Hypnobirth is a very fancy name for 'positive birth'. 

The course gives mums and birth partners incredible tools, knowledge, techniques and support to prepare both the mind and body for a calm and positive birth.

Whether it is a natural birth, you need to be induced or you have to have a caesarean - the Hypnobirthing Australia™ course prepares you for whatever turn your birth takes with the aim of not only a POSITIVE, but empowering experience for both you and your partner.

A recent study in 2016 confirmed that independent childbirth education which includes relaxation, breathing, meditation, massage and acupressure is shown to greatly decrease interventions in childbirth.  The Hypnobirthing Australia™ program incorporates ALL of these things – giving mothers and their partners a substantial advantage in their preparation for childbirth.

Despite misconceptions and misinformation, you are definitely not unconscious during self-hypnosis.

Self-hypnosis is a very common state of mind. Ever driven from your house to work and not realise how you got there? This is a form of self-hypnosis.

Hypnobirthing teaches the mother how to get to this deeply relaxed state very quickly - so that she can allow her body to do what it was built to do, without her conscious mind and fears getting in the way.

While a hypnobirthing mum will be deeply relaxed (and may sometimes even look like she is asleep!), she is also an active participant in the labour process.

She is totally aware and may return to a conversant state or choose to become mobile whenever she desires. Hypnobirthing mothers often find that they have no concept of time and are not distracted by other people or their birthing environment, while they focus on their birthing and their baby.

They go into a 'zone', which allows their 'instinctive' birthing brain rather than their 'thinking' brain to take over.

Absolutely. We get asked this question a lot.

The aim of Hypnobirth is a positive birth experience for mum, baby and birth partner - your mind will be your greatest asset through your birth experience.

Not every one can experience a natural birth - and we are incredibly lucky to be living in a society where it has never been safer to give birth thanks to medical advancements.

The things you will learn in your hypnobirthing classes will help you to learn relaxation skills that will be useful to both you and your baby, regardless of your birth experience.

In the event that medical intervention of any sort is needed, you will find yourself better able to remain calm and in control.

Mothers who have needed scheduled caesareans for medical reasons report that they were totally relaxed before, during and after the procedure. Many report that they needed little or no medication following the birth, and they were able to return to normal functioning in a very short period of time.

You can begin hypnobirthing any time, but we recommend that the optimal time to start your course is between 26 and 32 weeks.

If you are outside of that range please don’t worry, people have effectively used the techniques after learning at 38/39 weeks.

Here is an outline of what we cover in our Hypnobirthing Australia™ classes.

Unit 1: Creating & maintaining a positive mindset

• Introduction to the positive mindset of hypnobirthing
• How our brain is wired to birth
• The role of our caregivers
• Mind/body connection
• What is self-hypnosis and how will we use it for birthing?
• Our hormones are our friends
• My amazing uterus – understanding the physiology behind birthing
• Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome
• Causes of Fear (including history) and how it affects our labour
• Re-programming the Subconscious
• The language for empowered birthing
• The power of affirmations
• Birthing environment

Unit 2: Our toolkit for birth

• Self-hypnosis tracks
• Birth music
• Conditioning with scent
• Hypnotic anchors and triggers
• Releasing endorphins through massage and touch
• Acupressure techniques for pregnancy, birth & breastfeeding
• Visualisations for pregnancy, labour & birthing
• The importance of facial relaxation
• Relaxation Breathing – a skill for life
• Surge Breathing – the best tool ever!
• Techniques to help make your surges more comfortable
• The ‘urge’ to push/bear down – Breathing/Bearing down

Unit 3: Preparation & choices for empowered birthing

• Bonding with baby
• Choices in maternity care
• Birth Preferences – having open communication with your caregivers
• Knowledge is power – researching common interventions and procedures
• Questions to ask, to assist in making informed decisions
• Birth partner as advocate
• ‘Guess date’ – a normal range of pregnancy
• Inductions – things you’re not always told
• Achieving a natural start to labour
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Preparing the body – staying active
• Optimising baby’s position
• Breech or Posterior – options & positions
• Instant relaxation techniques
• Self-hypnosis, meditation and deep relaxation techniques & scripts

Unit 4: Birth – bringing it all together

• What to expect in the weeks and days leading up to birth
• Signs that labour is starting
• What to expect through labour (membranes releasing etc)
• When to call the midwife/go to the hospital
• Accidental home/car birth – what to do!
• Birth partner’s role
• Common procedures
• Using water during labour and birth
• Upright positioning, movement and birth positions
• Special circumstances (including caesarean birth)
• Fear release
• Vocalisation
• Cord clamping & placenta delivery
• Undisturbed bonding & breastfeeding time – skin to skin
• What to expect afterwards
• Self-hypnosis – Rehearsal for Birth
• A practice routine – preparation for birth!

Bring yourself and your birth partner/companion. Your birth partner can be your partner, doula, sister, friend, mother – whoever you feel will best support you throughout your pregnancy and birth.

Your birth partner will be amazed at how many practical tools they will learn to be able to support you to their best ability during labour.