Course Variations and What to Expect (Hippo Hynobirthing with Hannah)

Continuing on with the hypnobirthing posts, this week I wanted to talk more about what courses are available within The Wise Hippo Birthing Programme and which one is best for you. 

The ideal time to start classes is at 28 weeks pregnant. This is the start of the third trimester and is a great time, as many people start thinking about birth and researching options at this time. It also means that people in the group are likely to deliver around the same time, whilst also giving enough time to practice techniques in advance. Some people prefer to prepare earlier, especially if they have had a previous poor experience of traumatic birth. For this reason, it’s a very personal decision and one I would be happy to discuss individually if you feel you may benefit from a different schedule.

Importantly, it is never too late to start a hypnobirthing course, so even if you are past 34 weeks pregnant, I would still recommend reaching out. It may be a case of booking a fast track private course, where the four sessions can be condensed into a two day period to fit sessions in. It may be possible to also join a group course if spaces are still available on the upcoming dates.

In terms of which courses are recommended, depends on the individual. For those who need a touch of encouragement or who want to experience a mini trial to see if it’s for you, I offer a free taster session. This taster session is 1 hour long and gives an introduction of what to expect on the full course through an example script, which I then give out free as a parting gift and allows families to practice in advance of the course.

The full course can either be booked as a private session or as a group session. The group session is discounted and has a maximum of 6 couples per class. The private classes can be run on your own schedule, made up of 4 x 2.5 hour classes. The group classes are run once a month with one 2.5 hour class a week, for four weeks. These are in the evening 7-9pm, giving you time to have tea beforehand. Due to my midwife life and shift work, I can’t guarantee which day of the week this will be until the month before.

Alternatively, those who have completed The Wise Hippo course before, can join a refresher session instead. If you have completed another hypnobirthing course, this may still be an option but that will be discussed on a more individual basis. I run these on a 1-to-1 basis as I incorporate previous births experience into the course, as well as cater to which parts you found the most and least useful previously.

Whichever option you decide to pick, you have access to me as an instructor, to ask questions to at any point. I can’t promise an immediate reply but I will answer as soon as possible.

With both the full and refresher courses, you will also receive access to The Wise Hippo HUB. This is a Facebook group which is very supportive and filled with like-minded families. You can share questions here too, but most importantly it’s a great place to meet others and gather further information regarding pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

You will also receive access to an online website with a huge catalogue of videos to watch on lots of different birthing experiences. These births are powerful and will impact you in a positive way. All are from Wise Hippo couples that share their birth footage with us to inspire others. Plus, you will find my personal favourite on the website! Our downloadable MP3s cover a huge range of topics and the pre-recorded scripts are at your fingertips for 24/7 access.

All these and more are summarised in The Wise Hippo book that you will receive when you join the course. This sets out the 4 easy to follow classes, including instructions on how to prepare well, homework and a practice diary. I'll be talking more about the classes in specific detail next week!