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Zara Baker looks at modern pregnancy and methods to make labour and post-birth easier on mum

For first-time mums-to-be or a mother of three, pregnancy can cause plenty of stress, anxiety and fear. Your world is going to change – for the better – but it’s a huge change and a daunting one nonetheless. Methods like hypnotherapy may be beneficial for expecting mums and can significantly reduce pain during labour and ease any anxiety.

So what is hypnotherapy? In the US, HypnoBirthing is a trademark name and there are a number of practitioners around in the UK offering courses in hypnotherapy. The course may involve a weekend workshop or a CD and information pack to go over at home in your own time. You will practise relaxation methods and visualisation which you will then utilise during labour. One method is balloon-breathing, used during contractions, by visualising a balloon being blown up and eventually released.

Is hypnotherapy proven to help ease labour pains? There are various studies to support this, including one carried out in South Wales, which show hypnotherapy significantly shortens the first two stages of labour.

Midwives support the method, with other studies showing a reduced need for anaesthesia. It’s also believed that a more relaxed birth acts as a catalyst for a relaxed and happy start to baby’s life.

With the birth sorted, there’s plenty of other methods mum can take before and after birth to promote a relaxed mind and healthier body. Yoga classes are a great accompaniment to hypnotherapy. It can be difficult to keep fit during pregnancy but a gentle yoga class aimed at pregnant women is greatly beneficial. Emotionally, it boosts the mind and body, offering complete wellbeing. Physically, ligaments are more elastic and you become more flexible, which in turn can help reduce labour pain.

Pregnancy yoga involves stretching exercises that helps relieve aches and keep you active. It can help improve your posture and ease back problems, which is common in pregnancy.

Six weeks after birth, post-natal yoga classes will help new mums get back in shape faster. It helps strengthen abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor and a class is also a great way to meet new friends in the same position.

Whether you opt for hypnotherapy or ante-natal/post-natal yoga classes, explore the options and only undertake what you’re comfortable with. Pregnancy and birth is something to be treasured but there’s nothing wrong in making it easier on yourself.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at 4:57 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.