What is HypnoBirthing?
HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method involves natural childbirth education, combined with self-hypnosis techniques (including deep relaxation, visualisation, affirmations and special breathing), to achieve a confident, calm, and gentle birth. HypnoBirthing involves more than self hypnosis techniques, however, as it incorporates a philosophy of natural birthing.
The Philosophy
This philosophy teaches that, in the absence of fear and tension, or special medical circumstances, severe pain need not accompany labour; that babies can and should come into the world amidst calmness and joy; and that giving birth can be a positive, rewarding, and gentle experience for both mother and baby.
HypnoBirthing® is based on the techniques developed in the 1920s by an English physician, Dr Grantly Dick-Read, who was a pioneer in the field of natural childbirth. HypnoBirthing is named after its founder Marie Mongan who established "HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method" in the United States in 1989. Her book "HypnoBirthing® - A Celebration of Life" was first published in 1989.
What can I learn from HypnoBirthing?
Trained HypnoBirthing® practitioners offer the HypnoBirthing course in NZ, each class consisting of a series of five 2.5 hour sessions to teach women and their birthing partners to trust natural birthing. This includes the following key lessons:
- to understand why women in other cultures have easier, more comfortable birthing
- to release all fear and limiting thoughts
- to replace fear with confidence and a relaxed mind and body
- to understand the workings of the body's own natural relaxants
- in a calm state endorphins --- the body's natural anaesthesia --- replace the stress hormones that constrict and cause pain
- to eliminate the Fear-Tension-Pain syndrome
- to reduce the need or desire for pain medication
- to understand how the birthing muscles work
- to shorten the first stage of labour
- to reduce fatigue during labour
- to achieve quicker postnatal recovery
- to develop a special role for your birthing companion
Who can I contact?
Hundreds of trained HypnoBirthing® practitioners can be found across 32 countries, including New Zealand.
Useful Websites
www.hypnobirthing.com
Website of the HypnoBirthing® Institute, founded and directed by Marie Mongan.
Website of Wellington based HypnoBirthing trained practitioner, Averil Mayer.
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