ABSTRACT
Childbirth is one of the most profound events a woman and couple will experience. Unfortunately, the experience can be fraught with anxiety, as well as fear of pain and loss of control. Often during childbirth, a woman engages a fight-or-flight response, which increases her perception of pain intensity and decreases internal blood flow. Armed with the ability to use self-hypnotic techniques, women and their partners can effectively enter the childbirth experience with calm and focus (Barabasz & Watkins, 2005, pp. 257-288; McCarthy, 2001; Oster, 1994, 2000).
