So, what is it?
Hypnobirthing is a really crap name for a bloody good childbirth education course!
With Hypnobirthing you learn about the physiology of birth, breathing and relaxation techniques for use during labour, and all about how hormones and the nervous system can influence your birth. You are also guided in beautiful ways of connecting to yourself and your baby during the final weeks of pregnancy and labour.
Hypnobirthing with Grace and Ivy Birth and Wellness is a complete birth preparation program delivered over three 4-hour sessions. The course is structured to suit all learning styles and covers all the tools, techniques and tips you will need to feel confident and empowered in your birth. The program prepares you physically, mentally and emotionally and lets you see that birth can be a rewarding and joyful experience for all involved.
You can’t fail at birth…or Hypnobirthing!
There is a lot we can control when it comes to pregnancy and birth, but there is also much outside of our control that cannot be predicted even with the best preparation. Hypnobirthing is not a magic pill and won’t give you guaranteed outcomes. Still, it will help you be calm and confident in your decision-making processes throughout your pregnancy and birthing journey… however it unfolds.
When I see someone say they failed at Hypnobirthing, I always wonder about what sort of course they did, because in my eyes, it is impossible to fail at something your body is made to do! You already possess an innate ability for a calm and gentle birth; Hypnobirthing simply teaches you how to unlock it.
Honestly…you can’t fail at Hypnobirthing because Hypnobirthing doesn’t have an exact picture of what birth should look like. As a matter of fact, if you see a birth class or birth professional that tries to tell you the ‘BEST’ way to give birth, I suggest giving them a very wide berth.
Let’s dispel some of the common Hypnobirthing myths…
- Hypnobirthing guarantees a pain-free natural birth – Nothing can guarantee the type of birth you will have or how you will feel about and respond to the sensations of birth. What Hypnobirthing does do is stack the odds in your favour. What exactly does that mean? By following the course, doing the homework and practising your relaxation techniques, you will feel confident, knowledgeable and empowered on your birthing day and ready to make the choices required to have the best birth for you on the day.
- Hypnobirthing is too ‘Woo Woo’ for me – This is absolutely not true. Even the most sceptical pregnant person and their partner are surprised to find out just how much science is behind my Hypnobirthing program. Throughout the program, we delve into how the brain works, the hormones that the body needs to birth and how to optimise them, birth physiology, and how fear impacts the pain you feel in labour. That all sounds pretty scientific to me…Nothing Hippy Dippy here!!!
- Hypnosis isn’t for me – This is why Hypnobirthing is such a crap name! When people hear ‘hypno’, they automatically think of stage shows with audience victims clucking around looking like foolish chooks. This couldn’t be further from what Hypnobirthing is about. The ‘hypno’ part of Hypnobirthing is simply about enjoying a deep state of relaxation. Through breathwork, visualisation, sound and ‘anchors’, you’ll learn how to ease your way into a calm and relaxed mindset, ensuring your body and baby feel completely relaxed. You’ll be fully in control and conscious at all times. No clucking…unless you really want to!
- Birth is scary…it’s normal to be anxious – The great thing about Hypnobirthing is that it gives you all the information you need to take the fear out of birth. You will learn how your body works, how interventions work (or don’t), and ways you can approach your labour with a calm and confident approach. You will also learn WHY you think birth is scary and why you feel anxious about it and how to fix that.
- Hypnobirthing only focuses on birth – Actually, Hypnobirthing considers birth to be just one part of the journey. The beauty of Hypnobirthing is that the preparation you do through your pregnancy helps connect you and your partner on an even deeper level teaches you some handy skills that will allow you both to connect in with your ‘little’. The other benefit of Hypnobirthing is it enables you to take time out of your busy life to reflect on the incredible job you are doing growing a tiny human while teaching you skills to navigate complicated and stressful situations with ease and grace. These skills will be a Godsend when your little is in your arms…and refusing to sleep!
- Only ‘certain types’ of people do hypnobirthing – This is not true, at all! Hypnobirthing is for EVERYONE! All you need is dedication and commitment because the program does involve homework and practices you need to do (30 minutes a couple of times a week). Hypnobirthing does not work through osmosis. It is a learnt skill…just turning up to the sessions isn’t enough!
And finally, my 5 top tips for getting the most out of Hypnobirthing…
- Find a care provider OB or Midwife, who really shares your vision for this birth. If you have a provider who is simply “tolerant” to you being in control of your birth or says they are open to how you want to birth ‘depending on how things go’, they will not have your back when you need them most. You want a provider who will be fully on board with your desires! Interview them every chance you get to ensure you are still on the same page. You are a customer, not a patient!
- Prioritize good nutrition, exercise and movement throughout your pregnancy. A healthy body is less likely to have unintended “surprises” that need medical interventions.
- MAKE time to practice your HypnoBirthing techniques! You are never going to FIND the time, you must MAKE it. Your practice doesn’t have to look one certain way, insert it into your life in a way that makes sense to you. Get in touch with me for some guidance if you are struggling with this.
- Create boundaries with people who only want to share negative birth stories or criticise your birthing plans. Remove yourself from social media groups where people try to outdo one another with how bad their birth story is. This negativity will get into your subconscious and will stop you from connecting in to a positive birth.
- Recognize that your birth belongs to you and your baby – no one else. Sorry partner, but this means you too! Maintain ownership of your birth and remember that you make all the decisions. You can look to your birth team for guidance, but this is your body, your baby, your birth, your decisions. Own it!
If you are pregnant now and unsure whether Hypnobirthing is for you, jump on to one of my FREE Hypnobirthing Taster Sessions.
I would love to hear your thoughts on Hypnobirthing. Have you tried it? Did you love it? Give me the lowdown on your Hypnobirth story.
