Our birth story was one that did not go to plan AT ALL. I know I will miss some information out as it was a very long day and I was running on very limited sleep but here is what I remember… Both Adam and I had our hearts set on a natural birth, to...
When I got pregnant, everyone said “you must find an Obstetrician immediately! All the good ones book up quickly.” I was in a panic. I had no idea what I was doing so I went out and dutifully found an Obstetrician ASAP. At my first appointment, something didn’t feel right. I don’t think our Obstetrician...
On the 28th of April at almost 35 weeks pregnant we had a wonderful surprise when we welcomed our baby girl into the world. It certainly wasn’t in the way we expected and yet given the chance I wouldn’t change a thing. I had just finished up work and was enjoying my first week on...
Your birth choices will have a huge impact on the way you give birth and may also affect your postpartum experience so you have to be prepared. Anastasia shares her birth story and how important it was for her to do independent childbirth classes and have an independent midwife so that her and her husband felt...
Thank you to Deb and Pete for sharing Oliver’s birth story, which didn’t quite go to plan but with the tools and techniques they had learnt from my Hypnobirthing classes they were able to adapt to their change in circumstances, so they still had a positive birth experience and were able to avoid having drugs and interventions....
I love this positive induction birth story I received from Anna who used her hypnobirthing techniques to help her cope with the intensity of her labour and the deviation to her birth plan. Here is her story….. I started bouncing on my fit ball, listening to my Hypnobirthing tracks and practicing nipple stimulation from 38...
Sometimes it can be really hard for your partner or birth support person who is a friend or family member to see you in pain during labour. Having the right people there can really make a difference with the outcome of your birth. Let’s be clear here – the most important person in that birthing...
In sharing my experience, hindsight is a wonderful thing. Sebastian was born at 9.03am on the 8th September weighing 8-pound 3.5 oz. Even with the knowledge you gave us, I suppose you don’t truly know how it will be until you go through it. Next time I don’t think I’ll go private. As you warned...
Thankyou Vicki for sharing your knowledge and experience with us during our Hypnobirthing classes in Karratha. We ended up having a great experience at the hospital especially after we contacted you while we were at the hospital, and you emailed with additional information and support when we were unsure of what to do. It was...
There are so many things to consider when you are planning your vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) and these are just the ones I wanted to put together quickly to get you started, but you have to do your own mind-mapping to work out where you need more information, where you feel strong and confident...
Your Pelvis One of the important physical aspects of the body during pregnancy is the pelvis. Your pelvis is not one fixed bone; it is made up of 4 separate bones: sacrum; coccyx two iliac bones, one on the left and one on the right, which are joined to the sacrum at the back at...
Are you having trouble convincing your partner on the benefits of having a Doula at your birth? One of the main reasons a couple may not hire a Doula is because the partner thinks the Doula may take over their role, but it important to know that the Doula will be very inclusive of the...
In 2013, I got a referral to a well known OB/GYN, and during the 3 month wait for my appointment, I fell pregnant. Being my first pregnancy, I was relieved that I was already in the hands of an Obstetrician and I didn’t feel the need to look any further into care providers or birthing...
Amniotomy also known as “artificial rupture of membranes” is where the membranes are ruptured / released by the midwife using a gloved finger that has a hook on the end (amnicot) or a little device called an amnihook. This allows the amniotic fluid to be released. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that in normal...
A synthetic version of prostaglandin hormones is inserted into your vagina either as tablets, gels, suppositories or pessaries. You will need to remain in hospital for this and once inserted it is recommended that you lie down for at least 30 minutes so the gel can stimulate the cervix. The dose, number of doses and...
Don’t be fooled – Hypnobirthing is nothing new! With a lot more exposure and media around hypnobirthing, there’s a lot more awareness of this amazing program, but something has been bothering me, and this has bothered me ever since I started teaching hypnobirthing, so let me share my thoughts with you about hypnobirthing. Hypnobirthing is...
Thanks to Vicki and her amazing hypnobirthing classes I was able to birth my first baby naturally. We cannot thank her enough for all the knowledge both my partner Mark and I gained from hypnobirthing. On the 16th September 2016 (one week after my estimated due date) I went into labour with my first baby....
Our son Elijah was born in a public hospital in Perth on the 11/12/16 at 9:46pm. Actually, Elijah was born in the carpark at the front entrance to the hospital on the front seat of Vicki Hobbs’ car and I am so grateful for everything that she taught my husband and I in her hypnobirthing...
