Frequently asked questions about hypnobirthing antenatal classes

Hypnobirthing is a collection of techniques, developed by hypnotherapists, to help birthing women eliminate unnecessary fear and anxiety and to achieve a state of calm and relaxation during their birth. These include breathing techniques, visualisations and the use of recorded guided relaxations. The techniques are designed to help women manage the sensations of labour, reducing the need for pharmacological pain relief such as epidurals. It also reduces the risk that high levels of adrenaline will impede the progress of labour and increases the likelihood of a straightforward birth where the woman feels calmer, more comfortable and more in control.

Clinical studies on hypnobirthing have shown that many women have positive experiences of using the technique. You can read more about the scientific evidence here However, it is important to note that not all hypnobirthing provision is equal and that the quality of the teaching and the student’s commitment to practicing the techniques will make a difference. At BirthSense we aim to teach you, motivate you and inspire you and we think that after 15 years in the game we have it down to a fine art! Check out our google reviews to see what our clients think.

We have combined the very best elements of traditional antenatal education with the most effective hypnobirthing techniques to bring you a fully comprehensive birth and early days parenting preparation course. This course is a one stop shop, truly covering everything you need to know, no matter what kind of birth you are planning to have. There’s no toxic positivity, no mantra chanting, no flower-dancing or fluffy tie-dye wearing unicorns. We include everything that actually helps and nothing that doesn’t. We guarantee that after finishing our course you will feel better informed, more prepared and more confident as you prepare to meet your new baby. Read more about what the course includes on our main antenatal class page.

There are no hard and fast rules here. It’s never too early or too late to learn from us but most people start a course between 22 and 28 weeks.

There are no hard and fast rules here. It’s never too early or too late to learn from us but most people start a course between 22 and 28 weeks.

Give us a call or drop us a message. We may be able to help you asap with a one-to-one intensive course. 

Ideally, yes, as there’s a lot we can teach them about how to support you. However, it’s definitely not mandatory and lots of our clients attend sessions on their own. 

If there’s space, yes. We try our best to be accommodating.

Not being able to make one of the sessions doesn’t mean you should miss out on the whole course. Wherever possible we will try to accommodate you by offering you the option to join remotely, organising a one to one catch up session (for a small extra fee) and/or providing you with class resources and reading suggestions so you can catch up on what you missed. 

Prices start at £120 for the postnatal prep course only (2 sessions)
The birth preparation course is £240 (4 sessions)
The full course is £300 (6 sessions)

If you are experiencing financial hardship but would really like to do one of our courses, please get in touch. We may be able to offer a reduced rate and/or an installment plan.

As well as the sessions themselves you will be provided with plenty of resources to help with your research and practice outside the classes. Our padlet has over 100 suggestions for useful videos and further reading. You will receive 17 relaxation MP3s, all the class slides, videos and handouts in electronic format. You can also message your teacher at any time with additional questions or requests for further support.

Yes – but we try not to make it weird or awkward or forced. The courses are interactive and you will, at times, be put into groups to discuss something. The sessions also usually have short breaks where you can grab a drink, go to the loo or chat to your fellow course attendees. Your teacher will set up a WhatsApp group for each cohort and it’s quite common for groups to arrange to meet for a bite to eat before class and to organise reunions once the babies are born. You can socialise as much or as little as you like – it’s really up to you, but we can tell you that lifelong friendships have been made in our classes.