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Charlie & Terry
Firstly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Sandra. She has stepped beyond all expectations we had and not only provided us with support outside of the course, but also welcomed us into a network of like-minded people. Many of which are able to give additional support to us, from breast feeding to Cranio-sacral therapy. The list is endless.
When I first fell pregnant (this is my first time) I was a bit anxious about giving birth. Portrayals of birth on TV seemed very traumatic and many birth stories from friends / family only seemed to confirm this. However, I had heard of a few natural births that were calm, very straight forward and in some cases painless. We both knew we wanted the best, stress-free birth for our baby. It must be traumatic enough for the baby without the added stress and tension passed on from the mother during birth. Not to mention ‘spacing’ them out on pain relief drugs, after all they need to be a bit compus-mentus to follow instincts and get themselves into the correct/best position.
My Mum had been lucky enough in the 70’s to have access to a course on self-hypnosis / deep relaxation for birth through her midwife, and had managed a relatively pain-free natural birth. After searching on the net for similar antenatal courses I came across HypnoBirthing. Not only did the course provide me with the tools for a calm, natural birth but also provided in depth education on how the body works during birth. It also taught me what happens to baby at various stages of birth. Not only could this course provide me with a potentially calm natural birth, but it also will enable my partner to have an active role in the birth. After all we made the baby together and we’ll raise the baby together, so why not birth the baby together.
Sandra was incredibly understanding (and patient) that although we wanted to attend the course, finances were very much limited as both of us didn’t know if we’d have a job from one month to the next. I am so glad I chose to sacrifice a few manicures, haircuts and other bits and bobs to save the money to attend the course. It has been worth every penny, most certainly good value for money! Now both of us are not only looking forward to meeting our little one, but we are very excited about the birth and putting into practice everything we have learnt.
Thank you again Sandra, we couldn’t have found anyone better to teach us the self-hypnosis and breathing techniques of HypnoBirthing.
Natalie & Ryan
Just to say thank you to Sandra for a brilliant experience on our HypnoBirthing course. When I initially spoke to Sandra she really explained a lot and put my mind at ease, not rushing me or pushing me to come on the course. She answered lots of questions before I had booked on the course.
I have had two babies previously but suffered a great deal of anxiety and unfortunately didn't enjoy either pregnancy due to fear of birth. Since learning techniques on the course I’m really looking forward to giving birth to my baby and actually feel excited. I’ve explained to a few sceptics that even if I have intervention at the last minute, the fact I’ve been relaxed and excited throughout my pregnancy means more to me than any last minute anxieties I may come across.
Not only was the course brilliant value for money compared to others but it exceeded our expectations and really provided an educational experience for myself and my, at first, reluctant partner. He was however converted after the first session.
The best thing about the course is it was so easy to comprehend, Sandra provided a friendly comfortable atmosphere where we felt free to ask all sorts of questions. Learning what exactly is happening physically to your body gives you a greater level of acceptance and understanding, enabling you to deal with it calmly, instead of panicking and wondering what the sensations are. Even after two previous births I learned things I didn’t know which will help me be calm during this birth.
I have recommended this course to lots of people. I feel the government should offer this course using professional practitioners such as Sandra; it would save the NHS a lot of money with regards to giving out drugs. Watching HypnoBirthing mothers on DVD’s birth their babies without drugs and pain is amazing. It would provide a link to a more care in the community approach allowing for more mothers to feel empowered by accomplishing what they are all naturally designed to do, give birth without the need for unnecessary surgical intervention, welcoming their babies into the world in a peaceful serene environment.
Through this knowledge and education in time HypnoBirthing mothers will help spread the word!
Helen & Steve
I had never heard of HypnoBirthing until I came across a talk Sandra was delivering. I was intrigued by the way she described how birth could be. I had previous had a caesarean section and wanted to avoid a second caesarean if I could. A natural birth this time with little or no intervention was most appealing. I had learned from trained medical staff prior to meeting Sandra that the more intervention I had in my labour meant a higher risk of a second caesarean. As I listened to Sandra and I thought this is for me and I knew I could get on with Sandra and relax which is something I don't always do easily. The thought of using breathing techniques and relaxing to bring your child into the world was something I wanted to learn more about and give it a go.
