NEW Birth Preparation Antenatal Workshops
1. Natural pain relief – Hypnosis for birth
The first of the 2 workshops focuses exclusively on natural pain management tools and techniques – namely breathing, relaxation and self hypnosis. This workshop can be taken as an individual or as a couple.
The workshop is either a full day from 9.30 – 5pm or 2 evenings from 7 – 10 pm during which you will learn:-
• Natural ways to reduce pain in child birth
• Self-hypnosis skills to overcome fear and increase your confidence and trust in your ability to give birth
• Effective breathing and deep relaxation techniques
• How fear or anxiety can have a negative impact on your body during the birth and learn how to reduce it
• Ways your birth partner can help you achieve a deeply relaxed state
This one- day workshop can be taken at any time during your pregnancy and is the perfect complement to NCT / NHS classes, as it covers areas that are not covered on the majority of these courses.
2. Practical birth preparation
The second workshop is a very practical day to help you and your birth partner prepare both physically, mentally and emotionally for the birth. During the day you will be taken step by step through the birthing process from a physical as well as emotional persepctive, learning practical tools and techniques to help you work with your body in the most effective way.
This workshop can be taken as an individual or as a couple, however it is extremely useful for a birth partner to attend as many techniques work best when a birth partner is involved. The workshop is a full day from 9.30 – 5pm or 2 evening sessions from 7 – 10pm during which you will learn:-
• Practical techniques to help you stay calm and relaxed during the birth including massage, using a birth ball and birthing positions
• How your body works best during labour and what you can do to help it
• Practical tools and techniques for your partner to keep you calm, relaxed and ease discomfort during the birth
• How your emotions change during the labour and signs to look for
• Effective ways to work with the medical team supporting you
This one-day workshop can be taken at any time during your pregnancy however most couples prefer to take it closer to the time of birth (from about 32 weeks onwards).
This workshop is a natural complement to the natural pain relief workshop. It also works well with couples attending NCT or NHS classes as it covers elements such as the emotional map of birth and physical techniques that are not covered on most other antenatal courses.
"The best part for me was understanding the emotional aspects of birth (not covered by other courses) the importance of preparation, really grasping how natural childbirth is and giving me the confidence and trust in my body. This course has really helped me! Thank you!’ Kate
"The key issues for me that came out of the course were all the ways to provide effective support for my partner, increasing my confidence to deal with the hospital environment and the relaxation techniques. The course was extremely useful. Men need to know this stuff." Chris
Why do I need to do this course if I am already taking an NCT or NHS course?
These workshops are an excellent complement to other antenatal courses as they approach birth preparation from a unique yet simple, easy and effective angle covering areas not covered by most other courses. As one mother said:-
“This course reaches the parts other courses can not reach!”
Most antenatal courses cover a wide range of topics – what will happen during birth and all the procedures and protocols of our modern maternity system, pain relief options, breastfeeding, babycare skills, early days as a parent etc.
The Natal Hypnotherapy workshops focus exclusively on what you can do to help yourself have the most positive birth experience, regardless of the type of birth you are planning. They teach you in depth skills to prepare yourself mentally, emotionally as well as physically for the birth.
Whether you want a natural water birth at home or are open to having an epidural in your local hospital, what you learn on these workshops will give you the confidence and ability to work with you body no matter what your birth choices are.
The natural pain relief workshop focuses very much on your mental preparation for birth, again an area often missing on other courses. It helps you address and overcome any fears, teaches you how to relax and use your breathing effectively and helps you understand why and how these things are so important.
The birth preparation workshop teaches you simple, effective and practical tools and techniques to stay calm, relaxed and confident as well as helping you understand the physical as well as emotional map of birth. The emotional map is one which very few other courses touch on and yet for hundreds of couples who have done this course, they feel that this was one of the most important things they learnt.
How much does it cost?
Each workshop costs £95 per mum-to-be and birth partners attend for free! You can book workshops individually or at the same time.
There will be a small charge for bookings made by credit card and cheque, however there is no extra charge for bookings made by debit card or BACS .
Why have we changed our format?
