According to media reports, Kate Middleton is undergoing hypnotherapy to help ease the symptoms of severe morning sickness. Clinical hypnotherapist Colin Christopher said such treatment makes good sense.
“While most people don’t usually associate hypnotherapy for pregnancy related issues, it’s an extremely valuable tool that lets us bypass the conscious mind and get deep into the subconscious, where we can reprogram the reactions women have to pain, nausea, lack of a desire to eat and more,” Christopher said.
Christopher, who is trained in hypnosis for child birthing, said that while the idea of hypnosis often conjures up images of people in a deep trance doing nutty things, the same techniques that get people clucking like a chicken on stage can also be effective for relieving the uncomfortable effects of pregnancy.
Studies on the topic are mixed, but one recent British Journal of Anaesthesia paper supports the idea that “hypnobirth” therapy can reduce the fear and anxiety of pregnancy. Other studies have found that women who used hypnotherapy have shorter labors and take fewer medications.
If hypnosis proves to be a bust for treating the duchess, other treatments for acute morning sickness include eating small, frequent meals and eating dry foods, like crackers. The National Institutes of Health recommends intravenous therapy and medication in cases when vomiting is so frequent that it presents a potential risk to the mother or her unborn baby.
