed people are easier to
hypnotize; not the other way around as is usually assumed.

* You cannot be made to divulge information or do anything
against your will while in hypnosis.

*Hypnosis is not Satanic or religion-oriented at all, just a way
to direct your inner mind toward the positive.


What about Hypnosis for Childbirth?

Hypnosis is used in medical and dental procedures with great
success by patients who have life-threatening allergies to
anesthetics, allowing them to undergo surgeries with no drugs and
no pain. We know therefore that the mind can be trained to
experience discomfort as only pressure, and that is what is
achieved in childbirth hypnosis as well. In addition, with labor,
the more relaxation the mother experiences, the more comfort she
will have, and the depth of relaxation necessary can easily be
achieved with hypnosis, as physical relaxation is learned and
practiced daily in preparation for birth using guided
visualizations followed by positive hypnotic suggestions. When
the critical conscious mind is by-passed with hypnosis, the inner
mind can literally be reprogrammed to believe that birth will be
comfortable, easy and joyous. Software for your mind!


Fear and Expectation

In other cultures, childbirth is regarded as a natural, normal
event in a woman's life. The birthing women are given support
from other women, and children are often present to witness the
event. In this way, birth is celebrated and honored. Young girls
then grow up with the belief system that birth is a positive
event and their expectations of childbirth reflect this attitude.
As a result, their births are similar to their predecessors;
without pain and fear. They have a positive expectation of
childbirth. In our culture, it is very much the opposite. For
many generations we have been told that delivering a baby is many
hours of painfully agonizing work, to be faced with fear and
trepidation. We have heard stories from well-meaning friends and
family that send shivers up our spines, and so the legacy
continues. We experience pain in childbirth, in part because we
very much expect to!

When learning about how the mind controls the body, the expectant
couple is taught to surround themselves with only positive people
and messages, to create a positive view of childbirth and the
expectation that their birth will be the beautiful, peaceful
experience that they want. Fear Clearing Sessions are integral to
this process, as they allow each person to address fears they
have, work through possible solutions and then release them. Fear
in labor can create tension, which creates pain, then more fear,
and the cycle continues. Fear and anxiety can also create
adrenaline production in the body, causing the labor to become
dysfunctional, a common reason for Cesarean Section surgery.
Freedom from fear can make a huge difference in the birthing
experience.

Hypnosis for childbirth teaches a woman how to enter into
self-hypnosis instantly, and create her own natural anesthesia
whenever and wherever she needs it. This is important as any
drugs taken by a laboring woman can be dangerous for her, and
especially her baby. She has total control over her body, and is
an active participant in her birth process. As labor progresses,
she relaxes even more, goes deeper inside herself, trusting in
her body's natural ability to give birth with ease and comfort.
Her mind is programmed to give her exactly what she needs.


Too good to be true?

Can women give birth without experiencing pain? They can, but
there are many variables in labor and birth that can affect the
outcome, and couples need to have a positive but realistic view
of hypnosis for childbirth. Each pregnant woman and her partner
must take responsibility for the choices they make while in labor
and how they can affect the dynamics and outcome. Many a
wonderful birth has been thwarted by not realizing how to make
positive, informed choices, yet these issues are easily addressed
and learned in a good consumer oriented childbirth class such as
Hypnobabies, or by doing research.

Without a doubt, women using hypnosis are much calmer and more
relaxed during labor, which automatically creates more comfort,
as well as having *powerful* post-hypnotic suggestions to
actually eliminate pain and fear. How effective is this?
Statistics will vary by the program and method chosen, depending
on the length and number of hypnosis sessions, the materials used
in each, and the skill of the hypnotherapist or teacher, as well
as the dedication and compliance to the program of each birthing
couple. Ideally, hypnosis for childbirth instructors will have
backgrounds in both hypnotherapy and childbirth education, and be
able to address each woman's personal needs. With adequate
preparation and trust in the natural process of birth, most women
can have much more relaxed and comfortable births, with many
actually free of pain. It is important to know that the
childbirth hypnosis program you choose to use will directly
affect your success in having a comfortable birth, so educate
yourself before choosing.


Benefits of using hypnosis for childbirth:

* Fewer drugs or no drugs at all means less risk of side effects
on mother and baby.

* Shorter labors - resistance of the birthing muscles as a
response to pain is minimized or eliminated.

* An awake, energized mother, due to total relaxation throughout
the birthing process.

* A calm, peaceful birthing environment.

* Breech and posterior babies can be turned using hypnosis.

* Fewer interventions and complications during labor.

* Babies who are better sleepers and nursers due to fewer drugs
in their systems.


How to study: Where do you start?

There are choices open to couples who are ready to begin their
hypno-journey, and it will benefit each one to research all of
their options to find one that allows them to achieve their goal.
They include:


Choice # 1: You can seek out a Hypnobabies class in your area.
Some are taught at local birth centers, holistic offices or the
instructor’s homes. The backgrounds of Hypnobabies Instructors
always include hypnosis training and childbirth education, both
necessary for excellent results. You can find a Hypnobabies
Instructor by visiting www.hypnobabies.com and look under
Professional listings.

