HypnoBirthing® The Mongan Method
By Kathryn Beck, CH, HBCE, HBFC, RMT
The HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Education program was created by Marie F. Mongan M.Ed., M.Hy. and based on the natural birth concepts of Dr. Grantly Dick-Read. HypnoBirthing® is a philosophy and practice which empowers women and their birth partners to look forward to their baby’s birthday and to have a calm, comfortable birth experience. The program teaches that in the absence of fear and tension, or special circumstances, severe pain is not an inherent part of giving birth. While many taking this course plan to have a natural birth experience, this program helps women in every birth situation, including cesarean section.
Women have been culturally conditioned to believe that excruciating pain is associated with birth, and because of this, women today are deeply afraid of giving birth. This extreme fear creates tension in the birthing woman’s body, which prohibits the body’s natural ability to perform the normal, physiological function of giving birth. Fear can lead to unnecessary pain and intervention. HypnoBirthing® focuses on eliminating this cultural conditioning and negativity surrounding birth. Through HypnoBirthing®, both low-risk women and women with special circumstances learn to dismiss fear-based stories, misinformation, and birthing myths, and discover that birth is natural. They gain trust in their bodies and their ability to give birth to their babies.
The HypnoBirthing® Advantage:
- Eliminates the Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome before, during, and after birthing
- Eliminates or greatly reduces the need for chemical painkillers
- Shortens the first stage of labor by several hours
- Eliminates fatigue during labor
- Eliminates risk of hyperventilation from “shallow” breathing methods
- Promotes special bonding of mother, baby, and birthing companion
- Faster postnatal recovery
- Returns birthing to the beautiful, peaceful experience nature intended
- Creates a more integral role for the birthing companion
What you will learn in the HypnoBirthing® Program:
- Relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques to eliminate fear and tension that cause long labor and pain, replacing it with confidence, calm, and comfort
- The creation and control of the body’s own natural anesthesia
- The source of the myth that pain must accompany normal birthing
- Why women in other cultures have births almost entirely free of discomfort
- How the mother’s body is designed to work in harmony with nature during the birthing process
- The importance of prenatal and perinatal bonding
- A guide to good pregnancy nutrition
- Body toning exercises and practice
- A free hypnotic session in building birth confidence and eliminating fears
- Demonstration and practice in optimal birth positions
- Postpartum information including breastfeeding
- Well-paced instruction designed to build your confidence and help you to have a safer, easier, and more comfortable birthing
HypnoBirthing® Class Description:
Classes are taught by Certified HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educators. The program consists of five classes lasting 2 ½ hours each over a period of five weeks. During the classes, you will receive helpful tools, including 5 professionally written scripts, 2 relaxation CDs, handouts for planning your birth preferences, a set of birth prompts for your birth companion, and a copy of the HypnoBirthing® textbook, “HypnoBirthing®: The Mongan Method” by Marie F. Mongan, M.Ed., M.Hy. Students also watch birthing videos of HypnoBirthing® moms and companions, and learn positions and techniques for relaxed, comfortable birthing.
How to find a HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator:
To find a Certified HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator near you, visit the
