I must admit, when I first heard the word ‘hypnobirthing’ many things popped into my mind.

Not one of them was a true representation of the process, I have now learnt.

Even as someone working in the birthing world, immersed in midwifery and women’s health every single day, I didn’t get it.

I like to think that I am an open minded and non-judgemental person, but the word ‘hypnobirthing’ didn’t get that reaction from me!

Things I thought hypnobirthing could be:

Hypnosis – being out of control and totally out of sync with reality
Homebirth, waterbirth, drug free birth
Pain free birth
Something ‘hippies’ do
People going against medical advice for the sake of having the birth described above
Birthing without making a noise
Breathing techniques
Now, I wasn’t totally wrong. Some of these things do come into it (the breathing techniques, hypnosis as a theory), but the others were totally wrong of me to consider. But I KNOW I am not the only one who thought this. If this is you, I bet you have glossed over it and thought it probably wasn’t up your street or worth your time. Give it a chance, because…

Hypnobirthing definitely IS:

• Teaching you HOW your body and mind work and why this is crucial for birth
• Preparing you to be relaxed, calm, confident and in control
• Ensuring you are able to make informed decisions
• Allowing you to be ready for whatever twists and turns your experience takes
• Having your birth partner clued up, ready to support you
• Practical ways to make your birth a more positive experience
• Suitable for EVERYONE, whatever birth you are hoping for

You see the difference? I thought hypnobirthing was all about the physical sides to birth. In reality, it is about the mental preparation and supporting you to have the best birth you possibly can, whatever circumstances arise. Everyone should be wanting these things for their birth and so in an ideal world, everyone would take a hypnobirthing course and get in that all important practice.

Not all courses will come at hypnobirthing from this flexible stance. Here at The Little Birth Company, we totally get that birth isn’t or can’t always be straight forward. When it is, it is awesome and even when it isn’t, we would have prepared you for it, so it can also be awesome! You can find one of our amazing instructors local to you HERE.

So, I will leave you with this question. Are you giving hypnobirthing the attention it deserves?