Hypnosis and Childbirth

Hypnosis and childbirth do not seem to fit in the same basket, but have you ever thought that whatever childbirth experience you have, it is the result of hypnosis. We are all subjects to the hypnotic effect of the mass culture and believe in our circle of friends, relatives. A great deal of our experience in childbirth is shaped by the common view about it. By using hypnosis and childbirth, combined with mental imagery (without hypnosis) you can prepare your mind and body for a wonderful calm pain free childbirth. Hypnosis and childbirth are astonishingly related in the control of pain. One of the easiest ways to have a baby without pain is to relax. Relaxation counteracts fears and stress. You thoughts and images can change the way you respond to any situation and the way you steer the outcome. Developing new images and self-suggestions will not only change your outer behavior, but also your experience of the childbirth process. Besides, this is such a powerful technique which you will rely on for many other occasions in your life from that moment on.

The techniques of using hypnosis and childbirth with mental images are described here:

Step one: What is self-hypnosis and mental imagery? Before you start using hypnosis and childbirth imagery, you need to get a "feel" for what it is, to gain some basic understanding. Second, you learn a simple method for visualization. Third you have personal experience of the effect of the method by practicing it several times. Fourth, you can plan to use this method in order to produce the desired results. Only after this preparation you start using visualization as a self-help method. Daydreaming is the first step towards hypnosis and childbirth with mental images. Most people daydream. It is not just an exercise in day planning, or an effort to beat the boredom. Daydreaming makes us have a rich fantasy life. Research shows that people who daydream are more fun to be around, more alert, have better concentration and are achievers. Daydreaming is like brainstorming. It helps us to taste the future vividly and choose the best option before we act. Most of us know how to dream. It is natural. Children daydream all the time. Following the techniques presented here you can start guide your fantasies into a more constructive, creative areas, rather than leaving them to the whim of the moment. Some of your re-occurring daydreams reveal frustrated needs that need your conscious attention. By noticing the constant change of images, thoughts and emotions in the background of your mind, you can better understand yourself.

When you visit a hypno-therapist or hypnotist they first demonstrate you how ideas influence behavior, the suggestion effect. They might ask you to clasp your hands and imagine that they are glued tightly together, and then to take your hands apart. If you have vividly imagined your hands tightly glued, you might find it a bit difficult to separate your hands. Thinking of some action tends to produce the action if your imagination is strong.

A very popular experiment in self-hypnosis is described by Soskis. Make a pendulum - a small round object that has some weight to it. A set of keys, a ring, a medallion, or a glass ornament is a good example of pendulum. Put the object on a string. Draw a circle with two lines intersecting in the middle of the circle. Put the drawing on the table. Rest your elbow comfortably on the table and grasp the string at the point where the pendulum is resting on the center of the circle, where the lines cross. Now think that the object is moving along one of the line to the left. Then think that the object is moving along the line to the right. In a few seconds you will be surprised to see that the object is really moving. You might think that you are moving it with your thought, but in fact very tiny imperceptible movements in your hand are really moving the object. This is how our minds produce action, even without knowing it.

Another popular experiment to prove to yourself the power of hypnosis is to put your arms in front of yourself with the palms facing each other at the same height several inches apart. Now close your eyes and for several minutes repeat and picture that your left hand is getting heavier and heavier, while your right hand is getting lighter and lighter. See in your mind that to your left hand is attached to a book strap and several heavy books are pulling it down, while your left hand is tied to helium balloon and is lifted up in the air with the balloon. In a few minutes, when you open your eyes, you will really see that your hands have gone apart influenced by your thoughts.



Hypnosis has to be repeated in order to have an effect. One or two sessions might not be enough, but it can definitely lessen the experience of pain and make childbirth much more enjoyable.

While you are in hypnosis, you can act as you normally act. If you need to answer the telephone or open the door, you will. You can remember everything that happened. Hypnosis and childbirth mental images are not like going to sleep. You can remember everything, but while so relaxed, you can fall asleep. If you do fall asleep, don't be concerned. Take a nap. You won't do strange things or hurt yourself, like with a stage hypnotist, because you are in control. Much of the effect of self-hypnosis is due to expectations or placebo or suggestion. You may want to do some reading or talk to a friend or a professional before you use hypnosis. Do not use self-hypnosis if you have a serious long-term mental illness, if you have a troubled relationship with someone else. Do not try to discover the truth about anything, because many of the vivid memories you might have under hypnosis may be radically different from reality. Yet mental imagery is used to gain insight and new awareness.

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