Today’s show is about self-hypnosis for labor pain management. Before you roll your eyes, know that this is not about someone swinging a pocket watch in front of you, but rather a tool that can diminish pain, lessen anxiety, make you feel more in control, and even shorten labor. How does it work? Julietta Appleton tells us more.

What we talked about:

• Busting myths: no one hypnotizes you. Why all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
• Not just for birth: how hypnosis works (even with pain during hair waxing!)
• The evidence behind hypnosis for pain reduction
• Benefits of practicing hypnosis during pregnancy
• Apart from pain management: other benefits of hypnosis during labor
• What should a mom be on the lookout when choosing a system, program or hypnotherapist?

Links for more on hypnosis and birth:

• Labor Pain Made Easier with Self-Hypnosis: Just how easy and comfortable can birthing/labor be?, from Psychology Today
• My experiences with birth hypnosis, from the Stand and Deliver blog

Links to the most popular hypnosis for labor programs*:

• Mind Plus Body Birth, Julietta’s system and classes
• Hypnobirthing International Institute
• Hypnobabies
• Birth Relaxation Kit

*These links are here so you can find out more. I in no way have or will receive any remuneration from then.

Courtesy of Julietta Appleton

About Julietta Appleton

Julietta Appleton MPA, CCE, CHT has helped hundreds of people overcome their fears and limiting beliefs, guiding them to create positive change and achieve their goals. She is one of the founding members of Childbirth Education Association of Westchester/Putnam (now Hudson Valley Birth Network), one of the founders of Montreal’s first rape crisis center, and is the founder and former director of Westchester County, New York’s first freestanding birth center—The Birth Cottage. She possesses a Masters degree in Public Administration, is a certified childbirth educator, certified hypnotherapist, and birth doula. She has trained doulas, helped establish and operate two postpartum doula services, and has worked with countless individuals and couples as a hypnotherapist, sex educator, childbirth educator, birth doula, and postpartum doula. Her hypnosis practice is based in Westchester County, New York, with classes and trainings available (in English or Spanish) locally, nationally, and internationally.

You can find more about Julietta and her hypnosis for birth system at Mindplusbodybirth.com