Hypnobirthing has increased in popularity in recent years, and with very good reason. People are now realising the huge benefit it has to achieve a calm, positive, and more comfortable birth experience.
However, as it becomes more popular, a number of myths and misconceptions have also appeared! So today’s post is all about debunking the 3 most common myths I hear, to give you a much clearer understanding about what it is and how it can help you prepare for birth. Definitely one to show the birth partners, as often there is a bit more scepticism with them when they first hear that hypno word!
Myth 1: HYPNOBIRTHING IS JUST FOR NATURAL WATER BIRTHS
The most common myth I hear is that hypnobirthing only ‘works’ if you are planning a drug-free, vaginal birth. This could not be further from the truth. Some believe that if you end up needing medical interventions, such as an assisted delivery or cesarean section, that hypnobirthing techniques won’t be helpful. This misconception can put people off exploring hypnobirthing if they feel like they are open to or require medical interventions.
The Reality: Hypnobirthing is useful for any birth, regardless or where or how you give birth to your baby. Everything you learn from the science behind what’s going on, to your hormones and how they help or hinder, to deep relaxation techniques, through to making informed decisions and advocating for yourself will hugely help during labour. Even if you are planning an elective caesarean, being induced or giving birth at home, everything you learn in one of my antenatal hypnobirthing courses will help you feel more calm, relaxed, confident, empowered and excited to give birth!
The techniques I teach in my antenatal courses are designed to help you manage stress, anxiety, and discomfort, whether you’re having a vaginal birth, a cesarean, or using pain relief options like an epidural. The focus is on creating a positive mindset and helping you feel empowered and calm, no matter how your birth unfolds. All of my clients say that what they learned in their hypnobirthing course helped them feel more in control, even when plans change unexpectedly.
Before I did my hypnobirthing course ,when I was pregnant with my first baby, I was so scared of giving birth. I believed I had such a low pain threshold, so I was convinced I would want all the pain relief on offer to get me through. After the course, however, I felt totally different. I knew what my body was doing at different stages of labour, I knew how to best work with my body and my baby, I knew how to stay calm using breathing techniques and other tools to manage contractions, I knew how to ask questions if things came up during pregnancy / labour that meant a change of plan. Ultimately, I knew what sort of birth I wanted and what I needed to do to increase the chances of getting that. Doing the antenatal hypnobirthing course that I did led to me having the most beautiful, positive and empowering births for both my son and daughter - head to the Birth Stories section to read them!
Myth 2: YOU LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR MIND / BODY
Another big misconception about hypnobirthing is that it puts you in a state where you are completely unaware of what’s going on around you and what’s happening during labour. This myth probably comes from the word ‘hypno’, which tends to put people off exploring hypnobirthing, as it conjures up images of people being hypnotised and losing control of their actions. However, hypnobirthing is far from that.
The Reality: Hypnobirthing involves deep relaxation, guided visualisation, and breathing techniques that help you stay calm and focused during childbirth. You’re still fully aware and in control of your body and mind. One of the main goals is to reduce fear and tension, which can lead to a more positive birth experience. While you might be in a deeply relaxed state, you are still conscious and can make decisions about your care and communicate with your birth team (although you may not want to, which is why it’s so important for your Birth Partner to attend my courses too - they always get more out of it than they were expecting!)
Myth 3: IT'S A LOAD OF NONSENSE WITH NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS
Some sceptics think hypnobirthing is just a new-age fad, which lacks any scientific credibility. Yep, you guessed it, that’s completely false! If you think hypnobirthing is all a bit ‘woo-woo’, where all you need to do is read some affirmations and tell yourself you’re going to have a calm, quiet birth, then you’ve missed the point of hypnobirthing and you and me need to have a chat!
The Reality:Â Hypnobirthing is based on established principles of psychology, physiology, and the brain-body connection. The method draws on the understanding that fear and tension can exacerbate pain during childbirth, so the more confident and calm you are going into labour, the less intense / painful it will feel and the smoother birth will unfold. By promoting relaxation and positive thinking, hypnobirthing aims to reduce the production of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can interfere with the natural birthing process, and instead boost your key birthing hormones such as oxytocin, melatonin and endorphins.
Conclusion
Hypnobirthing is often misunderstood due to myths and misconceptions, but when you look at my whole course and what it covers you’ll see it’s more than just a hypnobirthing course - it’s a full antenatal birth preparation course, covering the following key areas:
The science behind birth and your key birth hormones
The brain and its impact on the physical side of birth
Hypnosis and how it can help you get into a deeply relaxed state
Getting you into a positive mindset for labour and releasing negative beliefs
Practical preparation and optimal position for baby
Making informed decisions and advocating for yourself
Different stages of labour and what to expect
How to cope if birth takes an unexpected turn
Making the perfect birth environment
Your birth team and place
Birth plans & researching your options for birth
Being able to get into a calm state if you feel stress creeping in
Practical tools & techniques to remain calm and in control
Birth positions, making labour more comfortable and avoiding intervention
How to have confident conversations with your health care providers.
Hypnobirthing is not about losing control or sticking to a strict birth plan; it’s about empowering yourself with techniques to remain calm, focused, and in tune with your body, regardless of how your birth journey unfolds.
If you are pregnant, it is so worth investing in an antenatal hypnobirthing course like mine as part of your preparation, knowing that it can support you in having the best birth experience possible. Check out my antenatal hypnobirthing courses running in Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey to find more information, or if you want to have a chat before going ahead you can book in a very relaxed, informal chat with me to ask any questions you have (the calendar here lets you book your slot immediately at a time that suits you).
Birth is not just one day, it stays with you forever, so do everything you can to make it a positive, memorable experience that you want to tell your grandchildren about in years to come!
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