Give birth with effort and pain? Apparently the alternative exists and it looks much more encouraging. It comes from England, it’s called Hypnobirthing and it is the birth accompaniment program became famous also in Italy thanks to an exceptional “testimonial”, that is Kate Middleton.
It was the same Duchess of Cambridge in fact to say that he followed this method for all three of its parts, taking full advantage of it.
At the base of the program, a series of self-hypnosis strategies aimed at promoting maximum relaxation, through breathing and visualization techniques to associate with guided meditations e positve thinkings. The purpose? Allow women to live the fateful moment of childbirth as a positive experience, with important benefits for their health as well as for the baby.
To bring in Italy this method, today, is also a new book entitled “Hypnobirthing. Practical methods to improve childbirth “ signed by Siobhan Miller, Hypnobirthing expert and founder of The Positive Birth Company. The manual, published by Odoya, illustrates in detail techniques and benefits of this birth accompaniment program, considered revolutionary.
«The great advantage of Hypnobirthing is that it provides the expectant mother with many tools for pain management and therefore greater control of the situation during labor. – explains Ilaria Giangiordano, psychologist, Hypnobirthing teacher and editor of the Italian edition of the book – Only by having full control, in fact, the experience of childbirth can be lived more serenely».
Self-hypnosis and relaxation techniques: the advantages
The term autoipnosi however, it must not be misleading: contrary to what one might think, the method does not intend to lead the woman into a “state of trance” or loss of consciousness but on the contrary help her to take full body awareness and its abilities, so as to better manage pain and facilitate labor. To do this, one of the suggested techniques is in fact that of views.
«During the stage of labor we essentially have two options – Ilaria Giangiordano explains – “we can let intrusive images enter the mind, such as those seen on TV or heard in the classic tales of terror about childbirth, or we can visualize relaxing images, specifically of something that tends upwards, such as sunrise, a hot air balloon or even of soap bubbles. In fact, the uterus during labor makes an upward movement: the intrusive images would risk blocking us, while I know we can think in the same direction our body is going, we help him to proceed».
All this also serves to understand how, on the contrary, the fear of childbirth may in fact constitute a important obstacle also in the production of hormones useful for pain management: it is scientifically proven that when the body is relaxed it produces oxytocin, a fundamental hormone during childbirth, while if it is in tension it produces adrenalin, the fear hormone, which risks triggering the so-called “fight or flight” reaction, activating arms and legs but removing precious energy from the uterus.
To this is added another important factor: “Good preparation for delivery and a positive experience of labor – explains the psychologist – they can be decisive along with other factors, however prevent phenomena such as postpartum depression and baby blues»
The program, which can be followed from twentieth week of pregnancy, it is not only designed to consciously face natural childbirth. “Hypnobirthing is a method that can be applied to any type of birth – Ilaria Giangiornado explains – even that cesareo: relaxing the body, in fact, can guarantee a better acceptance of anesthesia and also a better post-operative recovery ».
Hypnobirthing: where to practice it in Italy
Unlike what happens in England, where this protocol has been widespread for many years, in Italy there are no hospitals yet they offer real paths based on the Hypnobirthing method. An exception is the Mauritian hospital in Turin where it is possible to request birth with medical hypnosis thanks to the presence of obstetricians who have been trained through the Ipnomed method.
So what can future mothers do who wish to face childbirth following the example of Kate Middleton?
«With us it is possible to follow courses, even online – continues Ilaria Giangiordano – held by certified teachers, that is, which were formed within the two main schools, the English one of Katharine Graves and the American one of Marie Mongan. Once she has learned the techniques of Hypnobirthing, the future mother will be able to apply them wherever she decides to give birth ».
On the official websites of the Hypnobirthing schools it is possible to find the list of teachers present in Italy (www.kghypnobirthing.com and us.hypnobirthing.com); while for more info you can connect to the Hypnobirthing Italia website founded by Ilaria Giangiordano herself.
In the gallery above all you need to know about Hypnobirthing
Photo: Instagram @Kensingtonroyal
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