Are you “weird” for choosing Hypnobabies?

It wasn't until I chose to do Hypnobabies with my third baby in 2007 that I realized people considered me odd. 

I never thought of myself as any different than any other person preparing for birth, but I soon realized the course name raised eyebrows and, unfortunately, evoked a negative response from many people around me—friends, family members, and folks I barely knew.  (It’s amazing how free people feel to weigh in when it’s about someone else’s birth!)  "Hypnobabies... does that have to do with having babies in water?" many asked me. Um...that would be “Hydrobabies” and I'm pretty sure a class like that doesn't exist! 

"Oh, you mean Hypnobirthing," others would say. Nope, I do mean Hypnobabies and Hypnobirthing is great, too, but the programs are very different from each other!

I’m so glad I didn’t listen to the naysayers.  After having a beautiful birth experience using the Hypnobabies method, I realized why people didn’t “get it”: my experience giving birth using Hypnobabies was nothing like what most everyone around me had.  We were never panicked or unsure.  We never felt out of control.  We never felt fearful.  I didn’t need rescuing from discomfort or from birth.  It was so different from what most people think birth is! 

After that, I became determined to eventually teach it to other families seeking to birth their babies in a gentle way, and with complete educational backing to help them through their decision-making surrounding birth. 

What could be more normal than that?  Every parent wants a safe, happy birth that goes as smoothly as possible, right?  And how about reducing pain?  Yes, please!  Hypnobabies is one way to make all of those things more likely.  It’s a double whammy: comprehensive evidence-based childbirth education (from healthy pregnancies to factual information about medical intervention in the hospital to caring for a newborn) PLUS a risk-free method of being more physically comfortable without having to wait until you are at the hospital… or wait for the anesthesiologist to get to you… or wait for drugs to kick in.  

The other thing I absolutely love about Hypnobabies—as someone who teaches it—is how judgment-free it is for every type of birth and family.  It is all about options.  Whatever is right for you and your family, and whatever you need to do as circumstances change.  Being informed about all of those options ahead of time gives parents a sense of confidence that carries through to confident decision-making.

So, who uses Hypnobabies? Entrepreneurs, farmers, attorneys, teachers, nurses, and stay-at-home parents, to name a few! Hypnobabies reaches a diverse community who have the same goals: to have their babies in the gentlest of ways and to prepare for birth and postpartum in the best way possible.  They aren’t weird!  They are informed; they are confident; they are prepared.

Take a peek at our video (at top) describing our courses at The Birth Haven. You might be surprised to see how normal Hypnobabies actually is!