Why do Hypnobirthing?

Take a look on Google Trends data and you’ll see a notable and consistent interest in Hypnobirthing over the years. Searches for "hypnobirthing" also show spikes, especially around certain times of the year, indicating heightened interest likely due to media coverage. 2018 for example saw a spike searches after Harry Kane and Kate Middleton both were in the media talking about how great Hypnobirthing is.

Often the first thing people associate with Hypnobirthing is letting go of the fear of childbirth. For me that was what attracted me to doing a course back in 2012 when I was pregnant with my first baby.

I was dreading giving birth. I was terrified of the pain I might feel, the lack of control and the potential for it to happen in a way I didn’t want it to.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that fear of birth is the only reason women, and their birth partners decide to do a course. In fact, there are many other reasons people seek out these in demand courses, in addition to reducing the fear and anxiety around childbirth.

As a highly experienced Hypnobirthing teacher and teacher trainer, here are some of the other reasons hypnobirthing I’ve seen Hypnobirthing become so sought after…

Pain Management-

Hypnobirthing techniques, such as breathing exercises and self-Hypnosis, can help manage and reduce the feelings of pain during labour, potentially minimising the need for medical pain relief.

A 2006 Study in Australia found that women who were taught antenatal self-hypnosis techniques reported fewer epidurals (36%) than the control group (53%) and lower use of other forms of pain relief.

Desire for a Natural Birth-

Some women desire a natural birth with minimal medical interventions. Hypnobirthing equips them with the tools and understanding that makes natural birthing experience more likely.

Enhanced Birth Partner Involvement-

Some women worry that their birth partner may be a rabbit in the headlights during childbirth and perhaps they already feel that they have even very much left out of the antenatal experience so far. Hypnobirthing encourages the involvement of birthing partners, providing them with specific roles and techniques to support the mother during labour and birth however it happens.

They desire doing something special in pregnancy to embrace the experience-

Hypnobirthing Improves Sleep, provides relaxation and encourages bonding during Pregnancy. In a fast-paced world, taking time out of the everyday routine to focus on pregnancy is hugely valuable. It creates memories, improves mental health and enhances bonding.

Coping with Previous Traumatic Birth-

Women who have had traumatic birth experiences previously, may turn to Hypnobirthing to help them prepare for a more positive experience with subsequent births. They desire a healing experience and therefore want tools and understanding that helps them feel more equipped.

A Holistic Approach to Birth-

Many women are attracted to the holistic philosophy of Hypnobirthing, which integrates mental, emotional, and physical preparation for childbirth. The global wellness market in general has grown over the last few years and expected to rapidly grow even further. In addition, complimentary therapies such as meditation are becoming mainstream, showing this demand for people seeking holistic approaches to many areas of life including childbirth.

Reducing the Risk of medical Interventions-

Some women are keen to avoid interventions such as caesareans and inductions unless there is a clear medical reason. By promoting relaxation, efficient labour and self-advocacy, Hypnobirthing can help reduce the likelihood of interventions such as these.

Now, I’m sure I could go on. Women’s’ reasons for booking a Hypnobirthing course vary massively. What they are likely to find though is that once they take the plunge, there are so many benefits that initially they didn’t realise.

If like me, you are passionate about the impact of Hypnobirthing, perhaps you’ve considered becoming a Hypnobirthing instructor yourself?

I’ve got just the thing for you. Over three days I’m running a free training course called ‘Could you be a Hypnobirthing Teacher?’. You’ll learn so much about this incredible birth preparation course, how to become an effective instructor and how to run a successful business doing so.

We start on the 18th June, click here to read more.

Abby x