Q HypnoBirthing - Reduce the pain of child birth with Hypnotherapy

"I was so impressed with the way my attitude toward birth changed. I started the class scared and sceptical, and now I am completely confident and excited about the birth of our first child.

I found HypnoBirthing a relaxing, natural way to birth a child. The program has helped me to reclaim my power as a woman and trust my body to do what it was designed to do."

Thanks,
Jody ( UK)

"My labour started early in the morning, and I was pretty much unaware of it. When the surges started to get stronger I just used the breathing I learned and focused. At about 7pm I was 7/8 cm, from then got into the pool, kept my focus through what Cath had taught me and breathed my baby out, it didn't hurt hardly at all, it was quite  orgasmic in a word! it felt nice. I caught him and brought him to my chest. I felt amazing, I'd done it, just lying there cuddling my new son, I burst into tears of joy!.

I believe that HypnoBirthing made all the difference to me, Cath was brilliant, and couldn't wait to tell her how well I'd done, so well the Midwife kept telling me I was so quiet!! Now after having this experience I'd love to have another baby using this method, and video this time!!"

"For us the birth was an insanely beautiful experience! As I was having regular tightness in my belly- in the womb area I went to the hospital, was examined and the midwife said my cervix was already 9 cm. Which was super! From this time on we spent about 3 hours (from these, 1 hour and 15 minutes in the tub) until our daughter Leonie came into the world. Between surges I could relax wonderfully, the special breathing, and the warm water where very relaxing for me. It was a unique experience and we can recommend HypnoBirthing to everyone, since one can prepare themselves perfectly."

 - Loan Kutter, Switzerland

"Three midwives attended the birth of our daughter and all were very impressed by my ability to cope with labour.  The midwives almost didn't make it in time, because I was coping so well, I didn't realize how far I had progressed until my water broke when I entered "transition." The skills my husband and I learned in HypnoBirthing gave us confidence and greatly eased my birthing experience.  I feel such gratitude for my instructor and the program in general.  Throughout my labour I kept reciting my favorite affirmations to myself, and I never felt any fear.  Looking back on my experience fills me with joy and pride."

- Claire Graca, Canada

"Several of my friends have had babies recently, and many of them told me it was a traumatic and stressful experience. They said they felt powerless to ease the pain their partner was going through, and didn't know what they were supposed to do. Thanks to the techniques that Jenny taught us, I was able to help Catherine right the way through, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the birth - it was fantastic! "

- Mark Jackson, Jersey

"I casually wandered into hospital with my husband, not even sure I was in labour, only to discover that I was already 6cm dilated, and progressing fast! The midwives were astonished at how calm I was, especially for a first time mum!"

- Katy Johnson, Thrapston

HypnoBirthing® has given me one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.

Early in my pregnancy, I was convinced that I needed an epidural since all expectant mothers around me were doing that. I heard about HypnoBirthing® and loved the idea of following a technique to lose fear and allow a natural painless birth, which is what the miraculous female body is destined to do naturally.

My husband and I took the course and were convinced how beautiful and peaceful the natural birth can be. Since I was having a breech baby, our doula recommended a chiropractor to perform the Webster Technique to help me turn our baby. In addition, I practiced a relaxation CD for turning our baby in my daily practice.

Even though our baby did not turn at the end, our doula introduced us to a midwife that empowered us to switch to a doctor skilled at natural vaginal breech births since my doctor wanted to schedule me for a C-section. Our meeting with our doula and the midwife happened the night before my membranes released.

Because we followed our instinct and based on our knowledge gained from the HypnoBirthing® classes, we felt confident to switch our doctor at the very last minute and, thankfully, he accepted us! Our doula was amazing during my birth and helped me go through the surges in a totally relaxed and empowered manner thanks to the relaxation practices I had been doing for a couple of months prior to that moment.

My mother and husband were also present and they were quickly believers when they witnessed a totally relaxed birth experience in spite of the complication of having a breech birth. As it turned out, my labour went unusually fast mainly due to the fact the doctor administered Pitocin, which I had no option out of under the circumstances, but mainly that I was very relaxed through the surges.

From the time they administered Pitocin to the time I gave birth, it had only been less than 3 hours, which even the doctor and attending nurses were surprised to see for a first birth. I remember feeling our baby wanting to come into the world and after that surge, one foot came out. Shortly after that, the other came out.

