In my last post I forgot to discuss another type of script that we used in our Hypnobirthing class. This one is often overlooked, but I think it is especially important to having a good birthing experience. It is called “fear release.” One of the Hypnobirthing concepts is that our birthing experience is largely affected by what we have heard and seen…which, unfortunately, comes largely from the media. Since birth is a very private experience, we don’t get a very realistic picture of what it is really like. Media portrays it as painful, traumatic, even comical. Often we hear stories from friends and family about how horrible their birth was as they try to “one up” each other. If we are constantly bombarded with these stories and pictures, of course we are going to go into it with some fear and false ideas! This is why we go through at least one fear release session during the four week class.

The script for this session was very effective. We were prompted by Monica to picture our fears, one by one, thank them for what they had done for us, and erase them from a “screen” on which we had placed them. After they were “erased,” we were to no longer have that fear. I was very fortunate in that I had a very vivid dream later in my pregnancy about my birth that helped me define exactly what my fears about birth were. For me, I was afraid of having an episiotomy, having to switch care providers due to complications, and slow labor. I was able to use my fear release session to get rid of these fears and thankfully I was not worried about them at all after that. I went into my birth having no fear and ready to accept whatever came and trust in my body. Those things I was most afraid of were not a part of my birth. However, had one of them happened, I feel that I would have been able to accept it without fear or disappointment.

What I would most desire for women reading this who struggle with fears and apprehensions about birthing is to ELIMINATE your fears! They have no place in birthing and only serve to stress you out and may even become self-fulfilling prophecies! If you have a lot of fear, try to find someone who can help you release those fears through hypnosis or some other means. You will be glad you did!