Katharine Graves' HypnoBirthing blog talks about her passion for her work at The HypnoBirthing Centre, where she teaches couples to take control of their own childbirth process, allowing them to give birth more naturally, comfortably, quickly and with reduced or no medical intervention. As well as running HypnoBirthing courses, Katharine is also a doula, craniosacral therapist, nutritionist, kinesiologist and mother of four grown-up children.

Monday 26 November 2007

Pete, Rose & Orla Faye Byrne's birth

A lovely and really informative Hyponobirthing Story

This is the story about Rose and Peter's daughter Orla Faye being born after a HypnoBirthing course. It gives lots of really interesting information and is published in full on Rose's Blog. A really good account for anyone considering hypnobirthing!

Love, Katharine


Pete, Rose & Orla Faye Byrne's space: "Rose's (Hypno)birth story This was going to be the summary (but I have gone on a bit and so it is a pretty detailed full account (Hypno)birth story now) – some of it is not for the faint-hearted but it is mainly pretty positive :

SHOW: Monday 6th Aug = my due date = had a show when in Asda. Had a couple of further shows between then and Friday 10th Aug.

WATERS: Friday 10th Aug at 7pm (ish) = Waters broke as a long trickle when I was at home in the middle of sending a text message. My waters continued to trickle out of me (lovely image I know ) until Orla arrived. I rang the hospital to tell them that my waters had broken and they said that if I had not gone into labour by the next morning then I should go in to the hospital to check for infection at 9am the next morning."



Read the rest on Rose's Blog.

Friday 23 November 2007

Worth Travelling For

Our HypnoBirthing course in Bath last weekend was an unusually long distance affair.

One couple had travelled from Brighton on the grounds that they commuted to London all week and didn't want to do it again at the weekend, and another came from Essex on the recommendation of a mother who had done the course with us last year.

It is so rewarding when people come from personal recommendations of mothers who have used HypnoBirthing and know how good it is, and when people are prepared to come so far to do their HypnoBirthing class!

Friday 16 November 2007

Steffi's HypnoBirthing account

Steffi's HypnoBirthing account: "Katharine, we wanted to send you a very special, huge thank you to you for everything you have done for us, taught us, and assisted us with. We would have never done it this way without your HypnoBirthing class. It gave us the confidence to go through the breech birth naturally, without any epidural (just a bit of gas and air), no tearing, no cutting, no stress for the baby. "

Monday 12 November 2007

HypnoBirthing courses - Simona's kind words about her childbirth experience

HypnoBirthing courses - Simona's kind words about her childbirth experience:

"Kind words from Simona about her HypnoBirthing experience....

You truly empowered me with your words, wisdom and example. What I learnt enabled me to decide for myself, trust my instincts, and feel that baby and I were the absolute protagonists of our birthing. And if before giving birth I was already thinking about my next pregnancy, now is not jus a thought, it’s a plan!

I want to do it again!!! Coz I know now what it is like."

How does HypnoBirthing work?

How does HypnoBirthing work?:

"HypnoBirthing is a tried and tested method that lets you discover the joy and magic of birth, and is much more than just self-hypnosis or hypnotherapy. The method has been developed from the work of the British obstetrician, Grantly Dick-Read, the pioneer of natural childbirth.

It is deeply relaxing and effective, and allows your mind and your body to work in harmony, the way nature intended.

The Advantages of using HypnoBirthing during childbirth Eliminates the Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome before, during and after birthing Allows relaxation, and side-effect free pain relief during labour Eliminates or greatly reduces the need for chemical painkillers Shortens the first stage of labour by several hours Eliminates fatigue during labour, leaving the mother fresh, awake and with energy for actual birthing More rapid postnatal recovery Returns birthing to the beautiful, peaceful experience nature intended Creates a more integral role for the birthing companion

On our Course you will learn:

Relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques to eliminate the fear and tension that cause long labour and pain, replacing them with confidence, calm, and comfort

Other techniques to produce a shorter, more comfortable labour

The creation and control of the body’s own natural anaesthesia

The source of the myth that pain must accompany normal birthing

Why women in other cultures have birthings almost entirely free of discomfort

How the mother’s body is designed to work in neuro-muscular harmony with nature throughout labour Practice in deep relaxation during and between uterine surges

The importance of prenatal and perinatal bonding

What is Hypnosis? Hypnosis is a naturally induced state of relaxed concentration �"

Tuesday 6 November 2007

The HypnoBirthing Centre

This is a blog about the HypnoBirthing Centre, a place where Katharine Graves teaches HypnoBirthing to mothers and new parents, to help them go through child birth more easily, more in control of their own process, more naturally, and with better management of pain during the process.

We'll post a few stories here about Katharie and her work, as well as some feedback from some of the couples who complete the courses.

The HypnoBirthing Centre is not strictly a place, as it happens to be wherever Katharine is running her HypnoBirthing Courses at any one time. At present her courses are being held at: Central London in Covent Garden, North West London (Primrose Hill), Teddington (Middlesex), very near Kingston Bridge, Bath, near Bristol, Salisbury, and from her home in Wiltshire, between Marlborough, Hungerford and Andover.

The HypnoBirthing centre can also being courses to your home. They cost a little more but the convenience of having Katharine teach you the process at your own place is naturally very pleasant.

Katharine Graves is a qualified hypnotherapy practitioner, doula, and mother of four, so this really is a specialist subject for her! Please enjoy our blog, feel free to post comments, and do get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out more about a course.