What is Hypnobirthing?
Hypnobirthing is a collection of learned approaches for anyone wanting a positive way to prepare for the birth of their baby. Through relaxation, breathing and learned coping strategies it is an empowering way to reduce any fear or anxiety associated with childbirth and it can give you the tools required to help you stay calm and in control through your birth experience.
Using simple but effective self-hypnosis, relaxation and specialist up to date breathing techniques specifically designed for labour and birth, Hypnobirthing can be used alone or alongside other pain management techniques to help you have a more comfortable birthing experience.
Hypnobirthing is not weird or airy fairy, it is practical and effective. It really is for anyone! The techniques of self hypnosis are easy to learn and can become useful life skills! I wont be getting you to bark like a dog!!
This is suitable for anyone, whether you are having your first or second baby, having a home or hospital birth, planning a VBAC (vaginal birth after ceasarean) or even if you have a planned ceasarean. I offer a specialist workshop 'The Positive Ceasarean Workshop' for those who already have a planned ceasarean.
How will you benefit from hypnobirthing?
The benefits of hypnobirthing will of course vary but if you complete the workshop and practice the techniques at home:
- You are likely to experience a more comfortable birth.
- Many women do say they felt little or no pain. Although a pain free birth is not something we promise.
- The length of labour is often much shorter when using Hypnobirthing.
- It is more likely that you will require no or less drugs and less medical intervention.
- Mothers often return to their pre birth wellness quicker.
- Your birth partner will learn how to support you and have a key role in the birth.
- Your baby is more likely to be born into a relaxed environment, alert and ready to feed and bond.
So if this sounds like something you would like to learn please book onto one of my courses by contacting me or by completing the booking form below.
Client Testimonial Mrs V Neighbour 05/01/2020
" Why I chose hypnobirthing - I have always had a deep-rooted fear of pregnancy and childbirth, no doubt fostered through some of the negative stories I had been exposed to as a child and in the years since. I also manage a phobia of vomiting; my sister suffered from dreadful morning sickness, so I was really concerned I would be the same (I wasn’t - I wasted so much time worrying about something that didn’t happen!). The theory of hypnobirthing resonated with me; much of it seems similar to how you might approach a sporting event. I have run one marathon (never again!) and I used visualisation, positive mantras (“just keep running, just keep running” :) ) and breathing exercises to stay calm at the start of the run. I was also keen to learn as much as possible about the physiology of birth; I’m definitely one of those people that wants to know exactly what’s happening - forewarned is forearmed! I hate to not be in control (refer you back to the vomiting phobia!) and felt that hypnobithing could help me remain calm and focussed. In truth, part of me felt that anything that could help was worth a shot…! We chose Emma partly because she had been a midwife previously, so she was able to give us the detailed insight we were looking for.
How hypnobirthing helped me - Emma and the Little Birth Company gave me the confidence and tools to approach birth positively. We had hoped to be able to have our baby at the Cotswold Birth Centre, party because I had dreaded the drive to the JR (it can take us over an hour and a half if the traffic is bad). This hope unravelled fairly rapidly at 41 weeks, when I was told I would need to be induced because I had indicators of pre-eclampsia. Emma had encouraged us to plan for this, so even as every one of my preferences (midwife-led unit, pool birth, no induction…) fell by the wayside, I was able to remain calm and focus on the elements that my husband and I could control. Using the techniques we had been taught, my husband and I were able to have a truly positive birth experience - despite it not looking anything like the birth I had hoped for.
One of the biggest benefits of the Little Birth Company was that my husband felt actively involved in the preparation and process of birth. So much of pregnancy is mama-focussed (rightly so!), that partners can feel sidelined. Attending this course with my husband was something where we were both equally involved; his thoughts and fears were just as important as mine. We approached birth as a team and I think this was one of the main reasons it was such a positive experience for us both.
Emma was so much more than a hypnobirthing instructor; she genuinely cared and even spent 45 minutes on the phone chatting through our induction options the evening before I was admitted. I cannot recommend her enough; she became an integral part of our birth preparation and we are so glad that we found her."
