Duchess of Cambridge Reportedly Considering Hypnosis to Ease Labour Pain

Amy Taylor June 15, 2013

Kate Middleton, who is currently on her last trimester, is reportedly considering hypnosis in preparation for her royal childbirth. Just like most first-time mums, the Duchess of Cambridge hopes for a natural delivery and Hypno-birthing is one of the methods she believes could help ease her labour pain.

A royal spokesman said she was aware of the report but declined to confirm or deny it. "We appreciate it’s a happy occasion," the palace said. "But there are some matters which should remain private to the duchess."

A magazine source quoted ’She wants it to be natural so hypno-birthing is one option that appealed and she and been reading up on it and listening to CDs to get into the right frame of mind’ ‘Some of her friends have used this method and swear by it. Kate wants to do it her way and be relaxed’ adds the source.

What is hypno-birthing?

Self-hypnosis for childbirth is not new. In fact, it has been around for centuries. And despite the wide variety of programmes, the philosophy remains the same – It is aimed to help women give birth relatively easier and eliminate their fears of childbirth which aggravate labour pain.

Fear of labour is said to activate a woman’s ‘flight or fight’ system which results to increased levels of stress hormone, elevated blood pressure and poor blood circulation. When blood flow is disrupted in the uterus, it causes pain and hinders with the labour process.

It is believed that the therapy boosts the production of oxytocin – a hormone that acts as a natural painkiller, stimulating the uterus during childbirth. This means the Duchess is less likely to require medications or anaesthesia to counter pain.

It is also reported that Kate was undergoing prenatal yoga to increase muscle strength and flexibility during childbirth. She’s also watching over her weight by taking regular swimming sessions at Buckingham Palace.

Setting an Example

If the news is true, it’s possible that the Duchess’ decision could set a trend that may encourage thousands of women to consider natural techniques like hypnosis for childbirth. Many other celebrity mums have used hypno-birthing, like Hollywood stars Jessica Alba and Tiffani Thiessen.

According to Hypnobirth Association, the technique encourages the father to become directly involved in the process, something that is not common to royal dads.

Sources of this article:

Is the Duchess of Cambridge thinking of using hypnosis to ease pain of childbirth?

Pregnant Kate Middleton Reportedly Considers Hypnosis to Ease Childbirth Pain