In person evening antenatal hypnobirthing courses for couples, suitable to attend anytime in pregnancy, but probably of most value after 26 weeks. It is a good idea to aim to finish your course by at least week 36, as this gives you time to keep practising the skills in the weeks prior to the birth, and also ensures you finish the course before your due window (weeks 37-42) starts.

What is hypnobirthing?

When many people think about hypnosis, the image that immediately comes to mind is of someone on stage being asked to do something silly, such as cluck like a chicken. Hypnobirthing could not be further from this image.

Far from being “out of control”, hypnobirthing enables the mum to be completely in control - of her feelings, her breathing, her experiences, and her actions. It is really a form of deep relaxation, and by learning the techniques ahead of time, and practising them regularly with her partner before the big day, she will be able to put herself into a state of calm whenever she needs to. This will enable the correct hormones to be produced in her body to facilitate the birth process to work as it is meant to, making it more likely to be a calm, manageable, even pleasant experience.

Here’s what Catherine from Witney thought of the course:

What’s the difference between a hypnobirthing course and an antenatal course?

Well, to start with, a hypnobirthing course is an antenatal course, so there are probably more similarities than differences! Both courses are designed to give you information about labour and birth: the process, what can help or hinder it, what to expect during it etc. But a KG Hypnobirthing course will teach you many more techniques of ways you can help yourself during labour and birth, by learning and practising skills such as breathing for labour, visualisations to keep you centred, positive affirmations to repeat to yourself, and relaxation techniques to use through your pregnancy and labour.

Hypnobirthing really explores the mind-body connection and how important that is to enable the birth process to work smoothly, as it is designed to do. Many people think of labour as a physical activity (because it is!), and so don’t always consider the mental element, which is vitally important and can have a huge impact on how the birth goes. A hypnobirthing course tends to spend more time focusing on this aspect of birth, leaving you feeling more prepared, better informed and with a greater understanding of what you can do to influence your birth, if you are willing to put the work in and practice the techniques regularly ahead of time.

Our Comprehensive antenatal course, whilst covering these topics, does so in less detail than the KG Hypnobirthing course. Instead, it dedicates more time to what to expect once your baby is here. So that our hypnobirthing mums and dads don’t miss out on this information, they have the option of attending an additional session on life with a new baby in the first three months. This can be invaluable for first time parents, but isn’t always felt necessary by second time parents, which is why we offer it as a bolt-on session, rather than as part of the course.

What does the hypnobirthing course include?

Over the five weeks, we will cover:

• what hypnobirthing is

• how and why hypnobirthing works

• the anatomy and physiology of childbirth - helping you to understand what you can do physically, both in advance and on the day itself, to help labour run as smoothly as possible

• the process of labour, from signs of it starting to holding your baby in your arms

• what can help and hinder successful labour and birth, including the role of hormones, your mind and your nervous system

• relaxation skills and scripts to practice at home between the sessions and before the birth

• why complications in labour may arise, and what you can do to continue to feel in control even if things don’t go exactly as you had expected

• when and why you might be offered interventions such as induction of labour, Caesarean birth, forceps or vacuum extraction, and what happens during those procedures

• considerations about where to give birth, positions to give birth in and the role of the birth partner

• the chance to ask questions, share experiences, get to know other couples due around the same time as you if you are on the group course

• ongoing email and phone support, right up to the time your baby is born. This can be particularly reassuring if things change in your pregnancy after the course has finished, and you want to talk over your new circumstances so that you continue to feel calm and in control of your birth experience

• a copy of Katherine Graves’ The Hypnobirthing Book

• an audio download of three hypnobirthing tracks, to listen to at home

• a full course folder including all the notes accompanying the course

In the additional, optional session on life with a new baby, we cover:

• feeding them (however you intend to do that),

• meeting their emotional and physical needs,

• responding to their cries

• normal infant sleep

• safe sleep practices.

Who’s it for?

Anyone who is pregnant! There can be a misconception that hypnobirthing is only suitable/relevant for women planning to birth at home, or who don’t want pain relief in labour, or who don’t plan to have a Caesarean. Whilst these women will definitely benefit from using hypnobirthing, so will anyone who intends to have their baby in a birth centre or hospital, who thinks she might choose an epidural, or who finds out or decides that her baby will be born by Caesarean. Hypnobirthing benefits the baby through pregnancy as well as the mother during labour, as practising the skills and techniques means the mother is less likely to be releasing stress hormones, which cross the placenta and can affect the baby.

