What sets Hypnobirthing Australia’s Positive Birth Program apart from other independent birth education courses is the jam packed birth toolkit that each birthing mother and partner take home. I recommend taking all your tools with you to your birth because you just never know which ones you’ll need (or be drawn to) on the day.

Here’s some Tools to add to your Birth Toolkit:

Breath

Surge Breathing: during surges
Relaxation Breathing: in between surges
Breathing/ Bearing Down: in the later stages of labour during surges, when you feel a lot of pressure, during the “pushing phase” of labour.

Acupressure

Can be used as a natural induction technique to help dilate the cervix, progress labour, relieve back pain and strong sensations and boost endorphins during labour. An “Acupressure Cheat Sheet” is available to download in the online resources.

Self Hypnosis: Tracks and Scripts

Tracks: Rainbow Mist and Surge of the Sea

Listen to the tracks if labour starts at night and you can’t sleep. If labour starts during the day, balance activity with rest and listening to the tracks. You can listen with headphones on the way to the hospital and during labour when you’re in the bath or laying on your side on the bed (with peanut ball between your legs) to get some rest.

Tracks: Facial Relaxation, Opening Lotus Flower and Bubble of Comfort

Facial Relaxation: if partner notices mum clenching jaw or holding tension in her face during labour.
Opening Lotus Flower: when baby’s head is crowning
Bubble of Comfort: to help mum internalise during labour.

Scripts: Rainbow Mist, Affirmations, Opening Lotus Flower, Facial Relaxation, Breathing Techniques, Bubble of Comfort, Glove of Endorphins & Deepeners and The Journey- Additional Fear Release.

When to use: Use scripts during labour. Specifically:
Facial Relaxation: if partner notices mum clenching jaw or holding tension in her face during labour.
Opening Lotus Flower: when head is crowning
Glove of Endorphins & Deepeners: before mum gets an epidural or cannula
Fear Release: to help let go of anything that is holding you back from surrendering to the process of labour.

Affirmations: Cards, Scripts and Tracks

Place affirmation cards on the walls at home and at hospital. Listen to tracks in the car on the way to hospital or anytime during labour to stay positive.

Prompts
When to use: prompts for each stage of labour are in the “Birth Partner Cheat Sheet”. There is also a Birth Prompts track you can purchase HERE

Anchor Touch & Trigger Words

Birth partner to use any time they feels mum needs to relax a little deeper.

Movement

The best position for labour is where you feel most comfortable. If labour is stalling or you’ve been in the same position for a while or birth partner notices mum looks uncomfortable, suggest she change position (between surges not during). Always ensure her knees are padded on the floor or in the bath and offer to cover her with a sheet in room to give her a sense or privacy but to make sure she is warm enough. Never have Mum lay on her back.

During the Positive Birth Program you’ll learn active birth positions and birth partners will learn how to best support mum including how to use a birth ball, peanut ball and Rebozo.

Visualisations

Downloads: My Amazing Uterus, Opening Lotus Flower, My Baby Is Positioned For Birth, Breathing Bearing Down and Door Sign are all available to download in your online resources.

Put up on walls in birthing space.

Light Touch Massage and Trigger Word

To help mum relax and produce endorphins (20- 40 times more powerful than morphine)- between and during surges is ok. Use with Trigger word to help her relax deeper.

During the Positive Birth Program your birth partner will learn how to do Light Touch Massage and you’ll decide on a trigger word and a surge sign.

Music

When to use: Listen to music and tracks during labour. Ensure your birth partner knows how to access the playlists and when to play them. I recommend a variety of playlists- a relaxing one and a more energetic one plus one with your Hypnobirthing Australia Tracks.

Aromatherapy

Use Clary Sage on acupressure points to assist with dilation and expulsion of the placenta in 3rd stage. Put lavender in diffuser or use in a spritz to spray mum’s face or pillow to help her relax. Use peppermint to boost her energy. Never apply neat on skin. Always use a carrier oil (like almond, olive or coconut) and always use a good quality essential oil like Young Living.

Instant Relaxation Techniques

Tools: Relaxation Breathing, Body Scan, Counting Down and Bubble of comfort
Before a Vaginal Examination. Ask midwife to ask until birth partner or doula has finished reading the scripts. Also use anytime mum needs to relax deeper.

Water

Shower: Anytime in labour. Mum can stand and lean against wall or sit on birth ball or birth stool. Or birth partner can get in shower too and support her weight. Birth partner may aim shower hose on mum’s lower abdomen or lower back as counter pressure during surges.

Bath: Only once labour is established. If mum gets in too early it can slow labour. Mum can lay back or lean over edge of bath. Make sure she has support under her knees and under head. She may also like to use peanut ball to lean over in bath.

Instead of Light Touch Massage in bath, birth partner can use a cup and trickle water over mum’s skin not submerged under water.

Cold Compress: put on mum’s forehead if she’s feeling hot.

Warm Compress: hold on mum’s perineum when baby is crowning to prevent tearing.

As a mother and doula, I’ve seen these tools in action and I’m always in awe of just how powerful they are.

Equip yourself and your birth partner with these incredible tools for labour and birth at my next Hypnobirthing Australia Positive Birth weekend in Milton. For more info, dates and bookings, Click Here