HYPNOBIRTHING
Christine Hill - an Affilliate of the HypnoBirthing Institute™
"Demand the original... Expect the best"
Quick Links
- What is HypnoBirthing?
- HypnoBirthing Course – Key Benefits
- What parents are saying / birth stories
- Watch a hypnobirth in action
- Course Dates, Location and Booking
What is HypnoBirthing?
HypnoBirthing combines the powerful use of self-hypnosis with childbirth education, and special breathing techniques.
HypnoBirthing is as much a philosophy as it is a technique. The HypnoBirthing concept is not new, but rather a development of the philosophy of birthing as it existed thousands of years ago and as it still exists in many parts of the world today. Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, an English obstetrician, first forwarded the concept of natural birthing in the 1920s. The HypnoBirthing method, a modern progression of his work, teaches you that:
in the absence of fear and tension,
severe pain does not have to be an accompaniment of labour
The HypnoBirthing method was developed by Marie Mongan, a hypnotherapist who first used the techniques to birth her own children and in 1990 started the HypnoBirthing method in America. It has gained such popularity among women in the U.S. that she now runs the Institute, which teaches the method, not only to pregnant women but also to hypnotherapists and midwives who run their own classes all over the world.
The HypnoBirthing Course
The HypnoBirthing course will give you an understanding of how the body works during pregnancy and labour so that when you are sufficiently relaxed, the birthing muscles can work in perfect harmony as they were designed to. You will learn how to achieve this kind of relaxation, free of the resistance that fear creates, and you will learn to use your natural birthing instincts for a calm, serene and more comfortable birthing.
When you have your baby with HypnoBirthing, you will not be in a trance or asleep but you will experience deep relaxation similar to yoga or meditation. You will be aware, fully in control, but profoundly relaxed. You will learn to relax into your body’s surges (contractions) using specific breathing techniques and focused visualisations. In this calm state your body’s natural anaesthesia, endorphins, replaces the stress hormones that cause pelvic muscles to constrict and cause pain.
With HypnoBirthing your partner or companion is also fully involved and is taught how to help you practice your relaxation techniques between classes and to help you maintain relaxation during labour. We encourage all pregnant women to bring their birthing companion to the classes, although this does not necessarily have to be the father it would usually be the person who will be present with the mother during labour.
The technique is designed to work equally well in a medical or home environment. It is complementary and is not meant to be an alternative to medical intervention when necessary. However the technique should allow women to avoid unnecessary drugs and interventions which tend to be used routinely in many hospitals.
When is a good time to start the classes?
Any time you feel ready. You can never start to learn relaxation techniques too early, as mother, baby and birthing companion all begin to benefit from the word go, making for a more enjoyable pregnancy. If you are very late in your pregnancy, HypnoBirthing® can still help you.
HypnoBirthing Course – Key Benefits
- Partners are given a vital role - both involved and supportive - making it more of a team effort
- A relaxed, peaceful birth experience rather than a tense, stressful ordeal.
- A more relaxed and enjoyable pregnancy
- Eliminates or greatly reduces the need for chemical painkillers
- Shortens the first stage of labour by several hours
- Eliminates fatigue during labour, leaving mother fresh, awake and with energy for birth
- Reduces risk of hyperventilation from shallow breathing methods
- Promotes special bonding between mother, baby and birthing partner
- Fewer breech presentations and other complications
- Mothers with high blood pressure have found that techniques can help BP return to normal
- More rapid post natal recovery (reduced incidence of post natal discomfort and 'baby blues')
- Better natured babies that eat and sleep well
- Returns birthing to the beautiful, peaceful experience nature intended
Some of the practical skills you will learn
- A range of simple but specialised relaxation techniques to practise both with your birth partner and on your own (Skills for Life)
- Special breathing techniques for relaxation and childbirth
- How it is possible to have a quick and easy birth
- Many ways of bonding with your unborn baby – both before and after birth
- Visualisations to enable you to work confidently with your body
- Easy positive affirmation techniques to empower you
- Creation and control of endorphins - your body's own natural anaesthesia
- Special massage techniques for a more comfortable labour
- Specific techniques to overcome fears or anxieties about birthing or parenting – crucial to achieving a comfortable stress-free birth
- Skills to remain calm and in control, no matter what is happening around you
- Many women using HypnoBirthing are re-discovering their innate ability to birth their babies in a relaxed, peaceful and even pain-free manner.
