My ‘more than’ Hypnobirthing Courses

To find out more the dates, and book a places on my unique ‘more than’ Hypnobirthing Antenatal Course please head over to the link below:

So Many Questions!

Yes absolutely there are so many questions you may have about Hypnobirthing, and about the course I offer to you. So I have tried to answer as many as possible on this 'All About Hypnobirthing' page. But if there is anything I havn''t covered, or you want more details, please don't hesitate to drop me an email and ask, ask ask! 

What is Hypnobirthing?

Hypnobirthing is a brilliant way of using hypnosis to help improve your experience of childbirth. It's also a complete birth preparation course. Hypnobirthing is based in the latest knowledge of neuroscience and how the mind works (the 'hypno' bit), combined with an understanding of 'birthing' - so you'll gain an understanding of how the female body is designed to give birth, and how to create conditions conducive to calm, comfortable childbirth. This combines to to help you have a calm, confident and positive birth experience. It gives you lots of information, so that you can make your own choices and make informed decisions and feel in control (whatever happen during your labour and birth),  which leads to a positive experience of birth - however you birth your baby. 

Why is Hypnobirthing so brilliant?

With my unique Hypnobirthing & Antenatal Course you learn all about how both your mind AND bodywork. The power of the mind over the body is so important, your brain holds the key to birth. So how we can train the mind to work for us (not against us) during pregnancy, labour and birth is vital to know. You’ll also learn about how your amazing pregnant body works, and how it's designed to work beautifully in labour and birth too.

Is Hypnobirthing just for a 'natural' birth?

Absolutely not. Lets got one thing straight right away. There's no right or wrong way to give birth - every babys birth is unique. Hypnobirthing is not just for those planning a 'natural' birth (it may have seemed that way in the past, but it has changed and developed over the last few years).  A hypnobirth is not necessarily at home, in water, in the dark, or surrounded by whale music! Of course you may be one of the many women who does choose that for themselves, but there are also those who give birth in hospitals, in birth centres or in operating theatres who also have a hypnobirth. Some babies and mothers need help and we are so thankful that here in England we have a wonderful maternity system that offers us medical assistance. Certainly in my hypnobirthing courses I prepare you to have a calm and positive birth experience – whether a natural birth, a caesarean-section birth, or if you end up with some sort of assistance. Hypnobirthing can benefit you greatly in ALL of these scenarios.

Is Hypnobirthing just for hippies?

Hippies are very welcome! But no it’s not just for hippies - Hypnobirthing is for everyone. Hypnobirthing is actually rooted in science, and I use evidence-based research during the course as well as providing information on policies, guidelines and protocols. You learn techniques that you experience with me, and so know how they they work and what it feels like in your body. We are generally very rational creatures, so having a scientific understanding of how a woman's body is designed to birth is really important. And that's one thing you get with my hypnobirthing courses. You also learn about the science of the mind too.

The current UK study (a randomised control trial) on mothers using Hypnobirthing by Professor Soo Downe is adding to the evidence base on the effectiveness of hypnosis as a pain and stress relieve for birth. Professor Down has said "the reports from practice indicate that many of those who use hypnosis find it supports them in achieving their aims, even when things don't go to plan. It is therefore important that pregnant women can have access to learning about how to achieve an hypnotic state"

What to expect from Hypnobirthing

You can expect a complete birth preparation course. It could almost be seen as a lifestyle choice of how to stay calm and relaxed in pregnancy. So that you can then use what you have learnt in your pregnancy and apply it in labour and birth so you can have an amazingly positive experience regardless of how your baby chooses to enter the world.

Hypnobirthing does not guarantee an easy or a pain-free birth - nothing can guarantee that. There are many things, externally and internally, individually and culturally, that can impede us. However with preparation and information we can optimise the functioning of our bodies and minds so that the welcoming of your baby is a calm, joyous occasion. It helps you feel calm, relaxed and feel in control of the situation and your birth. Rather you’re your birth in happening to you. This is what Hypnobirthing offers to everyone that does it.

Do partners come too?

Absolutely. Dads, Mums (for same sex couples) or another birth partner comes along too. Everything we discuss throughout the course is relevant to both partners. Learning how to calm your nervous system, to ground your emotions and to integrate a helpful way of thinking are basically life skills for every single one of us. Often partners will say that they are using the philosophy and techniques to help them work more effectively, sleep better and even pass driving tests!

