What To Expect In Hypnobirthing Classes

What To Expect In Hypnobirthing Classes

Hypnobirthing? Don’t let the name throw you off. It’s not just for the hippie, crunchy folks(although I may be one of them at this point)!  This method of birth education started me on a journey of a lifetime. In fact, I only took Hypnobirthing classes because my doctor said I was allergic to all of the drugs that went into an epidural. I wasn’t even planning on taking classes! Why should I, if I was going to let the people who deliver babies every day, do what they needed to do to get my baby out? I was just scared of pain so I was about to turn my whole birth over to whomever wanted to keep me out of pain. I didn’t think I needed ANY education to have a baby. Boy, was I wrong! Hypnobirthing showed me that actively taking a role in the preparation for my baby’s birth and facing the fears that I had around it, could lead to the most empowering event of my life! My daughter’s birth switched my entire life trajectory.

People are sometimes intimidated by exploring Hypnobirthing classes because they sound so serious. Typical birth classes can be heavy and BORING. Who can learn that way? Birth is much too exciting, overwhelming and humorous to not make birth classes fun!  I need something that keeps my attention, shows me new perspectives, and gives me tools to work with, so that’s just what we’ve created!

It is possible to keep things fun, add in real science, and work with the mind to create a birth experience to remember! So sad to report that there will be no stage hypnosis in class – no one will cluck like a chicken. In fact, the visualizations that you will be guided through or create, will help you put together a birth that is calm, safe and can be used with or without medication according to your baby’s needs for their birth.

In class, you will come to understand how instinctual your body is when it comes to birth and how to shut down your mind and go with the flow. You will have an array of tools you can use to stay home longer in comfort and avoid possible unnecessary interventions. Knowledge of how our birth system is set up, science-based information and understanding what informed consent is, will allow you to ask the right questions and make informed healthcare decisions during your pregnancy and birth experience.

Is It Necessary That My Partner Comes To Class?

Yes! Partners play a key role in our classes and are not forgotten. Sometimes during pregnancy with all of the changes being pregnant entails, we may lose some connection with our partner. Getting communication back on track so we can work as a team during labor, makes all the difference in having an amazing experience. We incorporate partners as an equal support in this process and have many connection exercises to help you reconnect, have meaningful conversations and to help your partner gain the same kind of confidence that you need for birth. And if your partner is out to sea or if you are single etc., you can bring your doula or another support person of your choosing.

What If We Miss A Class?

Each class builds on itself, which is why it is important that you not miss one. We feel it’s necessary to find a series that works with BOTH of your schedules. We do offer makeup classes at an additional fee of $100 per makeup, but would love for you to be there each week! All classes have follow up emails that hold additional videos and resources for your pregnancy. It’s necessary that you have information to flow with whatever kind of birth shows up for your baby and we cannot possibly cover all of that in just five weeks. With only 15 hours of class time(which may seem like a lot) it’s not much time in the scheme of things to prepare you for a life experience! Thus the reason we add additional things for you to learn and explore as your foundation for birth.

How Much Time & Practice Is Needed?

With ANY birth method, you get out of it what you put into it. The foundation of Hypnobirthing is that your body knows what to do. Your body works with your baby and completes a natural process, ending in birth. Once you get the fears out of your head(which means acknowledging them and gaining tools to ease them), you allow your body to move forward.

You will be listening to a relaxation track at night and affirmations as often as you can each day, to prepare your mind to believe in what your body is about to do. You will learn breathing and relaxation exercises and explore what kind of touch puts you at ease. The “practice” is relaxing and getting massaged – not so bad egh? To aid in shifting your mindset, we will also send you more resources to expand what we teach so that you see how birth can play out in many scenarios. We also encourage you to bring your questions to class and email us in between if you need more help.

What else is included?

After teaching Hypnobirthing for 13 years, I decided to include (2) additional online education courses in addition to the 5 week series to better educate families on interventions/risks/benefits/informed consent & protecting the Golden Hour. Induction 101 is a thorough course detailing the ins and outs of all things that an induction can include. Almost everyone is offered an induction unless you are birthing at home. Many of these are not emergent and can result in a surgical birth. The more you understand about birth as a natural process and what they are trying to mimic during an induction, the more you can choices you have for your body and your baby’s birth. Hospitals move fast and if you only know the birthing method but have no information on routine procedures, options and timelines – you are not well prepared for birth. When parents have full scope education, they can optimize the birth and postpartum experience and adapt if things change with their “plan.” Traditional Hypnobirthing does not have time in the five weeks to go over all that parents need a good grasp on.

The second online course included is called Newborn Procedures and expands what we go over in class. This course leaves parents much more confident with any turn their birth could take. Even for birth center and home births – if plans change and you have to move to a hospital, you will be fully informed to make the decisions that will be in front of you. As an educator, I would much rather you have the education “just in case,” than to need it and not have it.  There is also a special section just for partners in the Newborn Procedures course since they will need to see that your wishes are watched over and carried out as the postpartum time unfolds. Part of keeping fear out of the birth room is going into the experience fully prepared with an understanding of the birthing system and how to work within it. We have had great feedback from parents with these two additions to our 5 week series.

Your baby only gets born one time and we want you to feel supported so that you can make the most educated decisions around their first “birth” day. Your body is amazing, and you are already a good parent!

For more information on Hypnobirthing Classes…