The positive birth program is made up of 12 hours of education, below is our course outline. We are flexible of the delivery of this course, be it group classes (max of four couples) or private one-on-one education. Alternatively if you already have a group of friends who wish to embark on this course please get in contact and we can schedule a mutually convent time.
Unit 1: Creating & maintaining a positive mindset
- Introduction to the positive mindset of hypnobirthing
- How our brain is wired to birth
- The role of our caregivers
- Mind/body connection
- What is self-hypnosis and how will we use it for birthing?
- Our hormones are our friends
- My amazing uterus – understanding the physiology behind birthing
- Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome
- Causes of Fear (including history) and how it affects our labour
- Re-programming the Subconscious
- The language for empowered birthing
- The power of affirmations
- Birthing environment
UNIT 2: OUR TOOLKIT FOR BIRTH
- Self-hypnosis tracks
- Birth music
- Conditioning with scent
- Hypnotic anchors and triggers
- Releasing endorphins through massage and touch
- Acupressure techniques for pregnancy, birth & breastfeeding
- Visualisations for pregnancy, labour & birthing
- The importance of facial relaxation
- Relaxation Breathing – a skill for life
- Surge Breathing – the best tool ever!
- Techniques to help make your surges more comfortable
- The ‘urge’ to push/bear down – Breathing/Bearing down
UNIT 3: PREPARATION & CHOICES FOR EMPOWERED BIRTHING
- Bonding with baby
- Choices in maternity care
- Birth Preferences – having open communication with your caregivers
- Knowledge is power – researching common interventions and procedures
- Questions to ask, to assist in making informed decisions
- Birth partner as advocate
- ‘Guess date’ – a normal range of pregnancy
- Inductions – things you’re not always told
- Achieving a natural start to labour
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Preparing the body – staying active
- Optimising baby’s position
- Breech or Posterior – options & positions
- Instant relaxation techniques
- Self-hypnosis, meditation and deep relaxation techniques & scripts
UNIT 4: BIRTH – BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
- What to expect in the weeks and days leading up to birth
- Signs that labour is starting
- What to expect through labour (membranes releasing etc)
- When to call the midwife/go to the hospital
- Accidental home/car birth – what to do!
- Birth partner’s role
- Common procedures
- Using water during labour and birth
- Upright positioning, movement and birth positions
- Special circumstances (including caesarean birth)
- Fear release
- Vocalisation
- Cord clamping & placenta delivery
- Undisturbed bonding & breastfeeding time – skin to skin
- What to expect afterwards
- Self-hypnosis – Rehearsal for Birth
- A practice routine – preparation for birth!