We have listened to feedback from our customers and have adapted our highly successful 2 day course into a two one day workshops. The main reasons for this are as follows:-
1. Many couples wanted to start the process of learning hypnosis earlier but still wanted to learn the birth preparation techniques nearer the birth. With the new system you can attend the hypnosis for birth workshop at any time in your pregnancy so you can really get to grips with the techniques and have plenty of time to practice and benefit during your pregnancy. You can then attend the birth preparation workshop nearer the time of the birth so the tools and techniques are fresh in your mind.
2. For many couples taking 2 full days out to attend a course was often a challenge so with the new workshop system you can attend one day on one month and the second day at another time.
3. Some customers only wanted to learn the self hypnosis element as they had already had a baby and so did not feel the need to revisit the birth preparation. With the new system you can book just one workshop.
4. Some birth partners were not interested in one element or the other and so you can now book on 1 or both of the workshops, individually or as a couple.
What do I need to do now?
1. You can read about our different practitioners by clicking here.
2. Once you have decided where and which practitioner you would like, click here to take you to the workshop booking page.
3. Choose the date which suits you best, click on the first workshop you would like to attend and add to cart
4. Click on continue
5. Click on the next workshop you would like to attend and add to cart
6. Click on check out
7. If you are paying by credit card or cheque you will be charged a small fee however there is no charge to pay by debit card or bank transfer.
8. Once payment has been received you will receive an email conformation with details on the course timings, what to bring, what to wear, terms and conditions and the contact details of your practitioner. You will also receive a pre course questionnaire for you to fill out and return to your practitioner. This will be treated with complete confidence and will help your practitioner ensure that all your needs are met on the course.
9. 2 weeks prior to your course, you will be contacted by your practitioner to confirm all details and to discuss any specific concerns or issues
All workshops are taught by licenced, qualified, insured and regulated Natal Hypnotherapy practitioners.
For more information call 01428 712615 or email sandralinton@natalhypnotherapy.co.uk
Is this a HypnoBirthing® course?
No, Natal Hypnotherapy™ is not part of the US HypnoBirthing® group. Natal Hypnotherapy™ has been developed in the UK by its founder, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Maggie Howell. The techniques have been developed organically through her own experiences of using them for four births, through her work as a hypnotherapist and Doula and her work with leading birth specialists including Michael Odent, Ina May Gaskin and Sheila Kitzinger.
Both HypnoBirthing and Natal Hypnotherapy use professional hypnosis techniques to help couples prepare for the birth and both teach how relaxation, hypnosis and overcoming fear can drastically reduce the level of pain and help the couple feel and be more confident and in control.
The key differences between HypnoBirthing and Natal Hypnotherapy
Natal Hypnotherapy | HypnoBirthing |
Created in the UK | Created in the USA |
Flexible timing – you can do the 2 main elements of the course at a time that suits you | All courses are for 2 days or over 4 to 5 sessions |
Offers the choice of creating your own tailored script or using the highly successful Natal Hypnotherapy CDs | Uses set pre defined scripts |
The course is tailored to each participant. Everyone is required to complete a detailed pre course questionnaire to be sent to the practitioner prior to the course. | The course follows a standard format with set scripts |
The mother learns how to do this all herself – the birth partner learns ways to help her if she needs it. | Requires the attendance of the birth partner during the birth to take the mother into hypnosis |
Allows each person to find the right breathing pattern for themselves – the emphasis is on the rhythm and depth rather than timing or set patterns | Teaches set breathing exercises for different stages of labour |
The training to become a Natal Hypnotherapy practitioner takes 7- 9 full days | The training to become a HypnoBirthing practitioner takes 2-4 days |
No change in words is suggested - simply to focus on the positive outcome at all times and to use words which make you feel good | Requires that you and the medical team use different words for the birth e.g. surges instead of contractions |
All Natal Hypnotherapy practitioners are assessed and evaluated after each course. That way we ensure that all practitioners are maintaining a high level of tuition. | Practitioners work independently |
The results
Both approaches help mothers feel and be more confident and trusting in the body’s natural abilities.
The outcome is on the avoidance of a C section – see below for a comparison
| Caesarean Section Rate |
Natal Hypnotherapy Course (feedback from 50 course attendees) | 9% |
Natal Hypnotherapy CDs only (online survey of 769 women) | 15% |
HypnoBirthing courses (US HypnoBirthing website) | 15% |
National Rate (NHS maternity statistics 2005 - 05) | 23% |