Hypnobirthing

Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better

By: Siobhan Miller

Narrated by: Siobhan Miller

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

This book will make your birth better. It is for every woman and every type of birth.

As featured on Dragons’ Den.

Expert hypnobirthing teacher and founder of The Positive Birth Company, Siobhan Miller has made it her mission to change the way women around the world approach and experience birth. Through her teaching she seeks to educate and empower women—and their birth partners—so that they can enjoy amazing and positive birth experiences, however they choose to bring their babies into the world.

In this book, Siobhan debunks common myths about hypnobirthing and explains why she believes it can make every type of birth a better experience—from a water birth at home to an unplanned caesarean in theatre.

So, what is hypnobirthing? Essentially, it's a form of antenatal education, an approach to birth that is both evidence-based and logical. Hypnobirthing certainly doesn't involve being hypnotised; instead, it teaches you how your body works on a muscular and hormonal level when in labour and how you can use various relaxation techniques to ensure you are working with your body (rather than against it), making birth more efficient and comfortable.

Siobhan's advice and guidance will change your mindset and enable you to navigate your birth with practical tools that ensure you feel calm and in control throughout.

By the time you finish this book you'll feel relaxed, capable and genuinely excited about giving birth.

©2021 Siobhan Miller (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"Siobhan manages to completely demystify hypnobirthing, making it accessible and relevant to all women and all births. This book will be a complete game changer and I will be recommending it to mums-to-be from now on." (Sarah Turner, author of The Unmumsy Mum)

Top book on labor I've read so far

Very positive, non-judgemental for whatever route you choose or happen to have during labor. Very tangible and easy action steps to make birth your own. I tried to read a hypno-birthing book by Mongan and was so disappointed, it was negative, judgey and preached about why you should use hypno-birthing for 13 chapters before getting into anything tangible or helpful. After that, this book was a breath of fresh air and exactly what I was looking for. Really helpful, positive ideas that give you suggestions that can be applied in a variety of birth locations and situations! Absolutely loved it.

Best book for expecting parents!

Amazing, positive and gentle advice that give so much confidence, a small book packed with incredibly valuable content. Couldn't recommend it more.

Perfect intro to hypnobirthing

It gives you techniques to implement hypnobirthing no matter what birth journey you have, things to consider to optimize your experience, and how your partner can support you! Enjoyed this listen!

Must read for all soon to be mamas

This book better prepared me for birth than all the other books I read combined. I have so much more confidence and feel empowered and equipped to advocate for myself and baby after reading this book. I highly recommend it.

Amazing book for mom of any number of children!

This was an amazing book for both me and my partner as we anticipate the birth of our second baby. Practical and tangible tips and a well confidence for any kind of birth!

Loved it!

I personally loved it! Feel more positive about natural birth. Some of the stories made me tear up… I visualized them and imagined it was me.

So ready to meet my baby.

Must read if expecting

I only wish I discovered this my first pregnancy!

This book really outlines what to expect during each phase of labor for you and your birth partner so you feel ready and knowledgeable. I love all the tools given for relaxation and I’m genuinely looking forward to birth now.

Amazing! Everyone Should Listen

This Hypnobirthing book is the best book for first or second, third etc. Her voice is soothing and reassuring. Me and my husband are FTP and really enjoyed this book, a lot of it was like oh yeah that makes since or that’s common sense but so worth hearing and actually getting facts and ways to handle situations. I highly highly recommend this book as one of the top books to read to prepare for birth for any soon to be mom!

weirdly rosy picture of birth

I'm all for positive birth stories, and empowering women to believe that they can have a positive birth experience. But this book seems to take that to the extreme. Miller describes active labour as "a spa experience to be soaked up" and pushing as "an amazing sensation you'll want to experience again and again". Maybe that can be true for some people, but for the vast majority of women, even those with positive birth experiences, that simply isn't accurate. I feel like that's just setting expectant mothers up with unrealistic expectations that leave them unprepared for the reality of childbirth.

Woke

Would be great without the woke terminology. If you don’t want a book that goes along with the emperor having no clothes, this isn’t the book for you. Only a woman can give birth, it’s called the “mother” not the “person who’s giving birth”. No need for pronouns, it’s man or woman and we ALL know which one will be giving birth.