I went home to my husband and explained about HypnoBirthing and the techniques used and a small grin appeared on my husbands face. Let’s just say I asked him to support me on this one and to throw himself into this for my sake as I was now 36 weeks pregnant and things were getting very close.
Steve came with me to the first session and learnt techniques to support me in labour and then I saw Sandra on my own, due to the limited time left. I learnt so much more about birth, how the body works and how to relax completely all benefits of HypnoBirthing. Sandra empowered me to complete a comprehensive birthing plan and also advised me on what I could request during and after the birth. This including things which would benefit me and my baby, such as keeping my baby close to me following the birth and having the cord clamped whilst on my chest and having him weighed at a later time. I listened to my birth affirmation disks and relaxation disks leading up to the birth and I can safely say I was not frightened but ready for my baby to arrive. I would recommend HypnoBirthing to anyone who wants to take control over their birth and have the birth their way.
Fabien & Alex
I first heard about HypnoBirthing through my aunty who told me about her sister-in-law, Claire using it. When I spoke to Claire she asked me if I was excited about the birth. Excited! No I was scared, how could I be excited. I had heard so many horror stories and knew it was going to really hurt. Claire went on to tell me that she had the most amazing birth and that it was easy. Now I was interested, I had never heard anyone talk about birth in such a way .I contacted Sandra who gave me all the information and I knew the course was for me. Unfortunately my partner Alex did not share my enthusiasm and initially said “there’s no way I’m going to something like that” (with more colourful language lol) I decided to go to the course with my mum but then he changed his mind and reluctantly came with me. After the first session he admitted it made sense and was a little less sceptical but still didn’t think it would work. We both enjoyed the course and learnt lots of things about how the body works in the absence of fear and what to expect in pregnancy and labour. As well as all the practical information and techniques, I learnt how to completely relax, which was lovely. By the end of the course I felt happy and confident in my ability to birth naturally and knew that my birth would also be amazing for me and my baby. I even decided to have a home birth, something I would not have even considered before the course. I would highly recommend the course to everyone, Sandra is friendly and knowledgeable and her passion for HypnoBirthing shines through. Thank you Sandra for making my pregnancy more enjoyable.
Sarah & John
My partner John and I really enjoyed our hypnobirthing course, Sandra is easy to get on with and we felt comfortable talking to her about our worries. I have always been interested in birth so knew a lot that happened, but we learnt so much more. Such practical information like how your muscles work during labour and how there could be pain if your body was not relaxed. It was just common sense and meant that any worry I had disappeared in our first lesson. The course was great and I recommend it to everyone having a baby especially "non-believers" and people with fear about birth. I cannot see why you wouldn't invest the small amount of time and money in making your baby’s birth the best it can be for yourself but most importantly your little person. Thank you very much Sandra. Sarah and John, (very excited about the birth of our 2nd baby).
Caroline & Mark
What can I say. I found the course brilliant. If I was worried about having a baby well Sandra put me at my ease very quickly. We had 4 sessions altogether and by the end of it I felt really comfortable with the thought of giving birth. The relaxation was brilliant, the music we listened to was so calming. Mark and I were so chilled and not worried at all about having the baby. We chose not to know what we were having and instead nicknamed our bump 'Horace'. By having everything explained about the birth process, what to expect and what not to expect, Mark and I felt fully informed. A key factor for me was not having any fear about giving birth. If you are frightened, this can make the process much worse. As Sandra explained if you can change your perceptions about giving birth it is more likely to be a positive experience and not like the horror stories that you hear all the time. Giving birth is so natural, the media and lots of people tend to make it sound like an awful experience, it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. When I was at the women and children’s hospital, actually on the delivery suite I had an excellent midwife called Betty who was amazed how calm Mark and I were. We were playing our music and I was doing my deep breathing and visualization techniques - I was at Victoria Falls looking at the waterfall and admiring the rainbow which was completely circular, it was beautiful. Doing this helped me stay calm and cope with the surges as they came and went. They were a bit uncomfortable but not painful. I also used a tens machine and Mark was doing light touch massage. The combination of all this meant I didn't have any pain relief like an epidural or pethadine which I really didn't want. At the very end I used some gas and air as I did have to have an assisted birth, but I didn't like it very much and wouldn't bother with that again. When Sophie was born as a consequence of a drug free birth, she was very alert and was very keen to feed. Mark had the first hold and she was trying to feed from him! I felt very alert also despite been a bit tired, but I wasn’t drugged up and so I was able to thoroughly enjoy those first few precious hours of bonding as a new family I had such a good birth experience, would I do it again? Oh definitely and I'd do it tomorrow. Hypobirthing is the way to go for a positive birth and I can't recommend it or Sandra highly enough.
