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 16 June 2008

HypnoBirthing 'Side Effects'

I was teaching a HypnoBirthing course at the Union Jack Club on the Southbank yesterday. An extra bonus, apart from the radiant faces of the couples as they left, was that I was conveniently in London to go to a concert in the evening. It was inspiring music, played on the piano, flute and cello; the music of Gurdjieff which is not often heard. It was a great privilege to be there.

Private HypnoBirthing Classes

I'm off to do a private HypnoBirthing class tomorrow. This is for a mother who is having her second baby. Having found out the hard way what birth is like without HypnoBirthing first time round, this time she's decided to do the course. Second time mothers come to me with the phrase, 'If only.....' on their lips. 'If only someone had told me.' 'If only I'd known.' HypnoBirthing helps to remove the 'if onlys' before they happen.

With this mother I shall be doing a private class in one day instead of two, because second time mothers know a lot about birth already, so I don't need to talk about that side of it. They're amazed at the difference HypnoBirthing makes, because they have something to compare it with.

Sunday 15 June 2008

HypnoBirthing Weekend

A lovely weekend with two great HypnoBirthing groups. It's quite interesting the looks you get when you go out to lunch with seven pregnant women!

I always learn when I teach a HypnoBirthing class, because people ask such interesting questions. It's fascinating to find out that there is always a new way of looking at the work.

Friday 13 June 2008

The Business of Being Born

Went to see the film, The Business of Being Born last night and, though very interesting, you felt it was to some extent more relevant to America than to this country. The main reservation I had was the emphasis on pain and, as a HypnoBirthing teacher, I know that birth can be gentle and comfortable. I have many, many birth reports telling me so from the mothers I have taught. If some women can do it, plainly it's possible for a woman's body to do it, and therefore it's possible for any woman to do it. HypnoBirthing shows you how, and, though all birth professionals support a natural and gentle birth, HypnoBirthing is the only way I have found of making it really happen.

Wednesday 11 June 2008

Midwives Training Day

I had a great day yesterday. I had been asked to speak about HypnoBirthing at the student midwives' theme day at Bournemouth University. I was warmly welcomed, and the organisation was excellent. There were so many good speakers to listen to, and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet Mary Cronk, although sadly I had to leave before her talk. There was a huge emphasis on natural birth, although very few actual suggestions of ways to achieve it, so HypnoBirthing was unique in that it gives a mother the tools so she can actual have, for herself and for her baby, what so many mothers would like to have - a gentle, calm birth.

Tuesday 10 June 2008

HypnoBirthing on Channel 4

Yesterday it was The Mail on Sunday. Today it's Channel 4. Had a long and interesting conversation about a documentary on preparation for birth that will include hypnobirthing. There's so much interest in hypnobirthing, and it's growing so fast which is really encouraging. Word of mouth really is the best advertising.

HypnoBirthing in The Mail on Sunday

Yesterday I was contacted by a journalist who is doing a feature on preparation for birth in The Mail on Sunday. He wanted to know more about HypnoBirthing, because everyone is talking about it, so we spend quite a long time talking about it, and I explained to him how significant it is

In terms of a gentle, comfortable birth for the mother

In terms of a gentle, calm entry into the world for the baby, and birth is the most formative experience of your life.

Monday 9 June 2008

HypnoBirthing Training

I'm spending today preparing a talk for student midwives at Bournemouth University. On Wednesday I shall be talking to 200 student midwives about hypnobirthing which is a really great opportunity and I'm delighted to have been asked to do it. The only problem is that there's so much I would like to say that I'm not sure how to condense it into the time available. This year I'm having twice the enquiries for hypnobirthing that I had last year. Most of them come form personal recommendations of people who have done hypnobirthing themselves and know how it work. But more and more recommendations are coming from midwives and also doctors who have attended hypnobirthing births and are amazed at the difference it makes.

As well as welcoming the opportunity to tell the student midwives about hypnobirthing, it will also be a great opportunity for me to learn from the other speakers.

Sunday 8 June 2008

More HypnoBirthing

It's been a busy HypnoBirthing weekend with two lovely groups starting the course. One was at Triyoga in northwest London - the venue with the yummy smoothies. The other was at the Union Jack Club near the southbank where you can wander along the Thames in the lunch break. We'll finish both courses next week, and have some more wonderful birth reports soon.

Sunday 1 June 2008

Teddington HypnoBirthing

A great course this weekend! Quite a small group but really dynamic, and in the lovely venue that overlooks the Thames we had a great time. I'm never quite sure how much the class is watching the boats, and how much they're listening to me.