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Hypno-Birth Plans for Expectant Mothers

It was clear and relatively calm the night little Hadley Cooper came into the world.

Mom Lauren Munk delivered her baby without any pain medication, using instead techniques she learned weeks earlier in a hypno-birthing class.

"We talk a lot about fears, releasing fears," says hypno-birthing practitioner Joyce Poplar.

Lauren's fear was having the same birth experience as she did with her first child, in which the epidural only worked for half of her body.

"I figured if I'm going to feel pain, I might as well feel it all and experience it and make it calm," she says.

Through the hypno-birth classes she learned deep relaxation techniques using breathing and visualization.

The class puts a new spin on negative words.

You won't hear "pain," you'll hear "pressure."

Instead of "contractions," it's "surges."

Pain killers are not the enemy in this class.

Poplar reassures her moms that medication is an option if necessary.

"It was really neat to actually experience the birth and actually feel her entering the world," Lauren adds.

It's unclear whether Lauren would have had time for an epidural even if she'd wanted it.

Baby Hadley was born 23 minutes after they arrived at the hospital.