Why a course with Labour of Love?

With 17 years experience in midwifery and over seven years experience teaching hypnobirthing I have had 100’s of couples undertake the course with overwhelming positive feedback. In keeping with the philosophy of hypnobirthing the Labour of Love classes are small and interactive. They are 10-12 hours of birth preparation- any less is not a hypnobirthing course. You will find a maximum of 7 couples per course. I am still working as a midwife in the clinical environment and endeavor to keep up to date with research and provide you with the findings to enable women and their partners make informed decisions about their care. Most importantly, classes are in person. While online learning has it’s place (and is a great alternative when courses can’t be face to face) it’s difficult to maintain attention span looking at a screen for hours and most people find they gain more from being in person.

When is the best time to undertake a Hypnobirthing course?

For many women it’s never too early to start- and only too late when the baby is out!

Some women find Hypnobirthing relaxes them and helps them to sleep better. Others feel it makes them excited for the labour and birth. So in reality, from the moment a woman finds out she is pregnant Hypnobirthing can be helpful. However, some women find it difficult to ‘get in the zone’ if they start too soon as the reality of being pregnant hasn’t quite hit home! Other women are naturally good at getting into a deeply relaxed state and require less practice with Hypnobirthing, but the more practice you can get in the better!

I generally recommend starting the course between 22-30 weeks gestation.

www.labouroflove.ie

www.labouroflove.ie

I already have a book and CD, do I need to do a course?

Many women have had great success with Hypnobirthing from self study at home. However, participating in a course will make you more informed. Since the purpose of Hypnobirthing is to reduce if not eliminate fear and pain in labour attending a course will allow you to become more prepared. You’ll also be able to get direct answers to questions that the book cannot. A course is also a great way to get partners involved and focus on how they can best support you on your birth journey.

The book and CD I use is by Judith Flood, a midwife and Hypnobirthing practitioner. However, there are various ‘hypnobirthing’ brands on the market and if you have already started listening to a particular CD and find the voice resonates with you then you can absolutely continue using it! Additionally, I have recorded tracks and put them up on YouTube for anyone to listen to, check them out here. The Calmbirth and Mantras tracks are the two to listen to daily.

Will Hypnobirthing make me unaware of what’s going on around me?

Not unless you want to tune out distractions! When effective, Hypnobirthing will allow you to enter a deeply relaxed state. You will have complete awareness of all around you and can control what you wish to hear.

It’s my fourth baby, will I still benefit from it?

Yes absolutely! While many first time mothers choose Hypnobirthing to learn about birth and alleviate their fears many multiparous women choose Hypnobirthing after a traumatic previous experience in order to feel calm, confident and in control. Indeed, most women who use Hypnobirthing on their first continue to use it with their subsequent births.

Will I experience pain in labour?

Some women who use Hypnobirthing experience some pain but many women experience only pressure. The success of Hypnobirthing, for the most part, can be attributed to the amount of practice a woman undertakes in her pregnancy.

It is important to acknowledge that the goal of Hypnobirthing is not for a pain free, natural birth but rather a positive experience whereby the woman feels in control throughout. She will be confident knowing what is happening to her body and calm due to the relaxation techniques she has learned.