Hypnobirthing techniques and Coronavirus

Well. What can we say. These are strange and scary times for everyone as we are faced with a health pandemic unlike anything most of us have witnessed in our lifetimes. Add to that the fact that pregnant women are placed in the vulnerable category and anxiety levels are high.

Firstly it’s important to say that the reason pregnant women are placed in the vulnerable category is not because the evidence suggests that they are more likely to get the disease, but simply because we don’t yet know and so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

At a time like this it’s really important to focus on the things we can do, rather than fret about those things that we don’t know or that we can’t control. We need to just take things day by day. And there are things we can do to lower our stress levels.

Please never underestimate the power of the breath. Slowing the breath and breathing fully into the abdomen really does have a huge impact on our systems.

When we feel stressed our breath becomes more shallow, when we breath this way a message is sent to the brain to inform it of a perceived danger or threat. The sympathetic nervous system wakes up and jumps in to protect you by triggering the fight/flight/freeze mechanism (the SNS cannot differentiate between a real or an imagined threat). Once that f/f/f mechanism has been triggered, our muscles constrict, our oxygenated blood is concentrated to our vital organs and limbs, our heart rate and blood pressure become raised. This in turn makes us feel more hyper vigilant and anxious and so the circle continues as more adrenalin is released.

We can override this system though. One of the simplest ways to do this is with the breath. If we choose to use long, deep, diaphragmatic breaths it will send the message back to the sympathetic nervous system that the danger has passed, and so it will in turn halt the f/f/f mechanism and everything will calm once more.

You can see a tutorial I made on how to use the breathing techniques here. It walks you through how to use two specific techniques which will lower the stress receptors and bring us back to a state of calm.

Calm Births teachers across the UK are also here for you, we can all chat online and even teach the hypnobirthing course completely online. So if you’re pregnant and looking for some techniques to help you feel calm and in control, you can take the full Calm Births hypnobirthing course online with a teacher. Simply find a teacher, get in touch with them and go from there. Alternatively the full course is available online - this is useful if you are nearing your due time and don’t have much time left to take the online classes. We’re all here to help.

We’ll get through this one day at a time, just remember to breathe x

How do I choose a hypnobirthing teacher?

So you’re pregnant and have done your research, you’ve discovered that hypnobirthing is definitely something you’d like to explore. You probably have a little Google search for ‘hypnobirthing near me’, you have a little look on Facebook or your friend tells you about her amazing local hypnobirthing teacher. Great. But then you see that there are four different teachers in your town - how do you choose?!

It can be really difficult so we thought we’d give you a few pointers to look out for in trying to make that choice.

Midwife led Hypnobirthing Classes

One of the most important things in our mind is this - are the hypnobirthing classes run by a Midwife? No? That’s fine - they don’t have to be, but is the course they are teaching written by a Midwife and/or approved by the Royal College of Midwives?

See the thing is this - around 50% of the Calm Births teachers are not Midwives, but they are amazing and excellent teachers (who are usually Mums who have hypnobirthed themselves) and they teach our course which is not only written by a Midwife, but also fully accredited by the Royal College of Midwives. So we know that we are giving all our expectant parents around the UK good, sound, clinically correct information. You are safe in their hands.

Is the teacher actually teaching?

Something I’ve noticed recently is that although there are several listings on Google for hypnobirthing teachers in different towns, once you investigate, those teachers are no longer practising. I’ve had clients make a few different phone calls before they’ve come to me and not had any response from those others (and when I’ve investigated, it’s been because they’re now closed down). So check carefully!

What is she saying on social media?

So great, I’ve found a few hypnobirthing teachers near me, they’re all in business and they’re all Midwives. NOW how do I choose? We suggest taking a little snoop at their social media pages, are they on Facebook? Instagram? Are there any videos of them talking? Do you feel aligned to their message? Which leads us to:

Do you feel aligned to her?

