Hypnobirthing FAQ

Hypnobirthing will give you a greater understanding of the physical and mental changes that will take place in your body during labour and birth, helping you to feel informed and prepared for what's to come. Hypnobirthing gives you powerful tools which you can use in labour to help them to remain calm and in control, allowing you to have a more comfortable and positive experience of birth. Hypnobirthing helps you to understand the choices that are available to them and provides them with tools to help them make informed choices.

Please do not allow yourself to put off by the words 'hypno'birthing as this course is rooted in neuroscience and common sense, there is no chanting or hippy talk involved! I was put off by the words hypnobirthing for many years believing it was only for those natural 'earth mothers' and not for ordinary people like me.

A hypnobirthing course is an antenatal course, however instead of focusing on just the theory and mechanics of labour and birth, hypnobirthing goes much deeper, teaching you how to prepare and support your mind throughout this amazing and natural process.

Whilst it is entirely possibly for some women to experience a pain free birth that is not the purpose of hypnobirthing. Hypnobirthing is about giving you the best possible chance of achieving a positive birth experience whatever that may look like for you. Saying yes to hypnobirthing does not have to mean saying no to pain relief. Although you will have powerful tools to help you whilst they are kicking in.

Not at all, where you choose to birth your baby is entirely your choice whether you choose to bring your baby into the world in your living room or in an operating theatre the tools you will gain from attending this course will support you to have a positive experience. Hypnobirthing is for ALL births!

Absolutely, I have created a bespoke calm cesarean course for women who have opted to have an elective c section drawing on my previous experience as an NHS maternity theatre practitioner and my personal and my own personal calm cesarean birth experiences.

Mine was too! By the end of the first session my aim is that your partner will feel positively reassured about what is involved in a hypnobirthing course and what is not. Attending a hypnobirthing course has huge benefits for a birth partner as they will no longer feel like they are sat on the sidelines feeling helpless, instead they will be armed with tools, information and guidance to help them feel as much a part of your birth as they want to.

My hypnobirthing course is suitable from any time from 25 weeks gestation. The earlier you completed the course the more time that you will have to put your new tools into practice although if you have discovered hypnobirthing later on in your pregnacy then do not worry it is certainly never too late to improve your likelihood of having a positive birth experience.

Most midwives are hugely supportive of hypnobirthing and many trusts are now offering a version of hypnobirthing sessions as part of their antenatal classes and therefore it is highly unlikely that you will receive any resistance or judgment. If you do then I would suggest that it is more about them than you and you will always have the option to change your care provider to someone who you feel more comfortable with.

Hypnobirthing is not something that we either achieve or we don't nor is it a certain type of birth that we aspire too. Hypnobirthing is about having powerful knowledge and tools to support you during your labour and birth, whichever way your baby decides to come into the world. You cannot fail at birth!

You can expect a warm welcome (and of course a warm drink and a biscuit) in a judgement free zone! How YOU choose to 'do' pregnancy, birth and beyond will be respected, supported and celebrated. I use jargon free, simple ways to educate you about labour and birth and together we will practice some powerful tools that will help you not only during your birth but in parenthood too.