You will receive a warm welcome whether this is your first or a subsequent baby. We actively encourage partners to attend (by “partners” we mean whoever you want to have at the birth with you, or anyone who may be helping you in the early weeks with your baby - this could be your husband/wife/partner, your boyfriend/girlfriend, your mum, your sister, your friend - if they are going to be involved in supporting you, we’d love them to be there at the classes), but it is equally fine to come by yourself if that works better for you.

About the teacher:

Sarah qualified as a KGH teacher in 2019, having already been providing antenatal education to local parents since 2005. So far, to date, she has helped over 1,300 couples prepare for their baby’s birth. Sarah has a wealth of experience of delivering courses which are really well designed to meet the needs of  everyone in the group. Also, her experiences of supporting more than one hundred women in labour across Oxfordshire as a doula (birth companion) sets her apart from other hypnobirthing teachers in the area, as she can draw on those experiences in her teaching, and they give her a deep understanding of the wide range of birthing journeys that women undertake, as well as a thorough knowledge of our local maternity services.

What people are saying about KGHypnobirthing:

“The thing about KGHypnobirthing is that it works” - father

“Thanks so much for your valuable class; I had the most amazing birth, probably the best night of my life” - mother

“I have been present at KGHypnobirthing births and seen how in control the women are, and how also the partners are a lot calmer and able to help, and what a difference it really does make to the start of parenthood for them” - midwife

“Your hypobirthing course completely transformed my mindset about pregnancy and labour. As a natural worrier, planner, over-thinker and control freak, hypnobirthing helped me feel in control of my pregnancy and empowered about the birth of my baby.” Annie B, mum to Ollie born May 2023

“We completed Sarah’s hypnobirthing course in the hope of better preparing us for the birth “experience”. Although our birth did not go to “plan” we felt in total control throughout and every decision was made by us with confidence thanks to all we learned with Sarah. I am sure had we not completed her hypnobirthing course we would not have felt as in control / confident during our labour experience.” Lizzie T, mum to Max, born December 2022

“Your hypnobirthing course was the main reason we had the most amazing experience, even with a twist at the end, so got to thank you for so much! I wouldn’t have been able to keep calm without all your help.” Lucy H, mum to baby Felix born May 2020.

“The techniques learned on both your hypnobirthing course and breathing for labour sessions really helped keep me centred and gave me an anchor to return to whenever I started feeling overwhelmed by the speed and intensity of the surges.” Catherine W, mum to Florence, born May 2020.

To read more testimonials from recent class attendees, please click here.

To Book

If you would like to join a group course, please use the Book Now button to secure your place on the course of your choice.

If you would like to book a private course, please contact me on sarah@birthbabybalance.co.uk. Please let me know when your baby is due, which number baby this is (first, second etc) and where you live, and I will get back to you with some suggested dates, and we will go from there.

2024 Course Dates

KGH025, for late December - late February due dates: Thursdays 7th November-5th December, 6.30-9.00p.m. Spaces available

Optional bolt-on session to cover feeding and caring for your new baby: Thursday 12th December 6.30-9.00p.m.

KGH026, for mid March-early May due dates: Thursdays 23rd January-20th February, 6.30-9.00p.m. Spaces available

Optional bolt-on session to cover feeding and caring for your new baby: Thursday 27th February 6.30-9.00p.m.

KGH027, for mid May-mid July due dates: Thursdays 13th March-10th April, 6.30-9.00p.m. Spaces available

Optional bolt-on session to cover feeding and caring for your new baby: Thursday 17th April, 6.30-9.00p.m.

Investment

Group course:

Five week group antenatal course of the KG Hypnobirthing method, including a copy of The Hypnobirthing Book by Katherine Graves, a folder of notes, and an audio download of scripts: £260.00.

Bolt-on session covering feeding and other postnatal topics: £50.00.

Prices are per couple attending.

Private course:

Five week private antenatal course of the KG Hypnobirthing method: £520.00. If you live outside of West Oxfordshire, there will be an additional travel cost if I am coming to you.

Bolt-on session covering feeding and looking after your baby: £100.00

Prices are per couple.

Venue

Classes are held at The Yoga Room, Balance Studios, Bridge Street Mill, Bridge Street, Witney, OX28 1YH.