Hypnobirthing Home Study Programme

Great Value - £36.00 - Great Price and all profits go to charity!

This programme has been designed using my extensive knowledge as a hypnotherapist, my work as a Hypnobirthing practitioner, feedback gained from couples who have attended both Hypnobirthing classes and private Hypnosis for Childbirth sessions with me and attending women during their labours.  Not to mention my own amazing labour and birth.

What is the purpose of this programme?

In an ideal world all women who want to attend Hypnobirthing classes would have access to them.  Sadly this is not the case and despite practitioners offering payment plans and discounts they are still not affordable for so many.  My aim therefore with this programme is to bring hypnosis techniques that support childbirth to the masses.  I believe that by offering this programme at such a fantastic price that it will be easily affordable for some and ‘in reach’ for others.  I have been able to offer it at this amazing price by making it an online product bringing you aproduct of quality that is great value for money.

What will I get?

*           A 50 page workbook

*           9 x Hypno 4 Birth mp3s

*           Personal support from me via my on line forum

What will I learn? 

*           How fear and anxiety negatively affect your birthing hormones.
*           How to change negative thinking habits and beliefs to positive ones that support your desire to
             have a calm, comfortable birth experience.
*           How to tap into your own natural birthing instincts.
*           What hypnosis is and what it isn't.
*           The impact the mind and your imagination has upon your body and what you experience.
*           A variety of techniques to use during your pregnancy to prepare your mind and body for a positive
             birth experience, including ‘eyes open hypnosis’.
*           How your birth companion can support you.
*           How to use the techniques during labour and birth

How does the programme work?

The course has been designed for you to follow over a 6 week period
(if you are later on in your pregnancy than this allows you can work at a
pace that is appropriate for your needs, women have started as late as
38 weeks and still used the techniques successfully).  

There are five basic elements to the programme:

1. Relaxation

2. Breathing

3. Letting go of negative thoughts and emotions

4. Positive conditioning

5. Directing and changing sensations in the body

Each week you will learn specific techniques and carry out assignments that incorporate these 5 elements.  You will then be guided to listen to the appropriate mp3(s) to support your learning and practice for that week.  At the end of your training period there is a maintenance programme for you to follow.

5,4,3,2,1 Progressive Relaxation (track length: 12.30 minutes)

This technique is simple, yet very powerful and supports the breathing techniques you will learn in the programme.  You can read more about it on my blog and can experience it for free.

Birth Affirmations (track length: 6.02 minutes)

This mp3 provides a structured way to practise new positive thoughts and you can enjoy it for free

Cloak of Protection (track length: 12.19 minutes)

Teaching you a simple yet effective technique to protect you from outside negative influences.

Fear and Emotion Release Hypnotic Session (track length: 29.39 minutes)

When you are in labour and giving birth to your baby any stress, anxiety or fear that you have, can actually change how the muscles in your uterus are designed to work.  Instead of the muscles that need to dilate being relaxed they instead constrict and tighten and it is this that causes the great discomfort that we hear about during labour. This powerful hypnotic session will enable you to release any emotional issues, fears and concerns that you have, clearing your mind of all potential negativity, in order to enable you to focus on your labour and birth in a positive confident way.

Natural Calm Relaxation mp3 (track length: 26.05 minutes)

Using a combination of colour and nature ‘Natural Calm’ will help keep you calm, confident  and relaxed during your pregnancy, labour and birth

Glove Relaxation mp3 (track length: 34.09 minutes)

The Glove Relaxation mp3 takes you through a guided visualisation that focuses on creating a numbness similar to the sensations that you would have should you dip your hand into a bucket of icy slush.  It will teach you how to numb your hand and then how to transfer that numbness around your body.  ‘Glove Relaxation’ is designed to take you into a very deep state of relaxation that will help you to manage any discomfort should you have it during your pregnancy.  It can then also be used to create numbness around the area in which you are feeling your surges during labour detaching you from the sensations so that you are only aware of pressure, tightening or pulling up. 

Cushion of Comfort (track length: 20.18 minutes)

As you listen to this mp3 you will discover how to manage any discomfort during your pregnancy, learning how to create a comforting, tingling, warmth within your hand of choice that will represent your powerful endorphins (your body’s natural pain relief) and then using your breath you will be able to spread those sensations to any part of your body that you want to make more comfortable.  Setting those endorphins to work, healing, relaxing soothing.  And with practice you will easily be able to tap into these sensations and use them during labour to create a lovely warm, tingling, cushion of comfort around your abdomen and lower back enabling you to feel calm and at ease during your surges and so confident and in control.

Surges with the Sea Birth Rehearsal Imagery (track length: 30.03 minutes)

As the name suggests this mp3 uses the imagery of the waves of the sea for you to focus on and relax with during your surges when you are having your baby.  Many women find a connection with the sea and a link to the waves as their bodies are moving in their own wave like motion and by focussing on your sea of peace you will allow your conscious minds to drift off and relax leaving your body and baby to concentrate on their role without any interference from you.

Listening to this regularly during your third trimester will support your positive expectation of birth and enable you to relax deeply by your sea of peace during labour and birth.

Hypno 4 Soundrack (track length: 15.02 minutes)

Whilst listening to all of the other mp3s in this programme you will be subconsciously linking deep relaxation with the music that is being played in the background.  It is therefore available on it’s own for you to listen to during your labour should you wish.

The mp3s are also available to purchase separately in order for you to enhance any other way in which you have learnt about hypnosis for birthing.

How does the online forum work?

I am co-admin on a wonderful board on www.babycentre.co.uk and what I love about the time I give to this board is providing the opportunity for those who are unable to attend a course to ask questions as they learn about hypnobirthing.  From the many private and public messages of thanks that I get that personal support really does make all the difference.  It is therefore important to me that I provide an opportunity for anyone using this Home Study Programme to have access to support.

You will therefore be sent an invitation to my private Hyp 'n Happening Facebook Group where you can post any questions you may have and meet other mums and mums-to-be using hypnosis for their birth preparations. 

How will I receive the programme?

Once you have purchased your Hypno 4 Birth Home Study Programme you will receive a separate email with a link to a Folder containing your workbook, mp3s and details on how to join the online forum.  Please check your Junk Mail if this has not been received within 24 hours as your email provider may have inadvertently blocked the email.

