Duration: 26.30 minutes

In response to the latest changes from the Covid-19 we have put together a bonus module to support you at this time.  

It is important - for both you and your baby - to stay calm in these unprecedented times.  You can still use the KGH techniques you have available to release any fears and anxiety.

Breathing Exercise

Katharine guides you through some calming breathing exercises and visualisations. Helping you remain calm at this time.

Using B.R.A.I.N.S

Helping you make the right decisions for you and for your baby.  

Acupressure Points

Katharine guides you through some very effective accupressure points to help relieve stress.

Water and Hydration

Why this is so important when you are pregnant and how it can help support your body.

Worry and Stress

Especially at this time, understanding what creates the fear and how you can put in place steps to remove the stress and release the fear.

Relaxation Audio

This beautiful relaxation will put you in a calm and confident frame of mind, helping you to release any fears and enjoy your baby's birth.  

Practice and Supporting Documents

• Official Advice for Covid-19
• Taking Precautions
• Where to give birth to my baby

Duration:  7.01 minutes.

This course consists of a number of videos, supporting documents, and further practise.  In this module we have a brief introduction on how to use these to ensure you find it easy using this online format and that you make the most out of your hypnobirthing journey.

You will probably have many questions about how this course works, we have covered many of these questions here.  If you have any other questions please do contact us.

Support Documents

• How to Use This Course

Duration:  12.56 minutes

In this module we start to introduce a completely fresh approach to birth.  There are a number of perceptions, and indeed mis-conceptions about hypnobirthing.  We look at these in more detail and share with you a very different mindset that will help you approach birth in a relaxed and confident manner. 

Decisions Made On Facts And Not Assumptions

At the end of this module you will understand the importance of making well informed decisions to ensure the best birth for you.  Every birth is different, and what is right for you may not be right for the next person.  KGHypnobirthing will not tell you what to do, but it will make you question your choices and signpost you to the information to support any decisions you make.  It will allow you to make decisions based on facts and not assumptions.

The Difference Between Powerful And Painful

You may have heard a hypnobirthing mum say they felt no pain.  But how can that be?  We introduce the reality of this, understanding how the uterine muscles can work powerfully, but not neccessarily painfully, and the importance of your mind and body working together.  And how one of my KGHypnobirthing mums with her new baby recently shared in a class:

"Hand on heart it was not painful, but I was amazed how powerful it was."

Fear Release

Why do so many women have fear as they approach birth?  We look at the factors that have contributed to this and how you can change this as you work your way through this course and do the recommended practise.  During the whole course we work on releasing fear, stress and worry so you can enjoy your pregnancy and birth with a calm mind and positive approach.  

This is important for your baby.  If birth is more calm and comfortable for you, it will also be more comfortable for your baby.  You will be alert when your baby is born, ready to bond and enjoy that incredibly special relationship between mum and baby. 

Practice and Supporting Documents

• KGH Notes - Module 2
• I am a KGH Mum Stickers
• Relaxation Audio:  Colour and Calmness
• The Hypnobirthing E-Book

Duration:  18.57 minutes

The thoughts you put in your mind affect your body and impact on your birth experience.  Every athlete knows that, if you are stressed and nervous, it affects your performance. This also applies to birth.  Because of this, it is important to make sure you put positive thoughts in your mind.

The Conscious and Unconscious Mind

” The conscious mind is a faithful servant. The unconscious mind is a sacred gift. We have created a society that worships the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Einstein.

The unconscious mind can be even more powerful than the conscious mind,  and the affect on birth,  an intuitive process, is immense.  We will look at how the thoughts we put in our minds effect our physical bodies and how this can impact on our birth experience. 

