Hypnobirthing in Cumbria
Traditionally, antenatal classes took place at your local hospital with a local midwife. In recent years however, birth education has become somewhat depersonalised. Many NHS hospitals only offer online materials, which may or may not be tailored to their own facilities. It’s no wonder many couples seek something a bit more accessible, more local and more inclusive.
Alison Lindsay is a Cumbrian midwife, who teaches group and private classes to clients all around the county. If you haven’t heard of it before, Hypnobirthing is a popular choice for pregnant couples looking for a more thorough, more empowering style of antenatal class. Hypnobirthing courses take all the “normal” elements of a birth preparation class and mix in practical skills of relaxation and hypnosis to promote confidence and calm during your baby’s birth.
If you think that sounds a bit fluffy, rest assured it isn’t. Alison’s course is based on a syllabus from The BIrth Uprising, who make it their mission to debunk the myths around hypnobirthing and positive birth in general.
Despite the somewhat misleading name, hypnobirthing is based entirely in SCIENCE and knowing your stuff so that you can feel confident and relaxed about your birth plans, as well as communicating them with your care providers.
Hypnobirthing courses teach you not only how your body works, but also how to stay relaxed during birth, how to communicate your needs and wishes, and how to work as a team with your birth partners and caregivers. Most importantly, hypnobirthing can contribute to a more positive experience for both parents (and/or their birth partners), no matter what path their birth actually takes.
Alison is familiar with and trained in several “brands” of hypnobirthing. She has carefully selected what she thinks is the most inclusive, accessible programme in the UK - by The Birth Uprising. If you want more information on them check out their website by clicking on the logo above. The package that they provide is a complete birth education programme in it’s own right, you do not need to attend other classes or workshops. EVERYTHING you need for your baby’s birth is included.
“I can’t thank you enough for teaching me. I think I would have been terrified... I feel prepared now”
The Birth Uprising Hypnobirthing course is made up of four sessions (or two days for a group class) and will provide you with:
Knowledge about the physiology of labour
Practical skills and tools to stay calm and comfortable
Knowledge and confidence about your rights in birth
Hypnosis techniques to reduce fear and anxiety
Confidence to work as a team with your birth partners and care providers
Birth planning tools and advice
Included with your course you will receive:
12 hours of face to face (or online) education
Free access to the Birth Uprising Digital Hypnobirthing and Postnatal Packs (worth £55)
Ongoing text, email and phone support from an experienced midwife
Birth planning tools and templates
A digital AND hard copy of your TBU Workbook to complement the course
Relaxation and hypnosis mp3s for birth preparation and recovery
Access to exclusive web resources and video gallery
Priority booking and special offers for other services with Alison including Reflexology
Hypnobirthing courses are available as either group or private sessions. Groups run regularly in Carlisle, Penrith,and Kendal, and you can find details on our Upcoming Courses page. You’ll also find a link there to book a free online taster class where you can learn more and access exclusive discounts. The normal price for a group course is £275 per couple and private classes start at £395.
Hypnobirthing in Kendal
Group courses in Kendal run at The Fellside Centre, conveniently located near the centre of town. The light, airy studio is ideal for group courses which run regularly. Check the link below for upcoming dates. I also take on limited Private Clients in the Kendal area - contact me for availability or a quote.
Book via the Upcoming Courses link.
Hypnobirthing in Carlisle
Group hypnobirthing courses in Carlisle are offered in the warm and welcoming surroundings of Carlisle Therapies, one of the city’s premier therapy and wellness centres. The studio is in the centre of Carlisle on Lowther Street, making it convenient for local transport links and parking. Courses run approx every 2-3 months with small group sizes to ensure each attendee has the space and time to ask questions and enjoy the course.
Dates can be found on my Upcoming Courses page.
Hypnobirthing in Penrith
The venue for Penrith courses is nestled in the picturesque village of Askham, just off the A6 south of Penrith, where The Health Barn hosts us in their dedicated Loft space. The Loft is roomy but class sizes remain intimate to ensure you and your birth partner get the best value. There is ample free parking in the village and a cheeky pub lunch is almost compulsory!
Check availability on the Upcoming Courses page.
Hypnobirthing FAQs
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Hypnobirthing is, in it’s simplest form, a really thorough birth education course which incorporates relaxation techniques to help keep you calm during your baby’s birth.
On a deeper level, the use of self-hypnosis sets us up to think differently about our baby’s birth. Addressing our fears, and learning to release them, means that you can have a more positive pregnancy, feel less anxious about labour, and reduce the stress you or your baby may otherwise go through.
