The Lived Experience of Hypnosis-Assisted Birth: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Hypnosis-Assisted Birth is any birth in which a woman utilized self-hypnosis or any other form of hypnosis during the pregnancy, labor and/or delivery of their child. The intention that guided this study was to qualitatively explore the meaning of the lived experience of hypnosis-assisted birth in order to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experience and the meanings the mothers made of their hypnosis-assisted birth experience. The guiding research question for the study was, “What is the meaning of the lived experience of hypnosis-assisted childbirth?” The hypnosis experience entailed preparation for birth, decisions related to pregnancy, labor and delivery, fear, discomfort and sensation, education, practice, and options related to giving birth. There is rich literature regarding childbirth practices, more specifically medical-related outcomes of women who utilize hypnosis-assisted birth, and other factors associated with medical interventions utilized during childbirth as well as the short- and long-term implications of birth practices and birth preparation for birthing mothers. The use of hypnosis during childbirth has been shown to be beneficial in a variety of ways for birthing mothers and their children. For this particular study, Max van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological research methodology was utilized to describe and interpret women’s lived experiences and ascribe meaning to the lived experience of hypnosis-assisted birth. Purposive, snowball sampling was utilized to locate study participants and each participant participated in one phone interview. The results of this study showed that while no birth story was the same, all of the mothers who participated in this study reflected on their birth experience in a similar manner. The five overarching themes that emerged included (1) Preconceptions, (2) The Preparation, (3) An Experience of Being, (4) Absence of Fear, and (5) A Shift in the Way of Being. Ultimately, this study supports the view that hypnosis-assisted birth can aid women in changing their preconceptions regarding hypnosis, labor, and delivery, can help women achieve the birth that they desire if they are committed to the practice of hypnosis and give women the chance to be fully present, calm and in control of their births and birth with an absence of fear.