In partnership with Larissa's Acupuncture room we present LAR Mum and Baby.
LAR Mum and Baby provides a unique antenatal experience, combining the teachings of hypnobirthing along with the tradition Chinese techniques of acupressure.
In LAR Mum and Baby classes we use traditional hypnobirthing techniques to help you relax and help remove any anxiety or fears you have with birthing. I use the easibirthing hypnobirthing model (http://www.easibirthing.co.uk) as easibirthing is a UK based model which was developed in conjunction with midwives and therefore compliments UK birthing practices (many others are a US model).
The hypnobirthing along with our antenatal program is designed to fully prepare you for your birthing experience. In addition Larissa will teach your birthing partner acupressure points that will help relief pain during labour. Drawing on my own experience, birthing partners can sometimes feel like they do not have an important role to play: this program is designed to help birthing partners discover their importance into the birthing experience too.
The course will comprise of 4 sessions of around 2 hours each, broken down in the following way:
Week 1: into to the birthing experience and first induction
Week 2: stage 1 of labour, second intuition, acupressure workshop part 1
Week 3: stage 2 if labour, third induction, acupressure workshop part 2
Week 4: stage 3 of labour, forth induction, breastfeeding workshop (if you are not planning to breastfeed, we can adapt this last part to optimal bottle feeding and baby bonding instead).
When we run the course in a group setting we run it on 4 consecutive weeks, but we can be quite flexible in terms of dates and times for private courses (in our experience, 4 to 6 weeks would ensure you get the best out of it, if at all possible).
In addition to the course, the expectant mum also gets 2 free acupuncture treatments, to ensure your complete wellbeing during this process. The first treatment is to be taken antenatally, and focuses on either turning a breech baby or helping with induction of labour is baby is overdue. The second is our 'Mother warming', to be taken postnatally, to help your body recover from giving birth; the mother warming treatment can be done at home or at the clinic, according to your preference.
You also get handouts and CD's (or dropbox MP3's) as well as sample products to help you prepare for your birth.
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Paul Keighley is a certified hypnobirthing practitioner (CHBP) having been trained by Sharon Mustard. the founder and director of easibirthing®
easibirthing® is a UK based model which was developed in conjunction with midwives and therefore complements UK birthing practices. It is designed as a flexible approach to adapt to each individual client; and to empower them to manage whatever course their birth experience takes.
You can find Paul on the easibirthing® practitioners' database at
http://www.easibirthing.co.uk/practitioners/childbirth-specialists
Hypnobirthing
What is Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing teaches you simple self hypnosis, relaxation and breathing techniques to help you have a calmer, less painful birth. It burst into the spotlight in 2013 when the Duchess of Cambridge said she was going to use it during the birth of her first baby, Prince George.
Pain and discomfort during labour is a fear response that can be avoided if you learn the right techniques before having your baby. Using breathing and relaxation methods, the idea is that you can help your body relax and go through the natural process of giving birth without tensing up and feeling scared. Hypnobirthing is the use of positive language and keeping calm.
Staying calm stops your body going into a panicky ‘fight-or-flight mode’ enabling you to focus your energy on a faster, easier labour. By staying calm you help your body release hormones like oxytocin - which encourages contractions - and endorphins, which numb pain and help you feel good. A huge benefit of hypnobirthing is the feeling of control it gives you over your birth - rather than relying heavily on your doctor or midwife.
Birth has the potential to be one of the most wonderful experiences of our lives. Childbirth is a natural physiological process that a woman’s body is fully equipped for. Each birth is unique, and it is about empowering you to manage your individual experience, not fear it.
Can I use hypnobirthing if I give birth at home or in a birth centre?
You can use your hypnobirthing techniques wherever you choose to give birth.
Many women who want to try hypnobirthing are keen to have a natural birth without medical interventions. If you’re one of them, giving birth at home or in a birth centre can be an especially good choice, as you’re less likely to need medical interventions if you’re at low risk of complicationsin these places compared to on the labour ward.
Midwives who attend home births or who work in midwife-led birth centres won’t prevent you from using hypnobirthing techniques, and they’re likely to have come across other women who have done hypnobirthing before.
What happens in the LAR Mum and Baby classes?
LAR Mum and baby helps you take a different approach to the way you think and talk about labour and birth. For example, we may talk about ‘tightenings’ or ‘surges’, rather than painful contractions - helping you feel more positive about your ability to give birth. You'll also learn about best positions for labour and birth, deep relaxation, self-hypnosis and breathing techniques. Larissa, our acupuncturist will also show birth partners how to apply pressure using very safe acupressure points to help with the control of any pain. Often during birthing, birth partners can feel like they cannot help in any way or feel useless, My teaching them the acupressure points not only helps Mum but gives birth partners a practical role in the birthing experience.
When should I start hypnobirthing?
The ideal time to start classes is between 25 weeks and 29 weeks of pregnancy, but you may well benefit from classes right up to the end of your pregnancy.