The relative speed at which Kate Middleton had her baby – Princess Charlotte – has had people talking about the birthing process with many saying she had it easy, being a royal. 
Interestingly enough, there are often negative messages about the birthing process and many women grow up expecting this to be a painful and traumatic experience. Some say women are conditioned to believe that birth is perilous and fraught with danger.
But this is not always the case and the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) has therapists on its directory who are experienced in hypnobirthing – using hypnosis at a subconscious level to change this perception.
With 1800 therapists around the UK, the NCH is well placed to help in the birthing process – from helping to increase fertility to the actual birth itself.
Hypnosis has been used as a technique to support labour for many years, with the written records dating back to the mid 1800s. Over the past 15 years, more and more people have realised the link between body and mind during labour may have a bearing on the outcome of the birth.
The expectation of a painful birth creates tension the pregnant mother and this, in turn, creates pain, often happens at a subconscious, primal level. If a birthing mother senses or experiences anything that is unfamiliar, her instinct is to protect her young and herself.
So often where there is fear or apprehension, even if it is subconscious, it will inhibit labour as no mother would want her baby to be born where there is a threat to their wellbeing.
And this is where hypnotherapy works on a subconscious level, changing instinctive perceptions of birth so that it is seen as a positive experience, enabling birthing mothers to trust their body.
It can also make mothers aware of how they can be in control and manage their environment, keeping it free of threats. Beyond that, hypnotherapy used for labour has been shown to reduce the length of labour, reduce the use of pain relief, reduce the risk of intervention and reduce the risk of postnatal depression.
So when the mother is giving birthing free of fear and when she is in control, then her experience will be completely different.
In some cases it has been shown, too, that babies that are born to mothers who have practiced hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques during labour may also be calmer, sleep better and feed better.
Treatment for hypnobirthing will probably last between 4 and 12 sessions depending on which programme is selected or the hypnotherapist and what they deem to be best.
If you are an expectant mother and fear the birth, why not look up an NCH hypnotherapist near you by using the NCH directory and get set for a happy family life.
