Sometimes people assume that there is no point in doing hypnosis for birth if they are likely to have a caesarean birth. This isn’t true, preparing with hypnosis, mindfulness and relaxation during pregnancy will benefit both you and your baby. Your baby will enjoy the moments that you are relaxing feeling what you feel. If you are stressed your baby can feel it and we know that the environment in the womb can have an impact of your baby’s brain development. Mothers who have prepared using hypnosis with me for a gentle caesarean comment on how calm their babies are and they have few problems with breastfeeding.
When you prepare for a caesarean with mindful hypnobirthing you prepare a gentle caesarean for baby and a positive experience for you and your partner. Whether you have a caesarean or a physiological birth, you are birthing your baby. You have carried your baby for 9 months, you’ve done the hard part! Instead of surrendering your choices when it comes to a caesarean birth, it’s certainly worth considering that how your baby is born can affected by the choices you make. And you do have choices, even if you are having a caesarean birth.
If you are having a caesarean birth you can prepare mindfully. You can learn to find a calm centre, to feel connected with your body, you baby and the experience – without fear.
Research by Prof Fisk explores how you can be very relaxed as you receive your anaesthetic, you can request to have the lights down, your own music on. Under certain circumstances you can request for your baby to be born slower and in a way that mimics a vaginal birth, you can request delayed cord clamping, you can have the drapes lowered so you can announce the sex of your own baby, and you can ask for immediate skin to skin before weighing. This is often called a ‘natural caesarean’, I don’t see it as natural, it is a surgical birth but it can be gentle, which is why I call is a gentle caesarean.
The other benefits of hypnosis are reducing anxiety and faster recovery. Research shows that in some surgical procedures that the use of hypnosis can reduce the amount of anaesthesia needed and demonstrates shorter recovery periods.
It may be more appropriate for you to do a private course with a practitioner who is trained to prepare you in this way. All our practitioners are health professionals specialising in this birth and can help you tailor a series of sessions that help you to navigate your choices if this is likely to be an option for you.
The Mindful Hypnobirthing Way
- Listen to a hypnosis mp3 throughout pregnancy
- Learn some simple mindfulness exercises and connect daily with your baby
- Read the affirmations daily
- Learn about gentle caesareans and have a discussion with your consultant
- Ask for immediate skin to skin to skin
- Use hypnosis and mindfulness post birth to manage pain and discomfort
- Hypnosis mp3s to stimulate milk and confidence in breastfeeding
Further reading and research
The natural-caesarean: A woman centered technique http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2613254/
An article in the Guardian describing an experience http://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/dec/03/health.medicineandhealth
Affirmations
- I nurture and support my baby as he/she grows
- I feel relaxed as I prepare for my baby’s birth
- I connect with my baby while I relax and turn my attention inwards
- I prepare myself confidently
- I know that decisions I make are the right ones for my baby and me
- I am looking forward to holding my baby in my arms
- I am confident that as I relax and trust my body my milk comes in
- As I relax and let go my body heals itself quickly and comfortably