Birth Preparation and Postnatal Classes at Hypnobirthing Leinster
THE World Health Organisation has long since been highlighting the importance of pre and post-natal classes in promoting maternal and infant health. Key areas identified are high rates of intervention in our medicalised model of birth including inductions, augmentations and C sections (increased by 40% since 1960s), perinatal maternal mental health (anxiety and stress, pre and post-natal depression, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders) and perineal health (trauma, delayed healing, chronic incontinence issues and lower back pain) and infant mental health (bonding and attachment, nuerological development).
As the primary carer a mother’s health is primordial to that of her family. Nowhere is this more evident than during pregnancy and the first year of an infant’s life where simple preventative measures such as good antenatal and post-natal care can have an enormously positive impact on a family’s health. Access to scientifically based reliably sourced information and resources can empower mothers in taking control of their own health and that of their families.
The WHO recognises the importance of relaxation in pregnancy and recommends prenatal yoga and hypnobirthing. It also acknowledges the important role of post-natal activities such as mum and baby yoga and baby massage classes in early prevention and detection of key health issues for both mother and baby and assisting mothers in building strong social networks.
As a midwife and antenatal educator birth is my passion. I believe that birth is a human rights issue. Having identified a gap in perinatal services and informed of lack of funding to breech that gap I began teaching hypnobirthing privately in 2014. I have continued to expanded these services each year. After 30 years as a midwife listening to mothers it is my experience that a mother needs to feel safe, listened to, valued and supported. It is from this space that she learns to trust her instincts, grow in confidence and follow her intuition. Thankfully neuroscience agrees!