Hypno Birthing: A Pain-Free Birth?

When I was pregnant with my first son, I thought I could deliver him all natural. After all, the classes that I took described it as a natural process that we can do. The class was not a Hypno Birthing class, just a regular parenting class to introduce you to the idea of becoming a parent. Well, after about 10 hours of labor, I decided I "couldn't" do it anymore and I needed to rest. So I opted for an epidural. The epidural took a lot of the pain away, but later on towards the end, I was in A LOT of pain again. The way I felt, to me, felt like I was giving birth naturally.

Fast forward to two and half years later, with my second pregnancy. I figured since the experience of my first son was to me, almost natural, that I would attempt a natural birth again. This time I was going to go into it well aware and educated. I chose to attend a local Hypno Birthing class.

According to the creator of Hypno Birthing, Marie Mongan, Hypno Birthing helps woman achieve a pain free birth using the technique of hypnosis. It is believed that when accurately using this birthing method, woman will experience:

*Births with few, to no drugs at all
*Shorter labors
*Energy after the birth, because of the relation involved in the labor process
*Fewer interventions and complications during labor
*Babies who nurse easier and sleep regularly due to the avoidance of drugs

Hypno Birthing has a basic teaching that is best summed up, that when we allow fear into our minds it creates tension, which leads to pain. Hypno Birthing encourages mothers to avoid listening to the horror stories of other woman or indulging in those shows on TV depicting women giving birth with a dramatic situation at hand.

Not only do you learn how to ease your fears of labor by removing the negativity from your mind, but you will also view videos of mothers actually giving birth using the Hypno Birthing method and see for yourself that it can be done. This sends positive reinforcement to your mind to release anxieties, thus creating a tension free, pain free, or pain reduced labor.

In the classes, you and your partner will learn practice meditations and ways to cope with labor using actual hypnosis. A hypnotist does not need to attend the labor with you. The classes should prepare you well enough for you to be able to induce hypnosis on yourself. Your partner will also learn massage techniques to bring you into a deep relaxation and you both will learn about helpful positions for labor and delivery.

It is not alway necessary to take he classes, but honestly, I can't imagine learning everything from home, just by CD and book. The materials in the class will most likely be Marie Mongan's book, Hypno Birthing, and a few relation Cd's and hand outs. You can find those courses on line, but I highly recommend the person to person class.

Hypno Birthing also explains that in most other countries, other hen the US, woman are not afraid of birth. They can squat and push with few complications or pains. Marie Mongan explains that our bodies were designed to give birth, and when we relax, our muscles do what they should and our bodies release chemicals to actually help us stay focused an relive the pain.

One problem that I find with Hypno Birthing, however, is her views on God. She openly states that she knows her God is loving and kind, but then goes on to say that He would never want us to be in pain and she states that the curse given to woman, that can be found in Genesis in the Bible, after Eve sinned, was not to be trusted. She goes on to protest, in her book Hypno Birthing: The Mongan Method, that those who translated the Bible in earlier centuries, hated woman. She even writes that the "Curse of Eve" is just a myth. She goes on to support her case with various "proofs" by Bible scholars as historians.

The big problem I have with this, is if we allow ourselves to mistrust just one word of the Bible, we can't fully trust it all all. It's an all or nothing thing. So with that being said, to have a total pain free birth would go against the Bible. Because it is evident that woman would have labor pangs.

I do believe that God so carefully designed our bodies that when we relax, pray and release fear (God never gives us a spirit of fear), that our carefully designed bodies can and will labor more efficiently and with much less pain.

So, how did my labor go?

Honestly, it was a truly enjoyable experience. Yes! You heard me right. The labor was short, but I can't even tell you how long it was because I was passing time through the relaxation. At the hospital I delivered at, I was able to labor (not birth) in a Jacuzzi tub. During this time I got to a point where instead of being totally hypnotized, I was focused on God. I knew He was in there with my baby. I knew He was taking care of me. I used the breathing techniques taught in Hypno Birthing as well as felt the deep relaxation mental activities. The time passes by very quick, or so it felt for me. I was ready to get out of the tub, and between walking from the tub, back to my room, I lost all concentration. I felt the pains of labor hard, but eventually got back in the relaxation again. I wavered in and out for about 20 minutes, and when I was checked, I was about 9 cm.

At this point I was ready to push, but couldn't, it was the hardest thing to not push. I felt queasy and was loosing a grip on everything, and explained to my midwife that I had to push, I was almost 10cm, but not exactly. She let me push, and boom! Out came my gorgeous 8 lb 1 ounce son. Not a single drug was used. Nothing, no medical interventions at all.

Yes, I did experience pain, but it was not unbearable. As a matter of fact, after labor I wasn't tired, I was excited and was able to walk to the bathroom about 30 minutes after labor. It was a totally new experience for me. With my first son, I didn't nurse him until 8 hours later because I was too tired and worn out! This time, I remember nursing after they cleaned him up!

I was told by my visitors that I seemed very energetic, and they couldn't believe I just had a baby with no drugs. It was once of those accomplishments that is worth it 100%. I can truthfully say that I am pregnant with my third and intend to give birth naturally again using most of the techniques taught in Hypno Birthing.

I believe it you can avoid being swayed into believing the "feminist" like view that Marie Mongan has on the Bible, and stay true to the truth, and hold tight to Jesus while birthing, that you will experience a wonderful, enjoyable birth!

I actually would prefer this same method to be taught by a Christian woman. I believe that this method is dead on in most aspects of the course. I do think however, we need to take heed, and not fall into a truly deep hypnotized level of sedation. I believe that prayer, Godly focus, and a true respect for the Bible is the key to turning the Mongan method over to the perfect method of delivery.