The science behind Hypnobirthing

The Science behind Hypnobirthing

Let's address the elephant in the room.

I know how hypnobirthing sounds. It conjures up images of hippies giving birth in a field, banging a drum and wafting incense. Birth partners can feel really skeptical about it too and wonder how it can actually benefit you when it comes to preparing to give birth.

The truth is that hypnobirthing has absolutely nothing to do with how much of a hippy you are - or aren't.

Hypnobirthing is a fully comprehensive, evidence based antenatal course which empowers you to feel totally confident for birth. It teaches you powerful relaxation techniques to help you stay calm and cope with pain, gives you an in depth understanding of the science behind birth and can help you to navigate the maternity system so that you can have the most positive experience.

These powerful relaxation tools and techniques are for every single birth.

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What's the 'hypno' in Hypnobirthing?

Spoiler - it isn't what you think!

The 'Hypno' in Hypnobirthing stands for hypnosis.

Essentially, this is all about learning how to go into a deep state of relaxation. When you feel more relaxed during labour, contractions typically feel less painful and birth can unfold much more easily. Being relaxed also helps to boost your birthing hormones, in particular the hormone Oxytocin. This is the hormone responsible for starting labour and for keeping it going!

The hypnosis element of Hypnobirthing also helps you to move away from a place of feeling fearful about giving birth and to a place where you feel really confident.

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How does feeling fearful affect birth?

When it comes to birth, most of us have pretty negative expectations. This is usually driven from other people's stories, the TV, films, social media and our over thinking human minds. But this fear can negatively impact our experience of birth.

When you feel fear, your body will naturally tense up. If your body is tense when labour starts, this will make giving birth feel more painful.

Once you start to experience high levels of pain, you may become even more fearful and your body will tense up even more. You then get stuck in this vicious cycle and your body begins to pump you with the hormone adrenaline. This is your fight or flight hormone.

Adrenaline isn't a hormone you want during labour. It can slow your labour down and even stop it altogether, this is because your body doesn't feel safe.

On a Hypnobirthing course, we are aiming to really minimise your fear levels, enabling you to become more relaxed during labour and therefore reducing any pain your may experience.

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The mind body connection

Hypnobirthing focuses a lot on the role of the mind and the part this plays in birth. This might sound a bit 'woo woo' but think about it - without the mind, the body wouldn't work!

On a Hypnobirthing course, we focus specifically on the unconscious part of your mind which isn't something other antenatal courses do.

One of the biggest functions of the unconscious mind is your basic survival instincts and it's also the part of the mind responsible for emotions.

The unconscious mind processes things that it sees or hears as either safe or unsafe.

So if you constantly hear a negative birth stories, your unconscious mind will process birth as unsafe. This means that when labour starts, your unconscious mind could trigger your fight or flight to kick in, triggering a whole series of emotional, hormonal and physically responses to something it perceives as dangerous.

This is an amazing mechanism when you're actually in danger, but giving birth is not inherently dangerous. When this response is triggered during birth, your experience is not likely to be a comfortable or enjoyable one.

But it's not enough to simply tell yourself to 'relax'. Relaxation is a skill that you have to learn, and this is exactly what you will learn on a course with me. I'll teach you practical, hands on relaxation skills that both you and your birthing partner can use to stay calm during labour, helping you to achieve a positive birthing experience no matter what happens on the day.

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Hypnobirthing for all births

Even if birth goes in a different way to what you were expecting, our Hypnobirthing courses will help you to stay calm, in control and ultimately view your baby's birth as a positive experience.

We're very clear that Blooming Births Hypnobirthing is for all types of women, people and births. i promote an inclusive, supportive environment where all births are celebrated.

Whether you want a homebirth, a hospital birth, or a c-section, I can support you to have a truly empowering birth experience.

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What is Hypnobirthing?

Put simply, Hypnobirthing is a fully comprehensive, evidence based antenatal course which empowers you to feel totally confident for birth. It teaches you powerful relaxation techniques to help you stay calm and cope with pain, gives you an in depth understanding of the science behind birth and can help you to navigate the maternity system so that you can have the most positive experience. All of our antenatal courses cover a wide range of essential birth and postnatal topics. Our unique approach combines powerful hypnobirthing tools, evidence based birth prep and mindfulness, giving you everything you need to prepare both your mind and body for birth. Put simply: feeling calmer & more relaxed for birth = an easier birth! Watch our FREE Hypnobirthing master class here and we'll explain it all.
Is this course only for people who want a homebirth or no medical pain relief?

No. The Hypnobirthing we teach is for all births. From homebirths, to hospital births and c-section births, we're proud to be a fully inclusive company, celebrating and cheering you on. A high quality antenatal course should always explore all of your options for birth, helping you to make an informed decision about what is right for you and your baby.
Can my birthing partner attend the course with me?

Yes! We actively encourage birthing partners to attend the course with you. We'll teach your birthing partner a whole host of practical tools and techniques to help you on the day, giving them an active role to play in your birth.
When is the best time to start a course?

There is no right or wrong time when it comes to deciding when to start your antenatal course course. Most people choose to start a course with us between 16 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, as this gives them plenty of time to practice the tools and techniques, but other people choose start a course from 34+ weeks of pregnancy.
How is a this course different to NCT?

Our approach to birth prep is very different to NCT. NCT courses tend to be very traditional in their approach to antenatal education and are usually ran in very large groups. NCT courses typically focus heavily on information giving and will cover a wide range of topics from pregnancy right the way through to caring for a newborn. Our courses go further than this. Our unique approach encompasses powerful hypnobirthing tools, evidence based birth education and mindfulness, helping you to prepare both your mind and body for birth. Without this understanding of the mind body connection and how it influences birth, standard birth prep courses are rarely enough. Developed alongside the concept of hygge, our antenatal courses are also a gorgeous experience. You can expect complimentary refreshments on arrival, a thoughtful pregnancy gift bag and an abundance of resources to support you. You'll also benefit from our dedicated ongoing support. That being said, it doesn't necessarily have to be an 'either or' situation. Many of our clients choose to do a course with us alongside a more traditional NCT course.
Do you offer payment plans?

Yes we offer payment plans on all of our antenatal courses. We are also happy to provide personalised payment plans.