Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is HypnoBirthing™?
A. HypnoBirthing is self hypnosis, relaxation and breathing techniques to be used
for pain relief during labour and childbirth. Please see What Is HypnoBirthing?
for more details.
Q. Who is HypnoBirthing™ suitable for?
A. HypnoBirthing is suitable for first time mums and mums who've had kids before.
We help women who are scared of 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,
more natural birth experience. If you're pregnant, and looking for an alternative
to the over-medicalised, pain-is-inevitable, "gimme all the drugs" mindset, then
HypnoBirthing is for you.
Q. Will I be 'out of it' if I use HypnoBirthing™?
A. No, absolutely not. With HypnoBirthing (in fact, virtually all hypnosis), you
are aware of what is going on around you but you can just 'tune out' the distractions.
Q. Is HypnoBirthing™ safe?
A. Hypnosis is absolutely safe and nothing to be scared of. Unfortunately, TV, film
and stage portrayal of hypnosis has left a lot of people with a mistaken view of
what hypnosis is, and what it can (and can't) do.
Q. Can you guarantee a completely pain-free labour and birth?
A. No. There are many factors that can affect a birth, some of which are outside
our control. Also, like any childbirth preparation class, the success of the techniques
is related to the amount of practice you put in. However, as a guide, we find that
around 65-70% of HypnoBirthing mums don't need any form of pain relief. Nearly all
the mums in this category simply don't experience any pain - just pressure. Around
a further 20-25% only require something mild, like gas and air. The remaining 5-10%
usually fall into what we call 'special circumstances', where medical intervention
is required. However, the HypnoBirthing mums still tell us that HypnoBirthing really
helped - even if they were induced, or ended up with a caesarean. Remember - the
aim of HypnoBirthing is not a completely pain-free and picture-perfect 'natural'
birth (although that is possible). It is to have a calmer, easier, more comfortable
birth- where you are in control - and in a way that most mirrors Nature.
Q. Is there a HypnoBirthing™ home-study course, or CDs, tapes and/or videos
I could buy?
A. No. There are no authorised HypnoBirthing™ home-study courses. Although
the book and CD are available separately from Amazon.com and The HypnoBirthing Institute,
they are designed to be used as part of an practitioner-led course. HypnoBirthing
is only taught through a series of classes as described on this site.
Q. When should I start the classes?
A. Somewhere between 25-30 weeks is ideal, as the success of the course is strongly
linked to how much practice you do. However, provided you can finish the course
before you give birth, it's still going to help.
Q. Does my partner/husband have to attend the classes?
A. Yes - birthing companions are a very important part of HypnoBirthing™ success.
However, if your partner/husband cannot attend all the classes and/or help you practice
or attend the birth, your mother, sister or friend can also be your birthing companion.
Whoever you choose (and we strongly recommend it's the father if at all possible,
as it helps build a strong relationship with the child), they must attend all the
classes and the birth.
I'd
like to take this opportunity to thank you for the coffee mornings and newsletters.
The newsletters are really inspiring to receive and your coffee mornings are such
a wonderful way of hearing, wonderful real life birth stories. I can't wait to introduce
you to our little hypnobaby and share our birth story.