TO PURCHASE

Email me at dany @ danygriffiths.com

CHARITABLE GIVING

All profits of this programme go to CASPA a charity who run a variety of clubs for children with Autism, and without whose support our family would not be able to cope. 

How to end!

I looked back at my very first blog post and found it was titled 'where to start'.

Since then I've spent many happy years supporting women through fertility, pregnancy and birth and so it is with very mixed feelings I look for the words to find out 'how to end'.

I'm not completely turning my back on this amazing work as I launched The Wise Hippo Birthing Programme with my wonderful business partner Tamara Cianfini in May 2013. However, instead of working directly with expectant clients my role is now training and supporting our many brilliant Wise Hippo Instructors.

This hasn't been the only change that has happened to me in the last couple of years. In January 2014, after a year of assessment, my daughter was diagnosed with Autistim Spectrum Disorder. Having already had a very difficult year in school, and with her headmaster saying he didn't feel that they were the right school for her going into year 3 (correctly so), I made the decision to home educate her.

Something had to give...

That something is the client facing/therapy side of my work - Tums 2 Mums. Whilst it is sad it also feels very right. I know I've made a huge difference to many peoples lives over the years but I also know that I can continue making a difference through The Wise Hippo.

I will also find more time to write on my other blog Evan in a Box about my life with my gorgeous, eccentric little girl, who has benefitted so much from home education, along with the amazing support from CASPA.

So there will be no more blogposts but please do use the knowledge and freebies contained within the posts that I've written over the years.

If you are pregnant and looking for fantastic birth preparation check out The Wise Hippo Directory.

If you are a parent with a unique kid (not necessarily ASD) you may like to join me on my Facebook group 'Your Unique Kid'.

So that's it, 'how to end' :-)

Wishing all readers of my blog the best in achieving all your dreams and desires.

Good bye xxx

Use your BRAINS

One of the most important things couples learn when they attend Hypnobirthing sessions with me or use my Hypnobirthing Home Study Programme is that they are the ones in control of their birth, that every decision they make should be an informed one, rather than feeling that they have been 'TOLD' something 'WILL' happen a certain way.  

Now this doesn't mean that we never agree with doctors and in fact sometimes couples need to put their baby's birth completely in the hands of the medical team (we are very lucky to have skilled doctors when there are true medical emergencies), but should this arise couples maintain their sense of control by understanding that this is completely the right thing to do.  

To ensure this happens I teach couples to ask questions, not to be adversarial, but to help doctors see them and their baby as unique individuals and for their baby's birth to be viewed appropriately in respect of that.

It can be daunting though for some to question what they are being told by a medical profession and this great mnemonic can help keep you focussed:

B – benefits

R – risks

A – alternatives

I – instincts

N – nothing

S – smile

What are the benefits of following the course of action suggested?

What are the risks involved?  In particular ask what the IMMEDIATE dangers and specific medical indications are (ie something that is actually happening not something that MIGHT happen).

Ask about the alternatives (and the benefits and risks of these).

Follow your instincts.  This is important because it doesn’t matter what anyone else would do in your situation it is about what feels right for you personally.

Ask what would happen if you did nothing.  Buying time even if it is for 15 minutes intervals can make the difference between intervention or not.

Smile is there to remind you to remain calm and in control.  Everyone is on the same team and that is for you and your baby to be healthy.  Asking questions isn’t about being antagonist but getting consultants to think outside the box and not treat all women the same.  By asking questions and making decisions based on the answers you are given you will maintain control of your baby's births.  As I mentioned previously even if the decision is to hand your birthing over to the medical team you will have maintained your control by ensuring that it is the right thing for you and the baby.

If you do accept intervention at any point ensure that should this lead on to the suggestion of more intervention that you use your BRAINS again.

If conversations around intervention are required prior to labour starting I would strongly recommend that women take their partner with them to any appointments as this can become very emotional for a pregnant woman.  Also, during labour ideally it will be the birth partners role to ask the questions and for the couple to then discuss the answers and make the decisions together.

Use your BRAINS, be informed and make the right decisions for you and your baby.

App Store - Hypnobirthing Home Study

I am very excited to announce the birth of my new baby.  Well my freebie iPhone app that is now available :-)

You can find out more about it here.

Birth Stories to inspire!

A quickie post to share a link to the Hypnobirthing Stories on my website as I've just added some new ones.

Enjoy!

Looking at the birth process from a physical perspective

Last night I felt very privileged to attend a talk by Michel Odent. For those who don't know him he is a French Obstetrician and leading pioneer for natural childbirth. He is now 81 years old and is an inspiration in himself but the way he talks about birth is captivating. As I listened though I actually became more and more baffled at why the majority of medical professionals do not appear to share the same views as him. His work is proof alone but it is also all just such common sense. Of course we share this same common sense view of birth during hypnobirthing classes, so none of what he was saying was particularly new information for me, but I loved the way he explained certain things and I felt I wanted to share this with my readers.

Odent states that as birthing is an involuntary process we cannot help it but we can inhibit it and knowing this we need to protect it from that happening. We can learn about this by, as the title of this posts says, looking at the birth process from a physical perspective.

As humans we are different from other mammals in that we have a developed neo cortex. This is important for birthing as it has nothing to do with the neo cortex but comes from our archaic, primitive brain. Our inhibitions though do come from the neo cortex and therefore it must be switched off during the birthing process to allow a woman's natural birthing instincts to come to the fore. Let's look at this in more detail

1. Language stimulates the neo cortex - Silence (or more specifically lack of communication) is a basic need of labour. Language in particular when expressing a question needs activity in the neo cortex to prepare an answer. To further highlight this he asks us to imagine a couple making love, they are in an orgasmic state and the women ask the man "what do you want for dinner". No further explanation needed ;-).
2. Light can stimulate the neo cortex - the darkness hormone melatonin reduces neo cortex activity.
3. When we feel observed we observe ourselves and the neo cortex is stimulated
4. When we perceive a possible danger the neo cortex is stimulated
5. Emotional states are contagious - if a labouring woman is being supported by someone with high adrenaline levels this may cause her to mirror their hormone activity.