Although all Calm Births teachers are teaching the same content, we are all very different people from very different backgrounds, and so therefore you will be more drawn to some than others. And that’s great - sometimes it’s as simple as that! Do you like what she’s saying and how she’s saying it? Can you trust your birth preparation journey in her hands?

When are her classes?

And finally, down to simple logistics - when are their classes, do the dates fall in with your weeks of pregnancy? (Ideally somewhere between 20 & 34 weeks) And does the day / time of the week work for you? Or does she offer private classes that you can make the days work?

So I really hope that helps a little - ultimately any hypnobirth preparation classes are going to be helpful, but even better if you get the right teacher for you!

To check out where your local Calm Births teacher is have a look here.

Why should I join a Hypnobirthing group?

When you’re expecting a baby it can be a pretty scary time, the more you find out the more you realise you need to find out and so it continues until you’re in a cold sweat of panic. You can attend the classes and learn the hypnobirthing, you can work with your partner to achieve a positive mindset for birth - I’ve totally got you for that. But what about when that baby is in your arms?….

What about when the dust has settled and it’s just you at home with this baby, when you take your first solo expedition to the shops with the baby, or want to try a new baby group. It can feel really overwhelming and sometimes it’s easier to just shut yourself away with the baby.

This is why hypnobirthing groups are amazing. Of course we’re just throwing random groups of people together so, let’s be realistic, you’re not always going to gel with your group and that’s just human nature. But often you will, and like my groups pictured here sometimes it really does work.

Something really magical happens when you gel with your antenatal group, you make friends and you go through a life changing event together which binds you in such a special way. You have a group you can Whatsapp at 3am because you’re feeding the baby and wondering if anyone else is, or you really want to try this new baby yoga class but want to go with someone else, or you just want a cup of coffee with someone who’s going through the same thing as you.

I made my antenatal class friends over 10 years ago and we are all still very good friends, I count myself very very lucky to have made such amazing friendships. We have been through lots together, including the early days of leaky boobs, second and third pregnancies, the juggle of returning to work. I couldn’t have done it without my amazing group of Mums, we all learnt together what we were doing (well, it’s an ongoing process!!)

So when I designed the Calm Births course I tried to make really sure that it encouraged new friendships, the classes are informal and light hearted, with lots of group activities and breaks so that you can get to know each other (in a non-cheesy, cringey way!!) . I know a lot of people go for the traditional antenatal classes because ‘that’s where you make friends’ - but we’re proving that you can do that with hypnobirthing too. There is a choice!

Become a Hypnobirthing Teacher!

Are you a Midwife, former Midwife or experienced Doula? Or perhaps you are simply passionate about normal birth and empowering women? Are you looking for a way to make a living from teaching families how to achieve positive, calm births and see them get amazing results? 

Then join our team!!! 

I am so excited to share my Calm Births Course with new instructors, I have been teaching Hypnobirthing full time since leaving my role as a Midwife in the NHS in 2014. I have taught hundreds of families and have been utterly overwhelmed by the consistent positive births that are being achieved by them.  The Calm Births Course is a combination of essential practical tips and techniques for positive birth and Hypnotherapy techniques - think NCT meets Hypnobirthing and you'll have an idea.

If you would like to share this message and teach this practical, no nonsense course to families in your area and make a GOOD living from doing so then I will provide you with:

*Face to face training*

*Course Materials*

*Help & guidance in setting up and running your own business*

*Support designing & setting up your own website*

*A family of like-minded teachers like you*

*Regular meet-ups to help & support each other *

The great news is that you can earn £3k + per month teaching something that you love. YOU decide when you teach. YOU decide where you teach. YOU decide how you teach. YOU are your own boss, with the Calm Births family here to support you. 

Your course will include: 

An introduction to Hypnotherapy

Hypnobirthing origins and how it works

The Calm Births Course content

How to teach Hypnobirthing

An introduction on how to set up and market your business

You will leave your course with everything you need to feel like a Mum boss who can run her own Hypnobirthing business and be part of something amazing, changing the lives of families all around you. 

