When did hypnobirthing start?

There is a common misconception that hypnobirthing is some kind of new trendy craze. That it's what all the hippy mum's use and it's a bit new age and woo-woo.

But it's not.

Really, it's not.

The term hypnobirthing is relatively new but the concept, ideas and science behind it definitely isn't.

The first person to notice that there was a link between fear and pain in childbirth was Dr Grantly Dick-Read, who wrote a book in 1944 called Childbirth without Fear. He coined the term “Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome” and believed that using relaxation methods could help to break this cycle in labouring women and therefore make birth less painful.

In the early 20th century, tens of thousands of women used hypnosis for childbirth in the Soviet Union, however because hypnosis was still very misunderstood and seen negatively, it was coined Psychoprophylaxis, meaning psychological prevention of pain and anxiety.

Dr Lamaze, a French obstetrician then brought the practice back from Moscow to France in the 1940’s and developed it into the Lamaze method, which was then picked up in the US when Marjorie Karmel wrote about her experiences in 1959.

I could tell you more, but you get the message. It's been around a while.

We can even go back as far as 1858 where there was a reported case of hypnotic suggestion used to induce labour for medical reasons.

So it's clear to see that hypnosis and birth have gone hand in hand for well over 100 years, just under many, many different guises and names. So when did it become hypnobirthing? Who invented “hypnobirthing”?

The term “hypnobirthing” was first used in 1987 by Michelle Leclaire O'Neill who wrote multiple books on childbirth. Not long after this Marie Mongan created 'The Mongan Method' of hypnobirthing. It was this method that was carried by word of mouth over to the UK, where it then began to be taught.

So if it's been used for so long, why does it feel like a new “invention” I hear you cry?

Well as pregnant people in the UK started to learn about hypnobirthing, use it in their births and then recommend it to friends, it slowly gained some traction. More people started to use it, more people started to train to teach it, more people developed their own courses and slowly, slowly it’s got more and more popular.

With the rise of social media it is much easier to hear about, and stumble upon hypnobirthing now, when you may not have heard of it before. And so it can often feel like a new thing. Add into that the rise in birth trauma, which leads expectant parents to find “another way” if they go on to have subsequent babies, and hypnobirthing feels like it’s really gaining some momentum at the minute.

But it’s not new. It’s not a phase or a fad.

It’s based on science and has oodles of evidence behind it.

And honestly, if you haven’t used it before, it might just change your life. I know it did mine.

If you want to know anymore about what hypnobirthing is you can read all about it in this post - What is hypnobirthing?