An Introduction To Hypnobirthing

Hey guys, Ellie here! I am very excited to be sharing this blog written by Lillian Rowe - a Hypnobirthing practitioner, Registered Midwife and pilates instructor who supported us on our pregnancy journey.

You can contact her here.

Written by Lillian Rowe

An introduction to hypnobirthing

You might have stumbled across this because you are planning to bring a baby into the world or are possibly already pregnant ~ big love to you, wherever you are in your journey. Hypnobirthing tends to get an immediate eyebrow raise and the ‘woo woo’ alarm bells go off. To be perfectly honest, I had the same thoughts initially too. However, it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the concept, particularly because it’s completely rooted in evidence around optimising birth for women and their experiences. I am deeply passionate about creating space for women to feel into their own power, abilities and intuition on their journey into motherhood.

I love to blend my knowledge as a Registered Midwife with my skills as a Pilates instructor to infuse my education as a Hypnobirthing Australia Practitioner with a holistic and health-conscious mindset. I own a business called Woven, and my goal in my work is to guide my clients with love and encourage our society to bring back the ritual of birth. I feel birth is such an incredible, primitive and transitional time in a woman and her partners life. It deserves reverence, space and respect.

There are plenty of different and incredible options for birth education. In my opinion, doing some sort of education either online, in person, through a hospital course or a private education is a powerful investment in a families preparation for parenthood.

I teach the Hypnobirthing Australia course with a focus on positive and supportive practices that are useful in the birth space. I love when I have finished the course with a couple and they feel excited and beautifully prepared for their birthing journey.

The course is designed to connect birthing women and their partners with techniques to help achieve a deep state of relaxation. With a foundation of understanding the normal physiology of labour and birth, we also focus on creating a calm state. With these tools we can encourage the birthing mother and baby to navigate the dance of labour with a combination of strength and softness.

Hypnobirthing Australia provides tools to navigate if birth takes a different turn to expected or if difficulties or variations arise. Birth is beautiful and complex! From a midwifery perspective, it is important for me that my clients know and understand that birth can look different for everyone. A few small and intentional rituals can completely evolve a couples experience in the birth space.

Birth partners are included in everything throughout the course and learn ways to help the birthing woman throughout pregnancy, birth and beyond. Each class is made up of theory around the normal physiology of birth, the science of the subconscious mind and understanding the process of labour and birth. As well as practical tools, which includes active relaxation and breathing exercises, hands-on massage techniques and hypnosis practice components (I could go on and on!)

I run the course in a 1:1 capacity as well as in a workshop setting (or even a combination of both!). I also teach the course online for those who live a little further away. I’m based in Brisbane, Australia and often travel up and down to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast (any excuse for a swim and some sea air).

My five favourite tips for the birth space are around optimising oxytocin which is our clever love and connection hormone. It’s in charge of carrying the labour, so her role is vital.

Stay at home for as long as feels right to optimise your beautiful birthing hormones, allow your surges (or contractions) to become strong, regular and rhythmic like waves in the ocean. Oxytocin will build when you feel safe, comfortable and relaxed. Your home is your own little oxytocin bubble.
Make the space yours! We want you to feel like a birthing goddess both at home and in the hospital or birth centre. Dim the lights, drop the blinds, use a diffuser to fill the room with a scent you love and play your favourite music (Ellie has a beautiful birth playlist!).
Spend time connecting with your partner and let the love flow between you. This is a magical time, you are bringing your beautiful baby into the world together. Oxytocin is our love and connection hormone, the more we can support and optimise it the more we help your labour.
Use the water, if you can access the shower and/or a bath or a birth pool the water can be an incredible tool to soften the intensity of labour and mobilise to help your baby navigate the birth path.
Have deep and connected conversations with your partner prior to the birth, create some clear preferences around your labour and birth. This can ensure you feel safe and your needs and wishes are met wherever possible and your partner can advocate for you if needed.