The Science Unveiled: Understanding How Hypnobirthing Works
So, you've stumbled upon the term hypnobirthing, and you're probably thinking, "hypno-what?" I totally get it—I was right there with you!
But hold on, it's not just some mystical birthing trick; there's a whole lot of real science behind it! One of my recent hypnobirthing clients actually said "I feel like you're really good at explaining the science behind the techniques, so I can understand why I'm doing them." And trust me, with three science-based degrees under my belt, I wouldn't teach anything without a solid evidence base.
In this post, I'm about to unravel the science behind the magic of hypnobirthing... without putting you to sleep, promise!
Understanding Birth Waves
Before we dive into how hypnobirthing works, let's get a grasp on what happens during birth. You've likely heard of contractions, or as I like to call them, waves. Picture them as ebbs and flows, some gentle, others a bit more intense.
So, what's going on during a wave? Your uterus muscles are working hard to open your cervix, and there are two types at play here:
Outer Muscles: These muscles draw your inner muscles up and open during a wave.
Inner Muscles: These muscles keep your baby safe and snug during pregnancy, as they are what keeps the cervix closed.
During a wave, the outer muscles pull the inner muscles up, creating space and opening the cervix. The dilation measurements you often hear—5cm, 6cm, 8cm—they're telling us how open the cervix is.
Once your cervix is fully open, the muscles shift gears and push your baby down the birth canal and into the world. See my demonstration below.
Why is relaxation important for birth?
Now, here's the kicker. Doing anything physical while feeling tense? It's a real challenge, right? See how in the video below.
But why do we feel tension during labour?
Often, it's because we've been fed negative associations with birth—thanks to stories, TV, or social media.
What pops into your mind when you hear "labour and birth"?
My clients often use words such as ‘long, painful, uncertain’ to describe what they think. It's the norm, right? It’s what we’ve been told!
Now how do you feel when you think of birth being long, painful and uncertain? Probably quite anxious, right? And when we feel anxious, we tense up (even if we notice it or not!).
Have you ever had a stressful day at work and come home feeling all sorts of aches and pains in your shoulders or body? That’s due to the tension you’ve been holding from feeling stressed.
Well our bodies work in exactly the same way during birth. If we hear a particular word, or become worried about something during birth, we might feel anxious or overwhelmed, then that triggers our fight or flight response and makes us feel tense.
And what do we know about feeling tense? It means our muscles have to work against the tension, meaning they work harder, which can feel more uncomfortable.
“Where the mind goes, the body will follow”
So how do we break the cycle of feeling fear and tension?
Imagine this: the more you hear negative stories about birth, the more anxious and tense you become, which can make the waves feel more uncomfortable. Creating a not-so-fun cycle like the one below.
Hypnobirthing breaks this cycle by reshaping your beliefs about birth and teaching you ways to remain calm, even if your birth takes an unexpected direction.
It's like hitting the reset button on your expectations, allowing you to approach labour with confidence and calm.
Remember, a calm mind = a calm body
When the mind is at ease, the body responds by cooperating more effectively. And whilst Hypnobirthing certainly doesn't promise a pain-free experience, it does promise to give your mind the tools it needs to relax, allowing the body to navigate birth with less resistance and more fluidity.
But what exactly are the hypnobirthing techniques and how do they help?
Relaxation Exercises: From relaxed breathing to guided relaxation’s, there are a few different techniques I teach to help you stay feeling calm during labour and birth. All of which have been specially designed for pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Positive Affirmations: These are like a little pep talks for your brain, rewiring it to embrace positivity about birth. Think of them as friendly reminders that your body is built for this.
Visualisation Techniques: Visualisations can act like a holiday for the mind. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed during labour and birth, the visualisations I teach can act as an escape for you. They can also allow you to think about what you want during birth, rather than what you might be trying to avoid.
Anchors: Anchors are a bit like visualisations, they are cues that help you feel a certain way. For example, music is the perfect anchor. I bet you’ve heard a song on the radio that’s made you laugh, cry, or remember a happy memory? That is an anchor.
I teach how to create anchors during pregnancy that you can use during labour and birth to evoke a feeling of calm and relaxation.
Antenatal education: My hypnobirthing classes aren’t just about a ‘bunch of techniques for birth’, but they’re also a full antenatal education. I cover everything you need to feel prepared for birth.
From what happens during each stage of labour, how to do perineal massage, pain relief options for birth and so much more. If you’ve googled it, I probably cover it!
So, there you have it—a peek into why the mind-body connection is extremely important when it comes to birth and the science behind what is going on.
As a trained mental health therapist, I have supported hundreds of individuals break their cycles when it comes to feeling fear and overwhelm and it’s no different when it comes to birth!
If you have any questions feel free to pop me a message via the link below.