Practical Examples and Principles of Mindfulness

We share some real life examples to demonstrate both good and bad.  We provide you with practical solutions on how to protect yourself and ensure that you are surround by positive experiences.  By the end of this module you will have a deeper understanding of how important words are, the principles of mindfulness, and how you can use positive words to improve your birth experience.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 5
• Positive Birth Stories Sign
• Mother's Email
• Healthy Baby Affirmation
• Rose Affirmation
• Support Affirmation
• Trust Affirmation

Duration:  24.30 minutes

This module is often be the ‘lightbulb’ moment for many who are taking the KGHypnobirthing Course. it demonstrates the logic of hypnobirthing.

How the Muscles of the Uterus Work:

You will understanding how the muscles of the uterus work and how your hormones can aid this process. We look at our primitive fear responses, and how these can negatively affect how your body works during childbirth.

And conversely, your confidence responses, can and will work for you, if you provide the right environment.

By the end of this module you will have built a strong foundation of knowledge enabling you to understand what your body is doing and facilitate it in working comfortably and efficiently during birth.

Allowing Your Hormones to Work How Nature Intended:

The hormones we produce affect how our bodies work. When we are frightened, stressed or worried (the sympathetic nervous system) we produce hormones that cause us to tense up, so our body works less well. When we feel calm and confident (the parasympathetic nervous system) are bodies work easily and efficiently, and we also produce the hormones of comfort.

We need to understand how this system works and learn how to access the calm response in order to achieve an efficient and more comfortable birth experience.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module
• Animal Instincts Birth Story
• Fear Release Before Birth Audio

Duration:  11.12 minutes

This wonderful, calm KGH birth will totally change your idea of what birth is like. It will give you a much more positive view of birth, and I know you will enjoy it.

This birth may appear so easy and look like the mum does nothing, then suddenly she just picks up a baby out of the water.  It is deceptive as she is actually doing a lot.  Her muscles are working really powerfully, she has been practising to work with her body, she is doing her breathing and her visualizations and she has learnt how to relax and work with her body.

This video demonstrates the difference the KGH antenatal programme can make to your birth experience.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 8

Duration:  23.57 minutes

Types of Breathing

You will learn and practise the breathing that makes a profound difference to your comfort when you give birth.  Katharine guides you though the techniques for the KGH breathing:

• Up Breathing
• Down Breathing

Visualisations

When mind and body work together, the body works more efficiently, so the thoughts you put in your mind when you use the breathing are important. The visualisations in this module make a difference to how well your body works. 

The breathing will help you work naturally with your body for a more comfortable birth. By the end of the module you will be able to practice the breathing and choose which visualisations work for you.  You might find the breathing techniques helpful in other areas of your life too.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 9
• Colour and Calmness Relaxation
• Statements for an Empowering Birth
• The Magic Carpet Relaxation
• Visualisations and Breathing

Duration:  37.12 minutes

In this module Katharine will guide you through a variety of relaxations that will help you achieve a calm and confident birth. 

Relaxations

It sounds so simple to just relax, but to completely let go and allow our bodies to work well requires practice.  You will learn how to use these relaxations confidently during your pregnancy, and how helpful and incredibly powerful they are during your baby's birth.    They will fill you with a positive view of birth. 

Practice and Birth Partner's Role

Your birth partner will learn why they are so important in this area, learning about triggers to bring you quickly into a deep state of relaxation, and the comfort they can give you.  You will both learn how to use these relaxations confidently in your all-important practice together, and at the birth of your baby.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 10
• Calming Touch Relaxation
• Short Relaxations
• Sssoften Relaxation
• Stroking Relaxation

Duration:  29.21 minutes

In this module we share important physical things you can do to prepare your body for birth so you have the most positive birth experience.  This includes techniques and useful tips for: 

• Pelvic floor exercises
• Perineal massage
• Preventing tearing

Best Position for Birth

Understanding how your body works during the birthing process highlights the most comfortable and efficient position for you to be in to give birth.   It adds simple logic and shares the physiological view of your body and your babies.  

By the end of this module you will know what to do and the benefits of practice.

