I know how you’re feeling about birth…
Since the minute you announced your pregnancy, your friends, family, and colleagues, have probably been queuing up to tell you a horror story about birth. This in itself is enough to leave you quaking at the knees, never mind the dramatic scene you just witnessed in your favourite TV show. I know you don’t want to feel scared and you’re smart enough to know there’s another option. You can approach birth with confidence, empowered with knowledge, and drawing on your innate strength and wisdom. Your baby’s birth can be a positive experience.
Someone may have already said to you, “Don’t bother with a birth plan. Just go with the flow.” Going with the flow is a terrible idea. Let me tell you why!
Just think, did your beautiful wedding happen by luck or meticulous planning? Does Taylor Swift just whing it? Or does she spend hours training her voice, working on her fitness, and honing her craft?
The birth of your baby is no different.
Planning for the birth of your baby means that you have carefully considered the type of birth you want and strategised how to get it. You will be armed with knowledge, including understanding of common procedures and interventions, your rights, and your choices. You see, a positive birth experience does not happen by chance and good luck. It involves you feeling empowered, confident, and in control. When you feel this sense of unshakable strength, and you trust in the wisdom of your body, you will be able to move flexibly with the unknowns of your birth experience. When all is said and done, having felt in control makes a big difference to how you feel about the experience.
My immersive group hypnobirthing course runs over four sessions. You will attend with your birth partner and meet like-minded couples who want to believe and share in the power of positive birth together. You will leave feeling confident in yourself and your body, empowered with knowledge, and looking forward to your baby’s birth with joy and peaceful anticipation. Your partner will learn how they play a fundamental role in the process and will share in your joy and excitement.
Do you want to meet a community of like-minded parents?
Do you want to look forward to your baby’s birth with joy?
Do you want to feel empowered with knowledge about birth and your body?
Fear inhibits the natural process of birth.
During labour, if you feel afraid, your body will become tense and you will experience contractions more painfully. Blood flows to your arms and legs, and away from your uterus, causing the uterine muscles to become tired and struggling to recover. However, if you feel calm and confident, this has the opposite effect. Entering labour in a calm state allows blood to flow to your uterus, and work optimally.
Oxytocin, the love hormone, will flow and you will release endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. This allows the process of labour to work smoothly and comfortably. Hypnobirthing supports you to achieve this state.
About me
Hi, I’m Soraya. A clinical associate psychologist and hypnobirthing teacher. I am an expert in supporting people to harness the power of the mind-body connection and move from a state of fear to a place of confidence.
I am passionate about women and babies having a positive birth experience and a gentle start to their life as a family unit.
I believe in the fundamental right of informed consent and believe that knowledge is power. I am a mother of two small children and live with my family in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Join me for the next group hypnobirthing course.
The group course includes:
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Opportunity to meet a community of like-minded parents
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Breaks for refreshments including; hot and cold drinks, and my delicious home baking
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A helpful Parent Folder (PDF) to accompany the course
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Four guided meditation tracks to bring you serenity
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Relaxation scripts which we will practice together during our course
You will also receive:
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The Hypnobirthing Book by Katharine Graves
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Exclusive access to the private Sage Birth Facebook Group
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A WhatsApp group for members of your group course
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Invitation to exclusive get togethers, for the first year post-partum, solely for Sage Birth graduates, where you can keep in touch with your group.
Special Bonus
A delightful aromatherapy bath salts from North East company Diya Wellness. The soothing blend is a perfect formulation for pregnancy massage, sensitive skin, and even when nursing. It offers a calming, mild scent of sweet orange, frankincense, and neroli.
Available until June 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I book in for your hypnobirthing course?
The best time to book in for our private hypnobirthing course will be from around 14 weeks up until 34 weeks, so you have plenty of time to practice and consolidate your knowledge. Of course, if you find me later in pregnancy, we can start the course ASAP, and complete it intensively, so you have as much time as possible to prepare.
What is the difference between hypnobirthing and a traditional antenatal class?
A traditional antenatal class will focus on practical aspects of labour, birth, preparing for life with a newborn, and perhaps breastfeeding. They may discuss hypnobirthing as a small aspect of their course. My hypnobirthing course is a 12 hour programme entirely dedicated to the process of labour and birth. In addition to acquiring valuable knowledge about the process, and feeling empowered to make choices, you will achieve a complete mind-set shift from feeling anxious and afraid to feeling a sense of calm confidence. A traditional antenatal class can be done in addition to my hypnobirthing course as they teach different things from different aspects.
Are they any disadvantages to hypnobirthing?
Some may criticise hypnobirthing as encouraging women to believe they will achieve a perfect, idealised, birth experience and therefore, sets them up for failure. This is not what the Sage Birth hypnobirthing course does. If things to drift away from your ideal plan, you will feel confident to ask questions and remain in control of the process. When you feel in control, and trusting of your body, you will be able to remain flexible to the journey of labour and birth, and, when all is said and done, satisfied that you made the best choices for you and your baby.
I like the sound of this but £265 sounds like a lot…
I understand this, you want to know it’s worth it. First of all, have a think; how much have you spent on a babymoon? What about your pram? I promise you that your investment in this course will be worth it. After you complete the course and realise how much you are now looking forward to your birth experience, it’ll seem worth it. When labour starts and you realise how confident you feel, and how manageable it really all is, it’ll be worth it. When you hold your baby, feeling empowered, and a like a goddess, smiling, and staring in awe at that little face, it’ll be worth it. Your investment in a positive birth experience is worth every penny. Everything that comes after, as a parent, and as your baby grows, sits on the foundation of your birth experience.
Why don't I just do one of those cheap online courses?
You could, and you'll learn some helpful things, but honestly, you get what you pay for. Pre-recorded, online courses are intended to sell to the masses. The information is generic and limited. You can't ask questions. You can't get good, personalised, information for your personal situation. You won't be able to meet other like minded parents.
Ok, I’m convinced but I’m not sure about my birth partner…
This is totally normal. My super practical husband was also rather sceptical of hypnobirthing and thought it seemed a bit woo woo. However, once we got started he was completely on board! Once he understood the rational, and the science behind it, it all made sense. I imagine it also won’t take much for your partner to be convinced. My course also gives birth partners a fundamental role in the process and I find they like feeling useful and sure of their role.
This all sounds great but I’m likely to be induced or getting a c-section.
Hypnobirthing is useful in all types of births. Even when things are more medicalised you can harness the power of the mind-body connection and keep yourself calm, and focused. We will also cover education around inductions and c-sections so you know what to expect and how to make the experience as positive as possible. There are certain adaptations you can ask for and you will feel empowered to be assertive about what you want.
