HARTFORD, Conn. -- More women are turning to hypnosis as a tool during childbirth, with the thought that preparing the mind can east the pain of labor.

Shelley Albini teaches Hypnosis for Childbirth and helped Holly Leone, of Wolcott, get through two births without pain medication.

"The philosophy is that birth is not a medical incident, it doesn't have to hurt," Albini said. "Women love to tell war stories … fear is what creates pain in childbirth.

Leone said she knew she wanted to deliver her daughters Natalie and Rachel naturally. She took a class with Albini and began to listen to self-hypnosis CDS nightly during the seventh month of her pregnancy.

"I was just lying in bed, contractions were coming, I had tapes on," Leone said. "The surges come and go, state of relaxation, and then it goes."

She said after her daughters were born she was left feeling happy and relaxed.

Leone said instead of a war story, hypnosis left her with a picture-perfect birthing story to tell.

Albini said hypnosis can also be used for mothers who aren't considering natural childbirth. She said it can help east the discomfort of labor or a c-section.

For more information about Albini's classes, visit her Web site.