Having a supportive partner who understands what helps and hinders the birth process and is confident in their role to support birth is integral to a positive birth experience. I even have an MP3 specifically recorded for expectant and new fathers. Some men beginning the course may not be quite sure why they’re there or indeed what they’re coming to. It’s often these very same people who by the end of the course are driving everybody around them crazy as they extol the merits of hypnobirthing. 

Do I need to do NCT classes as well as HypnoBirthing?

No. My unique course provides a complete antenatal and birth preparation course, AND all you need to know for once baby arrives too.

I’ve had many couples on my course, having already done NCT saying that they learned far more on my course. A quote from one mum to be was “I wish I hadn’t bothered with anything else” which is a huge compliment, and demonstrates how all encompassing my course is. It is far more than just a hypnobirthing course.

Most people I meet tell me they've booked NCT classes for the "social aspect" and to meet other parents to be. You get to meet other parents-to-be on my course, usually between 8 to 10 couples. So lots of lovely people to meet! Plus I have an amazing Facebook group that includes not only my hypnobirthing mums, but also mums-to-be on my pregnancy yoga classes, my mum & baby yoga and baby massage courses too. So you’ll connect with a huge number of local women and grow your social circle on new parents with ease. Many courses also set up their own WhatsApp groups to, to stay in touch.

Also to be honest, the are SO MANY brilliant groups in York and Harrogate where you meet other mums-to-be and new mums once baby is born. And I give you lists of some ones that come recommended from other local mums. Trust me, there is no shortage of support groups and other new parents around! When you book a Hypnobirthing course you know that the others on the course will have a similar approach to life as you, and you’re likely to get on and create your own support network. 

Why do we need Hypnobirthing?

Sadly fear, anxiety and ignorance about childbirth and how women's bodies are designed to give birth are prevalent in our society. Just think about how you see labour and birth portrayed in films, on soap operas or on One Born Every Minutes - dramatic, lots of screaming, lots of fear, am I right? Well that's all drama for entertainment, and so we have as a society forgotten that we actually instinctively 'know' how to birth a baby - if we have the right environment and the right support and mindset.  Most women feel some trepidation or fear about giving birth, and fathers too. They worry how they will cope, perhaps as a first time because its unknown, or because of a less than ideal previous experience. Hypnobirthing works on dispelling these fears, giving you information so you DO know what can happen, showing you different paths and options, and giving you simple but really effective tools to turn your fear around. So both you and your partner really look forward to your labour and birth, and meeting your baby.

Who is HypnoBirthing suitable for?

It’s for everyone! Seriously whether this is your first or sixth baby, it helps women who are scared and fearful about birth because they've never done it before, who are anxious because of a bad experience last time, or who just want a calmer, easier, or perhaps more natural birth experience. We all bring the benefits and wisdom of previous experiences, and the baggage and beliefs that come from previous experiences too. Hypnobirthing is a chance to explore what our minds are saying to us and how our bodies are responding.

Hypnobirthing doesn’t require any particular belief system, or prior experience. You may have undergone IVF to become pregnant, have 'complications' like gestational diabetes, or be of "advanced maternal age" (arggggghh! it drives me mad that expression!) and all manner of other circumstances. Every woman's pregnancy and birth is unique and this approach helps everyone.

Does hypnobirthing guarantee a pain free birth?

No, sadly it can't do that (because nothing can). BUT Hypnobirthing teaches you that in the absence of fear and tension, or special medical circumstances, severe pain does not have to be an accompaniment of labour. 
So you will gain an understanding of how the birthing muscles and hormones work in perfect harmony - as they were designed to - when your body is sufficiently relaxed and you trust birth. You will learn how to achieve this kind of relaxation, free of the resistance that fear creates, and you will learn to use your natural birthing instincts for a calm, confident and joyous birth. Many women who hypnobirth do say that they did feel intense sensations, but that they would not necessarily call it 'painful'.