The investment for your training course is:

Midwives / Doulas / NCT Teachers : 3 day course from 9.30am to 1.30pm, £899

Existing Hypnobirthing Teachers: 1 day course from 9.30am to 1.30pm, £499

If you are new to birth education, an extra online course will be required before the full 3 day training - the cost in total will be £1350.

If you would like to find out more or bagsy yourself a place on a teacher training course have a look here for more info, or please email: hannah@calmbirths.uk.

I can't WAIT to work with you! 

xx

But I have a Toddler - how can I find time to do Hypnobirthing??!

So you have a two year old, you're pregnant with your second, and it's really, REALLY tiring. Remember the first time around when you could just nap when you needed to and maternity leave meant vegging on the sofa eating Haribo, watching daytime TV? Not so much the second time round and it's really bloody hard right? And then there's me telling you that you need to find time to relax? And you think 'really lady?!!'. 

Calm Births Hypnobirthing

I know lovely, I've been there too - when I was pregnant with my third baby, I was dealing with a 3 year old and a 2 year old and, quite frankly, it sucked a lot of the time. I was just permanently knackered and they were just permanently crazy. It was relentless. I literally forgot I was pregnant for a lot of the first two trimesters - one memorable occasion a lady at a toddler group asked me when I was due, and I actually asked her 'when's what due?' She must've thought I was batsh*t crazy as five seconds later I remembered I was pregnant and told her when I was due.  BUT. I knew that I had to do something, I knew that I had to make time for this poor little baby who hadn't asked to be the third down in the pecking order. I knew how important it was to create space, time and love just for him or her.

And so this is how I know that it can be done - you just have to be a bit more flexible with it. In my continuing experience a lot of the relaxation techniques are actually massively beneficial for parenting too. When the children are going crazy and you're feeling the stress rise up, you have the tools and techniques to make you feel calm - and by practising this you are giving your baby some chill time and love too. Win-Win!!! 

When pregnant with second (or subsequent) baby you often just need to fall into bed at 8pm, but there's nothing stopping you falling into bed plugged in to your Relaxation audio, and falling asleep to the positive self hypnosis tracks. 

I KNOW it's difficult, but I also know that it is so worth it and you and this little baby will benefit so much from you just squeezing in any relaxation practice that you can each day. You deserve it, and this little one does too. 

There are some really interesting studies around how what we do during pregnancy shapes who are babies become. There's a wonderful TED talk here, where a scientist explains several studies that have been undertaken which have determined that our babies whole brain structure is altered according to our behaviours during pregnancy! For example how we eat determines how their metabolism is formed, if they perceive that they are coming into a world of scarcity because Mummy isn't eating much, then their body will form so that they store calories when they eat to keep them going for longer. Amazing right?

I tell you this not to terrify you, but to remind you of how important it is to care for yourself, and to just take any minutes you can to sit quietly with your bump and relax each day.  Many of the relaxation and breathing techniques we learn in Hypnobirthing can be done whilst sitting with a toddler who's playing. Your toddler will just think you're Supermum being all calm and chilled - and I can pretty much guarantee you'll notice a change in their behaviour too. 

In practical terms, a Hypnobirthing course is 5 sessions - so this means either finding a babysitter for 5 two hour slots, or having the classes privately in your home after your other child or children are in bed. It is achievable, and it is definitely worth it, I promise you! 

What pi**es me off about HypnoBirthing.

Do you know what narks me most about HypnoBirthing? The name 'HypnoBirthing'. It's really crap isn't it. It just immediately conjures images like this: 

And this:

I definitely do NOT do this!

When in reality, I don't even have a beard. Not even a single tie-die skirt in my wardrobe. Would you believe I don't even own a pendulum? Disappointing I know, but that's the stark reality of HypnoBirthing. It's actually really full of lovely people educating themselves about one of the most transformative events of their lives. 

