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Each month we like to share with you positive birth experiences, to show you how calm, comfortable and amazing a natural birth can be like. One video on it's own doesn't convince anyone, that's why we have a list on our Videos page, so that you can watch others.
Enjoy!  I only have room for one more couple on my evening course in October.
My weekend course on 5/6 October is now full. If your baby is due in the next 4-8 weeks, here is your opportunity to prepare for a confident and calm birth. Having everything you need to know at your disposal. Book your place now  The crux of hypnobirthing is about becoming more mindful about your body and your baby. Look at the journey you have been on so far in your pregnancy. How many amazing things – miracles really – have happened up until this point? It’s mind blowing! Your body intuitively knows how to grow that little person within you. A tiny human being is developing and growing each day. Whilst you go about your day, nature knows the exact order and process in which to allow your baby to develop. For women who go into labour spontaneously, this happens at the right time – when your body and baby are ready for the next chapter. Your cervix will ripen, soften and open. For nine months, these muscles have remained tightly closed - to keep your baby protected in the uterus. In early labour, they will dilate to make way for your baby to gently make his way down into your pelvis and birth canal. The muscles around the top of the uterus, which have gently expanded as your baby has grown, will contract and tighten to help your baby nudge his way down. This will happen gently to start with but may grow in intensity as the body works to move your baby down into the birth canal. These are commonly known as ‘contractions’ - what hypnobirthing teachers may also call ‘surges’ or ‘waves’. A hypnobirthing course teaches you the skills and techniques to trust in the ability of your body. Relax, nature already knows what to do. You simply need to embrace that journey with calm confidence and let your body do the rest. Hypnobirthing techniques will help the mum feel calm and focused. She understands that any tension in her body may make the feelings during a contraction more intense. Tense muscles can’t work as efficiently. When a uterus is contracting, any tension in the body could mean:
Invariably labour could last longer, as the tension and tightness slow down or delay the baby’s descent. How do the hormones oxytocin and adrenalin affect labour?A mother naturally produces oxytocin to help labour start and to maintain regular contractions. It is sometimes known as the ‘happy hormone’. Our body also produces oxytocin on other occasions, such as: when we laugh, when we are happy and when we make love.
The opposing hormone to oxytocin is adrenalin. It is also known as the fight-or-flight hormone (or, in the case of labour, the fight-flight-or-freeze hormone). You don’t want adrenalin and its associated hormones to be present during labour and birth. This is not a good place to be mentally or physically when you are about to birth your baby. It is not good for your baby either. They can pick up on your emotions, which could potentially make labour more difficult for them as well. If the midwife detects a baby in distress, they will be concerned. If this persists, alternative care may need to be considered, maybe even a C-section. As you can see, the links between the mind and the body are strong. You can influence how you feel one way or another. Hypnobirthing scripts, visualisations and positive birth affirmations are all techniques used by mothers to help them remain calm, reassured and focused. All these techniques can make the labour more comfortable (often with reduced, or sometimes no, pain-relief and fewer medical interventions), which tends to result in a shorter labour. How appealing does that sound? A hypnobirthing course will teach you and your birth partner a variety of techniques that will enable you to connect your body, your mind and your spirit with your baby, in a positive way. so that you can have a calm pregnancy and a positive birth experience. Prepare yourself and your birth partner for a birth experience that feels right for you. Use hypnobirthing techniques to calmly connect with your body, your mind and your baby. It can help you achieve the birth you want. If you want to know more about what a hypnobirthing course can offer you, buy The Power of Hypnobirthing: 10 reasons why its for you. It's available on Amazon and Kindle. Follow Magical Baby Moments on its social channels: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  If you are expecting a baby in the next few months and you’re looking for a calm and positive birth experience, then book yourself on a Hypnobirthing Course.
