Unit One:
Creating & maintaining a positive mindset
How our brain is wired to birth
Role of caregivers
What does a Positive Birth mean to you
The mind-body connection
What is self-hypnosis and how will we use it for birth?
Hormones are our friends
My amazing uterus
The effects of fear on birth
Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome
Birthing environment
Re-programming the Subconscious
Our support team
The power of language
The power of Affirmations
Unit Three:
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
Self-hypnosis, meditation and deep relaxation techniques & scripts
Unit Two:
Our Toolkit for birth
Self hypnosis tracks
Birth music
Conditioning with scent
The power of touch (hypnotic anchors and triggers)
Releasing endorphins through massage and touch
Acupressure techniques for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding
Visualisations for pregnancy, labour and 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
Instant relaxation techniques
Unit Four:
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 cesarean birth)
Fear release
Vocalisation
Cord clamping & placenta delivery
Undisturbed bonding & breastfeeding time – skin to skin
What to expect afterwards (and planning for your postpartum)
Self-hypnosis – Rehearsal for Birth
A practice routine – preparation for birth!