Amongst other things during hypnobirthing classes we teach:

1. The dad/birth partner to be the labouring woman's advocate and deal with any discussions that need to take place.
2. To look at ways to dim the lights (particularly in a hospital room) but if this is not possible by using the hypnosis techniques the mum is able to become much more internally focussed and therefore less aware of outside stimuli.
3. The dad to protect mum from unnecessary interruption and be a gentle loving support.
4. Couples to decide where the best place is for them to birth and also to understand that they are always the ones in control of their birth experience (even if they hand their birthing over to a doctor because of true medical circumstances if they have asked questions, got answers and made the decision for themselves they will maintain that control). Feeling safe and in control is key to the body functioning normally during birth.
5. Dads/birth companions are also taught relaxation techniques alongside the mums as we know their adrenaline is catching. They leave the classes feeling fully confident in their role and with the skills to remain calm, relaxed and in control throughout the birth of their baby whilst being of wonderful support to their partner.

Makes sense doesn't it?

Odent smiled at the end of his talk and I had to smile with him when he said "we need modern science to rediscover and explain what is simple and common sense".

Cloak of Protection

In my previous post I wrote about a useful technique to help protect you from others negativity called the Cloak of Protection.

For pregnant women their beautiful bump can be like a shining beacon for all and sundry, friends, family, colleagues and even strangers to share their horrors and fears of birthing. I tell my clients to politely ask others to not share all this negativity and if they don't to place their fingers in their ears and sing lah lah lah until the offending person stops.

For those who feel my first two suggestions are not suitable there is as I've already mentioned the Cloak of Protection. I've been getting so many fantastic examples of how women are using this technique both from those using my Hypno 4 Birth Home Study Programme and my face-to-face clients that I thought I would offer it as Christmas Gift for readers of my blog (this gift is now out of date but if you would like to purchase this mp3 you can do so on my site)

If you are reading this and you are not pregnant you can still use the mp3 to learn the technique but just set the intention beforehand to ignore the references to pregnancy and birth.

Merry Christmas

Perspective!

"A mental view or outlook"

The other day Jim (my husband for those who don't know) emailed me saying he was feeling rather fed up. The company he works for recently went under and he is one of the few employees remaining that have been asked to help wind down the company. Jim is very diligent and was feeling really frustrated by some of his colleagues who were treating the situation as a free ride and were also being very negative. In his view they were still being paid to do a job and should be doing that job. With regards to the negativity well, no-one is making them stay!

I replied with a little technique that is great for preventing others negativity from impacting on you and that is to imagine a forcefield around you (I usually say cloak of protection but as he is a guy I changed it). Once you've done this you then imagine that any negativity simply bounces off of you. Once you start imagining this it is quite fascinating how you become distanced from the feelings of others and in turn their emotions can't affect you.

I then found myself writing (I say 'found' because I don't always know where these things come from, ideas appear to be stored in my subconscious and just turn up when they feel like it ;-)). Anyway I wrote "See what you want to see, hear what you want to hear and feel what you want to feel". The subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between real or imagined events and if we imagine positive things it believes those things and in turn we feel good.

My mind then wandered off to the recent Derren Brown programme I had watched about creating luck. They had interviewed the local butcher, Wayne who said if there wasn't bad luck he wouldn't have any luck. Derren then wanted to see if his belief was preventing him from being lucky and so a series of lucky 'opportunities' were set up for Wayne:

• A fake scratch card through his door that if he'd played he would have won a TV
• A woman asking questions about cuts of meat and when passers by got the answer right she gave them £20. Wayne said he'd be back in 10 minutes but despite her being there all day and handing out lots of money he never returned.
• They then put a £50 note in his path and he walked straight on by without noticing it.
• Eventually, they had an advertising van follow him that said "If your name is Wayne call this number". Finally, after seeing it a number of times he called.

His belief that he was unlucky had filtered out any possibility that he could be lucky and therefore he had missed out on the opportunities.

Later that day I was with a fertility client and she was sharing with me that she'd been away for a weekend and all the conversations were around babies and she felt very left out. Having acknowledged that women do tend to talk about their kids a lot, I told her about Wayne and asked her if perhaps she thought she might have missed out on any opportunities to have different conversations.

It is interesting isn't it? The way we perceive a situation or our very own beliefs can change how we experience our world. Why not give it a try, for one whole day decide what you want to see, what you want to hear and how you want to feel and see what happens.

Post a comment and share what you find.

If you are interested in exploring how you can live in the moment and focus more on what you want rather than what you don't want maybe a Feel good Look good workshop is for you.

Never fear mummy is here

By the time Evan and I left her swimming lesson on Sunday around 6:15 pm, being November it was of course already dark and on this particular evening it was also very foggy. As we approached the car Evan said she was frightened of the tree worried that it could poke her in the eye. I of course reassured her and pointed out that we were too far from the tree for that to happen. Once settled in the car Evan said she was frightened that the tree would follow us and come into her bedroom and hurt her. Once again I sought to reassure her saying that the tree couldn't do this because it was rooted in the ground. We had a further chat about why the tree needed its roots, etc and then Evan fell quiet for a few moment. She then said "I wish I was a mummy and then I wouldn't be frightened any more". This of course made my heart twinge but at the same time I was glad that she believed I was strong.

Little does she know of course that being a mum is often one of the most frightening things and that fear can attack you at every corner if you let it. Particularly, if like me you grew up being fearful of everything and worrying all of the time. I believe that my early life was impacted by the fact that my dad died whilst my mum was 8 months pregnant with me, I strongly believe her strong negative emotions left a lasting imprint on me that has taken many, many years to resolve (well almost).

The first turning point for me was my hypnotherapy / counseling course at 30 when I started to look at the world through different eyes. My training in HypnoBirthing and HypnoFertility taught me more about fear and its impact on the body and from then on I've spent the last couple of years researching emotions which has led me to co-create the Feel good Look good programme.

I always practice what I preach and use the techniques that I teach all of the time in order to ensure that I am living in the now and enjoying life as much as I can.

I hope Evan's fears are just normal small child concerns as she is learning about the world. I teach her kiddy versions of the techniques that I teach to adults which help her to relax and use her imagination positively. She in turns uses them back at me when she sees me getting tense or anxious ;-).

