P R A C T I S E
You have completed a hypnobirthing course, you understand how it all works and why? So the most important thing to do now is to PRACTISE?
But HOW?
How long for?
What is the best way to do it?
When you prepare for the birth of your baby, it is very similar to how a runner would prepare to run a marathon. Now I’m not suggesting that you HAVE to practise the hypnobirthing techniques for hours every day! Below I have broken down the techniques with suggestions of how often to practise…. But really the more you practise, the easier the techniques are going to be to utilise during labour!
Every Day Practice
Positive Affirmations
This is the easiest step to fill your life with positivity!
You can make your own, buy a ready-made pack, print some off the internet. Pick the affirmations you love and stick them around your house, the fridge, kitchen cupboards, bedside table, bathroom cabinet, EVERYWHERE! Anywhere you look regularly! Start to fill that subconscious mind with positivity - YOU HAVE GOT THIS
Relaxation Scripts
The simplest way to regularly practise scripts is to play them every night as you drift off to sleep. Or you may prefer for your birth partner to read the scripts to you. You could even get your partner to record your favourite scripts so you can practise without them if needed.
Up and Down Breathing Techniques
Think of a trigger to practise your UP Breathing technique and visualisations. For example, every morning before you get out of bed, at a red traffic light, waiting for the kettle to boil, you practise your breathing. Four breaths and it only takes 60 seconds, the length of a surge in the peak of labour!!
Don’t forget to practise your Down Breathing every time you go for a poo!
A few times a week
Anchors and Scripts
If you are able to find a couple of 20-minute blocks of time during the week with your birth partner, you may like to practise your scripts with anchors.’ Stroking’ or ‘Calming Touch’ are good ones to do together.
Massage Techniques
There are three core massage techniques on the Birth Nerd Birthing Course, if you can persuade your birth partner into practising them with you once a week, they will become second nature. You have got ‘soft touch’ massage, tree back massage and sacral pressure.
Perineal Massage (from 34 weeks)
Best practised 2-3 times a week, from around 34 weeks of pregnancy.
Whenever you can
Relaxation Scripts SOMEWHERE ELSE
This is especially important if you are planning on giving birth away from home! To begin with, the labour ward or a midwifery-led unit will be unfamiliar. Therefore if you can learn to relax away from home for example out on a walk, standing up, in your car. It will better prepare you for ‘birth day’!
Read Positive Birth Stories
Whenever you are scrolling through social media, maybe you have a lengthy train/ tram/ bus journey, start to read positive birth stories! It is a good way to reframe the mind.
Make a Birth Plan
Sit together with your birth partner and put together some thoughts and preferences for YOUR birth. It doesn’t have to be completed in one go though! Do a bit at a time, do your research.
The Positive birth book has a brilliant free visual birth preference here
Positive Affirmation MP3
You can play this in your car, on the school run, cleaning, exercising. (NB Do not use a relaxation script whilst driving, just the affirmations!!)
Good Luck, this time together is so special, time out together, to bond with your baby and prepare for birth.
Haven't done a course yet? Want to know more about hypnobirthing? You can easily contact us through the website.
Steph xx