Television and movies often depict childbirth as a medical emergency with a flurry of confusion, panic and fear; an ineffective birth partner; and a suffering woman screaming or writhing in pain.

What if birth could be easier, more comfortable, empowering and blissful, instead?

What if a peaceful birth experience set the stage for a more peaceful lifetime?

Babies are imprinted by their birth experience on a deep subconscious level. How we begin life sets the stage for how we interact with the world. Just imagine what this planet could be like, if more babies started their journey on Earth from a place of calm, peace, comfort and joy.

      “During the entire labor my baby’s heart rate never showed signs of stress as I had a leveling calm knowing I was made to do this and had the confidence and know how to get though the contractions. The room environment was a place of calming peace, dimly lit, and so inviting. I was able to push through everything without fear or self-doubt and to not feel pain but relaxation after every push. What you taught me was a wonderful gift. I am so thankful to have been able to birth my baby how I wanted to without fear, hesitation or pain medication. The nursing staff and my midwife were in amazement of how everything was peaceful and how I was able to handle everything calmly and without stress on the baby or me. Postpartum, I have been able to continue to use my tools to help relax and sleep. We're so happy and she's just perfect. Thank you again!” as one mom I have supported shared.

Hypnosis training for childbirth is recognized worldwide as one of the most effective ways to achieve a more comfortable, easier, faster and safer birth for both Mom and baby. Hypnosis has been used for birth for hundreds of years. It is safe, 100% natural, and does not have any unpleasant side effects. Research has shown that women who use hypnosis use little or no medication, have fewer complications; and therefore, reduce the need for medical interventions. Babies are calmer, more alert and ready to bond, and have higher Apgar scores. In addition to these documented benefits, many of my clients who use hypnosis for birth have little or no pain, report greater confidence and preparedness, feel empowered, and have an overall sense of satisfaction about their birth experience.

Hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation, where the mind is focused, and the subconscious is accessible. Childbirth is directed by the subconscious mind and is influenced through programming and instincts.

Healthcare practitioners often report that laboring women can experience a phenomenon known as the Fear-Tension-Pain (FTP) cycle. Fear causes tension in the body and tense muscles lead to pain, increased pain leads to more fear, and the cycle continues and escalates. Fear can stall or stop labor too. By using hypnosis, women can break the FTP cycle and more effectively and efficiently work with the energy of birth.

Hypnosis enables the mother to remain focused and calm, allow her body to move through contractions without resistance, release endorphins and oxytocin—hormones that have euphoric and analgesic effects—into the blood stream, progress more quickly and easily, and stay more in control of the process. Because a baby in the womb cannot differentiate between “Mom and me” and shares the same blood supply with Mom through the placenta, the baby’s nervous system is impacted by the emotions, hormones and chemicals their mother experiences. When Mom is feeling calm, safe, peaceful and relaxed, her baby is experiencing that too.

While the use of hypnosis does not eliminate the possibility of the use of medication or medical intervention such as cesarean section, women trained in hypnosis tend to need less medication and have the skills to assist their bodies to heal more quickly from surgery.

“Labor and delivery went nothing like I expected. I ended up at the hospital for a c-section because my baby was stuck in the wrong position and couldn't get down into my pelvis. But it's okay! Thanks to the hypnosis preparation I had done beforehand, I am completely at peace with my birth story. Even though our birth experience did not go how I thought it would, I know that it unfolded exactly how it needed to. I am really grateful that my body started labor on its own and I still got to have the experience of laboring with my husband at home and at the birth center. I am also grateful that we were able to calmly make decisions as we needed to, and I know that we did everything we could to try for a vaginal birth. At no point was there an emergency, we weren't pushed into any decisions, and both my baby and I are healthy and well.” as another mom I supported shared.

There are many advantages to having and using hypnosis skills post-partum. Moms can speed their recovery, decrease “baby blues,” improve their breast feeding experience, conserve energy, and make up for lost sleep (five minutes of deep hypnotic relaxation provides many of the same benefits as an hour of sleep). Also, clients report that by continuing to use their self-hypnosis skills regularly, they are more present with their child(ren) and can parent more effectively.

I recommend birth hypnosis training take place during the third trimester of pregnancy, ideally in the seventh/eight month to allow plenty of time to attend the classes and practice the skills so that they become automatic. Birth partners should attend the training with the expectant mother in order to know how to confidently fill that important supportive role. Couples who have attended my classes often tell me that sharing the training together deepens and improves their relationship as well.

Self-hypnosis is easy to learn and can be applied in a variety of ways throughout a lifetime. Creating a peaceful birth is just the beginning of how together, we can create a more peaceful world.

Jeni Miller is a Medical Support Clinical Hypnotherapist and childbirth hypnosis educator. Her clients achieve radiant, vibrant health through mind, body, Spirit integration. To find out more about Jeni’s Blissborn childbirth hypnosis classes, call her at 206-782-6928 and visit www.BlissfulEasyBirth.com. Classes are taught virtually, either via phone or tele-health video conferencing.