Creating & maintaining a positive mindset

• Introduction to the positive mindset of hypnobirthing.

• How our brain is wired to birth.

• The role of our caregiver's.

• 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 1:

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.

• Medical Pain Relief Options - Advantages & Disadvantages.

• Birth Preferences and communicating with your caregivers.

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 an 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!