Frequently asked questions about Hypnobirthing

Does my partner/husband have to attend the classes?

Birthing companions are a very important part of HypnoBirthing success. However, if your partner/husband cannot attend all the classes and/or help you practice or attend the birth, your mother, sister or friend can also be your birthing companion. Whoever you choose (and I strongly recommend it's the father if at all possible, as it helps build a strong relationship with the child), they should attend all the classes and the birth.

It's finally something useful for the dad to do! Instead of your husband or partner being a helpless onlooker, they become a central part of the birthing process, helping you to stay calm and focused on the techniques you've been taught. As a result, the fathers feel proud to have been able to help, and to be an active part of the birth. Imagine how close that makes them feel to you and the baby!

Does it help the baby too?

We find that babies born using HypnoBirthing tend to be calmer, feed better, sleep better and experience less trauma, because they are gently and calmly breathed into the world at their own pace. Scientific research has also shown that the babies usually have higher Agpar scores as well (a measure of how well your baby is doing immediately after the birth, and then five minutes later).

Will I be in control?

HypnoBirthing doesn't mean you'll be in a trance or a sleep. Rather, you'll be able to chat, and be and in good spirits - totally relaxed, but fully in control. You'll always be aware of what is happening to you, and around you.

HypnoBirthing doesn't require any particular belief system, or prior experience. Some mums (and especially their husbands!) have been very skeptical at first - until they experience it for themselves.

In fact, the more skeptical they are to start with, the more evangelical they are when they discover the power of HypnoBirthing.