Why a Hypnobirthing Teacher booked a Hypnobirthing session
Here is your reminder that you don't have to teach brand new content to people for hypnobirthing to be valuable. During my fourth pregnancy, I did a hypnobirthing refresher session even though I had been teaching it myself for 4 years. Here's what I wrote back in 2019:
So last week at 27 weeks of pregnancy Adam and I had a Hypnobirthing refresher session with the lovely Amanda Wardle. Not only have I had the pleasure of meeting Amanda a few times in the past and loved her company, she is also my second midwife this pregnancy so she was the obvious choice.
Now it might seem a bit strange a Hypnobirthing teacher and a fourth time Hypnobirther having a Hypnobirthing session with a Hypnobirthing teacher. I know what your thinking…
Don’t you already know it all already?
Surely you talk about the techniques all the time so paying someone to go through them is a waste of money?
Wouldn’t waiting closer to the birth make more sense?
Here’s why it was so important to us, what we gained and what you can learn from it in terms of your own birth preparation:
Yes, I’m Knowledgeable but Hypnobirthing is more than simply knowledge. It’s also tools to trigger a sense of calm, distraction techniques, comfort measures etc. Yes I know these techniques. Knowing these techniques and practicing them is two VERY different things! Having a session with an instructor gives you some accountability, it marks the start of you prioritising taking the time to practice and make the techniques part of your life. And that’s exactly what it’s done for us. Daily we are practicing and loving it! I know more than anyone the importance of this. Without this the tools just wont be tools. This is why taking the session between 20 and 30 weeks was important to me. I wanted time to really practice these tools, really make them strong triggers for relaxation.
Yes, I live and breathe Hypnobirthing. For four years my weekends and evenings have been jam packed with me introducing couples to this knowledge and these amazing tools. Yes, I’ve read every book going. BUT I’m just one part of our Hypnobirthing experience.
Of course Adam, my husband does hear me banging on about Hypnobirthing regularly but he doesn’t live and breathe it. At the birth he will be my support both physically and emotionally, my prompter, my voice, the keeper of my cave (and I don’t mean my vagina here 😉 I’m talking my birth space). So it makes sense that together we revisit things for his benefit. Birth partners need prepping and this is something I’m very passionate about. Hypnobirthing is about both the mum-to-be and the birth partner, it’s a real team thing.
As well as all this, I’m happy to admit that all of us are always learning. I’m never going to claim to know every single thing about Hypnobirthing, I learn all the time. Hearing another person’s way of explaining things is so beneficial. And do you know what, sometimes just hearing the things you know being said by someone else is powerful. Are we always good at listening to our own guidance?
I’ve got three positive and empowering births behind me, tones of inspiration from the incredible clients I get to work with and lots of knowledge that has given me a wonderful trust in birth. HOWEVER I’m human, I have a wobble from time to time. I’m not immune from worrying, so having that time to chat about how I’m feeling and discuss ways I can regain my calm was gold. We finished the session feeling completely excited for our birth, meeting our fourth baby- eeek!
The reason I’m writing this is I think it reminds us all of so many things:
-The importance of taking time to talk about how we are feeling.
-The power of practising our Hypnobirthing techniques, not just knowing them.
-How Hypnobirthing is a team effort, birth partners are key! Don’t forget about them.
So whether you have already done a Hypnobirthing course or you’re about to, please remember this. Do the practice and work together because that’s where the power is.
Abby x
