• Relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques to eliminate the fear and tension that cause long labor and pain, replacing it with confidence, calm and comfort

• Other techniques to produce a shorter, more comfortable labor

• The creative and control of the body’s own natural relaxant

• The source of the myth that pain must accompany normal birthing

• Why women in other cultures have birthing almost entirely free of discomfort

• How the mother’s body is designed to work in neuro-muscular harmony with nature throughout labor

• Practice in deep relaxation during and between uterine surges

• The importance of prenatal and perinatal bonding

UNIT I Discovering and embracing HypnoBirthing® for easier, more comfortable birthing

· The philosophy of Hypnobirthing® · Background of HypnoBirthing® · Exploding the myth of pain in labor - Uterine surges/waves - muscle response · What's wrong with labor - Why it hurts; why it doesn't have to · The origin of a pain concept that is no longer valid -- a look at other cultures · How fear affects the length and discomfort of labor · Introduction to principles of hypnosis and self-hypnosis for birthing · How the mind determines the body's response - class exercises

UNIT II Prenatal Bonding -- Preparing Your Mind and Body for Birthing

· Prenatal bonding - discussion and exercises · A Mother's Conversation with Her Unborn Child · A Father's Script · Rainbow Relaxation tape and script · Breathing for labor: Sleep Breathing, Slow Breathing, Birth Breathing · Rapid progressive relaxation/deepening techniques for labor · Visualizations for labor

UNIT III Getting ready to welcome your baby

· Stretching inner thigh muscles · The nutrition your body and baby need · Avoiding episiotomy - perineal massage - favorable labor positions · Light touch massage · Preparing your birth plan · Daddy's promise · Making hospital, home, or birthing center plans · Looking at your estimated due date · How to achieve a natural onset of labor, free of drugs or intervention · Releasing limiting emotions and fears

UNIT IV Understanding the simplicity of the birthing miracle

· How your body works with you and for you · Settling in at the hospital · The two phases of labor - opening/thinning and birthing · Special circumstances · Early signals and hallmarks of labor · The birthing companion's integral role in labor - prompt sheet · How labor proceeds

UNIT V Birthing -- Breathing love; bringing life

· Comfort measures through labor · Meeting a slowed or stalled labor · Birth breathing for smooth birthing - Breathing your baby down to birth (review) · Meeting, feeding, and bonding with baby - birthing of the placenta · The fourth trimester