BENGALURU: While giving birth to a child may be one of the most surreal experience, the physical pain is excruciating. The moms-to-be of the city are opting for a way where child birth can be more relaxing through hypnobirthing.Mothers are taught self-hypnosis methods to reduce tension and for comfortable labour in hypnobirthing.Shobha Shreenath, a clinical hypnotherapist has been performing hypnobirthing since the last two years. She has been a member of British Institute of Hypnotherapy for 11 years and has observed that hypnobirthing relieves pain. This is done by eradicating fear, she says.
“When a woman is in fear of delivery, oxygen in the blood is redirected to defense muscles so uterus becomes oxygen deprived and the cervix tightens making the process a painful one,” says Shobha.
Meena Kumar (name changed), recently delivered her second child through hypnobirthing. “I actually achieved a deep level of relaxation and intense labour did not bother me,” says Meena. “Movement is an essential part of this process so I strapped my iPod and turned on meditative music. I visualized myself floating through the contractions,” she adds.
Hypnobirthing involves a six-step process and five sessions to prepare for the delivery day. In the sessions several breathing techniques are taught and the mothers-to-be are also taught self-hypnosis. Usually the practice is for both the partners as another person is required for a light massage to heighten the experience of giving birth.“In hypnobirthing the delivery happens in three to four hours as opposed to over 10 hours of labour in a normal delivery process,” says Shobha. Celebrities including Angelina Jolie and Jessica Alba are said to have given hypnobirth. “The practice is common in the US and the UK,” says Shobha. “In India the trend is growing, especially in Bengaluru where I have patients coming from outside the city only for hypnobirthing,” she adds.
The concept of hypnosis in medical procedures is not uncommon. Hypnofertility is also an adapted process today. Out of 10 hypnofertility cases, Shobha has seen in the city, eight have turned to be successful. Anitha A had been trying for a second baby for the last 4 years and after a session of hypnofertility, she claims she was able to get pregnant. “The concept of it is simple. Reducing physical and emotional stress and increasing positive interactions benefits the body by restoring hormonal balance that leads to healthy positive body that nurtures fertility,” says Shobha. There are less chances of failure with this approach. “Among my patients, the only time it failed was when sperm count was too low, only 6000, which is too less for reproduction,” she adds.