If you’re located near Romford in Essex, come and join Magical Baby Moments for a weekend or evening hypnobirthing course. The expectant mum and her birth partner will learn practical tips to stay relaxed, focused and positive in late pregnancy, labour and birth and they will come away completely informed about the possible scenarios that may arise during labour; so that they know how to make decisions wisely that are right for both mum and baby. A hypnobirthing course is a fully rounded antenatal course, covering all the topics and more that you will learn on either an NCT or Parent Craft course. If you want a course that gives you the facts about labour and birth, arms you with the information and questions to ask your caregivers, should things deviate from your plans and empowers you to take control of your birth, then look no further. Magical Baby Moments teaches the KGHypnobirthing method. Take a look at the course modules and book your place today. If you want to hear what couples who have done a Magical Baby Moments Hypnobirthing Course thought about the course, take a look at the birth stories and testimonials. If you have any questions email: classes@magicalbabymoments.com Follow Magical Baby Moments on its social channels: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  Every woman is entitled to have the birth that is right for her. However, this often is NOT the case. After 8.5 months of caring and nurturing their baby on their own, suddenly the team of caregivers around her — usually midwives or obstetricians — is suggesting ‘plans of action’ should this baby not arrive ‘on time’. When really, in most cases, there is no medical reason or need to rush baby out. And there certainly isn’t any need for human meddling, which invariably leads to a medicated and uncomfortable birth.
The fallacy around the ‘due date’ There are many mums who will carry their baby past their ‘due date’. This is not a reason for concern. It is simply part of nature. If you and your baby are fine, you need to ask yourself why anyone should feel justified to interfere. Many babies are born later than their estimated due date. This could simply be a matter of the due date being slightly out. Scans are not 100 per cent accurate. AND remember, there is no ‘due date’ as such. All women are different, all babies are different and all pregnancies are different. The World Health Organization states that a baby is usually born anytime between 37 and 42 weeks. Did you know… …that only 4% of babies are born on their ‘due date’? … due dates even vary from country to country (40 weeks in the UK, 41 weeks in France for example)! Conclusion? Due dates are estimates!!! To accept an induction or not, that is the question Currently in the UK, caregivers are booking in thousands of low-risk mothers for an induction before they have even reached the 42-week mark. Why have they not been given the chance to get to the 42-week mark first and then weigh up the options? Is an induction really the right type of labour for them? If you are a healthy mum who has experienced a straightforward, uncomplicated pregnancy, then reaching the 42-week mark is totally fine. When a woman is beyond 40 weeks gestation, couples should consider evidence-based research to get a clearer picture of what the risks are of going beyond 40 weeks and how likely something is to happen or not. If they have a condition that is a cause for concern, they need to choose the path that protects the well-being of both the mother and the baby. Hypnobirthing supports all options for birth, so being induced, choosing intervention or opting for an elective Caesarean section are all possible options, even with hypnobirthing. Demystifying the word ‘hypnobirthing’ Before we get into what hypnobirthing is about and what it involves, let’s demystify this word that often conjures up false images. In essence it simply tells it as it is: ‘hypno’ comes from the word ‘hypnosis’, so ‘hypnobirthing’ just means ‘hypnosis for birth’. Forget the hypnotists and hypnosis shows you see on TV — these programmes are created and edited for entertainment. Hypnobirthing is equivalent to clinical hypnotherapy for other matters, where individuals are able to make life-enhancing changes, such as stopping smoking or overcoming a phobia. Hypnobirthing is not done to you. Only you can put yourself into hypnosis, only you can decide whether to relax into a ‘hypnotic trance’ or not. So hypnobirthing, like meditation and mindfulness, is about learning to take control of your mind and your body; through breathing, visualisation and relaxation techniques, and being guided to think differently and to be open to change. The mind is extremely powerful and it is divided into the conscious and the subconscious (or unconscious). Every single moment of the day, these two components are in constant dialogue, but the subconscious is the master of all that you think and do: it constitutes around 88 per cent of your mind. In hypnobirthing we use scripts