Reply to Did hypnobirthing work for you?

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[quote=Anonymous]As a doula I've seen this method work for some women, and have heard of situations where women have used hypnosis and really have experienced calm, peaceful, and pain-free births.  But I don't think this can be counted on.  I think it depends partly on how seriously you study and practice -- reading the book and halfheartedly practicing will probably not get you much benefit.  I think it's also partly just luck -- some labors are more manageable with techniques like this than others.  It also depends on what environment you are giving birth in.  I think hypnosis methods tend to work best in settings where there aren't a lot of interruptions and where everyone present is on board with the mom really going into herself and focusing in the way that is required for self hypnosis.  Most hospital settings involve a lot of interruptions, a lot of people who find hypnosis methods "silly", and a lot of routine interventions that can make it tough to go inward for long periods of time.  I think having a doula who specializes in hypnosis and who can prompt you and help you stay in a hypnosis state can be really helpful, especially for a first baby.

My main issue with some of the hypnosis methods is that they seem to imply that if women only relax enough, then labor won't hurt and will be smooth and easy.  I have no doubt that there's a huge emotional component to labor -- I've seen it come into play many times.  However there are also physical and environmental aspects -- some labors are very long and/or painful, and sometimes complications arise,  -- implying that these things happened because the mother didn't relax enough rubs me the wrong way.

I'd also make sure that even if you prepare using a hypnosis method, you make sure to familiarize yourself with typical medical interventions that one may encounter in a hospital setting. Some of the hypnosis methods encourage mothers to stay in their "bubble of peace" and not to learn about medical intervention -- I think this is irresponsible (particularly if you're giving birth in a hospital and/or with an OB, since the likelihood of intervention is higher in these cases).   If you do end up in a situation where you have to make a decision about intervention, and you haven't read about it, you may be at a disadvantage.

My own feeling is that there is something to gain from many different childbirth preparation methods -- the hypnosis methods have a lot of valuable tools, and I think they are worth learning about.  I think it's also good to explore other pain relief techniques and methods so that you are aware of a wide range of options.  And I think having good support during labor itself is really important since it can be tough to remember what you've learned or read when it's all actually happening.   But I know I'm biased on that point, since I'm a doula myself :)  [/quote]

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