Caroline, Mark and Sophie
Liz & Wayne
I am so grateful that I heard about Hypnobirthing and found Sandra! I’d wanted to have a baby for so long, but had always been put off by all those horrible birth stories that you hear (and see on one born every minute). After finally taking the plunge my fear of labour increased, all I could think about was what could go wrong and by 20 weeks I could not even think about it without my heart racing. Without sounding too dramatic, I was terrified and had no idea how I was going to cope during labour.
This course is fantastic. It explains the one thing that the NHS antenatal classes don’t: normal child birth should not be painful. And it goes further than just explaining the mechanics of labour; it provides practical techniques that can be used during labour that don’t rely on drugs and medical intervention.
I really enjoyed the classes and always felt really chilled out after them. I practiced the relaxation techniques every day and as a result the last few months of my pregnancy were so calm despite stressful personal circumstances and suffering severely with pelvic girdle pain (PGP). By using the affirmations and the visualisation techniques from the course instead of being scared I was really excited in the run up to my due date, not just about meeting my baby, but I was actually looking forward to the actual birthing experience.
Sandra is wonderful. She is friendly, informative and has an amazing calming effect. The support she has provided has been above and beyond what I could have possibly expected. Sandra believed in me and gave me the confidence to trust my body. She also did an extra session with me when my labour stalled.
The course is also great for the guys too. My partner had fears of this own from experiencing his daughter’s premature birth 13 years previously. Sandra spent time with him to help him to overcome his fears and to understand the support he could give me during the birth.
I’ve also enjoyed becoming part of Sandra’s growing hypnobirthing community. I’ve made new friends and gained lots of valuable advice and support from them all.
In the end my birth didn’t go to plan due to my PGP, but with Wayne’s help I stayed calm and relaxed throughout it all. Above all I was not scared. Welcoming my beautiful baby boy into the world was the most amazing experience.
The best thing about the course is that the relaxation technique taught is not just for birth, it is a life skill that I hope never to forget. It has already come in useful when breast feeding and comforting a colicy baby!
Thanks Sandra, Love Liz, Wayne and Baby Jacob xxx
Chrissy & John
Having two previous children, with very different experiences ten years ago, I came across HypnoBirthing. The whole ethics of Hypnobirthing was to provide you with the "tools" to a relaxing, calming beautiful birthing experience. After having a ten year gap between my first two children and my 3rd, I thought this was a brilliant opportunity to get my partner more involved in the pregnancy and the birth as well as the care of our child.
Sandra is a lovely, kind, conscientious lady who has conviction that Hypnobirthing, deep relaxation and breathing techniques is the way to beautiful births. The course was in depth, informative and tailor made to your own needs.
Both my partner, John and myself found it extremely helpful. Having 2 previous births, I already felt confident but needed a little reassurance because of the time lap. This was Johns first child, and within the course, his confidence to help and be involved through pregnancy.labour and birth grew within the 6 week course. Sandra also give me the confidence to relax and forget our "due date" and just enjoy the last few weeks without fear or stress.
The birth of our son, Jacob was beautiful, calm and serene. I had bonded more with my " bump" through Hypnobirthing to the point I was calling his name and talking to him while he was being born within the warmth of a birthing pool. I feel that Hypnobirthing has solidified the bond, not only between Jacob and Myself, but with the whole family.