That evening I told her about the Magic Faraway Tree that I used to love reading about when I was a little girl and that I would share great stories with her about the adventures that were had at the top of that tree. She smiled and snuggled down to sleep.

We had moved from fear to understanding to feeling good.

I wish I'd been taught these things earlier but our experiences make us wiser and I know that I have a positive impact on many peoples lives and that makes me feel good.

If you are sitting reading this feeling that you could also benefit from learning more about how to focus on the positive and enjoy life more, you may find that the Feel good Look good programme is for you.

Elf on the Shelf

Yesterday I was speaking to my good friend Clare and she mentioned that there would be elves visiting her house from the 1st December. Intrigued, I asked to hear more about these special guests and loved what she told me. All those will little ones I think will love it too and so I asked her to write a blog post for me.

Enjoy!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The word Christmas is usually banned until after my birthday on the 30th November. This year I am so excited that I have been planning some December fun for quite some time now…Elvish fun and the start of a truly magical tradition.

Stolen from my sister in law in the USA – the idea is to have an Elf/Elves visit from Santa to see who is being “naughty or nice”. I actually thought it would be a great way to promote positive behavior and for the Elves to bring lots of fun activities for cold and wet December days. I also want lots of Elf activities to be about giving to others and not just about receiving. One of the planned activities will be to make cookies and take them to the local old people’s home. Not forgetting the Elves will be bringing lots of mischief too.

Some people’s Elves arrive with a note from Santa; along with an advent calendar- this is what one lady did for her children last year:

***Every year, our elves find new ways to show up at our house. We always ask Santa in our letters in November if Fielding and Collette can come to visit. This year we went to a local store and purchased our live Christmas tree, which the store wrapped in the netting to pack on our car. Amazingly, when we got home and cut off the netting, the elves were inside the tree! My son and daughter are still wondering how they knew which tree we would pick. And they look forward to the mischief their elf friends might do each day.

I have already started to sew the seed, I have told my girls, Hannah and Madelaine that really good children get a visit from Elves and they stay until Christmas Eve (when they disappear back to Santa!). Each activity day the elves will leave a note, for example: the day we put up the tree I thought the “ naughty Elves” would be hiding in the tree and put the girls socks on the tree- the girls will have to re decorate.

Other activities:

Snowball fight between toys (using cotton wall balls)

Cooking including finding a shopping list with money to buy the ingredients

Christmas cooking with Christmas aprons de-rigor

Making Christmas decorations

Making Christmas Cards

Bubble bath with snowflakes

Donating old toys to a charity shop

One morning the girls might find a Christmas coloring book another instructions to find a duster to help Mum tidy ;-)

My mum has brought the girls tickets to see an ice skating show- these tickets will be found in the clutches of their elves.

We are also collecting the girls Aunty from the airport on the 21st Dec- I am the only one to know about this in the family so again will have to get the elves involved. This will be a HUGE surprise!!

Decorating the windows with snowflakes

I am also hoping for some real snow for some outdoor elf fun

I am on a budget this year- all the activities have unashamedly come from Poundland the Elves from M & S at £8 -they are very cute (Just need to find some Elf names). Below are some sites where you can grab some adorable Elves and ideas, which are endless!

http://www.elf-magic.com

http://www.elf-magic.com/ideas.htm

http://www.elfontheshelf.com

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1319261/Looking_for_quot_Elf_Mischief_quot_need_ideas

As for me, roll on December so I pull on my red and white stripy tights and bring on the Elvish fun. Ho Ho Ho!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks Clare, I am really excited about our little elf visitor now too, though not so sure I will be pulling on any red and white stripy tights ;-)

Is it possible to have a comfortable birth following induction?

During my HypnoBirthing courses and Hypno 4 Birth sessions I discuss with my clients the benefits of questioning the necessity of being induced should the subject arise. This is important whether induction comes up due to concerns about mums or babies health or just because mum has reached a certain point in her pregnancy that is considered overdue.

The reason it is important to ask questions is so that should you then decide that yes it is the right choice for you and your baby to be induced, that you and your partner have been the ones who have made that decision, you haven't felt like you've just been told that it has to be a certain way.

In turn this is important because by being the ones to make the decisions you maintain control over your baby's birth. When you are in control of a situation you remain much more positive emotionally and this can make all the difference when preparing for labour following induction.

A useful booklet to help with your discussions can be found on the AIMS website 'Induction - Do I really need it?'

So having made the decision that it is right for you to be induced, you will now want to make sure that you give yourself the best possible chance to remain comfortable and continue to maintain that sense of control. There are therefore a number of things that you will want to discuss with your medical provider before induction commences:

1. Find out what the procedure will be?
2. Find out how you will be monitored and explain that you will want to be as mobile as possible.
3. Ask if your partner is able to stay with you? If no questions why not?
4. If it is not possible then ensure that your partner is on the other end of the phone and call him when you need him. Explain to your medical provider that this is what you will do.
5. Explain that as soon as your body has taken over that you want artificial support to be stopped.
6. Ask for understanding and patience with regards to your hypnosis preparation and that you do not want suggestions for pain relief. That you will ask for it should you want it.

The main issue with induction is that the body is jumped to the more intense surges and therefore you do not have the same time in which to prepare physically and emotionally. The endorphins do not then get the same opportunity to build as in a natural progression of labour. You will therefore need to do this BEFORE induction commences.

This is where all of your hypnosis practice will come to the fore. Make sure that you have entered a deep state of relaxation before anything gets started. Focus on your breathing, 54321 relax will help with that to start with. Then use your farourite hypnosis CD/mp3 for entering and maintaining your state of trance. The Tums 2 Mums Glove Relaxation mp3 is particularly useful for this purpose as it is deliberately written to take you into a deep state of trance and to over-stimulate your endorphins. Remember when your endorphins are fully present from the onset of labour and are maintained throughout they will help prevent pain signals from being transmitted to the brain.

The role of advocate and protector of the birth is particularly important when a mum has been induced as often one form of intervention can lead to another. Asking questions should that occur will again ensure that you maintain control over your birthing experience.

I have had hypnomummies choose to be induced and go on to have great births. Taking control by being the ones to decide that induction is right for them and preparation are the key to their success.

