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Introduction to HypnoBirthing®

HypnoBirthing® is a complete birth education programme, that teaches specific self-hypnosis, relaxation and breathing techniques for a better birth. HypnoBirthing® is much more than just self -hypnosis or hypnotherapy for childbirth.

This course for women and their partners is designed for those seeking preparation for a safe, satisfying, natural birth. Information about the process of labour and birth is covered, with emphasis on eliminating fears and building trust in women’s inherent ability to give birth. Using techniques like visualization, guided imagery, and special breathing patterns, women learn to achieve deep relaxation. With HypnoBirthing®, women remain aware, fully in control, but profoundly relaxed. HypnoBirthing® helps women to prepare for birthing physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

• With HypnoBirthing®, you'll discover that severe pain does not have to be an accompaniment of labour.

• You'll learn how to release the fears and anxieties you may currently have about giving birth, and how to overcome previous traumatic births.

• HypnoBirthing® lets you discover and experience the joy and magic of birth - rather than the horrific ordeal you hear from others.

Most importantly, you'll learn how to put yourself back in control of your birth - rather than blindly turning your birthing experience over to your doctor or midwife.

The HypnoBirthing® method is based on the work of Grantly Dick-Read, MD, the English obstetrician who wrote Childbirth Without Fear in 1944. Dick-Read hypothesized that the fear felt by a woman during childbirth caused blood to be filtered away from her uterus, causing labour pains in approximately 95 percent of birthing women. He termed this phenomenon "the fear-tension-pain syndrome of childbirth," and he believed that by eliminating the fear, women could return the uterus to its normal function, thereby eliminating the pain.  He theorized that relaxation achieved through hypnosis would prevent that from happening.

"With the aid of hypnosis, a woman can bring her body into a state of deep relaxation in which the body's muscles can work the way they're meant to during childbirth" says Marie F. Mongan, Director of the HypnoBirthing® Institute.

In this course, you will gain an understanding of how the birthing muscles work in perfect harmony--as they were designed to--when your body is sufficiently relaxed. You will learn how to achieve this kind of relaxation, free of the resistance that fear creates, and you will learn to use your natural birthing instincts for a calm, serene and comfortable birthing.