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​​​​​​​​​​​​Course Outline

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

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• 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!
  
  
  This is a 12 hour course run over 2 days for Women and their birth companion. I teach this course in small relaxed groups and privately for couples in Mollymook and Kiama Downs in southern NSW. I also teach privately from clients homes.  It is ideal to start between 20-33 weeks to best prepare for a positive birth experience​​​​​​​​​​