How Natal Hypnotherapy can help mothers overcome fear
Our highly developed brains
For many women today, birth has become an event to be feared. Horror stories about birth abound. Women you meet are keen to tell you their story in graphic detail and even some antenatal classes will give you too much information about what can “go wrong”. Television, newspapers and magazines only relate the dramatic births and so a pregnant woman’s mind can be filled with fear even whilst her baby is still tiny.
We know that we are mammals and that we share the same physical functions. Yet other mammals tend to give birth without any fuss. They find somewhere quiet, dark, safe and private and simply let their bodies “get on with it”. So why have women become so fearful about birth?
The key difference between humans and mammals is the amazing development of the brain mainly in the areas of communication and analytical skills. This development of the brain has also increased the ability to feel and experience deep fear whether real or imaginary.
So how does fear affect birth?
Imagine a woman labouring in the jungle. Suppose she saw or even thought she saw a tiger lurking in the shadows nearby. What do you think would happen? Would she have a conscious choice on what happened next? She might think she could control the situation but her body would have already started to react. A woman’s body is so beautifully designed that if there is danger, fear or anxiety, a series of chemical reactions occurs which causes her labour to slow down or stop (so that the tiger could not get her baby) and give her the time, strength and energy to either deal with the danger or to run away This is known as the “fight or flight mechanism”.
This fear causes the body to produce adrenaline (which is mainly the “danger” hormone”) which gives her the power and energy to prepare to fight or to run away. Adrenalin can cause the cervix to tighten. In the case of the tiger, this would prevent the baby being born where it is not safe. The increased level of adrenaline interrupts the production of the “good hormone” oxytocin. Oxytocin helps bring about the contractions of the uterus that will lead to the baby being born.
The adrenaline can also stop the body producing it’s’ own pain-relieving hormones (endorphins) as well as slowing down or even halting labour. Imagine adrenaline as the brakes in a car. Pressing on the brakes will slow down or stop the car. Too much adrenaline in the body can slow down or completely stop a labour.
You may be asking: “So what does a woman giving birth in the jungle have to do with me? The answer is that both feel fear. It may be fear of danger (the tiger), of pain, of tearing or of losing control. Our nervous systems do not know the difference between what is real (the tiger)and what is imagined (pain, tearing etc) and will respond in the same way to both by producing adrenaline. Have you ever felt a surge of fear and tight feeling in your stomach when watching a horror movie? Your body has produced adrenaline in response to an imagined fear.
So it can be seen that if a woman goes into labour feeling frightened then her body will react accordingly and produce adrenaline. Labour will not flow easily and she will experience more pain.
How does being relaxed and calm make a difference?
By being relaxed in labour, a woman’s body responds very differently to the fear scenarios described above. When she is relaxed, her breathing is even and rhythmical, ensuring that plenty of oxygen enters her body. The oxygen goes through to her baby, ensuring that her baby remains calm and stable. Increased oxygen stimulates the production of oxytocin (the hormone responsible for good, effective contractions) and endorphins (the body’s own pain relief). Her blood pressure remains at a healthy level and as her body is soft and relaxed, she conserves energy.
All her energies are channelled to the muscles of the uterus (womb) that are working effectively to birth the baby. Since the uterus has no resistance or tension from surrounding muscles, the contractions are more effective and comfortable. As labour progresses, another hormone called relaxin is produced, allowing the birth canal to relax, soften and stretch and make the baby’s birth easier and more comfortable.
Using Natal Hypnotherapy to help overcome fear
The course will teach you how to recognise and let go of your one fears and how to stay calm and focussed. You will learn how to recognise the physical and emotional stages of birth. By practising hypnotherapy techniques before the birth, once you go into labour, your body will automatically respond the new and positive picture of birth that has effortlessly been absorbed into your subconscious mind.
You (and your birth partner) will have developed skills that help you feel more confident and in control.