Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better

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My wife is having our baby in a few months, and having read this book, it's clear that I knew almost nothing about what to expect and how to help her when she gives birth. After a difficult past labour I was very apprehensive about finding out that I was pregnant just due to the fact that I would have to do it again. Hypnobirthing certainly doesn’t involve being hypnotised; instead, it teaches you how your body works on a muscular and hormonal level when in labour and how you can use various relaxation techniques to ensure you are working with your body (rather than against it), making birth more efficient and comfortable.

It is somewhat anti medical (again, unrealistic for the majority of births) medical intervention and pain killers are demonised a little which might make first timers feel inadequate if their birth doesn’t end up looking like the ideals put forward in this book. Don't get fooled by the title of the book "hypnobirthing", it really doesn't have anything to do with hypnosis. The book was just a basic primer on what you need to know for birth— the stages of labor, how to pack a hospital bag, writing a birth plan. I was recommended this book by my cousin and it’s definitely been a thought changer when it comes to birthing babies.Expert hypnobirthing teacher and founder of The Positive Birth Company Siobhan Miller has made it her mission to change the way we approach and experience birth.

They know the evidence better than we do and are recommending things with a patient centered, evidence based approach. People can get as crunchy as they want, myself having packed an essential oil to bring to the hospital, but no amount of woowoo affirmations is going to give a newborn baby the Hepatitis B vaccine.This book really outlines what to expect during each phase of labor for you and your birth partner so you feel ready and knowledgeable. The author is the founder of The Positive Birth Company and in her book she first of all debunks common myths about hypnobirthing and the birth experience. Siobhan Miller very convincingly argues that this view of childbirth, which we all (men included) soak in from an early age through TV shows and films, gives us a warped idea of childbirth.

Siobhan manages to completely demystify hypnobirthing, making it accessible and relevant to all women and all births. The tone and some of content felt a bit patronising - I never want to heat the BRAIN acronym ever again.

Whilst I understand the principals of hypnobirthing I’d definitely recommend the course more as it feels less like she is forcing her opinions on you and rather presenting the options available. Third, to manage the environment, whether it's at home, birth centre, or hospital, to create an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Her practical advice will be sure to give you enough tools to enable you to feel calm and collected throughout labour - Natasha Harding, Sun --This text refers to the paperback edition. It primes men to feel like useless spectators, and more importantly it primes women to fear giving birth.