Learn Self Hypnosis with free mp3

It has been a ridiculously long time since I've sat down and wrote a blog entry. I have no excuses. Yes I have been busy, both professionally and personally, but I cannot deny that there would have been periods during which I could have found time to post. However, as I am a big promotor of living in the now, I will not ponder on the lack of commitment to my blog over the past year but will instead talk to you about something more exciting, self hypnosis!

It is wonderful to have sessions with a hypnotherapist who can help facilitate great changes in your life but that change always comes with personal responsibility. Every course of treatment, must include teaching self hypnosis, in order for clients to be able to tap into this wonderful resource without the aid of another person or always having to listen to a hypnosis session on a CD or mp3.

There are many different ways of entering the state of hypnosis but one of my favourites when teaching my clients is simply the "journey to your special place". Now to make it easy for you, I have recorded the session I do with my clients as it is the easiest way to learn, but the intention in the session is to learn how to do it yourself and not to rely on the mp3 in order to reach the state of trance (in fact I don't give my clients the mp3 so mums-the-word ;-)).

When working with the subconscious it becomes the most engaged when we use our senses widely and therefore this technique follows 3 signposts; a relaxing image, a calming sound and a positive feeling. You will then be directed to a wide staircase that will either be going up or d0wn, you will know when you get there. The staircase is an indicator to the subconscious that you are ready to move more deeply into trance. However, don't look for a shift as this will have the opposite effect by engaging the conscious brain and thereby bringing you out of trance. Just know that it will happen on a subconscious level, trust that it will happen. The steps will direct you to your special place and you may by now be wondering what that is.

Your special place is a place that you may have been to before, a place you'd like to go or completely make believe. It is up to you, it is simply a place that you can imagine yourself relaxing and enjoying being there, and you can simply choose to go to your special place just to relax and escape for a while. But, if I left it there then I would be selling hypnosis very short, as once you are in the state of trance you have the ability to make some very profound changes in your life.

The mp3 will therefore guide you to find a door. This is a special door as it always knows where you need to go when you open it and pass through and you will then be given some ideas of how you might use this wonderful state of hypnosis.

And I will leave the blog entry there for now to give you some time to listen to the mp3 and explore some uses of self-hypnosis for yourself. Once you've done that leave me some comments with your thoughts and perhaps what else you may like to learn about utilising the state of trance and I in turn will respond with a further blog entry on using self-hypnosis.

Enjoy!

Fertility Focus Telesummit 2011

Women who come to me for fertility support are normally completely overwhelmed not only by the difficult emotions they are having to deal with, but also with the different types of help and treatment that are available to them, both medical and complementary. I of course appreciate that I am included within that but at this point they are sitting in my therapy room having already decided that I can help. I am sure however that many of the readers of my blog will still be at that stage of indecision and not quite knowing which route to take and I'm sure in a sense who to trust as well.

Of course everyone will tell you that what they have to offer will improve your chances and it is hard to know where to start and what to do for the best. Every individual is different and therefore what works for one may not work for another, what you may be drawn to another person may simply dismiss. And from a hypnotherapists perspective (well mine anyway) following what feels right is a good barometer for taking a certain route. That feeling, often known as our gut instinct, is amazing at knowing what we want and need (our conscious analytical side of our brain often talks us out of it though, but that's a post for another day) and a useful side effect is that the the more you believe something will work for you the more chances you have that it will.

But it can be so time consuming to research lots of different types of support and as I said earlier completely overwhelming and this is where the Fertility Focus Telesummit 2011 comes in. And the good news is that you can attend this amazing “virtual event” at no cost!

The telesummit will feature fertility experts from around the world sharing their knowledge and insights on a wide range of fertility subjects. You can listen in to all the information-packed presentations either online or over the phone every day of the telesummit, starting on March 21st.

Click here to find out more about the Fertility Focus Telesummit 2011 including details of all the experts who will be covering a different aspect of infertility and offering great advice, ideas and solutions.

If you then decide that this event is a great way to help you move further towards becoming a parent you can book your place if you wish. Remember it won't cost you a penny.

I hope you find this useful and if you know anyone else who is struggling with fertility issues, please send them a link to this blog in case they are interested too.

Free Birth Affirmations mp3

What you spend time thinking about dictates the choices you make and therefore the actions you take which in turn leads to consequences. Whatever point you are in your life right now is a result of choices you have made in the past. Whatever you get in the future will be the result of choices you make now. Your choices are determined by what you think about therefore you are in control of what happens to you in your life by what you tell yourself your thoughts.

Taking responsibility for what you believe, your thoughts and therefore your actions is a big step forward in achieving the birth that you want (and I would go so far to say the life you want). But there has to be a desire to change. We naturally learn to filter out anything that doesn’t fit with a particular belief so what we expect is what we end up getting. If you are convinced that birth will be difficult and you believe that there is nothing you can do to change that then you may not have the motivation to look for different ways to approach your birth preparations, engaging in horror stories and negative images of birth and dwelling on negative thoughts. My guess however would be that you are at least at a point where you believe that birth does not necessarily have to be that way otherwise you wouldn’t be here reading my blog.

Affirmations provide a structured way to practise new thoughts, and a lovely starting point for helping you transform any negative beliefs about labour and birth, which is why I've decided to give this mp3 away for free.

Daily practice is necessary to become competent but in time positive thoughts about birthing will become your new habits of thinking in turn supporting your chances of achieving the birth you seek.

Taken from the Tums 2 Mums Hypno 4 Birth Programme. If you like to find out more about this programme please click here.

Flip a coin technique

Sometimes when I am working with a client they find that the cancel technique is not enough to help them move from a place of negativity and worry to one of positive thought. And I can appreciate that when you are really low, it is not always easy to imagine a wonderful event or experience in your life, just because you know that by doing so you are no longer able to focus on all your concerns and worries. It is just too big a leap!

The good news however is that there is another very simple yet powerfully effective way of diluting the worries. I call it the 'flip a coin' technique.

The idea is that your negative and positive thoughts about a particular subject are actually two sides of the same coin.

• So you start off on the negative side of the coin and 'ALLOW' yourself to feel all that negativity as much as you do - really experience it in that moment. Then you flip the coin over and whilst on the positive side you IMAGINE the BEST it can possibly be. The absolute BEST in can be - in that moment.

• Then flip the coin back over again and notice that you feel different - it may be slight but you DO feel differently.

