How to practise hypnobirthing?
So you’ve done a hypnobirthing course, you understand how it all works and that the most important thing to do now is to PRACTISE? But HOW? How long for? What’s the best way to do it?
I’ve broken down the techniques with suggestions of how often to practise.. but really, the more practice you do, the easier the techniques are going to be to utilise during labour! Practising hypnobirthing really doesnt need to take more that 20 minutes or so out of your day- and most of that can be done whilst you’re falling asleep!
Every Day Practice
Positive Affirmations
As soon as you’ve done your course, the easiest first step is to fill your life with positive affirmations!
You can write your own, buy a ready made pack, print some off pinterest, whatever!
Stick them on the fridge, around your computer screen, on your bedside table, in the biscuit tin! Anywhere that you’re going to look regularly! Fill that subconscious mind with positivity!
Relaxation Scripts
The simplest way to regularly practise scripts is to play them every night as you drift off to sleep. You might use the MP3s that come as part of your course, or you might practise your preferred scripts ‘live’ with your partner reading. You can even get your partner to record your favourite scripts so you can practise without them if needbe.
Up and Down Breathing Techniques
Have a trigger to practise your Up Breathing technique and visualisations- so every time you put they key in the front door, or stop at a red light, you practise your breathing! Just four breaths will do, and it only takes around 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! You might pop a positive affirmation up in the bathroom to remind you.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Remembering to focus on the ‘relax’ as much as the lift!
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 ‘Hand on Bump’ scripts are useful ones to do together. Don’t forget you can always use aromatherapy anchors when your practise on your own too.
Massage Techniques
We have three core massage techniques on the Positively Birthing course, if you can talk your partner into practising them with you once a week in pregnancy, they’ll be second nature by the time the birth arrives! You’ve got the ‘soft touch’ massage, sacral pressure and infinity deep tissue massages.
Perineal Massage (from 34 weeks)
Best practised 2-3 times a week, from around 34 weeks of pregnancy.
Whenever you can
Read Positive Birth Stories
Whenever you’re scrolling instagram or sat on the commute, head over to our positive birth stories and work your way through!
Make a Birth Plan
Sit together with your birth partner for this one, and put together some thoughts and preferences for your birth. It doesnt have to be completed in one go though!
Relaxation Scripts SOMEWHERE ELSE
The chances are for a lot of your labour you wont actually be laying in your bed! Have a go practising your relaxation scripts standing up, on a stroll in the park, in the bath! Anywhere you fancy!
Positive Affirmation MP3
You can loop this to play after your relaxation scripts, or you can have it ready to play in the car, on the school run, doing the washing up! (NB Do not use a relaxation script whilst driving, just the affirmations!)