My style
Mind and Body Birth Prep
“Positive Birth is about having freedom of choice, access to accurate information, and feeling in control, powerful, and respected”
​​Milli Hill
My Mind Body Birth Prep courses use the KGHypnobirthing method of birth preparation; a complete antenatal training programme which is simple, logical and profound.
It is centred on releasing fear and building confidence in the natural process of birth through practising relaxation techniques and being well informed so you can make the best choices about your care.
It would be my honour to support you to prepare for your birth; leaving you feeling fully prepared and equipped; ready for your best birth. However, or wherever you want, or need your baby to arrive.
41 +5 weeks pregnant, 5 hours later I gave birth at home with Domino midwives, Wellington
In late 2011, I was in your shoes. Pregnant and hormonal. I loved my bump and was feeling uncomfortable and restless! Somewhere along to lines I started to think about the kind of birth I wanted, amidst a lifetime’s worth of social conditioning that birth was something to fear, dangerous, an undignified medical emergency, painful and messy.
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Googling YouTube videos for an alternative, I distinctly remember what the game changer was for me. I'll never forget it and still watch the first video that changed my views of birth, today!
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It completely challenged my idea of what childbirth could be like. Here I saw a woman, in labour. Grounded. Calm. Focused and in control. Sitting cross legged on a bed at home. Holding her huge pregnant belly, and singing (so beautifully) through her contractions while her husband, daughter and midwife looked on. Singing!
Here I saw a woman, in labour. Grounded. Calm. Focused and in control. Sitting cross legged on a bed at home. Holding her huge pregnant belly, and singing (so beautifully) through her contractions while her husband, daughter and midwife looked on.
I used hypnobirthing to prepare for both my births; both of which were home births, but like all births; remarkably different from each other! In my first pregnancy, I learnt some self-taught hypnobirthing techniques from a book I found, as there were no courses in Wellington. Fortunately, it was just about enough to get me through his straightforward labour and birth (12 hours from start to finish). You can read this birth story here.
I vowed to support as many other parents as I could (and their sceptical partners!) with a method that focused on the mind and body connection, and while pregnant with my second baby, I invested in training to become a KGHypnobirthing teacher. This involved observing Katharine Graves teach the course (to a packed out hall of couples!), a pre and post course module, and 4 days of in person training, and post training assessment.
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Fortunately for me, my exposure to hypnobirthing was so much greater this time round, which was exactly what was needed! My second birth was longer and more challenging than my first (36 hours from start to finish) due to his positioning. I know that with my newfound knowledge and increased understanding as a KGH teacher, it was this method of birth prep that got me through his challenging labour. You can read this birth story here.
I teach my Mind and Body Birth Prep course using the KGHypnobirthing method because preparing for birth in this way will maximise your chances of having an empowered experience. No matter how labour and birth, it will always make a difference.
To hear an empowered birth story from KGHypnobirthing parent Ella Mills from Deliciously Ella. They welcomed their beautiful baby, Skye, at home in a birthing pool in July 2019, with Ella saying she had never felt so powerful.
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“I felt like superwoman afterwards!”
Emma
"Anna is a thoroughly genuine and lovely person who instantly made me feel calm. I was due to have my second posterior birth and was rightfully anxious. With the relaxation and breathing techniques that I learned from Anna I was able to have a natural birth and felt like superwoman afterwards! I can’t recommend her services enough."
My course aims to
EDUCATE
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​​​What is Hypnotherapy and hypnosis?
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The logic of KGH
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Mind and Body connection
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Muscles of the Uterus
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Breathing exercises that work with your labouring body
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Effective Visualisations
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Spine tingling massage
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Birthing environment
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Birth partner's role
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The Path to Birth
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The systems we birth in
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Navigating NZ's maternity system
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Lead up to birth
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Communicating with your birth team
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Birth venues
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Birth options and creating Birth Plans interactive activity​
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INSPIRE
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Beautiful spacious setting
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Amazing birth videos to challenge what we see in mainstream media
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Follow up emails with bonus links and information
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Experienced and knowledgeable teacher with lived experience with this method of birth prep
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Access to holistic and empowering lending library
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Get creative with affirmations for both parents (if applicable)
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Gentle and safe practices that fit easily into your daily routine
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Empowering questions for your LMC
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Emerging from birth feeling safe and well
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FREE KGH Fact sheets
PROVIDE
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A pre-course activity
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The Hypnobirthing Book by Katharine Graves
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Link to download relaxation audio
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Course notes and practice routines to follow at home
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Exciting Welcome packs
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A friendly, inclusive and welcoming vibe
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Connection with like-minded parents
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Phone/email support as needed after the course
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Zoom catch up (from 38 weeks)
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Inspiring, educational and up to date content
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Provisions for comfort- yoga mats, throws, cushions and birth balls
“The hypnobirthing skills we learnt with Anna were front and centre for both of us”
"We had a really lovely birth experience. I labored for about 2 days at home, then went to hospital and our little one arrived within 5 hours. The hypnobirthing skills we learnt with Anna were front and centre for both of us. We had been listening to the audios each night for about two months prior. I was very relaxed throughout the pregnancy and during birth my husband was able to cue me with breathing when the surges were coming. Thank you again for the course, it made the world of difference for us!"
Rachael - 1st time parent, Nov 2020