• Then once again, feel whatever negativity there is in the moment - how you feel right now. Then flip the coin back over and once again IMAGINE the BEST it can possibly be. The absolute BEST in can be - in that moment.

• Then flip the coin back over and once again notice that you feel different - perhaps noticing a bit more of a difference this time.

• Then once again feel whatever negativity there is. Then flip the coin back over and once again IMAGINE the BEST it can possibly be. The absolute BEST it can be - in that moment.

• Then flip the coin back over and once again notice that you feel different - by now you will becoming quite amazed at how effective this technique is.

Simply carry on flipping the coin from one side to the next until you have completely watered down the negativity and are feeling positive once again.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

This is one of many ways I support my clients both face-to-face and using Skype. If you would like to know more please visit my website www.tums2mums.com

IVF success rates double when using HypnoFertility

With permission of the group admins I've just joined the IVF group on www.babycentre.co.uk. I approached them because I love supporting women on the HypnoBirth board and asked if they felt I could be of any help to women going through the IVF process.

I posted with a little introduction to myself and have been amazed at how many women have since sent me a message saying that they would love to know more. So here I am writing a blog post that I hope not only the women on the IVF board will find useful but also anyone else planning on, or in the midst of, IVF treatment.
It is first of all useful to understand what hypnosis is.

Hypnosis (the trance like state) is actually a state we move in and out of all of the time. When we drift off to sleep at night and wake up in the morning we move through the hypnogogic state, whilst daydreaming, lost in a good book or caught up in a great film we are in a state of trance. In fact any time we have our focussed attention on something we are likely to be in the state of hypnosis.

When we are fully conscious and aware we have a critical factor of the brain that acts as a filter. This filter is based on our belief system and causes us to analyse what is the best course of action for us in any one moment. When we move into a state of trance this becomes sidetracked and we therefore become more open to suggestions. This is important to be aware of because both positive and negative suggestions can get through. There is a lot of negative hypnosis about fertility. When a woman is having IVF how those in authority talk to her about what she will experience, how her body will respond and most importantly statistical chances of success can actually have a physical effect on her body.

Your subconscious mind is the part that runs your body (ie all of the functions we don't consciously control). It does this by responding to images that we create from everything we see, hear, read, talk about, think etc (we are not consciously aware we are doing this as it would drive us mad). Those images then evoke a set of emotions that tell the body what it needs to do. The subconscious primary role is to keep us safe and this is useful to be aware of when we are looking at any type of fertility issue because our reproductive processes are not part of our survival. If we have a lot of stress caused by our current life or events from our past (causing blocks that we may not necessarily be aware of) this can be interpreted by our subconscious as a message that we are in danger. In turn it can physically change what is going on in our body and prevent a woman from becoming pregnant. Even when a woman is having IVF treatment we want to ensure that the subconscious understands that she is 'safe' and in turn work with her treatment rather than against it.

So what does it feel like? That is like asking “how long is a piece of string?” Everyone experiences hypnosis in a different way. The most important thing is not to try, the more you try the more you will engage your conscious brain and will be less likely to move into the state of trance. You should simply set the intention to allow yourself to experience trance in a way that is just right for you. Instead of judging how you feel know that it is working for you, in the way that is best for you. Some people feel very heavy, others feel light and tingly and some feel nothing at all but are just aware of my voice or their own inner thoughts as they relax more deeply.

Okay on to some useful things whilst progressing through IVF treatment.

We've seen in the above explanation that your subconscious mind will respond to what you spend time focusing on so it is important prepare yourself emotionally before you commence IVF and have techniques to support you in maintaining a healthy mental attitude throughout. I would say up front though this is not about squashing difficult feelings down and walking around with a 'Polly Anna' smile on your face. This would be completely counterproductive. It is always important to experience difficult emotions but learn ways of not being overwhelmed by then.

Setting yourself a goal

Set a goal for how you want to feel throughout the process. For example 'feeling relaxed in my body and calm in my mind'. This goal will be completely personal to you. Then plot it on a scale.

0 - the worst you could feel. Based on the above example this might be 'experiencing so much tension body it hurts and constantly anxious and on the verge of tears.

10 - the best you can feel. 'Completely relaxed in my body, positive and able to progress through my day with confidence'

Plot on the scale where you are now and what you need in order to move you up the scale and stay there. This will help you maintain focus and track progress.

Practice relaxation

The following 5,4,3,2,1 mp3 gives you both a useful technique to use throughout the day to promote relaxation in the body and also provides a lovely progressive relaxation session to listen to regularly to help de-stress your mind and body.

Maintaining a healthy attitude

I always introduce 'Worry Time' to my clients. Find a 15 mins slot each day when you are allowed to worry. Let's say it is 8pm. Throughout the day if a worry turns up treat it like someone who has turned up early for an appointment. Imagine saying to them "what are you doing here, you are far too early, go away and come back at 8pm when our meeting is planned". This may make you feel a little silly but in turn it will help take the emotion out of the worry and move you past needing to in that moment. You have also acknowledged the feelings and so it will be easier to let it go knowing you can come back to it later. When you get to worry time if you want to have a good worry then do so but ONLY for 15 minutes. Then you need to 'change your state', by which I mean go and put on a fab bit of of music and dance around your front room, or have a cuddle with your partner, or a nice bath with candles - the important thing is to make it a treat and something that will completely change your mood.

Another useful technique is the cancel technique which will help you switch negative thoughts into positive ones.

Positive Imagining

You will find a detailed explanation of what I mean by this when reading about the cancel technique but here I want to specifically introduce the idea that you can use your imagination to enhance and work with your treatment. There is no need to use text book explanations for this remember your subconscious only understands imagery and emotion. All you need to do is use the 5,4,3,2,1 relax technique that you have learnt about previously to take yourself into a nice relaxing state of trance and then imagine that you are tiny enough to be inside your body (just let your imagination bring up whatever it wants - you will be surprised how easy this is). Then imagine how you want things to be. For example when thinking about your eggs imagine the best quality eggs you can. I've had clients say that they were in the supermarket and opening a box of eggs and making sure that they were all completely perfect. Another was painting hers like easter eggs and I've even had one imagine Faberge Eggs. You can imagine your uterus as the most wonderful home possible for your baby to grow. Some imagine a beautiful nursery, others luxurious textiles and colours. I've had clients do some redecoration or carried out a good spring clean. Again just allow your imagination to find things it wants to do. Don't judge what you are doing just follow what feels right.

