HERE'S a piece of good news for women who want to be mothers but are afraid of giving birth. Hypnobirthing has been shown to bring comfort and even pain relief during childbirth - without the use of numbing drugs.
The process of hypnobirthing is based on the power of suggestion, according to certified hypnotherapist Sandy Hui, director of ONE Hypnosis.
'Hypnobirthing is a natural form of pain management. There are no medications with potential side effects for the mother or her baby,' she says.
The labouring woman uses positive affirmations, suggestions, and visualisations to relax her body, guide her thoughts, and control her breathing.
Sometimes, women learn self-hypnosis from a hypnotherapist. This often involves playing a tape of verbal affirmations that help them enter a calm state of self-hypnosis. Alternatively, they might use a visualisation - such as a flower opening its petals - to picture what is happening to them, and achieve relaxation.
For a minority of cases, birthing mothers may even choose to have their hypnotherapist present in the delivery room.
But how exactly does hypnosis work?
According to several hypnotherapists here, hypnosis is a state of consciousness one enters and leaves naturally. During hypnosis - a state called theta - a person's brain wave vibration rate slows down, giving the therapist access to the subconscious mind while the conscious mind is still completely aware of what is going on.
The subconscious mind, being creative, can be likened to a computer. Like a computer, one's subconscious mind can be reprogrammed, to bring about positive changes. Because of this, hypnotherapy can aid in a number of things, one of which is the relief of pain.
'For birthing mothers, the cause of pain usually comes from fear. Fear leads to tension and greater constriction of the birthing muscles. Hypnosis helps to relax the mother's mind and body, and encourage the production of endorphins - the body's own relaxants,' explains Ms Hui.
In this relaxed state, a birthing mother is more likely to feel mere discomfort rather than intense pain.
'Mothers in labour may still experience sensations of tightening or some pelvic pressure; but most do not feel the excruciating pain that is frequently feared,' says Ms Hui.
The hypnobirthing method is based on the work of one Dr Dick-Read, an obstetrician who wrote Childbirth Without Fear way back in 1944.
Before starting on the therapy, the hypnotist will 'walk' the expectant mother through a series of issues, from emotional responses to fear of blood. This will allow the would-be mother a better understanding of the hypnobirthing process.
'Clients would come for six sessions of approximately one-and-a-half hours each, over six weeks,' explains Ms Hui, who charges $200 per session. She has so far assisted with 20 births using this technique.
During each session, the mother will be shown video clips of women in labour under hypnosis, to give her an idea of what it entails.
'Seeing someone else undergo the birthing process using this method gives the mother greater confidence that birthing need not be anything other than gentle, easy, and pain-free,' says Ms Hui.
Each session will teach the mother - and her husband - various breathing techniques which could be used at different stages of the birthing process. This is especially useful for first-time mothers.
Ms Constance Lim is one of them. The 37-year-old banker started attending hypnobirthing sessions last month together with her husband, to prepare for her baby's arrival in September.
'My friend in the United States recently gave birth and she suggested that hypnobirthing helps with a smoother delivery, so I googled for a hypnotherapist here,' says Ms Lim, who has so far completed three out of six sessions.
According to a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, women who opted for hypnosis-assisted labour had shorter labours and lower post-natal depression scores. Birthing mothers under hypnosis were also less likely to require surgical assistance during births.
Hypnotherapy is fast gaining popularity here and overseas, as both doctors and individuals alike become more accepting of its therapeutic uses.
Just last year, Tan Tock Seng Hospital announced that it will introduce professional training in clinical hypnosis with certification from the London College of Clinical Hypnosis. Currently, there are about 100 trained hypnotherapists in Singapore.
'Each year, about 300 women here opt for hypnobirthing. This number should increase as women become more aware of the benefits that this technique brings,' says Ms Hui.
This article was first published in The Business Times Weekend on July 26, 2008.
