Frequently Asked Questions About HypnoBirthing®

Q. Can anyone be hypnotized?
A. With the exception of some severely brain damaged persons, yes,virtually anyone can be hypnotized. Hypnosis is a choice, a willingness. During HypnoBirthing® classes, the hypnosis sessions are more like the meditation you find in yoga. We use wonderful visualizations to help you choose to relinquish muscle and nervous tension and allow your body to deeply relax.

Q. Will I fall "asleep" during the sessions?
A. Only if we've bored you! Actually, you may fall briefly to sleep if you've had a hard day or are unusually tired, but you will come naturally right back to the room when the short hypnosis session is over. Most of our couples feel peacefully at ease and very comfortable during and immediately after the hypnosis.

Q. Doesn't hypnosis take you "away from your body" during labor?
A. No! HypnoBirthing® has worked hard to have people understand that our mothers are very present and in tune with their birthing bodies during a labor using the HypnoBirthing techniques. We do NOT teach dissociation because we believe that a woman's thoughts during her labor affect the course of that labor. We teach our moms to focus their attention into their bodies, in tune with their baby, while letting every muscle and nerve not involved with birthing go completely loose and limp.

Q. Can birth really be painless?
A. Yes. We learn in class what leads to pain inlabor and how to avoid it. What you experience in your birth is a combination of factors. How relaxed are you? How confident are you of your decisions? How is your baby positioned? Are you being respected during your labor and birth? We learn how all of these factors, and more, relate to your birthing experience. Of course, we all feel things and interpret them in different ways, so your interpretation of your birth is entirely up to you.

Q. Is HypnoBirthing better with a homebirth or a hospital birth?
A. HypnoBirthing® is compatible with any kind of birth, even a surgical birth. Our goal is not for you to have OUR perfect birth, but to have YOUR perfect birth. At home, HypnoBirthing® mothers relax and move with their bodies, understanding that everything they are feeling is normal and safe. In the hospital, the same applies. There can be tension surrounding birth no matter where you choose to be, and we work to remove it so that you feel safe and confident in your body's ability to give birth.

Q. Will my husband/partner feel left out?
A. On the contrary! Our HypnoBirthing dads remark that they felt so much more confident about birth than they ever thought possible. Instead of feeling lost in a sea of counting and timing and coaching, your partner is learning meaningful ways to connect with you and your baby to make the journey through birth easier and safer.

Any more questions? Email us and we're happy to help!