Prior to egg collection and embryo transfer imagine everything going exactly as you want it to be. Prepare yourself to be as relaxed as you can by using 5,4,3,2,1 or listening to an mp3 if you can when at the clinic.

The two week wait

This can be a challenging and anxious time so think about some useful and enjoyable ways of spending this time. Creative tasks are especially effective for maintaining a healthy focus of attention.

Place a coloured dot on different things - your watch, phone, bathroom mirror, etc with the intention that every time you see one of these coloured dots they will trigger a positive visualisation, for example 'your baby is safe and settling in nicely in your womb'.

Spend time imagining your body accepting the embryos. All the other cells can have a welcoming party or you can see them with arms open wide and making space for them to settle in. Another lovely visualisation is to imagine them being placed in little car seats, safe and secure.

Practice relaxation every day and utilise the Worry Time and Cancel Technique.

Further support

For those of you reading this please feel free to ask me any questions about this both on reading or as you use the techniques I will be very happy to help. You can do these either on the comments section of this blog entry or on the IVF Baby Centre board.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

My plan is to write a complete IVF Support Programme (to be ready by August 2012) that will also include 'Fear and Emotion Release', "'Ego Strengthening' and specific mp3s for the different stages of treatment but I hope for now those embarking on IVF will find this blog post useful.

If I have sparked your curiosity and you would like to know more about HypnoFertility sessions please email me at dany@tums2mums.com. Should you require I offer a free half an hour consultation so that you can meet me and ask any questions you have.

I work successfully with clients both face-to-face and using Skype.

Is it fear or excitement?

Well maybe it is fear or maybe it is excitement and sometimes it is both.

What on earth are you talking about I hear you cry, but it really is an interesting question because unless we are in real danger (when of course it is absolutely right to feel fear so that we can get ourselves out of trouble) we can change the answer to suit what we want.

Think for a moment how you experience fear in your body.

Ok, now take some time to become aware of how you experience excitement in your body.

They are incredibly similar aren't they and once you realise this you can use it change your perception of something.

Words are very powerful if you say that you are scared about something then you will create images (consciously and/or subconsciously) that represent fear. Because your subconscious runs the body based on the emotions these images evoke it will actually make physiological changes in the body to get you ready for danger. This is only useful if you really are in trouble other than that it causes unnecessary stress on your mind, body and emotional well being.

However, if you say you are excited about something then you will create images that match that and trigger a whole different response within the mind and body.

Your subconscious doesn't know the difference between real or imagined events so the more we focus on the negative the more likely we are to take action that matches that negativity. If we are focussing on the positive it is a natural response to find ourselves responding more positively to what is going on in our lives.

Let's look at this from a birthing perspective. A woman who says she is frightened of her baby's upcoming birth will create images of horror stories she's heard, read about or seen. In turn this will prepare her body for a potentially difficult birth. A woman who perceives the physical sensations within her body as excitement will create images that match that excitement and in turn support her body in working as it should during labour and birth. It doesn't actually matter if at first she doesn't quite believe it because the more she focuses on excitement the law of repetition will ensure that in turn it becomes easier to believe. This is because the more we practice something the easier it becomes and in turn becomes a new way of thinking. Of course if we are thinking differently we create the images that support an easier, comfortable birth.

Change this way is easy the only hard thing is to actually do it. For a pregnant woman you can tap into the desire to have a better birth for you and your baby.

But this of course works for all areas of your life so be more aware from now on whether something is a real or a perceived fear. If it is only perceived tell yourself you are excited instead and notice how different that makes you feel.

Remember it may take practice, but if you tap into the desire that will ensure you want to make a change, the more you focus on excitement the more you will believe it to be true and in turn you will be surprised at the differences that this will make in your every day life.

Christmas Gift

I am sitting here feeling very smug and happy with myself, there are 10 days to go till Christmas and I have FINISHED all of my Christmas shopping. In fact I had actually completed buying all of my presents last Friday, although this may be due to the fact that I did most of it online so there was not too much dragging a toddler around Bluewater this year. I did however make one trip and for anyone shopping there last Friday I was the poor mum walking around with the giant dalmatian balloon floating just above my head!! Still it kept Evan happy and we just about made it through the day.

I then realised that there was one very important gift that I hadn't done yet and I am now sitting here at 5 in the morning sorting that too.

If you are pregnant I hope you enjoy my Cloak of Protection mp3 and benefit from the powerful yet simple technique it teaches you. If you are not pregnant please share this link with anyone that you know who is. You really will be giving them a fantastic present by letting them know about it.

Taken from the Tums 2 Mums

Hypno 4 Birth Home Study Programme

“Unfortunately for most women as they become pregnant their bump seems to become a glowing bright beacon for all and sundry to approach and share all their most awful and intimate stories about pregnancy, labour, birth and being a parent. The media, films, soaps and birth channels all know that calm, relaxed births are not ‘sensational’ TV and so rarely show good ones. Although ironically to watch a woman labouring calmly is the most sensational thing you could want to see.

I urge you not to get involved in negative conversations about birth, stop people in their tracks when they want to share a horror story and don’t be tempted by the birthing channels (there are plenty of wonderful hypno births to watch on You Tube).

However, as determined as you might be that you will not accommodate any of the above, sometimes you can hear or see something so quickly that you don’t have time to stop it and this is why I have included the ‘Cloak of Protection’ mp3 in this programme.

You will learn whilst listening to this mp3 how to place an invisible cloak of protection around yourself which will shield you from any negativity, causing it to bounce off of you and preventing the messages from becoming absorbed by your subconscious mind."

Please note that the link for this Christmas offer will be removed on the 6th January 2011.

I'd love to know how you enjoy it so please take the time to leave a comment on my blog.

Merry Christmas everyone xxx

Fab email from one of my Hypno 4 Birth Home Study Mums

This email made my day - I think it speaks for itself.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hi Dany,

I just wanted to say Thank you for the wonderful Home Study programme for Hypno-birthing and to tell you about my wonderful birth experience when my son was born on 21st May 2010 at 545am weighing 8lb 4oz.