that relax the conscious part and tap into your subconscious. When you go into your labour ‘bubble’, hypnobirthing helps you to remain calm, confident and focused throughout. It will enable you to trust your instincts and connect at a deeper level with what your body and baby are experiencing. However, hypnobirthing is not just about the ‘hypno’ bit. It is also about having a deeper understanding of what your body is doing during labour, of the natural and physiological reactions and changes that occur. There are recommended techniques and positions that can help optimise your labour, to make it more comfortable and, in many cases, faster than labours that don’t use these simple and effective tools. So if you’ve been put off by media, friends and family because they showed or told you that labour is some horrific, screaming, swearing, painful ritual that you have to pass through in order to hold your baby, know that it doesn’t have to be that way. Birthing has the potential to be a calm and positive experience… if you want it to be and if you learn how to make it so. If you want to find out more about hypnobirthing and why you should do it, in the book The Power of Hypnobirthing you will discover 10 great reasons why hypnobirthing is a skillset for every expectant mum, for each and every pregnancy. It is also for their birth partner, because it will bring them front and centre to the whole pregnancy, labour and birth experience, enabling them to offer the mother essential support throughout. Who is a hypnobirthing course for? Despite there being a shift in perceptions, many people still think that hypnobirthing is only for a select group, such as hippy-types, yummy-mummies and lentil-lovers. Trust me when I say that every expectant mum can benefit from a hypnobirthing course, regardless of whether:
A hypnobirthing course is a full antenatal course, where all options and choices are explored. Let’s pause for a second and consider the following. How are you expected to make choices if you don’t have a clear understanding of all the options available to you? How can you decide what’s right for you if you don’t know the pros and cons for each of those choices? Giving birth should be about informed decision. That means fully understanding your options and being told the full picture so that you can decide what feels right for you and your baby. So a hypnobirthing course is not only about relaxation and breathing techniques, visualisations and positive birth affirmations; it is an all-round programme that teaches everything that an expectant mother and her birth partner need to know about late pregnancy, labour, birth and beyond. From the physical changes that occur in a mother’s body towards the end of pregnancy, as it prepares for labour, through to what a woman can expect to happen during labour and birth. Magical Baby Moments also has a section on how to care for a newborn, as I feel it is important to help new parents as much as possible beyond birth too. Hypnobirthing courses are not just for people who expect labour to follow a certain path. No two births are the same and labour does not always follow the exact path that you would like it to take either. So you have to be open-minded and be ready to embrace the other scenarios, should they arise. Hypnobirthing classes teach couples how to be fully informed of all the circumstances that can occur. These topics are discussed in detail so that the participants are confident with the terminology and all the benefits, risks and alternatives that each choice presents. Therefore, if any of these matters arise during their pregnancy or labour, they already know how they feel about certain interventions and whether instinctively these feel like the right decisions for them and their baby or not. Couples are also often reminded throughout the classes that there is always the option to question procedures and to say ‘no’ or to ask for extra time if possible. A hypnobirthing course is about information, empowerment and choice. It is about having knowledge in order to have power and control over your situation. It should allay any fears or preconceptions that you or your birth partner may have. When you complete a course, you should walk away feeling more knowledgeable, confident and excited at the anticipation of the arrival of your precious baby. Being pregnant is a miracle. How the body, mind and spirit are intertwined in pregnancy and labour is mysterious, and giving birth will be magical, in whichever way is right for your situation. Hypnobirthing is not a craze or a fad. It has been around for centuries. It has been done instinctively and intuitively, when communities were tighter, when people took the time to listen and care and when it didn’t have a label attached to it. In this modern, frantic world, it has become a necessity for expectant parents who want to be fully prepared for a positive and confident birth experience. What parents-to-be have thought about attending a hypnobirthing course ‘I feel much more confident, informed and empowered. I am aware of my choices and also much more aware of my ability to birth our first baby. Prior to attending, I was not focused and felt that I had lots of bits of information, but I didn’t know how to make it meaningful for me. I highly recommend the course to all mums. It will ensure that birthing will be a more pleasant experience, avoiding unnecessary stress. Knowledge is power and the course has certainly empowered me.’ Aamna, mum-to-be Read more testimonials Face-to-face hypnobirthing course The Magical Baby Moments group course consists of four weekday evenings or two weekend days, on selected dates. Ideally this is taught to you anywhere from 20 weeks onwards. If you are late into your pregnancy and think you’ve missed the opportunity, don’t worry, you haven’t. Hypnobirthing principles for a relaxed and calm birth are easy to learn, so doing the course in the final weeks of pregnancy can be as effective as doing it mid-way through your pregnancy. Magical Baby Moments also offers private courses. Find out course dates Buy the book Want to know more about a hypnobirthing course? Buy The Power of Hypnobirthing: 10 reasons why its for you. Only £5.99 plus P&P. Also available on Amazon Kindle.  Some people might laugh at me when I say that labour can be comfortable and enjoyable. Maybe they think I am nuts. (I guess I am a little!) However, I can put my hand on my heart and say that the contractions, for both of my children, didn’t really cause me any real discomfort. I am by no means a warrior, nor do I have any super powers; in fact I am quite a weakling when it comes to muscle power in everyday tasks. What I did possess in the lead up to both labours was information, tools and techniques.
By information, I mean that I researched what to expect from labour and learned what my body had to go through in order to help my baby out of the womb and into this world. I did this by: reading books, attending the NHS Parent Craft classes and teaching myself hypnobirthing techniques in pregnancy that would become second nature during labour and birth. By understanding what to expect and how to deal with birth, meant that I could go into the experience with a positive mindset. It made sense that the uterus contracts regularly to help ease baby gently into the birth canal. Nature doesn’t intend for this to be painful, but when we are scared we tense up and when we tense up the muscles don’t work efficiently because they have to work against the tension (creating the pain that people often associate with birth). If we relax and let go, these muscles can work more efficiently and without working against the resistance (therefore pain-free). So how do you get to remain calm and confident as your labour-day approaches? Become knowledgeable about the process of late pregnancy and birth. Understand what options may arise on the day and know, what the pros and cons are and what choices you can make. You can do this by going to classes in your area. The NHS often provides a range of free classes, or you can look up independent businesses that support women in pregnancy, such as pregnancy yoga, hypnobirthing and relaxation classes. By understanding the biological changes within the body you learn to accept that this has to be. Working against it, only makes it harder for you. Try to figure out if there is anything that is worrying you about birth. Can you seek advice from someone who can help allay those feelings? Your midwife or an independent antenatal educator may be able to advise you. Tools to help you relax during labour There are a host of tools that you can use during your labour to give you comfort. Here are some examples of what you might find useful to use: 1. Rocking on a Birthing Ball / Bounding on a birth ball Time spent gently moving back and forth on a birthing ball as you breathe deeply, can help you relax during labour. Rocking back and forth, side to side or rotating the hips, either in circles or figures of eight, can help encourage baby to descend lower into your pelvis. You can also try bouncing gently on a birthing ball. Always ensure that your hips are slightly higher than your knees, this will help tip the upper part of your body forward, which will then put the baby’s weight on the front part of your pelvis, allowing it to widen and give your baby more space to descend. Being upright in birth often speeds up labour. 2. Being in or under water It is recommended in early labour to have a bath or shower. Who doesn’t like spending time under or in warm water? This enables relaxation. When you are calm and happy the body produces the hormone oxytocin, which is one of the major hormones that facilitate contractions. Try sitting in a shower with the spray against your back, or lying in a bath, in early labour. If you choose to give birth in hospital, you can use the bath or shower in your room too, or if you want to use the birth pool for relaxation in labour, this is possible too. Not all birthing centres or hospitals have a tub or shower in the room, so this is not always possible. 