WHAT IS HYPNOBIRTHING?
Hynobirthing is based on science, logic and evidence. I'm here to bust some myths and show you why educating yourself and learning how you can influence birth is essential, regardless of where/how you plan to give birth.
Is hypnobirthing hippy?!
NO!
Hypnobirthing is an evidence-based form of antenatal education that combines the body AND the mind - what I call the missing piece to unlock your positive birth experience! Hypnobirthing encompasses learning about birth physiology, your choices/options and practical tools to lead to a positive, empowered and enjoyable birth experience.
Nowadays in our culture there is so much fear around childbirth, from what we see on TV/films, read in the media and hear from well-meaning friends and family telling you their horror birth stories. The more fearful you go into labour, the more tense you and your body will be, and therefore the more intense the feeling of labour will be. In my courses we will work to remove that fear by retraining your mind and educating you on what is going on during birth. By the end of my course my hope is that you will feel excited about birth and not fearful!
Hypnobirthing is a way of preparing for any birth, no matter where or how you birth your baby. There is no ‘failing’ hypnobirthing; all the knowledge, tools and techniques you gain in my course will leave you feeling empowered, confident and excited for your baby’s birth day.
Even if your birth ends up taking a totally different route to what you had planned, you made an informed decision based on weighing up all the information you had in your toolbox.
But what actually is hypnobirthing?
SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE: the more you know about what your body and baby are doing, and how they are working together, the less fear, tension and pain you will experience.
MINDSET: how you approach birth mentally is so important. Immersing yourself in positive stories, videos, images and information will transform the narrative held in your brain around birth.
RELAXATION & HYPNOSIS: one of the key parts of my classes and your birth preparation is learning and practising how to get into a calm, relaxed ‘zone’ during labour, regardless of your surrounding environment and external factors.
ENVIRONMENT: to maximise your oxytocin levels and to make labour more comfortable, enjoyable and shorter you need to feel safe, unobserved and undisturbed. Think dimmed lighting, relaxing music, privacy, minimal medical equipment, room to move, nice smells, cosiness, minimal talking, yummy snacks and drinks, and your home comforts.
TEAMWORK: your birth partner's important role includes: decision supporter, preferences communicator, distraction eliminator, masseuse, birth ball pumper, dance partner, car driver, refreshment provider, bath filler, DJ and, most importantly, oxytocin protector!
INFORMED DECISIONS: being informed means you will make the right decisions for you, your baby and your family regarding comfort measures, routes to birth and possible intervention, if birth takes an unexpected turn. Hypnobirthing is shown to drastically reduce the chance of experiencing birth trauma and increase birth satisfaction.
Benefits of hypnobirthing
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Knowledge of what your body is doing reduces fear and anxiety.
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Reduced anxiety leads to a calmer, more confident, easier and shorter birth.
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Increases trust in your own body and allows you to tune into your instincts.
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Confidence increased in asking questions and making decisions in pregnancy/birth.
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Teaches breathing techniques to make labour more comfortable and shorter.
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Replaces negatives beliefs around birth with positivity.
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Ability to get into a deeply relaxed state, regardless of surroundings.
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Increased birth satisfaction.
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Reduces chance of needing to use medical pain relief.
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Creates a strong bond between you and your birth team/partner.
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Ability to make confident informed choices, that are right for you and your baby.
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Reduces chance of needing interventions and assisted delivery.
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Reduces the chance of experiencing postnatal depression and birth trauma.
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Baby experiences a calm and gentle birth, and reduces chance of fetal distress.
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Often associated with higher breastfeeding success rate.
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Reduced stress due to birth partner advocating and communicating on your behalf.
