Simple Technique Facilitates Natural Childbirth
by Asha Ramakrishna
2006-12-07

 As published in Boston Metro newspaper, Birthing Newsletter & CNE Magazine

Fear is one of the top reasons normal, healthy pregnancies do not end as natural childbirth. The subconscious mind is responsible for 80% of our actions.  Therefore if we have underlying fears about childbirth, we are likely to manifest in physical form such fears. I have discovered a few techniques that dig deep into our subconscious and allow women to have the childbirth experiences they desire.

We don't talk about it in our culture, but pregnancy can be a very uncertain time, and women are acknowledged for the courage that it takes to be a vessel of creation. We walk the line between Life and Death and this dance is seldom revered and respected.

One is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is a meridian-based acupressure system (similar to acupuncture) that is believed to release endorphins. This facilitates profound sense of peace after a self-session, while releasing limiting emotions/beliefs.

Most pregnant women feel some spectrum of anxiety in anticipation of motherhood or a fear of giving birth. Our survivalist awareness is peaked during pregnancy and external influence reinforces our attention to tragedy and horror birth stories.  Studies have found that fear is directly correlated to stalling progress of dilation in labor. Evolution ensures that birth happens in a safe environment, so when Mom's concerns are not addressed, unnecessary interventions can culminate in an unwanted Caesarian surgery.

These fears and anxieties are normal, but they do not have to control your pregnancy or birth outcome. EFT can help you release, or at least quiet, those intense emotions so that you can be c

lear on your vision of birth, and ultimately experience it.

So, let's start releasing….


  1.  Establish set up phrase using the limiting emotion or belief that you wish to release:

"Even though I feel _______(belief/emotion), I deeply and completely love and accept myself."

  1. Tap on the Karate Chop (tender area on the outside of your hand), as you verbalize set-up phrase three times
  2. Continue down each EFT point verbalizing the a short reminder phrase "This fear of ________(belief/ emotion)".
  3. End with the top of the head.
  4. Take a deep breath.
  5. Identify any thought or emotion which arises. Use this thought/ emotion to create second set up phrase and continue the tapping cycle.
  6. Repeat cycles until you feel calm and peaceful.  I would recommend at least two rounds.
  7. End with a positive, empowering round to anchor your desired belief or emotion. "Even though (past fear), and I now choose to (what you desire)". Repeat this phrase as you tap on each of the meridian points, ending with the top of the head and a deep breath.

I coached one mom who was apprehensive about her third birth, although she had two past natural births. As she recounted her past birth, she said her second birth "was so fast and almost violent". We did several rounds of tapping on this subject. By the end of our session, she said, " I know you have said that childbirth can be pleasurable, but not until this point did I really believe it to be a possibility!" She had a beautiful water birth two months later, and had herself and her vision to thank for the willingness to open to a new gentle possibility.

Using EFT not only will help you feel peace, but the resonance of peace travels to your baby as well.  Enjoy "Tapping"!