You’ll also learn a lot about your rights and options during labour, so that you can create a really positive and realistic birth plan.
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The Birth Uprising Hypnobirthing course taught by Alison includes all the elements of a “standard” antenatal class, but also covers in more depth the normal physiology of birth and how to work with, rather than against, your body. For example we learn about the hormones involved in a natural labour, the “fight or flight” response, and how to use that knowledge to your advantage during birth.
Alison will provide you with a deeper understanding of your rights and options, and how to approach a birth “plan” (including why it’s so important to HAVE a plan!). All of this is complemented by an amazing workbook and access to TBU’s amazing digital resources where you can download relaxation mp3s and additional materials.
Finally the ongoing support is a crucial part of your journey. Ali continues to “doula” you through the rest of your pregnancy and for group classes, you will have the option to join an exclusive Whatsapp group to keep in touch with the other parents.
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Your birth education needs are as individual as you are so should be led by your own wishes. But my answer… As soon as possible.
Many couples choose to wait until after their 20 week scan (the anatomy scan). By this point, you will be able to start planning your baby’s birth knowing that you are both fit and well. That said, one of the most common bits of feedback I get is that “I wish I had done/heard about this earlier”!
There is no upper or lower limit on when you start a Hypnobirthing course for this reason. While practice makes perfect, and most couples will want to leave plenty of time for that, others come to Hypnobirthing very late in their pregnancy and should not be put off! Ali has taught couples in the very last days and weeks of their pregnancies so is always happy to hear from you, including about private courses should that be necessary.
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A Group course with Alison starts from £275. These run regularly at venues around Cumbria. You can find details and dates on the Courses page but please don’t be shy to get in touch if a payment plan would help. I occasionally offer discounts for those in genuine need - so again if you think I can help please don’t hesitate to ask.
A private course (just you and your birth partner(s) starts at £395 and you have the option of choosing an online course or one held in your home. At home classes may necessitate an extra cost for travel - Alison will discuss this with you before you commit to anything. Get In Touch for an idea of prices and availability.
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Yes please! Birthing Partners are a crucial part of your team and no self respecting Hypnobirthing instructor would dream of running a course where they were not only welcome, but actively involved. Don’t worry, no awkward panting practice, just really straightforward information about how birth happens and how you can best support your loved ones. Groups are currently limited to the birthing woman/person plus one other, but online classes and private courses have no limit (within reason!).
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YES! Although I suppose to give a full answer, that depends on what you are expecting from it. Hypnobirthing is designed to boost your confidence. Alison’s classes will definitely do that. You will learn all about the process of birth, your choices, birth planning, practical tools to help and more…
However, there are a lot of misconceptions about Hypnobirthing - the most common ones are that a Hypnobirth should be a natural birth, and that the goal of Hypnobirthing is to experience a pain free labour. While I would love to make these claims, it just isn’t true or realistic, so beware of anyone who tells you this.
I’d also be wary of anyone who tells you “Hypnobirthing didn’t work for me”. It might be that no one explained this to them fully. The Birth Uprising course in particular doesn’t make unrealistic promises of a pain free or natural birth. Our focus is on POSITIVE and EMPOWERING birth.
What you might just find though, is that by staying calm and relaxed in labour you have less NEED for pain relieving drugs, because you have other “tools” in your toolbox. Many of my families experience that the birthing person feels more in control, more confident, and more aware of their options, and this leads to better birth preparation and MORE CHANCE of a positive birth (even if that ends up as a planned Caesarean).
In fact, The Birth Uprising Course even covers more complicated birth scenarios such as Breech Births, Induction of Labour or Caesarean Birth. Ask Ali for more details if any of this fit your situation or you prefer a more tailored private course.
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It may seem tempting, when having a baby is already such an expensive process, to cut back on classes. Maybe you’re planning to attend your local midwife-run course or pick up a book from the library. Alison wouldn’t dream of knocking either of these options, after all she IS a midwife AND a complete bookworm. What you should note though, is that the quality of these resources really does vary and may not be tailored to your needs. Online, self-taught courses for example are often mass produced and may contain nothing specific to you. Alison tailors every group to the needs of the attendees, and will follow up with you personally should you have questions or queries at ANY time before your baby is born.
You also get the support of other LOCAL new parents when taking a group class.
Reading about Hypnobirthing is a great way to dip your toe in and see whether this approach may suit you, but it’s no substitute for actual tuition with an experienced instructor. Get in touch if you feel like you’d really benefit from Hypnobirthing but are worried about prices or can’t make any of my advertised groups.