Services HypnoBirthing(R)
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HypnoBirthing(R)

hypnobirth
When you think about giving birth, you may well share a common view that birth is often a painful and traumatic event as this is the most often portrayed idea in our society. What if it could be different? Women who attend HypnoBirthing® classes learn that birth can be a positive experience and that it can be manageable with minimal discomfort. We often forget that as humans we are also mammals and like any other mammal all of the information about how to give birth is stored in our primitive brain. Animals we note birth instinctively, they find a quiet, dark place away from others and just give birth, usually fairly easily. With humans though, one of our biggest issues is our thinking brain. We have so many beliefs and ideas about birth from what our culture has told us, births we see on television and from what we read, stories we hear from other women, and this all serves to create some fear and tension around birthing whether we are conscious of it or not.

The key idea behind the HypnoBirthing® philosophy is that birth is a natural normal event and that women’s bodies are designed perfectly to give birth. The fact that you and I are here at all is testament to this fact, if women’s bodies weren’t designed for birth the human race would have dwindled out thousands of years ago, as in reality birth has been happening since the beginning of time without the aid of pain relief, medical personnel, technology and caesarean sections. Birth has only taken place mostly in a hospital setting in the past 60-70 odd years, so it would seem that woman’s bodies work quite well! During HypnoBirthing® classes, couples learn about the uterus and how it works in birth and how they can help their body to work as easily as possible during birth and not resist the process. They learn that by staying relaxed and keeping their head in a positive place the birth process can progress in a much easier way. They learn a variety o f breathing, relaxation, hypnosis and visualisation techniques, which they can then take from and use whatever works best for them. They practice their techniques for at least 4-6 weeks before giving birth so that when their labour begins alot of the relaxation process happens automatically for them. Ideally then women find that they are able to stay relaxed and comfortable throughout most of their labour and this also helps them to conserve energy for the latter part of birth. Women who have a difficult or complicated birth first time around are often seeking ways to help them have an easier subsequent birth, but many classes are full of first timers coming to gain some skills and insight into the birthing process and how to make it easier. Partners also gain a lot of insight during the classes and learn the specific ways in which to support as well as some practical techniques that can assist the birthing woman greatly.

So does it work? The proof is most certainly in the pudding, I can say from personal experience it enabled me to have 2 wonderful birthing experiences including a 27 hour labour and a much quicker 5 hour labour, with both births I was fairly pain free until the very last part of dilating and then the last part was uncomfortable but quite manageable. Looking at statistics on average for women birthing in hospital around 15-25% birth with no pain relief, with HypnoBirthers its around 50% who have no pain relief and another 25% who use gas and air only, mostly after 8cm dilation only. Locally the caesarean rate is 26% with HypnoBirthers the emergency caesarean rate is around 12%. HypnoBirthers are fairly impressive in other words, around 2-3.5 times more likely to birth with no pain relief and half as likely to end up with a caesarean. Many midwives have noticed how calm Hypnobirthers are when they present at the hospital, in fact many times women have nearly been sent home as the midwives have thought that they weren’t in labour, but upon being checked they have been already 8cm of more dilated! Half of the first timers for whom labour begins on its own (ie: isn’t induced) will arrive at hospital between 7-10 cm dilated already. Even women who have difficult labours or complications have found that HypnoBirthing® helps to keep them calm and relaxed despite their circumstances. The classes are also of great use for women who are really anxious about the birth process, or who have had a traumatic time previously in birth.
Here’s how Hypnobirthers rated comfort levels at different stages of labour
(5/5 is very comfortable ranging down to 1/5 which is very uncomfortable)

1.   Early labour up to 6-8 cm         -31% rated comfort at 5/5
                                                   -34% rated comfort at 4/5
                                                   -22%rated comfort at 3/5

2.    Late labour                            -18% rated comfort 4/5                                                                                                                    
                                                   -26% rated comfort 3/5                                                                                                                                      
                                                   -29% rated comfort 2/5

3.   Birthing phase                         -15% rated comfort 4/5                                  
                                                    -27% rated comfort 3/5                                                                   
                                                    -29% rated comfort 2/5                                                                                         
                                                    -15% rated comfort 1/5
4.   Overall Satisfaction
                                                     -62% rated satisfaction as 5/5
                            -25% rated satisfaction as 4/5
If you are wanting to learn some skills in managing birth or know someone who is having a baby, HypnoBirthing can help. Nicole began running classes in 2006 and has helped hundreds of couples achieve easier and more satisfying births. Classes are run at Natremed on a monthly basis, and book out really fast! You can speak to Nicole or email her This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information. Alternativelyyou can fill out an expression of interest form.

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