When I was pregnant I wanted to hear everyone’s top tips for birth – forget the horror stories, just tell me what worked in a positive way. So I decided to share some of the collective knowledge as mothers, midwives, antenatal teachers and Doulas from the women who trained as Natal Hypnotherapy practitioners, so here are the 21 top tips for a positive birth.
Holly Heather
Top tip 1.
Holly Heather
Remember that this is your birth, your baby, and your body. You only get this experience once so make sure everyone in that birthing room is having a positive influence on your journey into parenthood
Top Tip 2.
Katie Jayne Baker
Having a birth project lined up to occupy you in the excitement phase… That really helped switch off my neo cortex and let my body get on with labouring without any adrenaline interfering! X
Top Tip 4.
Zana Parker
You can plan for the best or you can hope for the best. Planning increases positivity and confidence and provides tools, techniques and coping strategies that are useful in any labour setting. Hoping has you crossing your fingers whilst remaining anxious and without a sense of control. So rather than merely hoping for a positive birth, plan for one!
Top Tip 5.
Gem Nealon
Stay at home as long as you can If having a hospital birth. Think home labour, hospital birth x
Top Tip 6.
Caroline Thompson
It is your body, your birth and your body. You are in control. Own it.
Preparation is key to success on the day. The power of the mind is phenomenal, believe you can and you’re half way there. Any thing is possible if you believe.
Top Tip 7.
Lindsay Weitzman
Be informed then choose your path with confidence, Every pregnancy & every birth is unique. Make yours the best it can be.
Top Tip 8.
Janine King
Stay in control of your breath. When we have control of our breath we can control the our physiological selves; giving us a calm mind, lowering heart rate, lowering blood pressure and giving us the ability to see things clearly and calmly. It is very hard for adrenaline to take over when we are in this state.
Top Tip 9.
Olivia Southey
Don’t be scared to consider a home birth- you always have the right to transfer. And… Learn about birth hormones, because understanding how well they have been designed to help you gives you a great deal of confidence in your body. And…. Loving support is fantastically effective pain management X
Top Tip 10.
Elaine McMahon Dossett
Breathe all the way down to baby. Breathe in courage, expand, focus on softening, …. Then breathe out fear, focus, think about opening. Just take one contraction at a time; forget about what’s passed, and don’t worry about is yet to come.
Top Tip 11.
Nicola Witcombe
It’s your journey and no one else’s. Walk your path with calmness and confidence. Your body and your baby are working together – you’ve got this!
Top Tip 12.
Yvonne Hopkinson
Listen to your body and trust your instincts
Top Tip 13.
Rebecca Rowley
Calm and contented mummy = calm and contented baby
Top Tip 14.
Sandra Bush
It’s not original, but each contraction is one less. Each contraction on is one step closer to meeting your baby.
Top Tip 15.
Claire Waters
I regularly use “Remember you’re a mammal”.
Top Tip 16
Lucy Pilkington
Preparation is key to success on the day. The power of the mind is phenomenal, believe you can and you’re half way there. Any thing is possible if you believe.
Top Tip 17
Lynsey Currie
Take it all in your stride but be confident in what you want…take responsibility for your own birth X
Top Tip 18
Jenny Hassett
Get informed about all your options. Remember your BRAINS!
Top Tip 19
Katy CW
Practise practise practise 😀 Trust that if you are practising then it will be working, your subconscious mind will be taking it all in.
Top Tip 20
Natalie Qureshi
You are not tempting fate by planning and preparing, do your research, do your preparation and own your birth. It’s too important to leave it to anyone else.
Top Tip 21
Melissa Booth
The day your baby is born can be amazing! It’s also the beginning into the wonderful journey of being a parent…self hypnosis is a skill for life!
Fantastic! Lots of great advice.
Let me know your favourite of the top 21 tips in the comments below.
