Oh Baby

I recently saw an interview with author Kathy Fray. I really liked what she had to say so decided to read her book titled 'Oh Baby...birth, babies and Motherhood Uncensored'

What a great book. Kathy offers practical, down to earth information for pregnancy and motherhood. This includes preparation of both mind and body, what your birth assistant needs to do and options for birth.

I would suggest you view this part of the book as 'interesting to know 'not necessarily the way birth is or should be. Hypnobirthing Mum's will experience birth a bit differently.

The information regarding baby's early weeks at home is straightforward and thorough. Kathy covers all manner of things including how to care for baby, parenting styles and where to find help should you need it.

I highly recommend this book as a comprehensive guide to birth and motherhood. Kathy's style is light, warm and friendly. A wonderful addition to your library.

Tired in Pregnancy

So you're pregnant, and tired and getting a bit anxious about how you will cope with the rigors of birth and new motherhood. Here is a short technique you can use to re-energize yourself.

Go outside on a fine day and choose a solid tree in your garden or close by. Stand with your back against the trunk. Close your eyes and imagine the life energy of that tree pouring into you. The tree harnesses energy from the earth and the sun and that energy can refresh and rejuvenate you.

As you stand there breath deeply yet gently for a few moments and allow any tension to fall away from you down into the earth below. Notice how your body is responding, you may feel light or tingly, or calm and together. Take a few moments to take what you need, thank the tree ( sounds funny, I know ) and return to your normal activity feeling relaxed and refreshed.
Perhaps you would like to join our next Hypnobirthing class, and learn more about relaxation.

Ante-natal class in Palmerston North

A great opportunity exists for expectant Mum's in Palmerston North.
I am happy to announce that Hypnobirthing is coming to your city.

If you have been looking for a powerful Natural Childbirth class, this is it. You may already know that a drug-free childbirth is the best gift you could give to your baby. Now is your chance to learn how you can have a safe, comfortable, drug-free birth, with Hypnobirthing.

Giving birth is a natural, normal event that has become very medicalised over the last few decades. Many parents assume that drug and surgical intervention is just a normal part of having a baby but this is not so. For 95% of healthy women a natural childbirth is not only a possibility, it's a right.

If you are interested in finding out more about how Hypnobirthing can help you, contact me straight away.
Class scheduled for November 2010. There will be no more classes until March next year, so if your baby is due before March, now is your chance to learn how to have a joyful, relaxed childbirth with Hypnobirthing.

Pregnancy Books

From time to time I am asked about good books relating to pregnancy and childbirth.
So, here are a few for you to consider. Hope you enjoy them.

HypnoBirthing® The Mongan Method. Marie Mongan, ( Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications Inc., 2005)

Childbirth Without Fear. Grantly Dick-Read, MD. (New York: Harper & Bros., 1955.)

The Law of Attractions: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham. Esther and Jerry Hicks (Hay House, 2006.)


A Wise Birth: Bringing Together the Best of natural Childbirth and Modern Medicine . Penny Armstrong, Sheryl Feldman, & Sheila Kitzinger,
( Pinter & Martin, Ltd., 2007.)

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering. Dr. Sarah J. Buckley, Brisbane, Australia: One Moon Press, 2005.)

Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives: A Holistic Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth. Deepak Chopra,

The Biology of Belief. Bruce Lipton,, Ph.D.

The Birth Partner's Handbook. Carl Jones,

Birth Without Violence. Fredrick LeBoyer, ( New York: Alfred Knopf, 1976.)

Rediscovering Birth. Sheila Kitzinger, ( New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.)

Primal Health: Understanding the Critical Period Between Conception and the First Birthday. Michel Odent, , MD. ( Clairview Books, 2002.)

Best for Baby

Giving birth is such a personal and intimate experience you would be forgiven in believing that it's all about you. It is, of course, all about you as a mother delivering your child yet it is also about how your baby enters the world.

Your baby will only be born once, so don't you think it should be the best experience possible? Imagine, for a moment, that your baby has had an opportunity to grow in a calm and relaxed environment. Feeling loved and nurtured. Imagine that your baby has enjoyed learning how to be a calm and relaxed little individual even before he or she is born?

When a mother practices her Hypnobirthing techniques, her baby is learning them too. This means that not only is the mother's body relaxed and pliable to enable the baby to be born easily, the baby is also in a suitable state for ease of delivery.

This usually results in a calm, happy and contented baby with a relaxed and energised mother. What a great way to enter the world.

Attitude about Childbirth

What determines our success or happiness in life? It's not how much money we make, what job we have or even our environment. What determines our success and happiness is our attitude.
This is very true of our birthing experience. What attitude we have towards the way we give birth will impact on how it actually happens. You are probably familiar with a saying by Henry Ford. If you think you can or you think you can't, you'd be right.
In relation to giving birth, this means that if you believe that birth is a pain filled, traumatic experience, then it will likely be so. If, on the other hand, you believe that you have the ability to give birth in a calm and natural way chances are you will.
Hypnobirthing classes are all about attitude. Helping you understand the natural instincts and abilities you have so you can gain trust and confidence in yourself. This confidence and trust enables you to have a" can do " attitude. A positive attitude that it will all work out beautifully.
With our attitude we create our world.

Next birth after C section

I heard something shocking today regarding cesarean sections. It seems that a woman in the USA was faced with a court ordered cesarean. The hospital claimed that because she had birthed by C section previously she would be banned from having a normal vaginal birth. They claimed that it was due to the increased risk of rupture and hemorrhage. The woman was informed that the increased risk factor of this happening was less than one percent. In order to avoid the mandatory cesarean she had to travel over 35o miles to a hospital that would assist her to have the birth of her choice.

It made me appreciate how lucky we are in this country to have such a healthy medical system where it is not only possible for a woman to give birth in the way nature intended, it's encouraged.

