Do I book onto NCT or a hypnobirthing course?
As soon as you’re pregnant everyone has an opinion don’t they! You get advice left, right and centre about what not to eat and drink, where and how you should give birth, what classes you should book. Some don’t believe in making a birth plan, they say just go with the flow (probably the WORST advice you could receive, but that’s another blog post entirely!) And don’t get me started on people sharing their not so great birth stories - what’s with that?!
Everyone has a different story when it comes to birth. Quite rightly, as every person, every body and every baby is different. Some will say you must book on to NCT or other antenatal course, others will tell you to book a hypnobirthing course if you REALLY want to learn everything about birth! So, how do you actually decide?!
Some of my recent clients have booked an antenatal course elsewhere and then a hypnobirthing workshop with me, as they realised they want to work on the fear they have around labour, whilst also learning practical tools and techniques to remain calm and in control, whatever turn birth takes. But actually, my antenatal hypnnobirthing courses cover everything you need to know, so there really is no need to book two courses - you’re just spending more money than you need to!
Let’s take a look at some of the key differences between standard antenatal education and hypnobirthing, to help you decide what’s right for you.
Key differences between antenatal vs hypnobirthing course
Antenatal Course Content
Standard antenatal courses focus on the practicalities of birth, on stages of labour, pain relief options, medical interventions, postpartum recovery, feeding and newborn care. Hypnobirthing, on the other hand, covers all this and more! It’s a full antenatal education programme. The focus is on creating a calm and relaxed mindset and beliefs around birth, removing / reducing fear, focussing on the huge benefits of self-hypnosis, relaxation, visualisation, affirmations and breathing techniques, not to mention learning all about your rights and consent in childbirth, advocating for yourself, making informed decisions and how to weigh up risks to ensure you feel in control of your birth. Hypnobirthing has a huge focus on the mental preparation as, like Olympic athletes know, so much of your physical performance will ride on that! If you want to find out what hypnobirthing is all about head to 'What is Hypnobirthing?'
Relaxation
Hypnobirthing works on the idea that the more relaxed you are going into and during birth, the more positive the experience and the less likely you are to require intervention or assistance to give birth. Fear and tension within the body can lead to your uterus not contracting properly, labour slowing down, unnecessary stress on your baby, and reduced levels of essential hormones for labour to work efficiently. Working on your mindset and deep relaxation techniques during a hypnobirthing course is where the real transformation comes. Lessen the fear, reduce the need for pain relief / medical interventions!
Mindset
Unlike antenatal courses, hypnobirthing aims to transform your whole perspective on birth. I’m going to assume that you’ve seen many a TV program or film showing labour as a long, painful, risky event that women need saving from! The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Birth is safe, it's not a medical event, and it can be truly incredible. During my hypnobirthing courses you will learn so many ways to stay in control of your birth; by the end of my course you will feel excited and prepared to give birth!
Hormones
Do you know what powers labour and birth? HORMONES! Ever heard of oxytocin? It’s essential for birth, it starts labour, maintains and increases your contractions, and is responsible for birthing the placenta after your baby has been born. During a hypnobirthing courses you will learn how to increase your key birth hormones to lead to a shorter, smoother labour and more comfortable contractions! Hormones aren’t often covered in standard antenatal courses, but we know how much of an impact they have on your labour starting and progressing, so it’s essential information! Understanding your hormones, the role they play in birth, and what you and your birth partner can do to influence them is a key part of birth preparation.
Making informed decisions
How do you know what intervention / pain relief you might want to accept / decline if you don’t know the implications of them? Do you know the benefits and risks of having a sweep towards the end of pregnancy? Are you aware of the impact on your labour when you have a vaginal examination? And with induction on the rise, how do you actually make an informed decision about that? Being told you have a “big baby” or “small baby” or “the placenta will stop working” all sounds very scary, I get it, but you need to know the questions to ask to quantify the risk (there is risk in everything, but sometimes the benefits far outweigh the risks and I’m here to help you figure that out!) My courses aim to empower you and provide you with the confidence you need to make decisions for you and your baby.
Does hypnobirthing actually work?!
These amazing statistics on Hypnobirthing from The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trusts further highlight the advantages of hypnobirthing for positive birth preparation:
Reduces length of labour for both 1st time and subsequent births.
Higher rates of vaginal birth (84% vs 64%).
Lower unplanned cesareans rate: 4% with hypnobirthing vs 15% without.
Significant reduction in instrumental births (using forceps / vacuum to aid delivery).
Epidural use 14% vs 40-95% in non-hypnobirthing women.
53% of women reported ‘none or only slight’ pain levels versus 6%.
I mean, the stats speak for themselves really don’t they! Especially that last one, 53% reported none or slight pain - that’s incredible! I would definitely put myself in that camp; I’ve given birth twice using tools and techniques I learnt in my Ultimate Antenatal Hypnobirthing Course and I wouldn’t describe either of my births as painful; intense and hard-working yes, but not painful. And anyway, pain has a purpose in labour, something we talk about from the very start of my course. Reading positive birth stories where hypnobirthing has really helped is so important to retrain your subconscious mind that birth can be amazing and empowering!
Final words on which birth prep course to choose
Both antenatal education and hypnobirthing offer valuable tools for expectant parents, and any birth education is a good idea. But they take different routes toward preparing you for childbirth. Hypnobirthing is not hippy, it’s scientific, evidence-based, and backed up by research - it’s a no brainer really! By exploring your options and tuning into your own needs, you can embark on your birth journey feeling confident and empowered.
Having done an NCT course myself back in 2020 when I was pregnant with my first baby, alongside a full hypnobirthing course too, I can see the stark difference between the two and how many advantages the hypnobirthing course has over a standard antenatal education programme such as NCT.
I’m now taking bookings for Hypnobirthing Courses in Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey starting January 2025 - start the year right and prepare for the most incredible experience of your life! Want to know how I can help you prepare for birth? Head to My Services page for details on all courses.
Thanks for reading, Fi x
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