You may want to ask a prospective Hypnobabies Instructor the
following when you contact them:

• If they have a background in hypnotherapy. (Many of our
instructors are certified or clinical hypnotherapists. This is
helpful as they will be able to help you with individual issues)

• What is their background in childbirth education: midwifery,
doula training, childbirth teacher, nursing etc. (A childbirth
training background is necessary for all of our Hypnobabies
Instructors so that all of your pregnancy and childbirth
questions and concerns can be addressed adequately in class.)

• How long they have been teaching Hypnobabies classes, and where
they teach the class?

• How many classes do they teach and how long is each one?

• What materials do they provide with the class? (All Hypnobabies
Instructors need to give out exactly the same Hypnobabies
materials: The Hypnobabies Workbook, 6 CDs for the Hypno-mom and
1 for the Birth Partner, The Birth Partner’s Guide, The Quick
Reference Guide, The Hypnobabies Scripts Booklet, a Perineal
Massage booklet, and the book, Back Labor No More.)

• How much is the class fee, and is it a group class or private?

• Do they attend births as a Hypno-doula, and if so, how many
have they attended? If not, have they trained any local doulas
for this?

• Ask them about why they became a Hypnobabies Instructor. You
will find that all our instructors have a passion for working
with pregnant couples and a love of natural, unmedicated
birthing!


Choice # 2: You can choose a home study course, of which there
are many. To find one, you can do a search on the Internet for:
“hypnosis, childbirth, home study.” An adequate home study
program will have detailed information on hypnosis and how to use
it in childbirth, and hypno-tools for you to achieve your goals;
books, tapes, CD’s, handouts, hypnosis scripts. As you will be
studying on your own, it is your responsibility to gain as much
knowledge as possible, so choose well.

Of course, we think our Hypnobabies Home Study Course is the best
one available, since it is so detailed and successful, so please
visit us at www.hypnobabies.com to learn more about it.


Choice # 3: Seek out a qualified Hypnotherapist in your area for
office sessions. You will want to make sure to interview them
beforehand and ask what type of program they have for childbirth
using hypnosis, since not all of them already have an effective
program in place in their practice. A good one will include at
least 4 sessions in the office, (6-7 are optimal) with the last
one done one week before the estimated due date. It should also
include at least one tape or CD to listen to at home by yourself,
and one or more cues for the birth companion to learn and
practice that helps you to relax and go deeper into hypnosis.
Many hypnotherapists have developed their own childbirth hypnosis
programs that are very effective, and some will use and modify
already existing ones, such as Gerald Kein's Painless Childbirth
Program.


The attraction to this kind of program is that it allows the
hypnotherapist to adapt the program to fit the needs of their own
practice, creating their own scripts and tapes from the original
program sessions, and fully modify them to the needs of each
expectant mother. This helps tremendously with women who have
personal issues that need to be resolved, such as VBAC moms,
those who have had a past negative birth experience, or those who
have specific deep-seated fears about childbirth.

To find a hypnotherapist in your area, you can look in your phone
book under “hypnosis” or “hypnotherapy”, or contact the
International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association for a
referral at (248) 549-5594 or (800) 257-5467.

It is well worth the time to look into hypnosis for childbirth as
an option, both for yourself and for your baby. It is important
to remember that most drugs are given in an adult dose to women
in labor and will reach her baby in less than 5 minutes with
effects ranging from respiratory depression to breastfeeding
problems, and using hypnosis techniques can greatly help to avoid
them. The deep relaxation learned in Hypnobabies has even helped
many a nervous dad to cope as they prepare for their child’s
birth! In addition, the skills you will learn for relaxation and
hypno-anesthesia will benefit you for the rest of your life!


Kerry Tuschhoff, HCHI, CHt , CI is a Certified Hypnotherapist,
Childbirth Educator, and Founder of Hypnobabies Network in
Cypress, CA. She teaches Hypnobabies Childbirth classes,
Hypnobabies Instructor Training Courses, Hypno-Doula Workshops,
Pregnancy Nutrition and Breastfeeding workshops, Birth Hypnosis
Specialty Courses and gives seminars in her community on natural
pregnancy and childbirth options. Kerry also created the
Hypnobabies Home Study Course for women who need self-study
options for hypnotic childbirth, and is the author of Pregnancy
Hypnosis the Hypnobabies Way, The Introduction to Childbirth
Hypnosis Workbook for Professionals, and The Hypno-Doula Training
Workbook. The foremost expert in Hypnosis for Childbirth, she is
also an international conference speaker and lecturer. Kerry can
be reached at: (714) 898-BABY (2229). Website:
http://www.hypnobabies.com


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