At Hypnobirthing we actively encourage and teach women to give birth naturally in a calm and peaceful manner. I believe it is a woman's absolute right to chose how she will give birth. It would be a rare woman who would chose an option that compromised the health of her baby. Learning Hypnobirthing techniques empowers a woman to birth her baby naturally whether she has had a Cesarean previously or not.

You choose your ante-natal class date

If you have ever wondered about taking an ante-natal class that would help you have a calm and relaxed labour, please consider helping me out.

I am planning the class dates for the Hypnobirthing classes for the remainder of the year. It would be great if you could let me know when you are due and when you would prefer to take a Hypnobirthing class.

The classes run for 5 consecutive weeks so which start date works best for you?
August, September, October or November?

I usually run the classes on a Sunday afternoon, which suits most people. Many expectant Mums get a bit too tired in the evening to come to a 21/2 hour class.

Let me reassure you that this in no way commits you to attending. It is purely a guide for me. Thanks. Hope to hear from you soon. email info@hypnobirthingwellington.co.nz

Books on Natural Childbirth

Many people ask me to recommend books on natural childbirth and ideas that will help them approach their baby's birth with calm confidence.
The first book, of course, is Marie Mongan's book Hypnobirthing- The Mongan Method.
This is supplied when you book an Hypnobirthing course with me. Here is a list of some others.

Ina May’s guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

Fathers to be Handbook by Patrick M. Houser

Gentle Birth, Gentle mothering by Dr. Sarah Buckley

Mothers Intention: How belief shapes Birth by Kim Wildner

The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton
Living on Purpose by Dan Millman

I hope you enjoy exploring these concepts. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Reminder to Hypnobirthing Mums

For those of you who have completed a recent Hypnobirthing class and are awaiting the birth of your baby, here are a few things I would like to remind you of.

1. Keep up with your relaxation practice. Listen to your CD's every day.
2. Take time with your birth companion to work on deepening techniques and being guided
into hypnosis.
3. Try out instant relaxation every so often throughout your day. The better you are at this
the easier you will find it to relax at will.
4. Get some fresh air and exercise. A walk on the park or even around the block is good.
5. Rest with pillows supporting you.

Trust yourself and enjoy your calm, comfortable birth.

Childbirth Class Starts April 2010

If you have ever thought that giving birth was hard work and painful, think again. It doesn't have to be that way. Most Hypnobirthing mothers give birth in a calm relaxed and comfortable manner.

It is our thoughts and expected outcomes that shape our experience. Where have you developed you thoughts about birthing from? Stories people have told you, things you've heard or seen in the media or perhaps some previous experiences?

When we examine our thoughts and their origin we begin to see how they shape our lives.
I invite you to take a positive step in shaping your life by participating in a Hypnobirthing class where you will learn how to achieve a wonderful, joyful birth.

The next class starts in Wellington early April. Contact me quickly to secure your place.

Getting a newborn to sleep

Everyone seems to have an opinion on how to get young babies to sleep, so I thought I'd join in.
New parents are often faced with lots of well meaning and often conflicting advice. In this regard, I suggest you assess the information logically, and then see if it Feels Right. If you think it Feels Right, give it a go. It's usually best to try a new method for a few days before you decide if it will work.
Here are a few things that have worked for me and my friends.
1. Check what you are eating. If you have spicy or highly seasoned food this can pass through to the baby via breast milk. Similarly vegetables like cabbage, onions and garlic can cause upset. Dairy products can also upset a baby. A baby with an upset tummy may not settle.
2. If your baby is healthy and of good size, try laying him down in pram and going for a walk. If you can't manage that try pushing the pram on the deck or down the hall. Making the ground a little rough by running over a jandle or a rolled face cloth can help.
3. Try swaddling the baby. This means wrapping the baby firmly in a light wrapper. A muslin sheet or baby blanket. Place baby in center of blanket, take the left end and wrap it over baby keeping his opposite arm free. Tuck it around and under. Position baby's arm comfortably and take the other side and wrap firmly over other side. Tuck end under baby. This seems to comfort some babies. Seek advice on how to swaddle if unsure. Good luck.

The Worry of Childbirth

Is the worry of childbirth spoiling your excitement of becoming a parent? Just thinking about some of the stories you've heard probably gets you very nervous, right? The good news is that it does not have to be that way.
Hypnosis has been used by women for centuries to achieve a relaxed and comfortable birth.
In our Hypnobirthing® Classes, we teach women self hypnosis and how to become profoundly relaxed. When a woman is very deeply relaxed, she allows her body to do what it knows how to do with ease. The result is a calm, relaxed and confident mother giving birth safely and naturally.

The next scheduled Hypnobirthing® classes in the Wellington region are in April and June 2010.
If you are concerned with childbirth, please consider learning the Hypnobirthing® Method. It may be the best gift you give yourself and your baby.

New Year, New Addition

Happy New Year everyone.
What a wonderful time of year it is, so full of promise. A time of year when people start making plans and resolutions for the future.
May of you may be expecting a new addition to the family very soon, if so, congratulations.
The plans for your immediate future are probably pretty much sorted. Welcome baby into the world and get through the first three months any way you can. It is a very busy time, with lack of sleep playing a major role. This doesn't last forever, so take heart. Here are a couple of tips to help you in those first few months.
1. Practice your relaxation techniques every day. It doesn't matter how busy you are, make time to do this. It really pays off. A relaxed Mum and Dad copes better with everything.
2. Nap during the day. When baby sleeps, you sleep. For example, babies morning nap, practice relaxation. Babies afternoon nap, you sleep.
3. Take time out of the house daily. Even a short walk around the block will refresh and revive you. It's good for baby too. Good luck and have a wonderful year.