Say the term HypnoBirthing and some folks might picture a man wearing a monocle and speaking with a thick Eastern European accent as he dangles a gold watch in front of a pregnant woman in the delivery room.
‘It is a difficult name at times because hypnosis can conjure up images like you’re going to cluck like a chicken,? said Janice Rex-Weaver, a 43-year-old Oxford resident, practitioner of HypnoBirthing and owner of Peaceful Birthing.
But HypnoBirthing is not about placing a birthing mother in a trance or putting her to sleep. It’s actually a relaxation technique that helps eliminate the fear, tension and severe pain usually associated with labor.
‘It is self-hypnosis, but all that means is they are deeply relaxed,? Rex-Weaver said. ‘We do self-hypnosis a lot during the day, but we don’t even call it that. Daydreaming is a form of hypnosis ? you’re kind of fuzzy, just sort of focused on something, everything else goes away. Being engrossed in book is the same thing.?
HypnoBirthing utilizes visualization and breathing techniques to lower mothers? fear levels, build self-confidence and bolster the belief that a woman’s body is naturally designed to give birth.
‘We are focused in our concentration and relaxed in our body. That’s what allows that fear to go away,? said Rex-Weaver, who used the technique during the births of her daughters, Ashlynn, 6, and Alivia, 3?.
Fear causes moms ‘to hold and resist? the birth process. It causes the body’s muscles to tense up and prevents them from functioning as nature intended them to. This can result in long, painful births.
‘If we’re scared, we can shut our birthing down,? Rex-Weaver explained. ‘A little bit of fear’s okay, but you just can’t be out-of-balance with it. That’s when things go awry.?
According to Rex-Weaver, most of the stress and fear mothers experience is a cultural by-product. ‘In America, unfortunately, we have just told the story over and over that birthing has to be hard, it’s got to be painful and you need to fear it,? she said. ‘We’ve heard that from our moms. We’ve seen that on TV shows and movies. We’re getting kind of a bum rap believing that.?
‘If we are thinking for nine months, ‘it’s going to hurt, it’s going to be painful,? it will be,? she noted. ‘That’s really why the C-section rate is through the roof.?
She pointed out that in the animal kingdom, birthing is not a horrific experience.
‘It’s very rare that you see an animal birthing where they’re writhing in pain,? she said. ‘If they feel threatened or stressed in any way, they do stop their birthing, pick up any pups or whatever they have, go somewhere else where they don’t feel threatened and continue on with the birthing.
‘Well, our bodies are no different. Except we don’t really have the luxury of going anywhere else.?
However, a birthing mother can transport herself mentally to a place where she feels no stress or pain and that’s where Hypno Birthing comes in.
As a practitioner, Rex-Weaver teaches a class that meets for two or two-and-a-half hours, once a week for five weeks at the Mental Fitness Center and Rochester Family Chiropractic, both in Rochester.
‘We’re learning fear-release techniques,? she said. ‘We’re learning a very deep, relaxed breathing. We look at birth and birth through history.?
Classes cost $325 including materials.
During the class, mothers and their birthing companions, map out a birth plan and watch videos of positive births in which HypnoBirthing was employed.
‘It’s like an all-encompassing rewiring of our brain and what we think we know about birth,? Rex-Weaver said. ‘Getting education before going into the birthing room is so key to getting the type of birth that you want.?
‘A lot of times we think we just go to the hospital and someone else has our baby for us. We want them to think of mother and baby working together to have a safe, comfortable birth.?
HypnoBirthing classes can be taken at any point during a pregnancy.
‘I taught someone two weeks before her due date and it worked fantastically well for her,? Rex-Weaver said.
However, she recommends classes be taken around the second trimester ‘so they can get enough time to practice.?
HypnoBirthing can be utilized during either home or hospital births. ‘It doesn’t matter where you’re birthing,? she said.
Although it isn’t officially part of the service she offers, Rex-Weaver is willing to be there when moms give birth. ‘I have gone with some moms if they ask,? she said. ‘That’s something I’m always open to discuss.?
Those interested in learning more about HypnoBirthing are invited to attend a free talk Rex-Weaver will be giving 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 at A Mother’s Touch Midwifery and Birth Center (1894 Millville Road) in Lapeer.
‘People can come meet me, see a birth center and meet a midwife,? she said.
For more information please visit www.yourpeacefulbirthing.com.