Having these skills tend to lead to shorter labours and thus less medical intervention. Although Hypnobirthing does not and cannot promise a pain or intervention free outcome, parents who use it say they have enjoyed a positive experience even when things have not gone according to plan. The Oxford Handbook of Midwifery says this

"Women using hypnosis have been compared to controls using traditional breathing and relaxation techniques. It was found that those in the hypnotically prepared group experienced:

• Reduced pain

• Shorter first stage labours

• Less medication

• Higher Apgar scores

• Higher incidence of spontaneous deliveries"

Medforth, J., et al., eds. (2006) Oxford Handbook of Midwifery. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

When's the best time to do hypnobirthing?

I always recommend starting sooner rather than later if at all possible. When it feels right for you, is the right time. I usually say anytime after your 20 week scan, but if you feel you want to come sooner that's absolutely fine too. I'm a strong believer in doing the course early so you have plenty of time to absorb the information and for it to become second nature rather than to have it fresh in your mind. Hypnobirthing is about so much more than the day your baby is born, the approach and techniques we share will help you enjoy your pregnancy all the more and I'm regularly told how much it's helped both mum and dad sleep, work and live better. Once you're also conscious of the fact that this is YOUR birth, YOUR baby and YOUR body and that you have many options and all decisions are yours to make it opens up possibilities you may not yet be aware of. 

Having said that, sometimes couples come to Hypnobirthing much later in their pregnancies, and sometimes don't even complete the course but still find it so helpful.  So the real answer is that hypnobirthing always helps, but you do run the risk if you leave it too late that the baby will arrive first, and then you'll wish you had done it sooner.

Do I need to do NCT classes as well as HypnoBirthing?

No. My Hypnobirthing classes provide a complete antenatal and birth preparation course.

I’ve had many couples on my course, having already done NCT saying that they learned far more on my course. A quote from one mum to be was “I wish I hadn’t bothered with anything else” which is a huge compliment, and demonstrates how all encompassing my course is. It is far more than just a hypnobirthing course.

Most people I meet tell me they've booked NCT classes for the "social aspect" and to meet other parents to be. You get to meet other parents-to-be on my course, usually between 5 to 8 couples. So lots of lovely people to meet! Plus I have an amazing Facebook group that includes not only my hypnobirthing mums, but also mums-to-be on my pregnancy yoga classes, my mum & baby yoga and baby massage courses too. So you’ll connect with a huge number of local women and grow your social circle on new parents with ease. Many courses also set up their own WhatsApp groups to, to stay in touch.

Also to be honest, the are SO MANY brilliant groups in York and Harrogate where you meet other mums-to-be and new mums once baby is born. And I give you lists of some ones that come recommended from other local mums. Trust me, there is no shortage of support groups and other new parents around! When you book a Hypnobirthing course you know that the others on the course will have a similar approach to life as you, and you’re likely to get on and create your own support network. 

What do your courses offer in addition to other Hypnobirthing courses?

I believe it's important to work with the people in front of me. So I work with a full KG Hypnobirthing course syllabus, but I also bring my wide experience from years of doing this too. I’ve taught HUNDREDS of course and I know my stuff! I am an experienced Pregnancy Yoga Teacher, as a trained Doula, as a Mindfulness practitioner, I have training in Biomechanics for birth, in Aromatherapy for Birth, Birth Trauma practitioner, Breastfeeding Peer Supporter. I am also a mother to two small people (twins!). So you learn about Active Birth positions, yoga based movements and positions for labour,  brilliant and simple yoga breathing for pregnancy & labour, deep yoga relaxations, and Mindfulness techniques for your pregnancy (and for Dad too!), as well as Hypnobirthing. Phew! I bring all this to share with you on my Hypnobirthing courses - to offer I what I believe is a truly holistic and complete antenatal preparation course.

What do I get on your course?

You will share ten hours with me and a small group of like minded expectant parents. Plus a two-hour breastfeeding workshop too. Packed with complete birth preparation, including: 

• Your own copy of the KG Hypnobirthing book (worth £12.99) and the 3 antenatal preparation KG Hynobirthing MP3's (worth £15)

• Practical tools to keep you and your birth partner super calm and confident during labour. So that you can even ENJOY your birth, feel in control and be totally empowered throughout. Emerging into parenthood with an understanding of your great strength!

