Antenatal and Hypnobirthing
Our Antenatal Classes are suitable for around 29 weeks and birth partners are very welcome. The classes are friendly and informative and a great way to learn more about your options during labour and the postnatal period. They are all run by NHS midwives who work in Gloucestershire and include lots of time for questions.
To book onto our Antenatal Education Classes, please speak to your community midwife.
| Week 1: Labour | Week 2: Birth | Week 3: Feeding Your Baby | Week 4: Life with Your Baby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signs of labour | Looking after your body in pregnancy | Pros and Cons of Breast and Bottle Feeding | Responsive parenting |
| Birth environment | Giving birth - water and land birth | How to feed effectively | Sleeping patterns |
| Early labour and established labour | Assisted birth | Signs of a well fed baby | Safe sleeping |
| Coping with pain | Caesarean birth | Feeding patterns | Coping with a crying baby |
| Induction | The placenta | Your emotional wellbeing | |
| Where to have your baby | Skin to skin and bonding with your baby |
Hypnobirthing classes
Our popular midwife-led NHS hypnobirthing courses are available to book for 2022.
Our NHS hypnobirthing classes are led by Gloucestershire midwives who work in the areas where you will birth your babies, and the techniques we teach are fully supported by the Gloucestershire maternity team.
Hypnobirthing can help you work with your body, releasing the fears and worries of birth and replacing them with calmness and confidence.
Our hypnobirthing courses are complete antenatal courses. They combine in-depth knowledge about labour and birth, with hypnobirthing skills including breathing and deep relaxation techniques. They give you and your birth partner the information and tools you need to cope with labour and birth.
Who Is It For? Anyone!
Our NHS hypnobirthing course is for everyone, from those having their first baby to those who have previously experienced a difficult birth or cesarean birth. Hypnobirthing teaches gentle birth techniques that can benefit just about anyone who is planning to give birth in any environment and can be used for all types of birth.
The courses are run by NHS midwives who are trained hypnobirthing practitioners, and cover:
- the process of labour and how to work with your body
- the relationship between pain and labour
- practice positions for birth
- deep relaxation and breathing techniques
- the impact of hormones on labour and birth
- the importance of the birth environment and how to create a calm birth room
Courses are for groups of 6-8 couples/individuals. The cost is £125, which includes:
- 10 hours of interactive teaching from trained Gloucestershire hypnobirthing NHS midwives
- A book with all the course content, hypnobirthing scripts, and other tools
- MP3 Downloads of music, relaxations, and hypnobirthing scripts.
You can attend from 28 weeks pregnant. Some concessionary prices are available, by contacting us at ghn-tr.hypnobirthingclassesgloucestershire@nhs.net
Maternity Voices Partnership hypnobirthing Q&A and our Gloucestershire NHS Hypnobirthing leaflet.
Instagram page for more information: https://www.instagram.com/hypnobirthing_nhs_glos/
The next available hypnobirthing course dates are as follows:
March 2023, face to face at Cheltenham Birth Unit
- Tuesday 14th March: 18.00 - 20.30
- Tuesday 21th March: 18.00 - 20.30
- Tuesday 28th March: 18.00 - 20.30
April 2023, face to face at Stroud Maternity
- Saturday 1st April, 10.00 - 16.00
- Saturday 22nd April, 10.00 - 16.00
May 2023, face to face at Gloucester Royal Hospital
- Tuesday 9th May, 18.00 - 20.30
- Tuesday 16th May, 18.00 - 20.30
- Tuesday 23rd May, 18.00 - 20.30
- Tuesday 30th May, 18.00 - 20.30
June 2023, face to face at Stroud Maternity
- Sunday 11th June 10.00 - 16.00
- Sunday 25th June 10.00 - 16.00
You can book or find out more by emailing ghn-tr.hypnobirthingclassesgloucestershire@nhs.net
Short information films
We've set up a playlist of short films providing you and your partner with some information on your pregnancy, birth and the early days with your baby.
View playlist here
Support groups, online resources and apps
Home-Start UK
Home-Start Gloucestershire’s trained volunteers help to support families with young children through their toughest times by visiting them once a week in their homes. They also offer the following support groups:
Antenatal groups covering a range of subjects, such as bonding with your unborn baby, emotions during pregnancy, and baby development in the womb.
Postnatal groups for parents with babies up to six months old, focusing on topics like supporting early relationships and development, sleep, and first aid.
Perinatal mental health peer-to-peer groups, offering reassurance and support to mothers who are impacted by their mental health.
Home-Start Stroud and Gloucester https://homestartsd.org/
Home-Start Cotswolds https://home-start-cotswolds.org.uk/
Home-Start North and West Gloucestershire https://homestartnwglos.org.uk/