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Revised:
07/28/08
- What is
hypnosis?
- What
is Hypnobabies?
- Will
it be painless?
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Will I be disconnected from my childbirth experience if I choose to use
Hypnobabies?
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When is the best time in my pregnancy to start Hypnobabies?
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Will Hypnobabies work for
someone who is analytical?
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Will Hypnobabies work for
someone with a low pain tolerance?
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Will Hypnobabies work for
someone who tends to have fast labors?
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Will Hypnobabies work for
someone who has a long labor?
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Will Hypnobabies work for
first-time moms?
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Should I take Hypnobabies
if I plan on having pain medication or a cesarean birth?
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Why should I take the Hypnobabies
childbirth course INSTEAD of a hospital or other independent childbirth
class?
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Should I attend a live
Hypnobabies class or the home-study course?
- Do I
need a partner?
Hypnosis is a state of
focused concentration where the body and mind relax
together; It is NOT a state of unconsciousness or sleep. It is very simply: a natural state of
mind in which the body and mind are extremely relaxed
and yet the mind is also highly aware and focused. We
are all in states of hypnosis many times a day
automatically (i.e., driving a car, watching a movie,
daydreaming...). Hypnosis is a very normal state of
being that along with it's ability to provide emotional
and physical healing, has been widely and successfully
used within the medical community for pain relief and hypno-anesthesia.
ALL hypnosis is SELF-hypnosis... you
can enter and exit a state of hypnosis at will. You are
NOT under any type of "mind control" and can never be
made to do anything, or even accept any suggestions,
that you do not want to.
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Hypnobabies is a complete
childbirth education course that incorporates hypnotic
techniques, imagery, and visualization to re-program the mind in
a very positive way. By doing this we can eliminate the fear and
pain that are associated with childbirth. Most hypno-moms have
faster, easier, and more comfortable birthing experiences than
women who do no utilize the tools gained through our Hypnobabies
course. We have the best success rate in the childbirth hypnosis
field. Hypnobabies is a highly successful program of hypnosis
for childbirth, based on the work of Gerald Klein and his
Painless Childbirth program. We have also had some wonderful
input from Richard Widmeier's New Concepts on Painless
Childbirth, and some excellent visualizations from Dr. Gayle
Petersen and Shelley Stockwell, PhD. We are grateful to them for
their generous contributions. We also have resources in our
program from many other talented and gracious authors, which
gives Hypnobabies a well-rounded approach to childbirth
education. In a Hypnobabies course you will learn all you need
to know about pregnancy and the birth process AS WELL AS
hypnotic techniques to help you achieve a drug-free, pain-free
birth!
Although our success rate is the
best that exists in the childbirth hypnosis field, I cannot
promise you a completely pain-free birth experience. There are
many things that will affect your success, especially your
choices in childbirth and your commitment level. However, if you
take your Hypnobabies training seriously, practice your hypnosis
cues and continue to do your maintenance work until baby comes,
you will be amazed and thrilled with your birthing and create
fascination and happy surprise all around you as you use your
Hypnobabies techniques. One of the best aspects of this class is
that you will be able to eliminate the fear that causes tension
and pain in birthing, a necessary step for any woman soon to
give birth. Most Hypnobabies Moms only experience pressure or
tightening sensations as they give birth! Around 70% of moms who
use Hypnobabies report painless / very comfortable births.
NO! You will be in a heightened
state of awareness while using Hypnobabies. You will feel more
in tune with yourself and more connected with your baby. You
will not be passive. You will feel all the sensations of
childbirth WITHOUT experiencing pain. Your mind and body will
work together so well that you will instinctively know what you
need to do. Onlookers might very well assume that our moms are
disconnected from the experience because our moms tend to be so
relaxed... they may even look like they are sleeping! However,
this is not the case! Because
Some women take classes early in
their pregnancy, and practicing Hypnobabies helps them to be
relaxed, comfortable and confident for the rest of their
pregnancies. Others start later, at 6 or 7 months, when they
know they can devote 30-40 minutes daily to practicing. Keep in
mind that our classes meet once a week for SIX weeks, therefore
it's best to start the program with enough time to complete the
entire course. If you choose to take the course early in your
pregnancy, realize that you still must commit to practicing
every day until the baby comes.
Absolutely! Hypnobabies is effective for all
types of thinkers, learners, and personality types. How can this be? Because
ALL hypnosis is SELF-hypnosis. If it is your desire to reach a state of
hypnosis, you will. Hypnobabies will work if you PRACTICE the techniques, TRUST
in the program, and BELIEVE in your mind and body!
Absolutely! In our Hypnobabies
classes you will learn and practice deep relaxation and hypno-anesthesia
techniques. You will also learn how to create and control your
body's anesthesia so that you will minimize or even eliminate
pain while giving birth. So, YES, even those with a low pain
tolerance can experience a beautiful, amazing natural
childbirth!