Calm Trust Relaxation

We end with an extra relaxation for you to enjoy: Calm Trust.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 11
• Calm Trust Relaxation
• Perineal Massage
• Preventing Tearing

Duration:  14.12 minutes

This module covers the following:

Midwives and Obstetricians

The role of your caregivers and how you can work effectively with them as a team.   Understand the pressures your caregivers face, and the guidelines within which they are working. 

Choice and Consent

Understand your choices and the knowledgeable of your rights in childbirth.  What are the implications of your choices?  Why you should beware when someone uses the word ‘allow'.   What is informed consent and how does it affect you and your baby?  What legal guildlines could potentially effect your birth choices, and what are you entitled to during your pregnancy and birth.

The KGH course gives you the knowledge to make informed choices for your own birth.   This module gives you the tools to effectively implement the knowledge you have learnt.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 12
• Taking Responsibility For Your Birth
• WHO

Duration:  36.09 minutes

Small decisions made early on can have major implications on your birth experience further down the line.  Know the facts and you will be fully prepared and able to avoid many negative scenarios.  We cover:

Due Dates

It is truly fascinating when you learn the real facts about how due dates are calculated.  When you have these facts you will begin to understand that focusing on that 'one day' can have some extremely negative knock-on effects.  We give you simple techniques to manage your 'due date' that will relieve stress and avoid additional pressure after 40 weeks.  

What is Induction?

In this section we look at:

• Risks and benefits
• Membrane Sweeps:  Why are they offered and what effect they can have.  
• Induction:  Understanding the effects of induction and the knock-on effects.
• Cascade of medical interventions:  It is often one apparently small decision made early on that can lead to major interventions further down the line.
• Reasons for induction and should you have one:  Still birth, placenta failure and a big baby.  

NICE - The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

We look at how our medical professionals work within the NICE guidelines.  Understanding this will highlight to you why you may be offered medical procedures and what your choices are. 

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 13
• Cascade of Interventions
• Due Date
• Membrane Sweep
• NICE Guidelines on Induction of Labour

Duration:  34.27 minutes

Inducing Labour More Naturally

What does this mean?  We will go through the procedures that are sometimes suggested and discuss their effectiveness.

Birth Partner's Questions

What sort of questions will help you establish the facts and understand the risks and benefits of any proposed intervention.  We discuss a variety of questions  and how to approach your medical caregivers to achieve the best outcome, work as a team, and give birth more naturally.

B.R.A.I.N.S

We share our simple mnemonic which will give you a structured approach for all the information you need, and the how to use this information to enjoy the best birth for your baby.  This is beneficial for both antenatal visits and during your baby's birth.  

• B:  Benefits
• R:  Risks
• A:  Alternatives
• I:  Instinct
• N:  Nothing
• S:  Smile

We also tell you who to go to if you’re not sure what to do and need some extra advice.
In this module, we will have a look at the so called ‘natural’ methods of induction of labour, and the implications of trying them. By the end of this module you will feel more confident about how labour starts, and will be able to work with your caregivers to achieve the best outcome for your birth.

Second Opinion

What if you want to talk through a concern or issue you have about your care?  In this module we share what your options are, including from your own care givers to other sources such as Independent Midwives, KGHypnobirthing teachers and the AIMS organisation.  The key aim is to ensure you know the facts, and feel confident in any decisions you make.  

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 14
• Birth Partner's Questions
• Dealing with Pressure
• Inducing Labour More Naturally
• Supporting Links

Duration:  21.51 minutes

Sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy this wonderful relaxation.

This module will help you to release fear and build confidence ready for the birth of your baby. By the end you will feel more confident and be able to use this relaxation, if you need it, to deal with any fears and concerns.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 15
• Confidence and Power Relaxaton
• Supporting Links

Duration:  27.12 minutes

This module gives you the facts about the support available for a normal birth in the different places you may choose to give birth. People often make assumptions about where to give birth based on hearsay rather than facts.  It is an extremely important decision and can have major implications for your experience.

Where to give birth?

