Hypnosis and Yoga for Pregnancy and Birth

We are now offering a joint program of Hypnosis and Yoga for pregnancy and birth. Research indicates the benefits of both modalities on expectant mothers and, directly or indirectly, on their babies.

Hypnosis has been used successfully to reduce the length of labour; to reframe/dissociate the perceptions of body sensations during labour and birth; to strengthen the associative connections between body and mind; to experience higher alertness and less tiredness during these stages; to recover from birth faster; to bond with the child; to cope with more difficult, but rare, situations (i.e., turning the baby; resuming a stalled labour; coping with unforeseen surgical procedures); to prevent post-partum depression; to stimulate lactation, etc.

Yoga has been used succesfully to reduce the incidence of preterm births and low birth weight. The pregnant women who practice Yoga experience fewer complications during pregnancy (i.e., pregnancy-induced hypertension, growth retardation) and have better neonatal outcomes (Field, 2008). An Australian study of the obstetricians' and midwives' perceptions of complementary therapies in pregnancy found that 81% of the obstetricians believed Yoga to be safe while 96% of the midwives considered this modality safe. Also, 78% of the obstetricians found both hypnosis and meditation to be safe modalities for pregnancy, while 88% of the midwives found meditation safe for pregnancy (Gaffney & Smith, 2004). 

The Centre offers certification training in HypnoPregnancy and   Birth (HPB) for practitioners, and classes and private sessions for expectant mothers/couples. The HPB course was originally created by Liana Voia, PhD and later joined and maintained by Sonia Anjos     (Psychologist).The program uses multisensory approaches, guided visualization and breathing exercises, body sensations understanding and self-hypnosis techniques to help the expectant mothers go through the pregnancy, the stages of labour and the birth, as well as provide them with post-birthing strengths. The course helps the women communicate with their baby throughout their pregnancy and solidify the bond between the mother/parents and the child. During the program, the women are encouraged to address emotional issues or concerns, and, if necessary, the women might be seen individually (for a discounted fee).