Simply, no, we cannot guarantee a completely pain free labour and birth. There are many factors that can affect a birth, some of which are out of our control.
However, like any childbirth preparation class, the success of the techniques is related to the amount of practice you do. Research has shown that around 65-70% of hypnobirthing mums don’t need any form of pain relief – of these almost all simply don’t experience any pain – just pressure, and a further 20-25% only require something mild, like gas and air.
The remaining 5-10% usually fall into a ‘special circumstances’ category, where medical intervention is required. However, these mums still found hypnobirthing helped them – even if they were induced, or had an unplanned caesarean.
It is important to note that the aim of hypnobirthing is not a completely pain free and picture perfect ‘natural’ birth (although that is possible). It is to have a calmer, easier, more comfortable birth; where you are in control.