Mike & Karen
Dear Sandra
Mike and I want to say a massive thank you for all you did for us in preparation for the birth of our beautiful boy. We really enjoyed our hypno-birthing classes and missed them when they finished. We felt we were more than prepared for the birth and would highly recommend hypno-birthing to all that asked. We will never look at a rose the same way again!
I also wanted to say that when we knew the baby was breach you went above and beyond to help me try and move the baby.
Thanks again for everything
Mike, Karen and Baby Fynnan
Emma & Wayne
Sandra's course was fantastic, we loved going every week, she was so welcoming and friendly. My labour was excellent, all down to Sandra and the calming effect of the Hypnobirthing techniques which we were taught. I especially enjoyed the deep relaxation scripts she did with me - even going out of her way to do an extra one for me after my course finished as my little man was overdue.
My friends/work colleagues did not think it possible that as this was my first baby I would be able to have a drug free calm labour. I was so happy to have proved them all wrong!! Sandra was fab! She really believes in her teaching and because she also believed in me, I believed in me and I DID IT!My beautiful baby boy Arlo was born on 20/1/11 7lb 6oz. I am so proud to have had a successful Hypnobirth, which could not have been possible without Sandra and her dedication to me and her belief in the Hypnobirthing technique
Thank you Sandra! xx
Mike & Claire
I first heard about HypnoBirthing through a work colleague who posted her birthing story on Facebook! I was instantly fascinated as it was the first positive birth story I had heard ever! I had been filled with all the usual horror stories, which people love to tell, since discovering I was pregnant.
My husband and I had been through IVF to get pregnant and every twinge and ache had me worrying and stressing that something was wrong, which in turn then affected my already present IBS! I spoke to Mike, my husband, and other family members about the hypnobirthing and they all agreed it wouldn't hurt to find out more about it. I was about 4 months pregnant when I first rang Sandra, who was extremely easy to talk to, and she gave me a quick description of the hypnobirthing methods. It sounded amazing, not only the benefits for me but also for our precious baby.
We arranged to meet her for our first session, at her house, 6 weeks later. She explained that often people come to her a little later on in pregnancy but that coming earlier would only give me more chance to practise and that would only be beneficial.
Sandra was so welcoming and Mike and I were made to feel relaxed and at home straight away (and fed lots of biscuits!!) Mike had been a little apprehensive about attending the hypnobirthing sessions but after our first visit we both left Sandra's home feeling very positive and with a much greater understanding of exactly what would happen to my body during labour. Everything Sandra told us made complete sense especially the part about pain in labour being related to fear which in turn results in tense muscles and therefore pain. Basically if your body was relaxed the muscles would relax and lead to a quicker and less painful birth experience.
The four hypnobirthing sessions we attended were three hours long and the time jut flew by. Sandra was very flexible with her appointment times and fitted us in when we were available. We learned about the history of hypnobirthing, the effects of drugs during labour, how to overcome any fears and were shown positive clips of women giving birth using the hypnobirthing methods. We were taught different methods of relaxation using a CD, breathing methods and light touch massage techniques.
Since finishing the sessions I am in touch with Sandra regularly. She is always on call with my constant questions and queries or just for a general chat.
We are now only 3 weeks away from our estimated due date and I can honestly say, when anyone asks me, that I am looking forward to the birthing process. I feel this is the way every new Mum should be feeling not filled with the dread and fear, which many people are, when considering labour. This is the most amazing time of our lives, the thought of bringing a new little person into the world. Thanks to Sandra I have been able to enjoy the build up to 'D' day and put any fears I previously had about giving birth aside. I know Sandra is as excited as we are about meeting our baby and more than ready for those all important cuddles!!
Joanne & Craig
Hypnobirthing
I first heard about HypnoBirthing through my pregnancy book, and then I researched it on the internet. There were a number of things I hoped to get out of the classes, particularly techniques that would help me to be more positive and calm during my pregnancy (I kept stressing about anything and everything) and help to prepare me for a labour that was a more relaxed, natural labour.
