pregnancy, labour, birth and beyond: Lisa Simpson on hypnobirthing and hormones
On average, a pregnancy will last 40 weeks – which means 40 weeks of changes to you and your baby. Whether that’s changes to the colour of the home nursery, or slightly bigger, monumental changes, such as your baby growing from the size of a blueberry to a watermelon, there’s plenty that happens in those 40 weeks, let alone once your baby is born.
While there’s lots to think about during this time, one thing may be on your mind the most: your birthing preferences. There’s many approaches you can take that best suit your wants and needs when it comes to planning your baby’s birth, and yours will most certainly differ from your family or friends.
One approach you may be looking into is hypnobirthing. Lisa Simpson, practising midwife and founder of childbirth education business, Breathe and Birth, shares her insights on the hypnobirthing technique. This includes how hypnobirthing can positively influence your pregnancy, labour and birth, and help you prepare for this event and beyond.
what is hypnobirthing?
Lisa shares that “Hypnobirthing is a natural approach to childbirth that has been around for many years. The technique uses self-hypnotic techniques to help ease you into a state of deep relaxation, promote hormones of labour and explain the importance of upright positioning.”
Essentially, the technique is all about giving you the tools you need to feel more prepared and confident leading into and during your birthing process.
“The ‘hypno’ part of hypnobirthing refers to the hypnotherapy that we use to release fears and condition ourselves to release endorphins at times during birth,” explains Lisa, who says the technique helps equip expectant parents with the knowledge that “Birth can be a calm and relaxed experience.”
how hypnobirthing can positively influence your pregnancy
Not only will you cover many real life scenarios to better prepare you and your partner for anything pregnancy, labour and birth might involve, the main focus is on fostering a positive mindset. This is through focusing on your mind-body connection, understanding the power of affirmations, breathwork and meditation, and how your environment can be a contributing factor to a calmer mental state. This even includes the role of music during your birth.
“Breathwork and meditation promote full body relaxation,” says Lisa. “These practices provide oxygenation to your vital organs and muscles, while also helping you form a connection with your developing baby.” Lisa also explains that by “Focusing on your internal presence and stillness while allowing your mind to go quiet, works absolute wonders to help create calm.”
“Breathwork and meditation promote full body relaxation,” says Lisa. “These practices provide oxygenation to your vital organs and muscles, while also helping you form a connection with your developing baby.” Lisa also explains that by “Focusing on your internal presence and stillness while allowing your mind to go quiet, works absolute wonders to help create calm.”
endota’s Brand Manager Kelsi Morris reflected on her own personal experience with hypnobirthing, which she used during her two pregnancies.
“Hypnobirthing completely transformed our perception of birth and the truly incredible ability of our bodies to bring a tiny human into this world. Before the birth of our first baby, there were so many ‘unknowns’ of what to expect during the labour and birthing process, however after completing the hypnobirthing course I felt so confident and had so much trust in my body's ability to birth our baby.
“Just as our body doesn’t need to be told how to grow a baby – it just knows – the same goes for birthing a baby. Hypnobirthing gave me the tools I needed to best support my body through the process. The labour and birth for both our babies was the most positive, memorable, and beautiful experience of my life. They were relaxed, calm and so connected, the complete opposite of how birth is commonly portrayed on TV and in cinema.
“My wish for all expecting mums would be to have the opportunity to experience birthing in this way, and I feel hypnobirthing should be more integrated into all birth classes and education. It’s not something you commonly hear, but I absolutely loved giving birth and would give birth 100 times again, although I certainly don't want 100 more babies!"
Hypnobirthing also takes you through understanding facial relaxation, acupressure techniques and how massage can stimulate the release of endorphins in your body. Massage can also help you further develop a stronger mind-body connection. To assist your self-massage techniques, our Hydrating Belly Oil is a pregnancy safe blend of organic oils that can be massaged into your belly, hips, thighs, breasts, and anywhere on your skin that’s needing a little extra nourishment.
how hormones influence your pregnancy process
Releasing these endorphins through massage can also help relieve pregnancy associated pain, while encouraging hormone regulation, including your oxytocin and serotonin hormones – your instant mood boosters.
“The flow of oxytocin, endorphins, adrenaline and prolactin in your body drives the well organised, finely tuned process of pregnancy,” explains Lisa, who also notes that these hormones influence labour and birth as well.
“During labour and birth by staying calm, confident and comfortable with what’s to come, you can help promote your body’s production of oxytocin. Staying in an upright position can also promote the flow of this incredible hormone.”
Lisa explains that the role some of these hormones play include:
- Getting your body ready to give birth
- Starting your labour contractions
- Preparing your baby for labour and for life on the outside
- Getting your breasts ready to make and produce colostrum and milk, while also preparing your baby to breastfeed.
how should I approach my pregnancy experience?
“Trust in your body and in the process, and find a supportive care team who not only align with the birth you want to achieve, but who also have confidence in you and your body’s ability,” says Lisa.
“It’s also about taking things a day at a time, keeping active even if you are slower or can only move for a short while, and giving yourself some love with a pregnancy massage.”
The key to feeling prepared, even if things veer off of the plan you have in place, is keeping a clear, calm mind. You can learn more about how meditation can help centre you and your thoughts in our blog and feel rest assured with our Organics Nurture range for you and your baby, as it’s formulated to care for the most delicate of skin through the power of nature.
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