What is HypnoBirthing®?
HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method, is a unique method of relaxed, natural childbirth education, enhanced by hypnosis techniques. HypnoBirthing allows women to use their natural instincts to bring about a safer, easier, more comfortable birthing in a way that most mirrors nature. As a birthing method, HypnoBirthing® is as new as tomorrow and as old as ancient times. The HypnoBirthing programme comprises of 12.5hrs of tuition which covers topics such as the history of birth, how hypnosis can be helpful during pregnancy and birth, how birth affects the baby, ways to strengthen bonding, special massage and breathing techniques, demystifying medical language, understanding your options in pregnancy and birth and ways your birthing partner can help you during labour.
So How Does Hypnosis Help?
The major hormone released during labour, oxytocin, is incredibly fragile. If a woman feels scared during labour she will release catecholamines, the most well known of these being adrenaline. The release of adrenaline during labour causes two things to happen, firstly it inhibits the release of oxytocin, this causes the uterus to stop contracting effectively and can cause the labour to become erratic and slow, secondly when we release adrenaline we cannot release beta endorphins, nature’s own natural anaesthesia and feel good chemical. The contracting uterus also becomes starved of oxygenated blood which leads to a build up of lactic acid and thus pain (ever experienced severe muscle cramp?) and combined with the lack of release of our own natural pain killers labour becomes harder, longer and more painful (often known as “failure to progress”). By ensuring that the birthing mother releases as little adrenaline as possible we can help the birth to progress easily, safely and comfortably.
As is now obvious, fear is the enemy of the birthing room, HypnoBirthing aims to remove that fear through the use of hypnosis. Hypnosis is nothing more than a deep feeling of relaxation (much like a daydream) it is a very natural state to be in, it isn’t spiritual in any sense, you won’t feel out of control and everybody can experience a hypnotic state (even if you think you “won’t be able to be hypnotized”) – We all experience this state every single day in fact!
In HypnoBirthing® you will be taught to experience a powerful “surge” rather than a painful contraction, you will be working with nature, not against it, in a calm and fearless state of mind, your body will be working with you, not against you!
Can Anybody Do It?
Yes! With time, patience and practice HypnoBirthing® will work for anyone. Some may find they are more susceptible and may find that the effects are much stronger for them, but HypnoBirthing® can benefit anyone, it’s not a case of saying “I can’t be hypnotised” or “I have a low pain threshold”, hypnosis is a natural state, as is childbirth – anybody can do it!
Will I still be In Control?
Yes! Lots of people worry that HypnoBirthing® will be similar to stage hypnosis or that seen on TV where people are made to impersonate chickens and the like. The fact of the matter is, with HypnoBirthing® you are in complete control, all hypnosis is self hypnosis, it is not something that is done to you, it is not therapy, it is not spiritual in any sense, and it is just a naturally relaxed state. Nobody can make you do anything you do not want to do whilst in hypnosis and you will remain alert and lucid throughout the whole of your birth experience, just very very calm.
I’m having a Caesarean Section – Will it still benefit me?
Yes! HypnoBirthing® isn’t just about natural, drug-free, vaginal births; it can be used for any type of birth experience! It is wonderful at helping prepare you for the birth itself, but the benefits do not end there. HypnoBirthing® can help you experience a happier, more relaxed pregnancy, will help with bonding with the baby, with lactation (should you chose to breastfeed) and with life after the birth.
I’m planning a VBAC - Will HypnoBirthing help?
Very definitely! In fact HypnoBirthing is perfect for VBACers! Especially for those who had caesarean’s because of “failure to progress” or “failed inductions”. HypnoBirthing will help you to regain your confidence in natural birth and your own body and will help you to regain control of the birth process. BirthFriendly is very experienced at teaching VBAC mums.
I’ve Seen Hypnosis for Birth CDs and Books for Sale on the Internet, Why Can’t I Just Use These?
HypnoBirthing® is a registered trademark, used only for the official HypnoBirthing® – Mongan Method. Anything else is NOT HypnoBirthing®
HypnoBirthing® concentrates on helping to eradicate what is known as the “Fear –Tension – Pain Cycle” through a series of techniques including interactive class discussions, practical demonstrations, special breathing techniques, massage techniques, watching at least 20 different positive birth stories in class and actively involving your birthing partner. At no point do we teach you any methods of pain control, like many other hypnosis for childbirth programmes do.
A CD or a book could help you to relax and may be of small benefit, but in order to experience the full benefits of HypnoBirthing® it is strongly recommended that you attend classes with an officially recognised HypnoBirthing® instructor. We do give you 3 CDs and a book as PART of the programme but these are only a small part of the programme – as you can imagine we cover a whole lot more than just listening to a CD and it is for this reason that HypnoBirthing is the longest established and most widely respected hypnosis for birth programme in the world.
A list of official practitioners can be obtained from here:
http://www.HypnoBirthing.co.uk/HypnoBirthing_classes.php
If a practitioner is not on this list, then they are NOT official HypnoBirthing® practitioners!
When Should I Start?
Ideally you should start as soon as possible, often 28wks is the recommended start time, but you can start sooner or later, we have taught people as early as 17weeks into pregnancy and as late as 38weeks. The sooner you start though, the longer you have to practice!
Does My Partner Have to Come Too?
Ideally your partner will come with you, HypnoBirthing® is designed to be taught to couples and this is one of the keys of its success, this could also be a female friend or relative though. Birth Friendly has taught single mums though and it’s still perfectly possible to follow the programme alone.
If I Learn HypnoBirthing® Am I Guaranteed a Pain Free Labour?
62% of BirthFriendly’s prior clients gave birth with no pain relief at all.
