Hypnobirthing is a complete antenatal education programme that teaches techniques that can help towards a natural, calmer labour and birth.
Mothers and their birthing partners who sign up to the four week course will be taught breathing, visualisation, massage, relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques which can help reduce the effects of anxiety and tension.
As well as being ideal for a normal birth, these skills can be transferred to more complex birthing scenarios, including caesareans, if the need arises.
Claire Parker, consultant midwife at the Rosie, said: “The demand for hypnobirthing has increased dramatically in recent years, with many women and their birthing partners seeking new ways of preparing for labour and birth.
“Research suggests women who have received hypnosis training require significantly less pain relief and medical help during labour.
“We have also found that babies born using hypnobirthing techniques tend to be more alert and feed and sleep better, as they have been brought into the world at their own pace in a more calm and gentle way.”
Hypnobirthing techniques can also be incorporated into other everyday life situations to aid relaxation, promote restful sleep and reduce anxiety.
The Rosie now has 20 midwives trained as hypnobirthing practitioners, giving mums the benefit of access to professionals who are experts in pregnancy, labour, birth and hypnobirthing. Regularly attending the Rosie in the weeks running up to the birth also means mums and their birthing partners are more familiar with the surroundings of the hospital.
Subjects such as active birth, the role of birth partners, some rebozo techniques which are used to carry babies and birth planning are also covered in the sessions, which come with a parents’ workbook and downloadable hypnosis scripts.
The course runs for 10 hours over four weekday evenings. The ideal time to attend is 30-32 weeks into the pregnancy.
Please see the Rosie website for further details: www.cuh.org.uk/hypnobirthing