Benefits for Mum
Hypnobirthing allows a mother to fully understand how her body and mind work together and how one affects the other. By using the techniques taught on the course, she is able to engage relaxation methods to remain calm and in control during her birth. This means that she is more likely to have a positive, fear free experience. Furthermore, she is better placed by being relaxed, to make informed decisions during her birth. The KG course encourages an enquiring mind, meaning that women will take ownership of their pregnancies and births and feel empowered – they are the ones in charge, the healthcare worker is not expected to do the birthing for the woman. It also encourages a woman to trust in her body and her ability to grow, birth and feed her baby.
Benefits for Partner
For partners who engage in the KG course, they are able to gain an insight into how a woman’s body works and how the mind plays an important role within the birthing journey. By practicing the scripts with mum, partners can aid in making her feel she is supported. Aspects of the course enable partners to voice their fears and worries and have any myths debunked. It allows them to remain calm, safe in the knowledge that women’s bodies are made to birth babies. Partners also engage with the experience and feel that they have an important role during the birth. They are able to protect the space for the woman and ensure that choices and decisions are made with full and informed consent. Also, they are able to act as an intermediary and an advocate between mum and midwife when surges are strong, or if calm and quiet is needed at a specific point.
Benefits for Baby
Babies are intuitive, they can sense a great deal from within the womb. Therefore, how a woman feels during her pregnancy and birth can have a huge impact on how the baby copes with labour and birth. A calm mum who has faith in her body and her baby, allows her labour to flow naturally and is less likely to have invasive procedures, drugs and intervention. Thus meaning that the baby is more likely to enter the world more calmly and in less panic. A hypnobirthing mum is able to control the release of stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol, meaning the baby is not exposed to these. This in turn, has a positive effect on the developing brain. Stress and anxiety experienced during pregnancy can affect the baby long term, having implications for the baby’s emotional state and brain development. The ability of a mum to release fear has a positive impact upon the immediate and long term relationship of her and the baby and increases the chance of effective feeding and prepares mum to be insightful to her baby’s needs. There are also some mums who report that they are able to use the scripts with their babies post birth and find that they help to relax fretful infants.