3. TENS machine A TENS machine sends electrical pulses (on your back) which are believed to prevent pain signals from reaching your brain and stimulate your body to release natural, feel-good substances (endorphins). 4. Music Make sure you have your favourite, relaxing songs on your phone, tablet, or laptop. Don't forget your headphones, as maybe your taste in music isn’t the same as yours – and vice versa! 5. Aromatherapy Wonderful smells help you relax and feel better, so take fragrant lotion or potpourri for your room to give yourself a lift. 6. Hypnobirthing Women who have attended hypnobirthing classes agree that this has helped them be focused, relaxed and it has reduced muscle tension and pain in childbirth (they don’t tend to labour like the scenes you see on TV. Hypnobirthing takes practice, so that the techniques that you learn become embedded and can be easily used during labour. Breathing techniques help keep you relax and focus your attention. Visualising a beautiful scene in your mind, one that makes you feel safe and relaxed is also taught, so that you can focus your mind on this place when you have contractions. Read more about hypnobirthing classes. 7. Massage Have your partner massage your arms, legs, or back during labour to help you relax and to decrease tension and pain. 8. Walking or Rocking Walking, or even just pacing right by your bed, decreases discomfort while helping your contractions become stronger and more regular. Or you could try rocking back and forth with your partner while leaning on him. 9. Changing Positions Don't stay in the same position for too long, and don't lie flat on your back. Instead, try sitting up in your bed or a chair, lying on your side, squatting and rocking on a birthing ball, or leaning forward over the back of a chair or your birthing bed. If possible being mobile during labour helps your contractions progress. The important thing for now is to do your homework. Find out all you can about your options, talk to your health care provider, and trust yourself to make the decisions that will work best for you and your baby. Follow Magical Baby Moments on its social channels: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  By preparing yourself with hypnobirthing you increase your chances of the birth that you want, often without the need for medical intervention. If you need to have a planned C-section, hypnobirthing can help you prepare for that birth too, in a calmer, more informed way.
If I do the NHS antenatal classes or sign up to NCT, will I still benefit from a hypnobirthing course? Yes of course, 100%. The NHS antenatal classes are useful to find out the medicalised approach to labour and how things may be handled if you need intervention. The NCT classes are also beneficial for networking with other couples in your area who are having a baby around the same time as you, as well as give you an overview of pregnancy and labour topics. However a hypnobirthing course is a comprehensive antenatal course, as it encompasses all of these elements. It also makes you aware of the alternative choices that you might like to consider. By being fully informed you are able to make the right decisions about labour and birth for you and your baby. A hypnobirthing course gives you the confidence to ask the right questions, whilst at the same time preparing you for birth with a more relaxed attitude. Magical Baby Moments offers hypnobirthing classes to expectant mothers and their birthing partners in Romford, Upminster and Thurrock in Essex. If you live close to any of these locations, then book your hypnobirthing course today. Christine, the founder of Magical Baby Moments, published The Power of Hypnobirthing, 10 reasons why it's for you, which is available on Amazon. Here are the headings of each of the chapters, to give you a little insight:
BUY THE BOOK NOW Magical Baby Moments follows the teaching programme that KG Hypnobirthing has developed. Christine used hypnobirthing for both of her children Since becoming a hypnobirthing teacher in 2015, she has gone on to teach many couples hypnobirthing from not only Romford and Upminster, but also the surrounding locations of Gidea Park, Hornchurch, Dagenham, Ilford, Chingford, Grays and more. She has also recently qualified to become a trainer for hypnobirthing teacher with KG Hypnobirthing. Classes are comprised of either four evening classes or two weekend days. For more information on what is covered in the hypnobirthing course visit the ‘classes’ page or email classes@magicalbabymoments.com Follow Magical Baby Moments on its social channels: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter |
Magical Baby MomentsFrom maternity to motherhood
Hypnobirthing classes in Romford and Upminster Thorntons Farm Ave Romford RM7 0TT 07764 680 215 | classes@magicalbabymoments.com |
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