you will readily accept the fact that there is nothing to fear and that since you will be able to relax

completely, the tension and pain will disappear, and your labour will become much easier.

 

 

2. It produces no depression of the respiratory or circulatory functions, in either you or your child. Most

chemical anaesthetic agents and analgesic or sedative drugs tend to produce this. This is particularly likely when morphine or the barbiturates are employed. Consequently there is much less

risk of foetal damage.

 

 

3. Hypnosis usually affects some shortening of the first stage of labour, as discussed above.

 

 

4. Hypnosis increases your resistance to obstetric shock. The risk of shock is greatly diminished since

the mum-to-be becomes much less exhausted during the first stage. Under hypnosis you can eat,

drink, sleep and attend to your natural functions. You are able to cooperate fully with both doctor and

midwife, even when the contractions are strong and frequent. You are also enabled to relax your

muscles so completely that the danger of foetal injury is also much reduced.

 

 

5. Hypnosis does not interfere in any way with the mechanics of labour. Both general anaesthetics and

analgesic or sedative drugs have the disadvantage of exercising a depressing action upon uterine

contractions. They consequently tend to delay and to prolong labour. Under hypnosis, drugs may

often be dispensed with altogether, and even when some supplementary medication is required the

effective dosage will be much reduced.

 

 

6. In the lighter and medium stages, hypnosis greatly reduces the liability to pain by relieving the fearpain- tension syndrome, and substituting the ability to relax, both mentally and physically. Even in the second stage, when the contractions become stronger and more frequent, the mum-to-be who has

been taught hypnosis to couple suggestions of increasing relaxation with deep, rhythmic breathing,

can greatly relieve, and sometimes even remove all feelings of pain (the perineal massage, a simple

technique often demonstrated by the midwife, also provides relief at this stage). It is only as the head

descends and the perineum becomes distended that pain is most likely to be felt, and supplementary

measures may be needed to keep it under control. In the course of your prenatal training, you will be

told that “gas and air” and analgesic drugs will be readily available should you require them. Whether

they are actually used or not should be left to you, the mum-to-be, to decide. The mother”s own

wishes will always be respected.

 

 

7. In the deeper stages of hypnosis partial, complete analgesia and anaesthesia (pain relief /