Hypnobirthing Lancashire

Lancashire Self-Hypnosis for Birth Trials

 

Dr Soo Downe at the University of Central Lancashire is running SHIP Trials (Self-Hypnosis for Intrapartum Pain management).

Summary of Hypnosis Trials

 

"Self-hypnosis is a way of training the mind and body to experience things differently.

It usually involves listening to a voice on a tape or CD which gives hints and suggestions about how to change unhelpful ways of thinking.

By listening to the CD regularly the belief is that the listener will ‘absorb’ the suggestions and their experience will change. 

It is sometimes used by health professionals to help people give up smoking or to reduce their fear of flying. 

Recent studies have shown that self-hypnosis can be used successfully to treat the pain associated with chronic gastro-intestinal complaints like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn’s Disease.

In this study we would like to find out if self-hypnosis could help women to deal with the pain associated with labour and childbirth.

Our theory is that if women feel more relaxed and in control during labour then they are less likely to experience intense pain and less likely to need medical assistance or even surgery. 

So far there have been few studies conducted in this area and most of them have been small or of poor quality. 

However, the results have been encouraging and we would like to find out if this would be an effective way of providing pain relief to pregnant women in the UK."


The proposed completion date for these trials was June 2013 so results should be expected into the public domain soon.

'Just Relax'

The following article was published by the telegraph at the time the trial started.

"A new trial into ‘hypnobirthing’ will assess whether women can give birth happily without painkillers. But will expectant mothers will ever forgo the epidural and learn to 'just relax'"

Hypnobirthing Lancashire

The Results

The SHIP trial should give an excellent clinical insight into the effectiveness of self-hypnosis. It should be noted that antenatal classes such as Natal Hypnotherapy™ and Hypnobirthing give much more than hypnosis alone.

Natal Hypnotherapy ™

 

Hypnosis for birth is just one powerful element included in Natal Hypnotherapy™. The course teaches many other tools and techniques for managing birth and labour - thus empowering a woman to have a positive birth experience.

For more information see Natal Hypnotherapy™