Thank you to Rory for sharing his experience and it is brilliant to hear how he viewed the effectiveness of hypnobirthing and his role leading up to and during the birth of his son. My wife Katie was diagnosed with gestational diabetes early in the pregnancy. Due to meticulous diet control, she lost a heap of...
There is a lot of confusion around the safe diffusing of essential oils and the use of traditional oil “burners” (vaporisers) and diffusers during labour and birth. It is not just about the smell. Essential oils are made up of chemicals – even chemicals found in nature can have adverse effects on the mind and...
The perineum is the area between the vagina and anus, made up of skin, tissue and muscle and stretches incredibly as the head emerges. Many women become fearful about the perineum tearing or needing an episiotomy and wonder how their baby is going to fit through their vagina. An episiotomy is where the Obstetrician or midwife...
I am so proud of myself and beyond grateful for everything I learnt at hypnobirthing!! I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and my Obstetrician wanted to induce me and had even set a date for the 4th December, which would’ve made me 41 weeks. Originally he’d spoken about inducing at 38/39 weeks and thanks to...
We heard all the horror experiences of childbirth from our friends, which gave us a shiver in the spine. I am a person who is scared of needles, and I felt childbirth was way beyond my capacity. In February 2016, we had the positive results of our pregnancy but along with the happiness; there was...
The best advice I can give you for your labour and birth is to enjoy it. You are only going to get the opportunity to birth this baby once. How you prepare and educate yourself and practice your knowledge will make a world of difference to the way you birth – regardless of how your...
A ground-breaking Australian study on effective childbirth education was recently released by Dr. Kate Levett and Dr. Hannah Dahlen (who were also key-note speakers at our annual conference). This study highlighted how important it was to not only participate in independent childbirth education classes but to also find a program that included complementary therapies to...
Just wanted to share my successful VBAC story. I ended up being induced because my waters started leaking on Tuesday morning, but I wasn’t getting any surges so spoke to my midwife and she had said to stay at home as long as possible because they would keep me in once I got to hospital. So I went...
Greetings fellow hypnobirthing virgins. I am offering you my thoughts via Vicki on the classes that you may be about to attend. Firstly, a little on myself – I am halfway between a sceptic and a believer in processes that may fall under the umbrella of new age. A sceptic, for I do not like...
So you see all these babies with the pretty coloured beads around their necks and mums are swearing that they make a difference to their bubs teething – what a load of rock, right? Actually, you will be surprised to know that for most babies they can be very therapeutic. Now before you think “oh...
Every pregnant woman deserves some pampering. Pregnancy Massage can provide that much needed pampering in addition to reducing stress and anxiety, promoting relaxation and preparing muscles and joints for childbirth. It is a much needed therapy to ease some of the aches and pains experienced during pregnancy and labour, and should be regarded as a...
There are many natural induction methods that may help to trigger the start of labour, but these too can also create stress and frustration when they don’t work. It is also important to remember that you’re not designed to be pregnant forever, so you can trust your body to do what it is meant to...
In our medically advanced society, massage can often be over-looked as an important part of pregnancy health care. However, this tried and tested tradition is one of the oldest forms of the healing arts and has been used for thousands of years in almost every culture. Every pregnant woman deserves some pampering and massage is...
Preparing for birth is like preparing for a marathon. You need to prepare both your mind and your body. In your mind, you need to release fear, which creates tension, producing more pain, creating more fear, which starts a whole vicious cycle in the mind and body as described by British Obstetrician and leading advocate...
First of all I would like to thank Vicki Hobbs from the Hypnobirthing Centre WA for helping me release my fear of birthing and to also help me think positive all the way about everything – my pregnancy, my labour, the surges I would experience and moving my baby down. I was one person who...
I had a very good pregnancy and stayed very healthy and fit throughout it. I listened to my affirmations on a daily basis and focused on having a positive birth. When people asked me if I was nervous or dreading it, I could say with honesty that I wasn’t. Instead, I felt positive that I...
Although I originally wrote this article in March 2014, I regularly update it with new information as it arises. The popularity and education of prenatal massage has increased significantly over the past few decades. In tribal cultures, prenatal and labour support massage was common. Anthropologist George Engelmann documented these techniques in the mid 1880’s; however...