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Absolutely! Hypnobabies teaches
you how to instantly relax and direct your anesthesia to
wherever you may need it most. Utilizing the tools gained in
Hypnobabies will help a woman work through the intensity she may
feel when her labor is progressing very quickly.
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Will Hypnobabies
work for someone who has a long labor?
Absolutely! There are many
reasons why a woman's labor may progress more slowly than
others. The baby's position, who your caregiver is, where you've
chosen to labor, and your belief system/fears surrounding birth
are a few of these reasons. The mind is a powerful tool and it
can either encourage or discourage a woman's progress in labor
without her even knowing it. Hypnobabies encourages mom to
examine her beliefs about birth and identify AND release any
fears she may have. After releasing those fears a woman's mind
and body are able to work in unison and thus mom is likely to
progress more quickly and actually ENJOY her birthing time! Hypnobabies also teaches moms how to relax and utilize hypno-anesthesia
during their labors so that they remain comfortable and don't
expend unnecessary energy.
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Will
Hypnobabies work for first-time moms?
Absolutely! As a first time mom
you have not created expectations from prior birth experiences. You don't have to release fears that may have been gained
through prior childbirth experiences. You will adopt a positive
belief system about childbirth more readily. I encourage you to
read through our Birth Stories section as there are many stories
of first time moms, including myself!
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Should I take
Hypnobabies if I plan on having pain medication or a cesarean
birth?
Epidurals and other forms of
medication commonly used in childbirth are TOOLS. Hypnosis for
childbirth is also a TOOL. While I encourage you to research all
of your options please know that committing yourself to the
Hypnobabies program and philosophy will greatly improve your
chances of having a drug-free, pain-free birth.
Hypnobabies has developed a
Cesarean Birth Preparation program so that moms can prepare to
have a calm, confident, and joyous birthing experience and a
quick healing time. This set can be ordered directly from
Hypnobabies.
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Why should I take the
Hypnobabies childbirth course INSTEAD of a hospital or other
independent childbirth class?
Most independent childbirth
classes, even those striving for natural, unmedicated births,
teach pain "coping" techniques. This impresses upon a mom that
she MUST and WILL feel pain during her birthing time. At
Hypnobabies we strive for our moms to be pain-free! Our
philosophy is so much different. Our entire program, right down
to the words we use, are aimed to support our philosophy that
moms do NOT have to experience pain in childbirth. We set
POSITIVE expectations for childbirth and give moms various tools
to achieve a drug-free, pain-free birth. If you take a hospital
class you will likely be exposed to expectations of pain and
discomfort. You may walk away from a hospital childbirth class
prepared to give birth the way THEY expect you to and not
necessarily how YOU want to. We encourage moms to understand the
risks and benefits of ALL of their options so that they can
better create their own birth experience. Hypnobabies helps moms
visualize and create a positive expectation of birth, teaches
them how to create and use hypno-anesthesia, and helps
eliminate fear and pain from the birth process. In the end
it is up to each mom to decided which philosophy is best for
her: pain-coping OR pain-free!
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Should I
attend a live Hypnobabies class or the home-study course?
The Hypnobabies home-study course
is being used with great success by moms all over the world! I
used the home-study course myself because there were not any
certified Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis Instructors (HCHI) in
my area. With that said, now that I am an instructor and am able
to see the differences between the home-study course and live
classes I encourage ALL students to consider taking the live
class if there is an instructor in their area. There are several
benefits of taking the live class:
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More detailed information on
every subject
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Additional handouts
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5 Hypnobabies scripts in a
booklet, including the Visualize Your Birth script
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Phone consultations with your
Hypnobabies Instructor
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Prenatal exercise demonstration
and practice
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Full hands-on training for the
birth partner, including the Birth Partner's Guide booklet
and the Birth Partner's hypnosis CD
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Explanations, demonstration,
and practice of the belly lift technique from the book "Back
Labor No More" by Janie McCoy King
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Optimal Fetal Positioning
explanations and demonstrations to prevent posterior
presentation
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Our Birthing Rehearsal in
Class # 6, which is invaluable for helping each Hypno-Mom
fully understand and experience their Hypnobabies techniques
in a birthing scenario, complete with Birth Balls, changing
positions, walking etc. It is also great practice for Birth
Partners to use their deepening cues and techniques that
help the mom so wonderfully during labor. This helps build
the confidence level of Mom and the Birth Partner
tremendously.
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FUN! You'll build a sense
of camaraderie with other expectant couples who understand
what you are going through! Taking a live course can also
help some students who may not have the discipline or
motivation to complete the home-study option.
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Do I need a partner?
No. Hypnobabies can be done
successfully with OR without a birth partner. Remember, ALL
hypnosis is SELF-hypnosis!
However, if you feel like you would
be more successful with the help of a birth partner you may
consider hiring a doula or other support person. If this is the
case it is so important that your support person be on board
with your goals 110%. Your doula or other support person is
always welcome (and highly encouraged) to attend classes
with you.
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