The HypnoBirthing program is designed to teach both the physiology of birth so you understand your amazing body, and the deep relaxation that facilitates your body’s natural, easy birth. The “Hypno” part of the name refers, of course, to hypnosis. Hypnosis is simply helping a person achieve a deeply relaxed state. Deep relaxation is a natural anesthetic for the body. Try it the next time you stub your toe or bump your head! Instead of tensing up and cringing, take a deep breath and relax. Notice the immediate difference in the level of pain you feel. We practice “hypnosis” in HypnoBirthing to teach you how to achieve deep relaxation so that during labor and birth you know how to relax and allow the birthing muscles to do what they naturally know to do rather than tensing up and fighting against those muscles, which creates the sensation of pain.
The word “hypnosis” sometimes makes people think of comedy routines or other strange things they may have seen on TV, but there is nothing like that in HypnoBirthing. It is simple, refreshing, empowering relaxation. In fact, most people have been in a state of hypnosis before although they may not recognize it as hypnosis -- when you're daydreaming, watching a movie, engrossed in a book, or deep in thought while driving, etc.
A typical “hypnosis” or relaxation exercise will involve each member of the class closing their eyes and sitting comfortably while I lead the class in a relaxation script such as, “Take a deep breath. As you exhale, feel all the muscles in and around your eyes relaxing. Now just allow that same quality of relaxation to gently drift down and around your cheeks and into your jaw…” and continuing all the way down to the feet, etc.
