Experts have claimed that a specific method of hypnosis, supposedly used by the likes of Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian during childbirth, could make labor pain-free.
Cynthia Overgard, founder of HypnoBirthing in Connecticut, a prenatal education center, said that pain during labor is caused by fear and tension, Fox News reported.
Overgard explained that during labor, oxytocin causes contractions, but if the expecting mother is afraid or anxious then her body stops producing the feel-good hormone and adrenaline starts to rise.
Adrenaline redirects blood flow away from the cervix and the uterus, preventing the cervix from dilating and this slows down labor.
Overgard asserted that this is where hypnosis comes in with deep breathing, visualization and relaxation techniques that can help the woman maintain a calm body and mind.
During the hypnosis program, women also listen to guided relaxation to condition the mind and body to be calm and relaxed.
According to the HypnoBirthing Institute, mothers who used the method were less likely to have c-sections, interventions and pre-term babies.
However, Overgard said that the goal of HypnoBirthing is not natural birth, but to be calm and in control.
