Birth Right Hypnobirthing

11/06/2026

Pregnant?

We are sold the idea that preparing for a baby means buying things. The travel system, the nursery, the gadgets, the gear. And yes - those things are lovely.

But the coming home outfit lasts a day or two. The travel system maybe a couple of years.

How you feel about your birth? That stays with you forever. And it stays with your baby too.

So I've written about what I actually think you need during pregnancy - and I'd be willing to bet it's not on any of the lists you've been sent.

It's not a pram. It's not a bottle warmer. And it might just change everything.

Link in comments 👇

10/06/2026

There aren't many studies looking at hypnobirthing, primarily because it's really difficult to define what hypnobirthing is (you can listen to a CD a couple of times or do a 12 hour course and both may be considered hypnobirthing). . . .but it is good to find the odd study that shows that preparing with hypnobirthing helps women and birthing people feel more comfortable, calm and in control of their birthing experience.

There is often the misconception that if you are using hypnobirthing you are 'not allowed' to have any pain relief. Many parents I teach often desire to have a drug free birth, but as we go through the course they realise that we are lucky to have the options if they need it.

I want everyone to be comfortable, whatever birth they have. . . . .and I want them to know the options that are available to them to be comfortable. Hypnobirthing is not martyrdom. . . .you don't have to forego any pain medication if that is what you want/need.

The beautiful thing is that when you know your choices, know what your body is doing, know how to work with your body, and have done the mindset work to release fears, have the right support you often don't need extra analgesia. . .and that is what studies like this show.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871519226000569?brid=YWdncwHq8lISX5rgLfggfxk6CI_Z&fbclid=IwY2xjawSWYwBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeSwvOHhMV0jF9b9oBCNa1VQtT8J_EEYWp9BxnJVu47oyJGDod2FOoYDOZn1M_aem_YWdncwDBsWJxh4itt3F1hn14thmZ

12/05/2026

Pregnant? Would you love to have a birth that makes you feel this way?
The courses that I deliver give you knowledge, tools, techniques and, more than that. . . .support throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

Why not get in touch and find out how I can help you have the birth that leaves you feeling ecstatic not disappointed!

26/04/2026

🌙 Relax. Reset. Restore.

Tuesday evenings were made for this.

If you've spent the day being everything to everyone, our pregnancy relaxation sessions are your 90 minutes back.

Deep guided relaxation. Real health benefits for you and baby. And a cosy room of people who just get it.

Every Tuesday | 7:30–9pm, Narberth

Spots are limited and they go quickly. 👇
Book yours: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=38936897&appointmentType=91372018

23/04/2026

I've just launched my new website for Birth Right Hypnobirthing — and I'd love you to take a look!

I started teaching KGHypnobirthing in 2011 because of my own experience. I was a primary school teacher, I was terrified of giving birth, and I dragged my poor husband to a class after seeing a hypnobirthing in a video.

We came out completely different people.

If you're pregnant and feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or like birth is something that's just going to happen to you — I get it.

That's exactly where I was!

My next group course starts on 6 May in Pembrokeshire — four weekly sessions, small group.

Come and have a look: www.birthright-hypnobirthing.co.uk

Any questions, just drop me a message. 🌿

You've done the research. You've read the books, joined the groups, highlighted the studies. You know more about birth than most people ever will. And yet, at 9pm when the house goes quiet and you let yourself think about it — the fear is still there. That fear isn't a failing. It isn't ignorance....

13/04/2026

Have you been told you're a 'geriatric mum' and your options are limited in pregnancy and birth? Sometimes those recommendations aren't specific to you. .. sometimes the evidence to support those recommendations is limited. . . .you don't know what you don't know. . . .so take control. Do some reading, do a course, get a teacher. . . ask lots of questions.

Is the recommendation of induction for advanced maternal age truly based on sound evidence?

Or is it illogical when you break down and really look at the issues?

What do older women need to know about the evidence in this area?

We hear from more and more women who are told that they need induction of labour because they are older.

This issue also arose when the NICE guideline on induction of labour was revised in 2021.

The recommendation to offer earlier induction to older women was not included in the final guideline.

But we know it’s still being offered.

As I wrote when the guideline was published:

“One of the most controversial aspects of the draft [NICE] guideline was the proposed recommendation that earlier induction be offered to certain groups of women, including older women, larger women and women who conceived via IVF or ARTs.

It is clear that some groups of women/babies have a slightly higher chance of stillbirth compared to other groups.

But data on this are often crude, the absolute risk may not be that high and we often have no trial evidence to show whether or not induction of labour would make a difference.” (Wickham 2021).

I’ve written more about induction for advanced maternal age in two of my books.

Those are Inducing Labour: making informed decisions and In Your Own Time: how western medicine controls that start of labour and why this needs to stop.

I also have a blog post on induction for advanced maternal age.

Find it at https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/induction-for-advanced-maternal-age/

I hope you’ll find it useful.

If you do, you can support my work by buying my books and recommending them to others.

And by the way, there’s one thing we don’t say often enough to older women who get pregnant:

Congratulations 🥰💕😍🎉

04/04/2026

A fantastic article published this month by the incredibly knowledgeable and respected midwife, Maureen Collins. Think hypnobirthing is all airy fairy? Think again!

Hypnobirthing More than Parent Education Authors Maureen Collins MSc, BA(Hons), RM, RN Midwifery Consultant Hypnobirthing Teacher/Trainer, UK Author DOI: https://doi.org/10.47363/JWHMR/2026(5)135 Keywords: Hypnobirthing Abstract Hypnobirthing is a combination of hypnotherapy techniques and birth pre...

27/03/2026

25/03/2026

One of the biggest myths about hypnobirthing is this:

“If you’re doing hypnobirthing, you’re not allowed pain relief.”

Let me be very clear.

That is absolute nonsense.

Hypnobirthing is about helping parents feel comfortable, however their birth unfolds.

Comfort might look like:

Breathing and relaxation techniques

Movement and positioning

Water

Gas and air

Opiates

An epidural

All of these are options.
All of them come with benefits and risks.
And none of them mean you’ve “failed”.

Comfort is personal.

Part of hypnobirthing is exploring:

What comfort means to you

Your beliefs around pain

The language you use about birth

How to make informed decisions if plans change

Your birth doesn’t have to look a certain way to be positive.

It just needs to feel right for you.

And feeling comfortable is deeply linked to something else…

✨ Communication