The facts – so you know you have made the best choice for you:

1. Home
2. Midwife Led Unit / Birth Centre
3. Obstetric Unit / Delivery Suite

Birth Facilities 

What is available to you in these different locations?  We go through many scenarios including:

• Gas and Air
• Ten Machine
• Narcotics
• Epidural
• Breathing Support
• Birth Pool
• Father/Birth Partner Present
• Food
• 1 to 1 care
• Privacy
• Prevention of Haemorrhage
• Stitching

Statistics on Birth

We provide a useful bar chart about the statistics for caesarean births and assisted deliveries for low risk women, according to the place they choose to give birth.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 16
• Blank Birth Place Chart
• Completed Birth Place Chart
• The Birth Place Study Chart
• Supporting Links

Duration:  26.46 minutes

This module looks at the preparations you can do in advance of giving birth, and details about labour itself.  

Birth Proposal/Birth Plan

Sharing your birth choices with your caregivers is important.  We look at a sample KGHypnobirting birth proposal/plan for a KGHypnobirthing mum.  There are many different options that Katharine goes through in detail.  You can then personalise this to suit your own preferences. 

The First Stage of Labour

The big question is, ‘When do I call the midwife?’ We help you with this, and guide you through the whole of labour and how KGHypobirthing supports you.

Early Labour

We share the signs of early labour and the what is the best things to be doing at this stage; how you can stay relaxed and confident. 

Established Labour

What to expect in established labour including when to call the midwife or go to the hospital.  We look at the medical checks you may have including vaginal examinations, what their purpose is, and how they may or may not help you in labour. 

How to make sure all your practice is used effectively, from relaxations, breathing and quick triggers to help you relax.  We share more details of what to expect and how KGHypnobirthing will help you enjoy a calm and confident birth.

This module also shares:

• What to pack for hospital
• Sign for your door (important to share that you are doing Hypnobirthing)
• A note to your midwife.  In addition to your birth plan, this is a very useful piece of communication for you to share with your midwife.  

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 17
• Baby Being Born Sign
• Birth Proposal
• Note To Your Midwife
• What To Pack For Hospital
• Supporting Links

Duration:  33.53 minutes

In this module we look at your baby’s progression into the world and the importance of the special first hour after birth.

The Second Stage

This down, or second, stage is the shorter part of labour, but it is important to understand what is going on, and the benefits to your baby of its passage through the birth canal. We look at the question which every pregnant woman asks, ‘How will I know when to push?’

The Golden Hour

In the important ‘golden’ hour after birth, we talk about the breast crawl, and the start of breast feeding, optimal cord clamping and cutting, and the importance of the baby retaining all its blood for its future health. We also cover expulsion of the placenta, vitamin K, and the amazing physiological changes taking place in your baby immediately after birth.

Developing Life Relaxation

This module finishes with another lovely relaxation: Developing Life.

By the end of this module you will be better able to make decisions about your baby’s care immediately after the birth, to ensure their best possible welcome into the world.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 18
• Labour
• Supporting Links

Duration: 31.28 minutes

This module brings together all you have learned with a KGHynobirthing birth story, an inspiring birth video and interview, and a beautiful relaxation.  

Birth Story

In a mother's own words, we share a KGHypnobirthing birth story that brings together all you will have learned in this course, and demonstrates how KGHypnobirthing can work for you.  It’s good to see what we do in practice.

A Story of Childbirth - The River Relaxation 

This beautiful relaxation will put you in a calm and confident frame of mind, helping you to release any fears and enjoy your baby's birth.  

Inspiring Birth Video

This birth video shares a couple's preparations before the birth, the actual birth and ending up with the comments from a mother telling her experience of actually using hypnobirthing.

It is a beautifully honest account of how hypnobirthing can really make a difference, with the mum's final comment:

"I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was quite close to it, it really was enjoyable."

By the end of this module you will have all the tools you need to have the best possible birth for you and your baby.  Remember practice is key.

Have a wonderful birth.

Practice and Supporting Documents

• My KGH Notes Module 19
• Conclusion
• Useful Information
• Supporting Links