At that time, the doctor and nurses arrived and realized that I was fully dilated and it was time for our baby to be born. After two slight pushes to get the head out, Lili was born!

Our experience is special and one that I will never forget in my life. HypnoBirthing® and our doula were very instrumental in helping and supporting me to believe it could be this way in spite of a breech presentation. The experience helped me realize and believe that you should trust yourself and your body and allow it to do what it is naturally meant to do.

- Anon

"I can't imagine how anyone gives birth without it! HypnoBirthing® kept me feeling calm and in control throughout labour. The contractions were no problem at all.

I knew what to do and what to think. It gave me a better understanding of the physical and psychological aspects of childbirth. It also gave me greater confidence in myself and in my partner to work as a team, as I knew that we had the tools to ensure a safe and calm birth.

This meant that I avoided the use of pain-killing chemicals. I believe in myself (mind and body) a lot more now, and feel that perhaps there's even more I can achieve if I only put my mind to it.

I would advise every mother-to-be and her partner to try HypnoBirthing® even if they intend to use drugs."

- Kerry Woodcock, London

I can't rave enough about HypnoBirthing® . My husband and I decided to do the course as I was interested in what it involved. Don't be sceptical until you have tried it.

We started off with the intention of having our baby in hospital but by the end of our course decided to try and have it at home and hired a birthing pool which was lovely.

As the labour progressed, Andy took me into relaxation which enabled me to relax and even sleep while in the birthing pool.

I did go into hospital as a precaution as I wasn't dilating enough [and] on entry to the hospital they wanted to give me a c-section straight away, believe it or not. However, I had a fantastic midwife who new what we wanted to do for the birth of our baby and gave us a chance to continue with that as the baby wasn't distressed.

Andy took me into deep relaxation at this point and I actually fell asleep for about 1/2 an hour in the peak of my surges...it was at this point I believe my body had rested and relaxed enough to allow my baby to move ready to be delivered.

I do genuinely believe that if I had not had the hypnobirth experience I would not have realised the potential of my own body and how it needs to be able to 'get on with the job in hand' without the addition of stress which fights it all the way.

When in relaxation I would describe it as that Sunday afternoon sleep that you contently drift in and out of. I could feel the surges and would describe them as the ache you get during your period.

Happy HypnoBirthing®!

- Heather and Andy Goram, Northampton

"My husband and I found the HypnoBirthing® sessions informative in explaining how the female body works during the birth and how to maximise the effectiveness of it. The positive nature of HypnoBirthing® helped me to look forward to the birth and to believe that a pain free birth is possible.

We both felt very relaxed leading up to the birth. Unlike others in my NHS antenatal class, I never complained of sleep problems. The relaxation techniques didn't just benefit me; my husband, who frequently suffers from insomnia, experienced the best sleep of his life!

My waters broke at 5:30am. My husband and I prepared to go into hospital and were there for 7:30. What I now know to have been the beginnings of my surges started at about 7:00.

At 9:00, the hospital sent me home and told me to go ahead with my obstetrician's appointment the next day. I should have been more assertive in insisting that I believed I would have my baby that day. My lack of pain appeared to lead the midwives to think that labour had not started.

While I relaxed in the bath, at home, my husband timed my surges - 60 seconds long and 2½ minutes apart - so back to the hospital we went. On returning there, at 12:30, I was 5cm dilated.

I cannot explain very well what happened during the first stage of labour. I continued to practise the breathing with each surge whenever I felt a tightening. At some point, my body seemed to take over. My uterus seemed to convulse, pushing downwards. This was totally involuntary on my part! The midwife felt that my body was taking over and knew exactly what to do.

During this time, my husband took over all discussions with the midwives and I was able to use the self-hypnosis techniques to totally relax, shut out the outside world and focus on my surges.

The midwives and doctors were incredibly supportive of our wishes to use the HypnoBirthing® techniques. My husband and I both enjoyed the birthing experience.

We felt relaxed throughout and so did Amie as it appears to have transpired. The techniques taught to us certainly helped me to relax my body, which I believe enabled me to be pain free.

I had been anxious at times during the pregnancy because of my medical condition, which could have created problems during the birth. However, the HypnoBirthing® sessions gave me the confidence to take greater control of the birth while respecting the need, in my case, for considerable monitoring and potentially for medical intervention.

I would certainly use the techniques again, should we have more children, and would recommend it to anyone."

- Clare Sparks, Northampton