Beyond the basics: Hypnobirthing VS Antenatal classes
Being pregnant transports you to a whole new world of options, decisions and things to potentially buy. You have EVERYBODY telling you what you should and shouldn’t do.
There’ll be Betty telling you to not bother preparing for you baby’s birth. Bobbi will tell you that you can never prepare enough. Bea will tell you to do an antenatal course and Barbara will disagree, saying you’d be crazy not to do Hypnobirthing.
Eh?! Are Hypnobirthing and antenatal courses different? Surely, they all cover what happens in labour and when to call the midwife, is that not all you need?
Well, actually they are very different. But I can completely understand why you might think they are the same with all that talk of feeling prepared for baby’s birth.
I’ve been a Hypnobirthing Teacher for 9 years and many of my Hypnobirthing clients did an antenatal course PLUS they did Hypnobirthing with me. So many of the Hypnobirthing instructors that I train have this experience too with the women they support.
Why?
Well, because these two courses have differences.
So often, my clients had already booked an antenatal course earlier in pregnancy feeling that that was the “done thing” and then realised later that they needed something else. Often because they’d come to realise they were carrying a lot a fear around giving birth or because they were keen to have practical techniques to help them with the experience of birthing, however they intend to do it.
Now, it is important to say there will be vast differences in what is covered in one antenatal course compared to another. However, in my experience of attending them myself and from what other mothers have told me, antenatal courses tend to talk about the stages of labour, drug options, places to birth, feeding and baby care.
‘Knowledge is power’ as many people would say.
I agree.
I also say that tools are powerful. A shift in perspective holds incredible power for having a more enjoyable pregnancy and a better birth. The opportunity to explore choice and decision making can be birth changing.
This is what comes with a Hypnobirthing course.
A Hypnobirthing course tells you about birth just like an antenatal course does. But TELLING you is a small part of the puzzle.
On a Hypnobirthing course you can experience a mindset transformation. By that I mean that the way you view birth changes. Often women talk about feeling so much calmer and more confident about birth after talking a Hypnobirthing course.
How you view birth matters. It’s known that those that expect the worst are more likely to fear birth and actually that fear can interrupt the whole process of child birth and certainly how you feel about it.
Labour and birth are powered by hormones and how we feel emotionally has a direct result on the balance of hormones. Add to this that much of how the body functions during labour is work of muscles. Fear results in tension and tense muscles don’t work as effectively and easily.
This powerful mindset shift takes places with the use of enjoyable Hypnosis and renowned cognitive techniques.
In addition to this a Hypnobirthing course gives you valuable new skills. We go beyond telling you what comfort measures you could use and actually practice with you simple yet powerful tools that hugely impact your birth experience and can be used beyond that too. This includes breath work, anchoring and self-Hypnosis.
What else is covered on a Hypnobirthing course?
A complete understanding of the process of childbirth, invaluable information about choice and rights in pregnancy, preparation for birth partners, birth planning, dealing with changes in plans and so much more.
Add to this that the time on the course and utilising the tools beyond it provide a perfect opportunity to connect with your baby and make wonderful memories too.
So, there you have it. This is why they are different and why the popularity of Hypnobirthing is rapidly growing. If you are expecting a baby, get in touch with a Hypnobirthing teacher sooner rather than later so that you have lots of time to enjoy its benefits.
Thinking whether you could teach Hypnobirthing? Yes you. Take my quiz to find out.
Abby x