My husband is a stereotypical construction type and considered anything like this to be on par with voodoo and his opinions on labour where that it was done in a hospital bed (he thought I was far out wanting a water birth) with as many drugs a possible and that he would, at some point pass-out during the process. I convinced him to attend and support me which he did reluctantly at first, but after the first class he was really positive about it and actually said he had enjoyed it!
We haven’t had our baby yet but feel that the course was everything I had hoped for at the beginning. I feel more informed now about what to expect and what options are available to me and less overwhelmed. My husband and I are both on the same page now and he has plenty to do to keep him busy and out of trouble through both the pregnancy and labour.
In addition to this we really enjoyed attending the classes and meeting Sandra and the other couple on the course and Craig and I would certainly recommend it to others.
Joanne and Craig.
Paula & Phil
Just wanted to say a big thank you Sandra. We came to the HypnoBirthing course expecting to learn relaxation for our baby’s birth, what we got was so much more. The techniques have made us both much more positive, relaxed and confident for our forthcoming birth, we are really can’t wait now. The amount of information and knowledge you have given us surpassed our expectations and it was lovely to share laughter and experiences with the other couples, we already miss coming. You really made the whole course FUN and we are busy recommending your course to all mums- to- be we meet. We can’t wait to bring our little girl to meet you when she is born. See you soon
Paula and Phil.
Becka & Shaun
I had never heard of HypnoBirthing before a colleague gave me a leaflet. When I read the leaflet I realised that HypnoBirthing offered everything I had been looking for. The opportunity to have a calm safe birth where I was in control and one that was not a medical drama. My husband on the other hand took a little more persuading. After a lot of jokes about him making whale noises in my ear and my inability to cope with labour without screaming for an epidural within 10 minutes he agreed to come along.
Sandra was really helpful and friendly from the start. We were unable to attend the regular course times so we agreed weekly private sessions around mine and my husband's shifts. Each week made me feel much more relaxed and confident in my own ability to give birth naturally. My husband even suggested switching our birthing plan from the hospital to our local midwife led birthing centre, including the use of their birthing pool.
I'm due any time now and we're really excited about the birth. People have asked me if I'm scared and to be honest that doesn't really make sense to me any more. I know that even if things take an unexpected turn we now have the knowledge to make informed decisions and feel fully equipped to deal with anything calmly in a way that is best for our baby and us.
Aoife & Andy
We decided to do the HypnoBirth course after talking to friends. Our view quickly became that if it didn't allow me to achieve the natural birth I wanted at least it would keep me calm and relaxed through what was an emotionally difficult pregnancy. We really looked forward each week to our sessions with Sandra, she made us feel very comfortable and was able to answer all our questions.
My birth was everything I had hoped it would be, I felt so great after the birth that I could have done it all again the next day. All my visitors were really surprised at how well and even refreshed I looked just hours after the 7 hour labour.
I will recommend this course to anyone who will listen to me. Thank you Sandra for all your help, relaxation and biscuits. Love Aoife, Andy and Baby
Katy & Chris
Even before getting pregnant, I knew I wanted to experience all that labour and birth have to offer as my sister in law spoke so warmly about her experiences and said she felt empowered – that she could do anything after it. However, I have heard so many horrific stories from women and men that I knew I needed help to really trust myself and not panic.
I came to Sandra’s after hearing Nadia Sawalha’s experience of HypnoBirthing. I chose to take the course because she was immediately enthusiastic, expressed similar ideas to my own and I didn’t feel like ‘just another pregnant woman’. My partner was initially sceptical but after he did his own research, he was soon on board.
I found the course really helped me to focus on what I wanted and the relaxation materials were an excellent way to facilitate this.
I would advise any woman to try the course and use what you learn to your own advantage to take on anything that arises as you give birth. The whole experience was nothing like the horror stories I was told and like my sister in law, I do feel part of something powerful every time I look at my daughter.
Copyright East Yorkshire Hypnobirthing® 2010