As it’s our 10th birthday issue, I thought I would discuss something many of us have celebrated at some point in our lives – the birth of a child.

Hypnotherapy for pregnancy and childbirth is now back in the public eye and gaining popularity. This is particularly thanks to celebrities such as The Duchess of Cambridge, Jessica Alba, Gisele Bundchen and Fearne Cotton, amongst others, who have all openly discussed their personal, positive experiences of using hypnosis for childbirth.

Modern day advances in science and technology have been incredible, but have unfortunately led to inducing fear and the dramatisation of childbirth. It has almost become expected due to films, TV shows and word of mouth, that labour will be a long, painful and miserable experience, and you will need as much pain relief and interventions the medical staff can give you.

This is not the case for many people and we should remember that women have been giving birth since we came into existence and continue to do so every single day around the world without medical intervention.

Focus your breathing and use visualisation

A woman’s body is designed to grow a baby and give birth to it, so using hypnosis reminds us of this, and that instead of fighting the contractions and viewing them as pain, it gets you to focus your breathing, use visualisation and see each contraction as a natural pressure that is bringing your baby closer to you.

The main reason hypnosis works in childbirth is because when you are completely relaxed, free from fear and tension, your uterine muscles can work as nature intended, helping you give birth more easily. Without fear and stress, your body can produce more endorphins – a natural relaxant and pain killer – and replace the stress hormones that can cause your muscles to tense up and tighten, which can be the main source of pain.

The benefits of using hypnosis in childbirth include:

• Reducing anxiety and stress

• Shorter first and second stages of labour

• Fewer surgical births

• A high rate of success in assisting breech-presented babies to turn into the approp-riate birthing position with the use of posture and hypnosis

• Hypnosis techniques work effectively with home births, water births, hospital births, birthing centres – wherever you choose to give birth it doesn’t make a difference

• Reduced risk of postnatal depression

• Baby benefits from a calm, gentle birth, reducing the likelihood of baby getting distressed

There will be some situations where medical intervention is necessary for the safety of mother or baby, and it is always important to listen to health professionals. Remember, it’s your birth and your baby’s birthday, so make it memorable for all the right reasons.