Hypnobirthing has moved from the fringe to the mainstream. Many maternity units now offer classes, and plenty of parents swear by it. But the name can be misleading, and some of the claims go further than the evidence.
What hypnobirthing is
Hypnobirthing is antenatal education combined with self-hypnosis, relaxation and breathing techniques. No one hypnotizes you during labour. You learn the skills in advance and use them yourself.
The idea draws on the “fear-tension-pain” cycle described by obstetrician Grantly Dick-Read in the 1930s: fear makes the body tense, tension makes contractions more painful, and pain feeds the fear. Hypnobirthing aims to break the cycle at the first link.
What a course covers
- How labour works, so that it feels less mysterious and frightening
- Breathing techniques for contractions and for the pushing stage
- Deep relaxation and self-hypnosis scripts, practised daily
- Visualisation, such as imagining the cervix opening or a wave rising and falling
- Positive language — some courses say “surges” rather than “contractions”
- The birth partner’s role, including prompts, touch and advocacy
- Making informed choices about your care
Courses typically run for several sessions in the last trimester, with recordings to use at home.
What the research shows
The evidence is more mixed than the testimonials suggest.
A Cochrane review of hypnosis for pain in labour, covering nine trials and nearly 3,000 women, found that women using hypnosis were somewhat less likely to use pain-relief medication overall. However, there was no clear difference in the use of epidurals, in satisfaction with pain relief, or in the rate of spontaneous vaginal birth. The reviewers rated the quality of evidence as low and called for better studies.
A large UK trial of 680 first-time mothers found that two group sessions of self-hypnosis training made no significant difference to epidural use (about 28 per cent versus 30 per cent). It did find that, looking back two weeks after the birth, women in the hypnosis group had found labour less frightening and anxiety-provoking than they had expected, compared with the control group.
In short: hypnobirthing may make labour feel less frightening, and may modestly reduce the use of some pain relief. It is not proven to make labour shorter, painless, or free of intervention.
The risk of over-promising
Some hypnobirthing material implies that with the right mindset, birth will be comfortable and uncomplicated. That is not something anyone can guarantee. Labour is unpredictable, and complications are not caused by a failure to relax.
Women who expected a pain-free birth and did not get one sometimes feel they have failed. They have not. If you need an epidural, an assisted delivery or a caesarean, the breathing and relaxation skills are still useful, and asking for pain relief is a legitimate choice, not a defeat.
Getting the most from it
- Start around 25 to 30 weeks to allow time to practise.
- Practise little and often.
- Involve your birth partner.
- Hold your birth plan lightly. Think of it as preferences, not a script.
- Choose a teacher who is positive about all kinds of birth.
- Keep attending your usual antenatal care. Hypnobirthing adds to it and does not replace it.
The bottom line
Hypnobirthing is a safe way to prepare, and many women find it makes them calmer and more confident. Go in for those benefits, and keep an open mind about everything else.
Next in the series: Hypnosis for Children: Why Kids Are Naturals
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Always discuss your birth choices with your midwife or doctor.