Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better

Product Information

This class will enable you to navigate your birth experience with confidence, equipping you with practical tools that will help you to feel calm and in control throughout. It doesn’t matter how your baby appears, or when, or with what help; what matters is that you are fully informed of the choices available, and that you feel calm, respected and supported each step of the way. After this class, you will feel more confident and empowered to make the right decisions for you and your baby, allowing you to have the best birth possible. Course content Siobhan Miller very convincingly argues that this view of childbirth, which we all (men included) soak in from an early age through TV shows and films, gives us a warped idea of childbirth. It primes men to feel like useless spectators, and more importantly it primes women to fear giving birth. That negative feeling can make a difficult birth more likely, causing a vicious cycle of tension that increases pain, that increases fear, that increases tension, etc. Expert hypnobirthing teacher and founder of The Positive Birth Company Siobhan Miller has made it her mission to change the way women around the world approach and experience birth. Through her teaching she seeks to educate and empower women - and their birth partners - so that they can enjoy amazing and positive birth experiences, however they choose to bring their babies into the world. For anyone who wants to have a calm and peaceful birth, this book will tell you everything you need to know about hypnobirthing and how to achieve it.

Expert hypnobirthing teacher and founder of The Positive Birth Company Siobhan Miller has made it her mission to change the way we approach and experience birth. Through her teaching she seeks to educate and empower parents - and their birth partners - so that they can enjoy amazing and positive birth experiences, however they choose to bring their babies into the world. The book teaches you how to understand the changes in your body so you can make informed decisions, as well as practising relaxation skills, mindfulness and meditation so you stay focussed and calm during labour. This has helped readers feel less anxious about giving birth. In this book, The Positive Birth Company’s founder Siobhan debunks common myths about hypnobirthing and explains why she believes it can make every type of birth a better experience - from a water birth at home to an unplanned caesarean in theatre. Most honest pregnancy book: Nobody Tells You: Over 100 honest stories about pregnancy, birth and parenthoodSo, what is hypnobirthing? Essentially, it's a form of antenatal education, an approach to birth that is both evidence-based and logical. Hypnobirthing certainly doesn't involve being hypnotised; instead, it teaches you how your body works on a muscular and hormonal level when in labour and how you can use various relaxation techniques to ensure you are working with your body (rather than against it), making birth more efficient and comfortable.

Reading the title, I thought this would be about hypnosis, but it's actually about breaking a cycle of fear and trying to create an environment where the mum-to-be can relax and allow her body to work its natural magic. It's not dogmatic about birth needing to be 'natural', and the author says to be ready for changes to the plan, and that a C-section is just as positive as a vaginal birth if it feels positive. I'm grateful to no longer be the quintessential helpless father figure, but the "keeper of the cave", responsible for managing the environment, relaxing mum, supporting her through the breathing exercises, and being by her side throughout the experience.

How we chose our recommendations

My wife is having our baby in a few months, and having read this book, it's clear that I knew almost nothing about what to expect and how to help her when she gives birth. Nothing, of course, except what I've seen on TV: lots of screaming, shouting of "push!" and a sense of danger and urgency. As a man, I recognise the TV father helplessly spectating, comically fainting, or sitting outside an operating theatre chewing his nails. Finally, to help us work out which products to recommend, we make a special note of any products that have received industry awards and recognition from trusted sources. Why you should trust us Combining hypnobirthing, mindfulness, breathing techniques, meditation and affirmations, the GentleBirth app is suitable for all kinds of births. The app sends daily recommendations to help you feel more calm and relaxed, and prepare you for childbirth. This includes playlists to help you sleep and manage anxiety and the app can also be used to support you during labour and even after your baby is born. By enrolling on this masterclass, you’re helping to support the Guardian, and this allows us to keep our quality reporting open to all.

Hypnobirthing teacher and Founder of The Positive Birth Company, Siobhan Miller’s name pops up again and again on our Mumsnet forums. In her book, Siobhan aims to debunk common myths around hypnobirthing while educating women so they can have more control over their body, resulting in a more positive birthing experience.

This course has now passed, but you can be the first to know about the next one - and other workshops like this - by signing up to our newsletter here. Most empowering pregnancy book: Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan: A revolutionary guide to pregnancy, birth and the weeks that follow Feeling more relaxed during labour and being more likely to enjoy the experience (apparently Kate Middleton, who’s a fan, said she “really quite enjoyed it!”) I read Your Baby, Your Birth by Hollie de Cruz and it’s brilliant. I also did the Positive Birth Company online course and although I haven’t read Siobhan’s book, the course was brilliant and I liked her approach.” (Recommended by Mumsnetter Excitednerves) Our verdict I should caveat that massively with I know birth without pain relief isn’t something to aspire to or brag about. Quite frankly, as long as a baby comes into the world healthy, and mum is safe and healthy too, nothing else matters. All mums are absolute champs, pain relief or not. But for me, not being so terrified of the whole birthing experience and thinking about the pain element differently was such a game-changer. Baby number 2: incoming!

In this review, I'd like to share the contents of this book to give an idea to those who are interested in reading it as well. At the start, Siobhan Miller explains the science behind hypnobirthing, how the body works, and why it's so important for mothers to be relaxed. This first chapter describes how the uterus needs blood and oxygen for the muscles to work effectively. I also learned the importance of one of the happy hormones, oxytocin, during labor and birth. I think it is essential to understand how the system works because being frightened about the birthing process proves to be unhelpful. I especially love how the author constantly reminds us that what we see on TV or in movies doesn't represent a real birth experience—because that's what most of us imagine how it would be. This can be especially useful if you are anxious or stressed about childbirth as using controlled breathing and visualisation can help you feel more at ease during labour. This can allow you to focus more on your body and your baby and less about what is going on around you. When should I start practising hypnobirthing? I also have the Gentle Birth app, which has loads of audio content you can access whenever but also has daily recommendations throughout pregnancy.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnetter Wingingitsince2018) Our verdictSiobhan's advice and guidance will change your mindset and enable you to navigate your birth with practical tools that ensure you feel calm and in control throughout. If you don’t want to fork out lots of money, but would like to learn the techniques of hypnobirthing, Maggie Howell has produced a CD for helping women prepare for birth in a hospital setting This book is for EVERY type of person and for EVERY type of birth -- from a home water birth through to an unplanned caesarean. Although books and online resources are fab, you might decide you’d like to get more practice and guidance in person or online; that’s where these hypnobirthing courses in Singapore come in handy… 1. Mother and Child Hypnobirthing Class