How did Hypnobirthing Start?

Probably the person accredited with the origin of the term Hypnobirthing is Michelle Leclaire O'Neill in 1987 [www.leclairemethod.com], who authored books on the subject including "Hypnobirthing the Original Method". Her work was based partly on previous research be English obstetrician Dr. Grantly Dick Reid.

Other people instrumental in the spread of Hypnobirthing include Marie Mongan who founded The US based Hypnobirthing Institute, and Michel Odent who did a great deal in the 1970s to promote the cause of homebirthing, and the use of birthing pools.

Katharine teaches Hypnobirthing at London Hospitals

Katharine is very proud to have been selected as the Hypnobirthing teacher for the new courses in London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital - to be held starting soon in the Kensington Wing.  She also teaches Hypnobirthing classes at St Thomas's Hospital on the South Bank.

Hypnobirthing Lecture at Bournemouth University

Katharine has been invited to lecture at Bournemouth University on HB at a training day for the student midwives in the south and southwest of England. They were fascinated at having the rationale explained to them about this new way of assisting a mother to have an empowering experience of birth and, as a result, many of them have asked to attend Katharine's classes so they can find out more about it and be more supportive to the women in their care.

At your class you will learn to combine relaxation and breathing techniques effectively, and to work with your body so that you always stay in control of your own childbirth process.

• Hypnobirthing in North West London - Primrose Hill, Camden, Hampstead
  
• Hypnobirthing in Central London - South Bank
• Hypnobirthing for Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Kingston, Walton
• Train to be a Hypnobirthing Teacher
  

Please don't take our word for it. Why not take a look at the childbirth experiences of some of our previous childbirth hypnotherapy clients to see the amazing impact that hypnosis for birth can have on your special day.

In principle it's more important to do the course early and have plenty of time to practice so that the techniques become second nature (rather than having it fresh in your memory) - any time in the second trimester is ideal - so do book in good time as courses often get fully booked nearer the time. Having said this, I've taught a mother who gave birth two days later, and it worked perfectly well.

The Centre runs Hypnobirth Courses throughout the London area. See below for some of our locations.

The benefits for your Baby

You decide to do Hypnobirthing for a more comfortable and often pain free birth, because that's what it does. But the greater significance in the long term is the effect it has on your baby.

If the birth is calm, gentle and drug free for you, it's also calm, gentle and drug free for your baby, so this little person arrives in the world alert, and with a mother who is alert and ready to receive it lovingly and attentively,  That first relationship it forms is the blueprint for every other relationship throughout its life.  This will have an effect not only on your baby as it grows and develops, but also on every other relationship it forms which will affect everyone it meets, and the significance of this can't be over-estimated.

Also, because Hypnobirthing babies have no trauma to recover from, they tend to be more calm, serene and content. From the reports I get, they also seem to thrive better, sleep better, and develop quicker. It sometimes seems miraculous, but actually that's how it's designed to be, and what we have come to consider as the norm is an aberration that we have developed over time.

Please view: course dates, times and booking information below.

Book your Hypnobirth course here!

• Central London - South Bank
• North West London - Primrose Hill
• South West London - Teddington
• Train to be a Hypnobirthing Teacher

*Statistic from the American Hypnobirthing Institute in 2007