How fear affects birth

Growing up what was your perspective on birth?⁠ The majority of us are brought up thinking birth is this traumatic and painful event.

The picture we had growing up in our minds of a birthing woman is a woman laying on her back, legs in stirrups, face tensed up, and signs she is clearly in pain.

⁠The truth is women have been giving birth for thousands of years. If birth really were that precarious the human race would’ve died off years ago. ⁠

So, why has birth become such a negative experience?⁠

⁠As women we are …

Scared of the unknown⁠
We’re fearful of the health of ourselves and our baby ⁠
We’re scared about the horror stories told to us about birth ⁠

So, how does fear directly affect your birth?

Fear in birth triggers the stress hormones which then tiggers your fight, flight, or freeze response in your body.
Fear directs oxygen via the blood stream to our defense system (The uterus is not part of the defence system). Our uterus is a set of muscles that when oxygen is deprived our uterus muscles constrict. This has a domino effect causing pain which then can prolong labour and lead to the need for interventions.

Hypnobirthing is as much a philosophy of birthing as it is techniques. ⁠When a mother and her birth partner are able to approach their birth without fear and with knowledge, good support, and tools for the birth – then their birthing can be a POSITIVE and EMPOWERING experience.⁠

⁠We prepare your body and mind leading up to birth – so that, by the time birth comes around, we go into ‘automatic’ mode. Our mindset is positive, and this has a physiological effect on our body (i.e. we are not as likely to go into that ‘fight or flight response’). ⁠

Why? Because we are calm and feel safe, we release a cocktail of wonderful hormones (including endorphins and oxytocin) that reduce discomfort and help labour move along with ease.⁠

⁠You will also have tools to bring yourself back into a calm state if your birthing takes a different turn or if you have difficulties with the intensity experienced. ⁠

⁠So how do we overcome our fears surrounding birth?

We need to reprogram our subconscious⁠
Build our knowledge about birth and the possible interventions
Create and maintain a positive mindset⁠
Ensure we have good support on hand⁠.

⁠This is what we teach birthing parents in our Hypnobirthing Australia™ Positive Birth Program so you can say goodbye to your fears about birth and walk into your birthing day with joy.

Are you ready to say goodbye to fear about birth?⁠

Click here to find a class closest to you.