Hypnobirthing or NCT? Or both?!

It seems that most pregnant people and parents to be have heard of NCT classes, but hypnobirthing seems less common. They are both antenatal courses to help you prepare for the birth of your baby. NCT offers a broader prospectus and whilst it looks at some science-focused parts of labour, also covers about how to care for your baby after their birth. Hypnobirthing focuses a lot on individuals being able to have a positive birth experience no matter the circumstances of the little babies arrival. This looks at methods to try and enhance the bodies natural function of labour and how to maximise these to help cope with pain. Read more on this in my Hypnobrithing Vs NCT blog post.

When should I do the hypnobirthing course?

I would recommend doing the course anywhere after the 20th week of pregnancy. It could be done up to 35 weeks but a little time to process the content of the course and practice skills gives them the best possible chance. Equally better late than never! But, don’t panic if your over 35 weeks - there will always be a way Hypnobirthing can help. Please contact me if this is you, and you need help last minute!

Which sessions should my birth partner attend?

All of it! I know that some birthers can describe feeling like ‘a spare part’ but they are absolutely not! Birth partners play a massive role, and whilst there is a part dedicated to them in the full course, they need to know everything the birther knows!

This is a lot of money, worth it?

Yes, it isn’t a cheap outgoing but it is absolutely worth every penny. Your labour and birth is something that will be with you forever. It is not uncommon for birthers to have felt coerced into decisions during labour that they didn’t feel comfortable making or didn’t fully understand. This course equips you with all the tools to try and prevent this from occurring. Take a lot at our positive birth stories to see why hypnobirthing is so popular.

Am I suitable if this is not my first baby?

Absolutely! This course is suitable for any pregnant person, no matter if this is the first, second, ninth or tenth baby!

Can I still use pain relief if I do hypnobirthing?

If that is what you want to do, of course! Thats the great thing about hypnobirthing, there are no rules about what you can, or can’t do. The whole focus is about giving you the tools to make an informed decision. The course covers the different types of pharmacological pain relief options there is; and discusses pros and cons. The course also teaches about the science of the body, how it was designed to birth babies and how to maximise this to make labour as smooth as possible.

Can I do hypnobirthing if I have a planned caesarean?

You can indeed! This course is for labour and birth, for all pregnant people. No matter which way your baby is born, hypnobirthing is for you!

Is it possible to have a vaginal birth after a previous caesarsean?

Absolutely - if that is your choice. The course aims to help you inform yourself about the research into possible risks and therefore gives you the ability to make a decision based on facts. Whatever your choice is, we would support that.

IS it worth doing a hypnobirthing course?

Yes! Antental preparation classes are super important for helping you to have a positive birth experience. It is so common for people to think they can ‘wing’ it or ‘play it by ‘ear’! Yes - of course there is a lucky few who this works perfectly for! However, the only predictable thing about birth is that we can predict nothing. Sometimes the ‘complicated’ pregnancies can have the smoothest births and the straight forward pregnancies can have complications in birth itself. There is no guarantee with anything, I’m afraid. The best way to go into your birth is by being fully educated on your body and how to maximise it to its full potential. Learning about the potential interventions that you might be offered and how to navigate ‘risk’ and make fully informed decisions could be the difference from your outlook on how your birth goes. Learn more in my Hypnobirthing course.

Does hypnobirthing actually work?

The answer to this is not a clear cut Yes or No… which you might be surprised to read. The answer to this is that you will get out of it, what you put into it. The course gives you the foundation to what you need to know but the real work comes in the homework, practice, practice and more practice!!! A ‘systematic review suggests that hypnosis therapy may be helpful in improving the birth experience and reducing fear’ - to read more on this, check it out - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10970289/#sec4-healthcare-12-00616.

What are the disadvantages of hypnobirthing?

None! Haha. However, in all seriousness I can’t think of any. So to try and be objective I did a bit of research via google to be able to answer this. The downsides to it that I could find were: it takes time to learn skills so requires time and commitment. Hypnobirthing instructors can vary so you have to find someone that suits you. They aren’t free as they are a private service. There can be a difference between what you expect to or hope will happen during labour and the reality of your birth experience. Apparently the impact of Hypnobirthing can be so good that it can lead health profesionals to underestimate the progression of the labour!! Limited research into the feelings and experience of the birth partner when hypnobirthing is used. Personally I think several of these are good things, but there you are!

Can i learn hypnobirthing on my own?

Technically yes. But I supposed its the same with a lot of things. You can find nearly anything and everything online these days. Absolutely with the help of books and YouTube you could learn some amazing Hypnobirthing skills. However, it doesn’t have the depth that hypnobirthing with a teacher can offer. There is no individualise approach to you and your needs, no one to ask online. Check out how you can work with me to find out more about hypnobirthing classes I offer.