'When you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change'- Marie Mongan (founder of the Hypnobirthing Institute).
Let’s be honest, childbirth gets a really bad wrap! I’m sure we have all seen our fair share of birth scenes on our screens and chances are they will have been drama packed...full of screaming, chaos and frankly look quite terrifying. The important thing to remember, is they are created to be dramatic on purpose, because it’s exciting to watch! Even documentaries about real births are edited and selected for entertainment.
These dramatized births can often be women (and birth partner's!) only glimpse at childbirth before the real thing- so no wonder so many feel anxious about labour and birth. What's more worrying here, is that this negative view on labour and birth can not only impact our feelings on birth, but can also have a detrimental impact on how our bodies actually work during labour. Our minds and bodies are deeply connected, and our bodies will respond to what the mind is telling it. If our minds hold a reel of negative images and thoughts about birth, our bodies will respond by tightening up and getting in defence mode (the very opposite of how we want our bodies to be when preparing to birth a baby!).
By changing how we view birth and holding a positive mindset, we unlock our bodies natural ability to birth babies. By having a stream of positive images, thoughts and beliefs about birth we are more able to stay calm and relaxed and allow our bodies to take over and do the work.
Hypnobirthing equips women with the knowledge about their bodies incredible physiology that helps them to trust in its natural capabilities. This knowledge, coupled with simple relaxation techniques helps to create the calm and controlled births that are far from the dramatised versions we have been served all our lives.
For me, this knowledge was the turning point in my pregnancy and switched up my perspective on birth. Once I understood how deeply my mindset could impact the way my body worked, and laboured- I knew that learning the tools to stay calm, relaxed and in control were essential to achieving the birth I dreamed of.
As a hypnobirthing practitioner I am passionate about helping women and their birth partners see the incredible births they are capable of and changing this narrative for today’s mothers, and the generations ahead.