Here are my thoughts as a Hypnobabies instructor and as a Hypno-Doula of over 30 of my students:

My first response is No! But I think in reality:

It depends on how you define success!

I say something like this in the first class:

• The purpose of Hypnobabies is not to have a pain free birth
• It is to have the best and most comfortable birth possible
• Each birth is different and you and your baby together will create your experience
• the birth location you choose, your baby’s positioning, different interventions – there are so many things that work together in creating your birth experience
• You will learn the information you need to make the best choices for YOU and your baby
• You will learn and develop tools to help you every step of the way.

If a mom takes this attitude and is flexible and makes the best choices for her during her birth and is supported in those choices she will hopefully feel successful.

A different definition of success:

However, there are some moms who get hung up on the comfort part.

I think it may be possible that some moms search out Hypnobabies because they are so afraid of the pain and that becomes their main focus, birth being comfortable. Which I know it CAN be, but moms would benefit to focus on the bigger picture.  Because birth has so many facets to it, it is very limiting to focus on only one part.

These Moms may feel they have failed if they have discomfort.  I try to reassure them, there is NO WAY to fail, but they have their own perceptions and create their reality.

Moms need to start asking these questions,

• Did Hypnobabies help you during your pregnancy?
• Did Hypnobabies help you during your birth?

If the answer is yes, then you were successful with it!  🙂

I will have 2 follow up posts with Moms and their insights about being successful with Hypnobabies during their births.