Hypnobirthing: Meghan Markle's Reported Birthing Technique Isn't as Extreme as You Think

By Emma Middlestadt

Date February 6, 2019

Meghan Markle is not one for the ordinary (here, an ongoing list of Royal rules she’s broken), so news of her reported plan to practice hypnobirthing on her due date should come as no surprise. But what’s hypnobirthing, you ask?

The unorthodox method, created by American hypnotherapist Marie Mongan, combines techniques like meditation, visualization and focused breathing to help manage pain during labour. According to Mongan, humans are programmed to see childbirth as an extremely difficult act; hypnobirthing teaches mothers how to relax the body and let go of fears that may cause muscles to resist and complicate the labour, thus resulting in pain. Essentially, it’s all about confidence, positive thinking and reframing the pain of childbirth as positive. So basically, it’s not as hippie-dippie as it actually sounds.

In addition to hypnobirthing, the Duchess of Sussex is also said to be giving birth naturally (a.k.a sans drugs or medical intervention) with the help of a doula. According to a source close to the Royals, both Meghan and Prince Harry have been been receiving acupuncture treatments from celebrity acupuncturist Ross Barr for months to further add to the atmosphere of zen.

“Meg wants a natural birth if she can have one,” the source told Vanity Fair earlier this week. “Her mother is very into anything that is holistic and natural, and having been brought up with yoga and mindfulness, it’s all very much part of Meghan’s birth plan.” Of course, we’ll have to wait to see if all of this pans out come late April/early May, when the Royal Baby is scheduled to be born.