The new guidelines for the UK’s NHS will advocate more babies being born outside hospital each year and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said home births and midwife-led centres were better for mothers and often as safe for babies. 
But there is another option – hypnobirthing. Hypnosis has been used as a technique to support labour for many years, with records dating back to the mid 1800s. And, in recent years, more people have realised the link between body and mind during labour may have a bearing on the outcome of the birth.
The National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) has many hypnotherapists among its membership who are qualified in hypnobirthing.
The use of hypnosis during labour has helped reduce the length of labour, reduce the use of pain relief, reduce the risk of intervention and also reduce the risk of postnatal depression. Hypnosis works at a subconscious level, changing instinctive perceptions of birth to make it be a positive experience. It also gives mothers awareness of how they can be in control and manage their environment, keeping it free of threats.
Commenting on the new NHS guidelines, NICE said, in a BBC report, that it was important to offer women the options. About 700,000 babies are born each year in England and Wales, nine out of 10 in doctor-led obstetric units in hospital.
In women who already had at least one child, there were fewer medical interventions outside hospital, NICE said.
The Royal College of Midwives said more midwife-led units were needed to offer all mothers-to-be this range of choice.
According to the NCH, there are a number of midwives in the UK who are or have undergone training as hypnotherapists, having seen the profound difference hypnotherapy in mothers who are birthing their babies calmly and feeling in control.
Besides mother feeling better, babies that are born to mothers who have undergone and deep relaxation techniques during labour may also be calmer, sleep better and feed better.
Being largely hands-off and non-invasive, hypnobirthing is the most relaxing, enjoyable and safe therapy to use during pregnancy and birth. Many mothers who have used it during pregnancy and birth say they sleep much better and are much calmer during pregnancy.
If you are pregnant or know someone who is and is worried about the upcoming Birth, look up a hypnotherapist near you by using the NCH directory. The therapist will probably recommend between four and 12 sessions depending on which programme or therapist is selected.
