Hypnobirthing Pain-free labour or a pipe dream?
“OUR CULTURE TEACHES us that birth is dramatic, painful, dangerous, or something to be dreaded,” says Theoni Papoutsis, a doula and hypnotherapy practitioner who has witnessed hundreds of births over the past 25 years.
She adds that the modern concept of birth and our delight in sharing birthing “horror stories” have fostered an unhealthy attitude and fear of labour. In response, a growing number of moms are seeking out self-hypnosis, aka hypnobirthing, to help face their fears, and to reduce the pain of natural childbirth.
Theoni, who teaches at Genesis Maternity Clinic in Johannesburg, says antenatal classes that
