Go Yoga Hypnobirthing

What is Hypnobirthing?

What is hypnobirthing and how can it help you?

 

Hypnobirthing prepares you for that amazing, positive birth that every woman wants. It combines ancient intuitive wisdom with modern scientific theory, arming women with correct knowledge as they prepare for the birth of their baby. In particular, the Hypnobirthing Australia™ course is a modern, evidence-based program specifically designed for Australian women and their birth partners.

Hypnobirthing may sound a little woo-woo, but in reality, the Hypnobirthing Australia™ course is a comprehensive childbirth education program that can benefit women from all backgrounds in their birthing experience. In fact, hypnotherapy is just one of the many techniques you’ll learn to support you in your quest for a relaxed, empowered birth.

 

 

PREPARATION – TOOLS – KNOWLEDGE – SUPPORT

 

The Hypnobirthing Australia™ course also uses a combination of other modern techniques and ancient philosophies. Specifically, there are four cornerstones that are taught to women and their birth partners; Firstly, it helps every couple PREPARE for birth, be it natural or assisted/caesarean. The program supports positive birth and we prepare for whatever may or may not occur during labour. It’s most likely the birth will be natural, but through the course you’ll learn techniques that will serve you in any scenario. Secondly, you’ll learn practical TOOLS, such as breathing techniques, visualisation, self-hypnosis and birthing positions, for establishing and maintaining a sense of ease and even deep relaxation in what can be an intense birth. These tools are all used to release fears and condition women to release endorphins at various times during birthing, so it can be a calm experience and even reduce the need for medical interventions and pain medications.

Thirdly, the program arms you with KNOWLEDGE of birthing – the physiology and psychology of birth and the science behind medical interventions and procedures, should they be needed. You will gain a good understanding of how the hormones work in perfect harmony to direct the birthing muscles when your body is relaxed, so you’ll have more faith in your body’s ability to give birth. Finally, the course emphasises the very important role of your SUPPORT, your birth partner, and what they can do to help you through pregnancy and birth to make this an intimate, loving and beautiful birthing experience. This not only benefits the mother but is also very affirmational for the birth partner.

 

It’s important to note that when you have your baby with hypnobirthing, you are not in a trance or asleep. In contrast, your state of awareness is heightened – you’re awake but deeply relaxed. You are able to move around and may even speak and vocalise if it feels right. This heightened state of awareness allows you to be calmly in tune with your body and your baby more able to help direct the course of your birth.

In summary, when armed with such preparation, knowledge, support and tools, you’ll gain confidence and release any fears you may have associated with birthing – your birth can and should be a positive experience, the memory you’ll always want to cherish!

No time to attend the courses listed? You can still learn hypnobirthing! Please get in touch to discuss other options.

Hypnobirthing – it’s actually more akin to the practices of Yoga than hypnosis.

Hypnobirthing is increasing in popularity because of the calm, relaxed states in creates in expecting mothers via the teaching of certain techniques for pregnancy, labour and birth.

One of the major misconceptions about hypnobirthing, however, is that you are under hypnosis and in a trance, like what we’ve seen with stage performers or as a method for conquering a habit or addiction such as smoking. Hypnobirthing is so not that. Hypnobirthing draws on the principles of meditation to ease women into a state of calm so their bodies can relax into labour and childbirth. During pregnancy women can listen to MP3s that offer encouragement and mantras to help their bodies relax into the very natural act of childbirth. They then can draw upon them again during labour, minimising or even eliminating the need for pain medication. This is not to say that it erases pain completely, but like deep Yogic meditation, these practices help quiet the thinking mind down (i.e. – that mental part that wants to scream “this hurts, I’m in so much pain”) and help increase a woman’s capacity to stay calm and focused in those intense moments of discomfort.

Hypnobirthing also trains expectant mothers in many different breathing exercises (similar to pranayama techniques in Yoga), that they can practice in the lead-up to labour, during labour surges (commonly known as contractions) and finally then when bearing down during childbirth. Additionally, like asana practice in Yoga, women are taught different positions to create more ease and freedom of movement in their body and promote optimal positioning for baby.