• An understanding of how your mind works (sometimes against your best interests) and how you can use simple yet really effective self hypnosis tools to train your brain for powerful change in all aspects of life.

• An understanding of birth physiology - how the female body is designed to give birth, and how to create conditions conducive to calm, comfortable childbirth. I give you lots of information, in an easy to understand way, so that you can make your own choices and make informed decisions and feel in control.

• Tools and information for your birth partner to be a solid rock throughout pregnancy and birth, providing and protecting a safe space for you to grow and bring forth your baby (plus they’ll understand WHY this is so important). So you become a real 'birthing dream team'.

• Calm confidence so you can deal with the unexpected that may happen during pregnancy and birth, so you can keep calm in all situations and make informed decisions that are right for you and your family.

• Confidence to navigate the NHS system, hospital policies, protocols and guidelines and figure out what matters to YOU.

• You'll learn Hypnobirthing and yoga breathing techniques for calm pregnancy, birth and beyond.

• Find out how massage and acupressure techniques to boost your body's endorphins and oxytocin.

• Practice deep relaxation techniques, including the use of visualisation, affirmations and yoga nidra.

• Learn all about Active Birth positions and movements.

• You learn Meditations and Mindfulness for labour, birth and motherhood too.

• How essential oils can be used in labour.

If you would like an overview of what we'll cover in each session then let me know and I will email you details. Sessions are very much led by the group discussions, and so we tweak the course to suit each individual group whilst still ensuring we cover the full KG Hypnobirthing syllabus.  

On my Hypnobirthing courses you get all these BRILLIANT EXTRAS included:

I want to make my courses as effective and useful as possible. So as well as the face to face contact with me, you get ALL these brilliant extras INCLUDED in the price of the course, that you don't get with other hypnobirthing courses (worth over £200 in themselves!):

• My Empowered Breastfeeding Workshop, live via Zoom. Including a Q&A with a highly experienced lactation consultant

• My really comprehensive Postnatal Course online course - FREE access for 12 months

• A free one-to-one with me after the course to recap anything, or go over anything more specific to you

• Free TENS machine hire

• My special 'For Modern Mothers' folder of cheat sheets and guides to accompany our sessions and help focus your energies.

• My 'For Modern Mothers' Active Birth Guide

• My 'For Modern Mothers' Yoga For Pregnancy Guide

• A set of my 'For Modern Mother' positive affirmation cards

• An amazing deep yoga relaxation (yoga nidra) for pregnancy MP3

• A special MP3 recording for Fathers-to-be

• A lovely deep guided yoga relaxation MP3 for mum for the post-natal period

• My 'For Modern Mothers' Aromatherapy For Childbirth Guide + two aromatherapy roll-ons for pregnancy and labour.

• Learn techniques on how to align your baby and your pelvis to encourage a quicker, easier and more comfortable birth.

• My support after the course until the birth of your baby by email/Facebook/phone.

• A dedicated 'closed' Facebook group of other Hypnobirthing mums to be, to keep in touch and support each other.

• A brilliant reading list of recommended resources, links and other helpful resources for pregnancy and the postnatal period.

• I can also provide additional recordings and hypnosis sessions if you have specific requirements, I have a range of aromatherapy products for pregnancy and labour and you'll never be short of reading material and useful information!

Have you got any reviews for your Hypnobirthing course?

Yes - lots! I’ve been teaching my course for many years and have had some brilliant feedback. I know it's really reassuring to find out what other couples who have attended the For Modern Mothers Hypnobirthing & Birth Preparation course thought, and how they benefited, and how they feel after the course. So please head over to my Reviews & Testimonials page to hear genuine words from other couples, and also head to my For Modern Mother Hypnobirthing Facebook Page to see reviews there.

Here are a couple of reviews too:

You can find lots more lovely reviews and feedback for my Hypnobirthing & Birth Preparation courses here too.

So how do I book?

Booking is simple, all the details are right here on my Hypnobirthing Course Dates & Booking page I also offer payment plans too if that’s helpful

My videos all about Hypnobirthing

I've created some videos, and will be adding some more week by week to inspire you, to explain a little more about the brilliance of hypnobirthing and hopefully make you smile too. Check them out below, and also on my Hypnobirthing YouTube Channel