Hypnosis

Many Eastern religions and cultures use deep meditation as a form of self-hypnosis to attain enlightenment and serenity. This method of relaxation and focus has also helped many women to remain in control and calm during childbirth, thereby decreasing their pain and speeding their labor.
There is a significant difference between an entertaining hypnotist and a medical hypnotherapist. Hypnosis is intense, focused concentration with partial or complete unawareness of peripheral activity. Entertainment-quality hypnosis depends greatly on a person's openness to peer pressure and suggestion. A hypnotherapist, on the other hand, develops a relationship with a person in order to deepen their hypnosis practice and truly help the individual tap into their unconscious for therapeutic purposes.
Self-hypnosis is very similar to meditation. Both require practice to effectively master and they both increase alpha brain waves, which promote relaxation. The primary difference between the two is that the individual usually counts down into and out of the state of hypnosis. Self-hypnosis can be a powerful tool if used properly. However, some people may have a hard time letting go and losing control. In these cases, a trained hypnotist may be necessary to reach a hypnotized state.
Hypnosis has been shown to help people quit smoking, alleviate pain, minimize anxiety and nausea, promote relaxation, and to interrupt an intense emotional state. Contrary to popular belief, a state of hypnosis is not a state of unawareness or sleep. If you've ever been engrossed in a good book to such a degree that you are completely unaware of your surroundings, then you have been in a state of hypnosis. Nothing can be done to you without your consent, it is simply a shutting down of your conscious mind in order to tap into your unconscious or subconscious.
The first step in practicing self-hypnosis for labor begins before labor ever begins. It requires you let go of the common perception that childbirth is the most painful process a woman ever experiences. The idea - the reality - that should be implanted in your mind is that labor and delivery is perfectly natural and that your body is designed to release hormones to reduce pain. A confident and relaxed approach to childbirth can result in an empowering and beautiful experience.
Many women who have used hypnosis during labor claim to have a "pain free" experience. This is not a guarantee but an absolute possibility. In order for you to recognize the sensation of pain, your brain has to process it. During hypnosis, the brain is able to identify a painful sensation and choose not to register it as a threat or something that needs alleviating. This can actually reduce or block the painful sensation. It also allows you to relax instead of tensing up in fear, which only results in more pain. The outcome truly depends on the individual.

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Acupressure to Relieve Pregnancy Discomfort

Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago, using the fingers, hand, elbow or other device to apply pressure to specific points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. Proponents believe that acupressure may reduce muscle pain and tension, improve blood circulation and release endorphins. It is thought that when an acupressure point is pressed, muscle fibers elongate and relax, allowing blood to flow more freely and toxins to be released and eliminated.
Acupressure uses rubbing, light pounding and gentle massage to direct energy to different parts of the body. It focuses on pressure points along the nervous system's meridians that are connected to various organs throughout the body. It is believed that when an organ stops functioning correctly, it is due to a lack or excess of energy. Acupressure can be used like a faucet, to slow or increase the flow of energy to wherever it is needed. Acupressure can help relieve pregnancy-related discomfort because it is low impact and the body's heightened sensitivity during pregnancy responds well to this kind of treatment.
According to acupressure theory, a pressure point will become painful and hard when an organ malfunctions. When there is too much energy, the point will be sore and sensitive to the touch. To relieve bottled up or excess energy, the point needs to be calmed through slow, deep and sustained finger pressure, in an outward or counter-clockwise direction. The pad of the thumb works best. When there is a shortage of energy, a light, superficial pressure using the fingertips in an inward or clockwise direction will restore balance. An initial worsening of the condition might be felt, but it is part of the healing process and will resolve itself quickly.
Concentrations of pressure points are located near the extremities, around the elbows, fingers, knees and toes, while the wrists contain the most sensitive points. Bending the wrist and fingers back gently can indicate how great the need is for circulation and stimulation in the rest of the body.
Although more research is needed, initial studies have found acupressure to be an effective treatment for many ailments, including nausea and motion sickness, insomnia, sleep apnea, obesity, bedwetting in children, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and drug addiction.
One of the most effective acupressure points is the Neiguan or pericardium 6 (P6) point, used to relieve nausea and vomiting. It is located on the inside of the wrist, three fingerbreadths above the crease of the wrist between the two tendons. The bracelets sold to relieve motion sickness and other forms of nausea use this pressure point.
To relieve pain during labor, have your partner use their knuckle to apply pressure to the Ciliao BL-32 point, located one finger width up from the crease of your buttocks and one thumb width to the left or right side of the spine. There is a small depression where the point lies. You should feel numbness, warmth or tingling when pressure is applied. If you feel a sharp pain, your partner may be pressing the bone near the point. The pressure points on either side of the spine might not line up perfectly during labor, due to muscle contractions, therefore it's important to communicate with and guide your partner until he or she finds the right spot. This point has been reported by many as being extremely useful for pain relief during labor.

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