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.

Contents Page hide

The Philosophy

What can I learn from HypnoBirthing?

Who can I contact?

Useful Websites

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