Unit 1: Building A Positive Expectancy

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• The History of Women and Birthing

• How your body is designed to birth - looking at the uterus muscles

• Our expectations of birth - where do they come from

• How to assist, rather than resist, your natural birthing instincts

• How words and language can impact the way we feel about birth

• Pain during labour and how to reframe and change your mindset

• The power of hormones - looking at the autonomic nervous system, fight or flight response 

• What is hypnosis and how can we use it to prepare for birth

• Creating a positive birth mindset

• Visualising gentle births by watching beautiful birthing videos (in every session)

 

Unit 2: Preparing your Mind & Body

 

• Hormones for birth - how your environment can help or hinder

• Prenatal bonding techniques

• Rapid and instant self-relaxation techniques and deepening techniques

• 3 x breathing techniques for pregnancy, labour and birth (and beyond!)

• What is instinctive pushing and birth breathing in the 2nd stage of birth

• How visualisations work 

• Positive affirmations for birth

• Selecting the right care provider for you, midwives, doctors & doulas - your options

• Choosing where to give birth - your options

• The benefits of making a birth plan, how to make one & looking at examples & templates

• Light touch massage as a comfort measure

 

Unit 3: Getting Ready to Welcome your Baby

 

• Releasing negative emotions, fears and limiting thoughts - fear release hypnosis

• Preparing your body for birthing with nutrition and exercise

• Benefits of perineal massage

• Visualisations for preparing for birth and during birth

• Relaxation and deepening exercises & hypnosis

• Looking at your estimated due date and what it really means

• Options for induction - what are the possible medical ways to start birth

• Looking at ways to encourage a natural start to birth

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 Unit 4: Knowing your choices 

 

• How to use anchors for birthing

• Ultimate deepening hypnosis using anchors

• Birth partner's deepening hypnosis using anchors

• Birth explained simply - looking at the stages of birth & what to expect

• When to call your midwife, what happens in a triage

• Settling in at the hospital or birthing centre (or at home if having a home birth)

• Preparing for home birth 

• How to cope with challenges when moving from home to hospital

• What are comfort measures, let's have a look at all your options

• Building your 'birth nest' - looking at possible 'triggers & glimmers'

• Birth partner's role - a guide for them, tips & ideas on how to support, affirmations for partner

• If birth rests or slows down – what can you do

• Making informed decisions - using your BRAIN - looking at evidence-based resources

• Dealing with unexpected situations - brainstorming

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Unit 5: Birthing your baby 

 

• Moving from stage to stage during birth

• Birth rehearsal imagery hypnosis

• Baby's position - what is breech position, how to encourage a head down position

• Spinning Babies techniques

• Baby's journey through your pelvis, how your baby navigates with twists and turns & how you can help

• Birth positions 

• Giving birth in water - birth pool

• What is a rebozo and how you can use it during pregnancy and birth

• How is baby monitored during birth, know your options

• C-sections & assisted birthing - when is it necessary and what are your options

• Breathing baby down to birth - your baby's journey in the 2nd stage

• Benefits of skin-to-skin

• Birthing your placenta - your options

• Optimal cord clamping, the benefits of waiting

• What to expect in the first hour after birth

• Family bonding with your baby

• Breastfeeding  tips & baby care

• Hypnosis to prepare for birth

• Postnatal period - how to plan for your postpartum