And as much as I like to think of myself as a hippy at heart, I couldn't actually be more of an average middle aged woman if I tried. My background is based in learning, in evidence, in being a Midwife. Not in singing, chanting and swinging pendulums. 

But the sad fact is that the name 'HypnoBirthing' does still conjure those images for people, and puts them off learning about something that is evidence based, science based and could transform their birth experiences. I still get the raised eyebrows when I tell people what I do, and you can sense the question on the tips of some peoples tongues of 'when are you going to stop doing this crap and get back to being a Midwife, that's a proper job'. 

The simple fact is that HypnoBirthing is a combination of Hypnotherapy and birth education.

No-one thinks that Hypnotherapy is weird anymore, that is a socially accepted form of therapy used widely in the NHS for various things. You will know at least one person that has tried it for giving up smoking or weight loss. So what's so weird about using it for childbirth, one of the biggest events of your life??!! It is my hope that over time,  the stigma of the word 'HypnoBirthing' will be less, and people will imagine less of the hippy chanting birthing in streams type stuff, and more of this:

Two of my lovely Calm Births couples.

Which is what it actually looks like! 

 More and more families are choosing HypnoBirthing and it is benefitting families worldwide every day, making birth a wonderful process to embrace, not one to fear. It's just a shame the term is a bit crap really isn't it.. x

To find out more simply visit: www.calmbirths.uk 

Calm Mummy = Calm Baby

It is often said in HypnoBirthing that a calm Mummy means a calm baby - and this is definitely true. Hypno-babies are always very calm, and that's no coincidence, their Mums have chosen to take time out of their often busy lives to relax and be at one with their growing baby. That baby grows feeling loved, calm and relaxed and in turn comes into the world in a calm way. This, we know.

However, what happens after that? For many, having their first (or subsequent) baby can feel a little overwhelming, and whilst pregnant it is very hard to focus on anything other than the impending birth.

Sadly, we live in a society where we are not coveted by friends, family and neighbours and encouraged to rest with baby for any time. In other cultures, it is the norm to have a dedicated period of laying in with baby (in some places, such as China, this can be for 28 days). In our busy lives this seems silly and impossible, but I truly feel that those early days or the 'babymoon' as it is often called, is so important for Mum and baby's wellbeing. It may not feel practical in your life to stop everything and allow yourself to be waited on whilst bonding with your baby, but if you can find a way to make it work, trust me it's worth it. Your recovery will be quicker both physically and emotionally if you allow yourself to rest, baby will feed better as he or she will have constant access to your milk and so your body will adjust to the demand and produce the perfect amount of milk. Baby will feel more secure and calm, and therefore more likely to grow into a confident, happy child.

There is a known theory that as a race, humans' brains have become so large that our babies are born sooner than perhaps they should be. Therefore the first three months of their lives are actually the '4th trimester', and an extension of their time in the womb. If we can allow babies to enter our world gently and slowly, they will feel more safe, secure and happy.

There are some great, practical things that you can do to try to get some of this precious time are:

• Plan ahead, freeze some healthy meals for you & your partner ready to eat when baby has arrived
• Drink water, and some more water.. and a little bit more.
• Deter any visitors for the first 2 weeks of baby's life
• Ask any visitors to bring you a meal/ wash up/ hold baby to allow you to shower or nap..
• Ask for help. It's very difficult for lots of us to ask for help, but please do it. People love to feel that they've helped you and you'll feel better for delegating.
• Sleep when baby sleeps - this is a well known bit of advice, and it really is important. Babies are often nocturnal creatures when they're born, and so most likely you will be for the first few weeks, so give in to it and sleep whether it's 2pm or 2am. It's all sleep and so important for your mental wellbeing.
• For those who know me, you will know how much I go on about the importance of pelvic floor exercises. These are even more important in the postnatal period so DO THEM!! If you're not sure how, have a look here:
• And finally, call me! Because I feel so strongly about the importance of the postnatal period, I always try and visit families who have taken the course once baby has born (and I get to have a cuddle too!), and I now also offer a dedicated postnatal session.