‘Christine’s passion was inspiring and I totally believe in the program’s teachings’
'What impressed me about HypnoBirthing was its ability to give me and my husband the kind of birth we wanted, which helped redress the 'bad' experiences with my first child.'
‘Alfie’s birth was as far removed from the relaxed water birth we had hoped for as it could have been. He arrived, by emergency caesarian, after 12 hours of induced labour. However, thanks to hypnobirthing, it was a relatively calm experience. I was able to accept the situation for what it was and deal with it. As I was being monitored throughout we knew that my contractions were strong, however I used the breathing techniques and just felt a slight cramping with each one which I certainly wouldn’t describe as painful. The midwife commented on my high pain threshold, but it just wasn’t painful. In fact the only thing that really caused me discomfort was being restricted to the bed because of the monitor. Hypnobirthing was the best preparation we could have done for Alfie’s arrival and I would thoroughly recommend it.’ Helen and James – London
‘My overall opinion of HypnoBirthing is that it makes a whole lot of sense and why don’t more people know about it. We will recommend it to anyone who will listen’
‘I was much calmer and having had no drugs, baby was much more alert etc than my first child had been.’
'HypnoBirthing relaxed me and my baby during the final weeks of pregnancy and kept us calm under difficult circumstances during labour...it ended in a C section, however I had spent a lot of time in the run up to his birth listening to the affirmations and particularly the one 'I am prepared for whatever turn my birthing takes' and this definitely helped me during the birth and afterwards. We are both so pleased that we did the HypnoBirthing course - thank you.'
Still not convinced HypnoBirthing works?
Watch this hypnobirth in action and see for yourself.
Read more birth stories.
Check out the scientific research.
HYPNOBIRTHING COURSE DATES AND TIMES
DATES
CONTACT US FOR AVAILABLE COURSE DATES.
If you want to speak to the HypnoBirthing Practitioner first, then just give me (Christine) a call on 020 8360 2518. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.
TIMES
The HypnoBirthing Course requires your commitment to approximately 12.5 hours of class time, plus your own self-hypnosis and relaxation practice time. The classes are taught to small groups of couples over 5 weekly evening classes of 2.5 hours each, or 4 weekly Saturday or Sunday morning classes of 3 hours each. Private classes can be arranged for individual couples.
Weekday Evening Class Times: 7.30 p.m. – 10.00 p.m.
Saturday/Sunday Class Times: 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.
LOCATION
Courses are held in North London N14/N21 and are within easy reach of Southgate, Oakwood, Winchmore Hill, Enfield, Barnet, Palmers Green, Edmonton, Finchley, Potters Bar, Cuffley, Cheshunt and Goffs Oak.
If travelling by car there is easy access from the M25, J24
Ample, free car parking.
Close to Public Transport:
125 bus route, Finchley – Winchmore Hill
Main Line Train service, Moorgate/Kings Cross – Hertford North/Stevenage
Piccadilly Tube Line, Kings Cross – Cockfosters.
Course Booking
When you contact us for available course dates, you will be sent a list of dates and a registration form. Please return your registration form quickly to secure your place, as numbers are very limited.
Course Fees
The all-inclusive fee, for both you and your birthing partner to attend one of the group courses, is £325. Private courses are available at times to suit you from £500.
If there are special circumstances and you have been advised by a healthcare professional to attend the course, you may be eligible for special rates.
The Course Fee includes:
- The official HypnoBirthing Text Book
- Relaxation and Birthing Affirmation CD
- Attendance for Mother and Birthing Companion(s)
- Course Manual and all course materials
- Refreshments
- Birth Plan
Please Contact Us for further details.