When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared of how I would cope as I am terrified of hospitals and needles.

I decided to try the Hypno-birthing to change my fear beliefs.

As you predicted, lots of people wanted to tell me their horror stories of difficult labours, and I just smiled at them, convinced (brain-washed) that Hypno-birthing would make my experience different.

My hospital told me that I was not to go there until my contractions were 3-4minutes apart, so I knew I had to spend alot of the labour at home.

When my surges started, I listened to the Surges with the Sea and Fear Release and Natural Calm MP3s and practised the slow breathing.

After a few hours, the mucus plus came out, and I could feel my baby's head was so low down, that even though my contractions were still 5-6minutes apart, I had to get to the hospital. Although I wasn't in pain, just discomfort, and the contractions were not that strong.

When we arrived at the hospital, the midwife told me I was 7cm dilated! I was so relieved and excited. I was offered an epidural but I knew I would be able to get through without it, so I just had Gas and Air and my son was born 3.5 hours later.

During the last part of my labour, the midwife kept telling my husband how relaxed and calm I was (I was deep in slow-breathing meditation!), and the whole experience was just as I imagined it.

I'm so excited, that I just can't wait to start trying for baby number 2!

Thank you again Dany, your MP3s and affirmations were relaxing and soothing and I'm recommending them to my pregnant friends.

Regards,

Mel x

Feeling sad, frustrated and a little bit angry!

Considering my last post was driven by similar emotions it would appear, that despite not having much time to blog at the moment, when my feelings get adequately fired the words in my head shout loud enough to force my fingers to the keyboard.

So what has got me so fired up?

The comments made in response to the Mail Online article about a women who reported her labour on Twitter. I've given a taster below with some of my thoughts attached to them (in case you are unsure mine are the ones in italics ;-)):

"What a sad woman . Also it brings out all the mothers on here having to tell there storys, why ?? I bet you lot bore people to tears with your storys I am a Mum myself but don't feel the need of broadcasting my labour storys over the net."

I think any pregnant woman will tell you that sharing birth stories are not limited to those talking about their comfortable birth. It seems to me that a bump is like a homing beacon for all and sundry men and women alike to frighten the poor women with the worse stories possible.

"You are no better if you have drugs or no drugs.... Each to their own depends on the delivery...."

I agree with this and some of my 'mums' find that due to unforeseen circumstances they want drugs and some require assisted deliveries. The amazing difference between theirs and many of their friends stories is they still report their story in a positive light.

"Birth is a painful experience, VERY painful. I thought everyone knew that. So what myths did she dispel exactly?"

But it doesn't have to be and even when a woman does feel discomfort she can remain in control of that and therefore have a positive birth experience.

"I found this article extremely sad,and read it as a woman who needed to be "known". For goodness sake,how long will it be now before someone posts their labour on U-tube. "

Sorry to disappoint you but there already are - lots of great hypnobirths on You Tube which give confidence to many, many, many pregnant women every day.

"Fair play to her for having an easy labour - so did I...twice. despite the hospital's insistence that I deliver there due to mild hypertension, I had no complications whatsoever and minimal pain relief. i didn't assume the world would want to hear about it though.....and its not really fair to say this will dispel the myths of childbirth as everyone is different and shouldn't feel like a failure of their birth experience is not the same as this one and if they couldn't be bothered to tweet about it either!"

A great point is being missed here. She most certainly dispelled the myth that all births are awful which sooooooooooo many women love to share and sadly sooooooooo many women buy in to. It CANNOT be coincidence that the women who attend my HypnoBirthing(R) courses and those who have private Hypno 4 Birth sessions with me or work through my Hypno 4 Birth Home Study programme report back positive stories of birth.

"How could this woman ever dispel any myths just because something didn't happen at her own delivery? Scientists would have to use thousands of women and their experience over years of trials if they were to ever dispel a myth."

Continuing on from my point above i

t also CANNOT be coincidence that on the HypnoBirth Board for which I am co-admin on Baby Centre again the members report back positive story after positive story. No they are not all they same. No they do not all report back pain free births. No their births don't all follow the plan that was hoped for. But they are ALL positive stories of birth.

"My own labour took 67 hours from one end to the other as my son was lying in the posterior position which lengthens labour and makes it very much more painful. Thank the lord for painkilllers, although I still felt a lot of the pain, and ended up with a caesarian section anyway.

I've had clients have 4 day labours (I wouldn't wish it on anyone) however one of them was my best friend and when I saw her 1 hour after her daughter was born she looked as fresh as anyone might look after a normal day at work. She also told me off for not sharing with more women how AMAZING HypnoBirthing(R) is. With regards to the comment about a posterior labour being more difficult I think you only have to read this story on my site to see that this is not necessarily true (NEVER buy into absolutes about birth).

I think I will stop there as the more I read these negative comments the more frustrated I get.

I have taken a moment again to read the original article to check if this poor woman who dared to tweet her labour was doing so with a smug, look at me, I am so amazing tone and all I see is a woman who is desperately trying to share that birth doesn't have to be the scary, awful thing that far too many women fear.

I know the feeling of not being able to share a wonderful birth story. I had an amazing birth with Evan and when I tried to share it at my baby massage class (where we were all sharing our stories) I got that same feeling that the others in the room felt I was showing off. One of the reasons I set up my monthly Mums and Mums-to-be group was so that women could share their positive stories of birth in an environment in which they could enjoy doing so. Again I was getting fed up of my 'mums' telling me that they were also getting negative responses when they were trying to share their stories. WHY? when they were expected to endure everybody else's horror stories when they were pregnant with a smile on their face.

My previous post explains what I believe a perfect birth is and it clear that I do not see any women who wants to use drugs or requires intervention as a failure. I just find it incredibly sad that most women get more and more frightened as their labour approaches rather than feeling excited about the upcoming birth of their baby. And I find it increasingly frustrating that if only others were more open to listening to these wonderful stories that more women could consistently have better births.

It really CANNOT be a coincidence that women who use hypnosis statistically have better births without intervention and I CANNOT repeat that enough!!

Keep sharing your wonderful hypnobirthing stories. Whilst the numbers are still small there are more and more women willing to listen and in turn having great births. And with each great story there is another one waiting to happen.