Are
Hypnosis-Assisted Birth Techniques for Everyone?
by Deborah Issokson
Every woman has a unique history that will have an impact on her
experience of pregnancy, birth and parenting. In many cases, a woman's
history needs special attention in the process of preparing for birth so
that her issues and dynamics do not impede the birthing process. In our
culture, preparation for childbirth is a ritual in and of itself. Women
and their partners read books, listen to birth stories, watch videos, and
attend a variety of classes. In an attempt to master the fears and
anxieties associated with childbirth, women and partners seek out support,
information and tools that will enable them to move through the birth
process feeling knowledgeable and empowered. When deciding what kind of
childbirth preparation to undertake, women and partners should consider
how much time they want to commit to preparation. They might also consider
whether the class or philosophy is a good match for their personality and
whether their particular, unique set of issues and circumstances will be
attended to in a way that will promote a good emotional experience of
childbirth. There are many different models of childbirth preparation and
many models of hypnosis and relaxation.
Hypnosis-assisted birthing techniques are
one type of preparation, and for many women, are quite helpful. However,
there are women for whom this type of preparation may not be a good match.
For some women with histories of sexual, physical or emotional trauma,
hypnosis as the primary form of childbirth preparation does not adequately
address the issues and challenges faced by these women and, in fact, often
creates more anxiety. This is because many forms of hypnosis, such as
HypnoBirthing®, encourage dissociation from the bodily
experience in order to decrease the experience of physical pain. Trauma
survivors have often used dissociation as a way of coping with the trauma.
In the process of healing, they are learning to be more present with their
experiences rather that separating from them. Therefore, hypnosis that
encourages dissociation can be counterproductive for some women,
regressive for others, and just plain frightening for some.
For women with anxiety disorders, the
instinct is often to gravitate toward some form of hypnosis that can
foster deep relaxation. However, as with trauma survivors, some people can
experience the dissociative state of this type of hypnosis as
disconcerting rather than relaxing. Many women with anxiety disorders,
especially anxiety that centers on body integrity and body boundaries, can
experience the imagery used in this type of hypnosis as too vague and
distracting rather than grounding.
There are some forms of hypnosis and
relaxation that are less dissociative that can be helpful to pregnant
women with anxiety disorders and trauma histories. In addition, there are
other forms of birth preparation that can be personalized in order to
incorporate individual style preferences, to integrate past and present
life stressors, and to address unique and particular challenges faced by
the woman and her partner. Remember that there is no magic tool that can
take away the work of birthing a child. It is a rite of passage that
requires physical and psychological work before, during and after the
delivery. Childbirth is a unique journey for each woman and family.
______________________
Deborah Issokson, Psy.D.,
is a psychologist specializing in perinatal mental health in Watertown,
MA, who also provides training and supervision for childbirth
professionals. She can be reached at 617-926-5176 or www.reproheart.com.
This article was originally published in Spirit
of Change Magazine—not to be confused with OfSpirit.com Holistic
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