What is Hypnobirthing? Everything you need to know!

Hypnobirthing has become increasingly popular over recent times to help expecting mother’s approach birth in a calm and more relaxed manner. But how does it actually work and what is it all about? Well we asked our resident expert Sarah Doman from Mindful Mamma to help explain what Hypnobirthing is and how it can help you. Sarah holds regular workshops at our baby and parenting destination called the Hub at our Natural Baby Shower store in Surrey.

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The word 'Hypnobirthing' tends to raise a few eyebrows when it comes to giving birth, so what exactly is it?

Does it involve clucking like a chicken? Does it mean epidurals are banned? Does it involve giving birth in a magical river?

The answer is a resounding no to all of the above!

Hypnobirthing is about allowing baby to come in their own time, without unnecessary interruption or intervention. I'm going to tell you a little about what Hypnobirthing is, how it can help you & how Hypnobirthing works.

How can Hypnobirthing help me?

I'd like you to try and think of the last birth you saw or heard about that was free of medical intervention, where the woman AND her birth partner looked calm, in control and free of fear during their baby's birth. Can you think of one? Scenes like Rachel from Friends, the film Knocked Up and One Born Every Minute are mainly what our references of birth are built on. Frankly, these drama filled scenes are enough to bring anyone out in a cold sweat!

We grow up believing that birth is dramatic, painful, even dangerous, and that women should be lying down on a hospital bed pushing through gritted teeth.

What if I told you that it didn't have to be that way? What if I said that birth could be gentle, natural, and you might even enjoy giving birth? Yes, you read that correctly!

Women are incredible. Women's bodies are incredible. How could we have survived as a human race if we could conceive babies but not birth them? We couldn't! You deserve to feel like a total superhero when you have birthed your baby - using Hypnobirthing you can!

Every birth can be a Hypnobirth

Understandably, you can't plan exactly what will happen in your birth and sometimes things may take a different path to what you expect. However, what you can plan is how you choose to approach your baby's birth. You can plan for those unexpected scenarios, by being informed and making empowered choices. This means that Hypnobirthing can be used in any birth scenario: Emergency C-section, waterbirth, induction, you name it... Hypnobirthing can be used in all situations. Above I said that Hypnobirthing is about allowing birth to unfold without unnecessary interventions. However, some interventions are necessary, and we are so fortunate in this country to have use of the NHS and the most up to date medical knowledge and research. This means that when we need interventions, they are right there, with the most incredible professionals behind them; keeping women and babies safe is always the priority.  

My clients are often afraid that Hypnobirthing won't work in a hospital setting. This definitely isn't the case. Medical professionals also know that women are built to give birth naturally - this has been happening since the beginning of time! Hypnobirthing is being embraced by NHS trusts up & down the country; studies have shown that the fewer medical interventions that take place in a birth, the better the outcomes are for women and their baby.  

That being said, there is a rise in the number of women opting to birth in the comfort of their own home, supported by dedicated home birth teams. It is rumoured that the likes of the Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markle loved the idea of a home birth and using Hypnobirthing. So wherever you choose to birth your baby, Hypnobirthing can work for you. 

A Mindful Hypnobirthing class will teach you

- How to understand what happens psychologically in your body when you give birth; knowledge is power, right?

- What the brain needs to give birth - looking at psychological aspect of birth

- How to work with the hormones your body produces naturally to reduce pain, shorten labour and have a calmer baby after birth

How does Mindful Hypnobirthing work?

- Through teaching you about birth anatomy. Who knew something as wacky sounding as Hypnobirthing could be based in science?!

- Through simple but effective exercises to teach you about the mind & body connection in birth.

- Through hypnosis- "Erm, what's that now?" Don't worry. It's not as weird as it sounds! We actually enter hypnosis twice a day- before falling asleep and before waking up, it feels lovely and relaxing. No voodoo here! We use hypnosis to change any subconscious fears about birth. 

- Through mindfulness, this is where a Mindful Hypnobirthing is different. We use the mindfulness element to help you work with your body in labour- totally amazing!

This is why a Mindful Hypnobirthing class is so powerful. It totally transforms the way you think about birth. You will understand exactly how the body works, meaning that you won't have the fear of the unknown. We address any anxieties that you may have beforehand and also give you tools to work with your body during labour. 

About Sarah Doman

I run Mindful Hypnobirthing group classes twice a month in Surrey, and private classes in couple’s own homes at anytime to suit them. One of my venues is Natural Baby Shower, the other is a Guildford venue. Mindful Hypnobirthing is the UK's first and original one day Hypnobirthing workshop. Last year it won the prestigious LUX Parent & Baby award, best Hypnobirthing class provider of 2018. I trained as a Hypnobirthing practitioner with Sophie Fletcher, hypnotherapist and doula. Sophie is the co-creator of Mindful Mamma & author of the best selling book Mindful Hypnobirthing, which accompanies the class. The training is accredited by the Royal College of Midwives, which gives you piece of mind that the course has been rigorously assessed. The class is 6 hours long and costs just £185. It's run by me, Sarah Doman. I am an Early Years expert, having supported children and parents for over 12 years and I hold a post graduate certificate in Early Years. I have also given birth, at home, using Mindful Mamma techniques, so I teach drawing upon my first hand experience.