The Truth About Hypnobirthing and Pain Relief

There’s a really common misconception…

A lot of people think that if you come to my hypnobirthing course, I’m going to expect you to labour without any form of pain relief. And if unmedicated birth is something you want, that’s absolutely something we can support. But that has never been the purpose of hypnobirthing. I hear it constantly: “Oh no, I’d want all the drugs.” And the truth is that you can have all the drugs and use hypnobirthing at the same time. It’s not one or the other, and I genuinely wish more people understood this.

Hypnobirthing isn’t about avoiding pain relief or achieving some serene, slow-motion, angelic birth. It’s certainly not about being a hero in a system that already asks women to be brave far too often. Hypnobirthing is about control, confidence, and informed choice – whatever your birth looks like, including when you choose pain relief. I hypnobirthed and had pain relief. Many of my clients do. And their births are every bit as powerful and valid.

So let’s break this myth once and for all.

Pain Relief Doesn’t Signal Failure – It Signals Choice

Across all three of my labours, I used hypnobirthing techniques – the comfort measures I now teach, like breathing, pressure points, grounding and visualisation. They helped me stay connected to my body, and they were incredibly effective. But I also used medical pain relief. I had gas and air in all three labours, and with Paisley, I had pethidine too.

That pethidine wasn’t a confident, informed decision. It was fear. I didn’t feel in control during my first labour. I didn’t understand my options, I didn’t know how each pain relief actually worked, and I didn’t have the tools to stay grounded when everything suddenly felt too much. So I agreed to something I didn’t really want, simply because I was overwhelmed. And this is exactly why I am so passionate about intention… about building knowledge before labour begins, so your choices come from clarity rather than panic.

Pain relief itself is not the issue. The issue is fear, lack of understanding, pressure, and overwhelm. When you know your options, when you understand the pros, cons, timings and effects of each one, and when you have a grounding toolkit to support you, your decisions feel like yours. That’s the real heart of hypnobirthing. Not perfection. Not performance. Ownership.

So What Does “Control” Actually Mean?

People often assume that control means avoiding interventions or pain relief. But real control – the kind that genuinely transforms your birth experience – is understanding your options, knowing what aligns with your preferences, and making decisions intentionally rather than reactively. It’s staying connected to your body, your baby and your instincts. It’s holding onto your voice and your confidence, even if the path changes.

If I’d known more about pain relief before my first labour – what it did, how it worked, when it’s most effective – I wouldn’t have ended up choosing something out of panic. I would’ve had a clearer sense of what I wanted and how I wanted to be supported. And that’s exactly why I teach the way I do now: to help you make the decisions I wish I’d understood then.

A Quick Look at Pain Relief Options (And How Hypnobirthing Supports Them)

Parents often tell me they didn’t know what half of these options were until they were already in labour. So here’s a simple, grounded overview of the most common forms of pain relief, explained in a way that actually makes sense.

Gas & Air (Entonox):

A fast-acting, fast-wearing inhaled pain relief. It pairs beautifully with hypnobirthing because your breathing techniques help regulate your nervous system and keep you calm rather than panicked. I used gas and air in all three births, and using it alongside my breathing made a huge difference.

Diamorphine / Pethidine:

An opioid injection used in labour to take the edge off sensations, though it can cause drowsiness. Hypnobirthing supports this choice by helping you understand the timing and effects beforehand, ensuring your decision is intentional rather than fear-driven. Your relaxation tools can also help you stay connected instead of feeling spaced out.

Epidural:

A medical anaesthetic that numbs the lower body. Many women find it extremely helpful. With hypnobirthing, you still use your breathing during placement, your visualisation to stay emotionally present, and your decision-making tools to advocate for yourself. Knowing the benefits and limitations beforehand means your choice reflects your values rather than exhaustion or overwhelm.

Water (Bath or Birth Pool):

Warm water naturally relaxes the body and helps soften sensations. Water and hypnobirthing complement each other beautifully – breathing deepens, adrenaline lowers, muscles soften, and movement becomes more fluid. Even if you don’t birth in water, early labour in a pool can feel transformative.

TENS Machine:

A small device used early in labour that sends gentle pulses to the back. It works well with hypnobirthing because it gives your mind another sensation to focus on, supports your breathing rhythm, and can help you stay home longer if that’s your preference.

Warmth, Movement & Pressure Points:

Natural comfort measures that often make the biggest difference. These are core parts of the METHOD: heat packs, upright positions, swaying, massage and acupressure. They help your body protect itself with its own natural pain relief and give your birth partner purposeful ways to support you.

These techniques formed the foundation of my own pain management and they are tools you can take anywhere.

The Most Important Truth of All

Hypnobirthing is not anti–pain relief. It is anti-fear, anti-pressure, and anti-“you must birth this way to get it right.” You can combine hypnobirthing with any form of pain relief. You can mix and match. You can change your mind. You can tailor your experience to what feels right in the moment.

Pain relief does not take away from your birth. Fear does. And hypnobirthing is what reduces that fear so you can make decisions with clarity and confidence.

Where To Go Next

If this Journal entry reassured you, you may also like:

• What Hypnobirthing Really Is (and Why It’s Not About Whale Music)

• Why Don’t People Talk About the Pain?

• When Should I Start Hypnobirthing? (And Why It’s Never Too Early)

These pieces flow together beautifully and deepen that sense of ownership over your birth.

If this Journal helped you exhale or brought you clarity, I’d love to support you further. My group hypnobirthing courses run regularly throughout the year at Manor Farm, Laceby, and you’re always welcome to join whenever you feel ready. If you prefer a more private, personalised space, my 1:1 birth preparation sessions are also available.

Everything I teach is rooted in The Mama Spring METHOD – clarity, calm and confidence woven into every step. You deserve to feel capable, informed and completely in control. And you truly can.