33% used only Entonox (gas and air).
One thing is for sure though, even if you do require some form of pharmaceutical pain relief, your birth will definitely be calmer and more positive!
Do you have Any Other Statistics?
The following (and above) data is based upon the last 55 births of BirthFriendly clients:
10% emergency caesarian rate (UK national average is 23%)
7% perineal damage (UK average is 60%)
91% spontaneous onset of labour (UK average of non induced labours is 79%)
48% homebirth rate (UK average is 2.3%)
8hr average length of labour (UK average is 14hrs for a first timer)
39wks 4days average gestation at birth (UK average is 41+1)
…and just for fun, the last 55 BirthFriendly babies born resulted in:
32 boys
23 girls
and 1 set of twins!
How Much Do You Charge?
For group sessions in Saffron Walden, Essex £200
For group sessions in Royston, Herts £225
Group classes are limited to a maximum of 4 couples.
For individual one to one sessions in Saffron Walden £275
For individual one to one sessions in your own home £300
For 2hrs extra private tuition (available to both private or group clients) £25
A £50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking, with the remainder payable either in full at the end of the first class or split into weekly installments over the duration of the course.
Course fees include:
- A copy of the official HypnoBirthing® book.
- Affirmations and Rainbow Relaxation official HypnoBirthing® CD.
- CD of HypnoBirthing® endorsed relaxing birth music.
- FREE BirthFriendly Natural Birth Kit (includes: A homeopathic remedy for birth, a labour aromatherapy oil & a sterilised umbilical cord tie).
- Class handouts.
- Midwife instruction sheets.
- Local birth and postnatal information sheets & leaflets.
- Refreshments. -Free support for as long as is needed in the run up to the birth.
- 10% discount on any other BirthFriendly service (Homeopathy for Birth Sessions, Birth Doula Services or The Happiest Baby Workshop)
If you genuinely cannot afford the course fees, then please do not let this put you off of learning HypnoBirthing, please contact me and we can discuss finances. I passionately believe that money should not be an obstacle to achieving a beautiful birthing experience.
Where are the Classes Held?
Group classes are held monthly in Saffron Walden, Essex on a Sunday evening and Royston, Hertfordshire (at The Royston Center for Complementary Health) on a Saturday morning. Both locations are easily accessible from most of Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, London and Suffolk.
Private sessions can be taken in Saffron Walden, Essex or in the comfort of your own home, providing it is within a 15 mile radius of Saffron Walden (this includes Bishops Stortford, Dunmow, Duxford, Cambridge, Haverhill, Linton, Sawston, Stansted, Thaxted and The Shelfords). Private Sessions are held on a weekday evening, on a day to suit you.
When should I book?
I usually have a 3 month waiting list for both group and individual sessions, so early booking is advisable. I prefer you to wait until after your 12wk scan before booking and would advise you book somewhere between 12 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. Don't worry if you are past 20wks though, please give me a call as I'm sure we could work something out!
What Experience do you have?
- I have been trained by the official HypnoBirthing® Institute and have been practicing as a HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator since 2005.
- Most importantly, I am a mum to four and have experienced birth pretty much every way possible from a hospital birth flat on my back with an epidural to a drug-free home water birth of an 11lb 3oz baby in 2005 using HypnoBirthing techniques! So not only do I teach from knowledge gained in a professional capacity I also speak from experience. Many clients comment on how nice it is to learn from somebody with personal experience of the techniques and I find clients are willing to travel great distances to me because of this and my other highly relevant experience.
- My career background is in Psychology and conventional medicine and therefore I am at ease with the use of hypnosis and its related issues, the theory of the mind, the anatomy and physiology of normal pregnancy and birth and related obstetric concerns.
- I am a Homoeopath, specialising in women and children, particularly during pregnancy and birth – see the Homeopathy page on this site for my labour preparation session details which many of my clients also take advantage of.
- I run the Saffron Walden and district NCT Homebirth Support Group having experience of booking four homebirths myself and specialise in Homebirths using hypnosis techniques.
- I am a lay member of the Rosie Maternity Hospital (Addenbrookes, Cambridge) Maternity Services Liaison Committee.
- I am also a birth doula and therefore have an incredibly in depth knowledge of pregnancy and birth, over and above the usual required for a HypnoBirthing practitioner. I undertook my doula training with the world famous obstetrician Michel Odent in 2007 and incorporate my knowledge gained personally from Michel in my HypnoBirthing® training.
- I am a qualified Happiest Baby Educator and run regular baby calming classes based on the work of Dr.Harvey Karp. I also incorporate my knowledge into my HypnoBirthing classes and am able to advise on ways to ensure a gentle transition into parenthood. Many of my HypnoBirthing couples stay in contact with me after the birth and I am happy to offer my help and support on many aspects of parenting – after all, after having four children there’s not much I haven’t had to deal with!
- I run monthly FREE coffee mornings, for all my clients, past and present. These mornings are a great chance to chat about HypnoBirthing with real women who have experienced it first hand, they are also a great place to make new friends and chat with other like-minded individuals, something you don’t often get from regular mother and baby groups.
- Finally I am an agent for Splashdown Waterbirth pools and am experienced in the use of water for labour and birth and occasionally run waterbirth workshops for a very minimal fee.
So – if that wasn’t enough to convince you – why else should you choose BirthFriendly to learn HypnoBirthing with?
Apart from being INCREDIBLY passionate about pregnancy, birth and babies (and making sure my knowledge and skills are kept up to date with ongoing training and learning) I am the longest running practitioner covering the North and West Essex/ East Hertfordshire/ Central and South Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk area and one of the UK’s most active (averaging 6 couples training with me every month).