Effective Birth Preparation : Your Practical Guide to a Better Birth

This informative, down to earth and inspiring guide takes the reader step by step through mental, emotional and physical preparation for birth. Based on her ground breaking work with thousands of women and birth professionals, the book explains why birth has become such a traumatic affair in our culture and how an individual woman can break out of this fear based birth culture and prepare for the birth in a positively and confidently.

As world renowned Michel Odent states, 'This book is more than a guide book. It is a book about human nature with the Natal Hypnotherapy techniques helping to undo thousands of years of cultural conditioning. Unlike many of the books on pregnancy which are currently available, the guide focuses on emotional, mental as well as physical preparation, explaining what a woman can do to help herself such as relaxation, visualisation, self hypnosis and breathing'.

As midwife Caroline Baddily says, 'How wonderfully refreshing to have a Birth Preparation book that focuses on feelings and emotions rather than on the technicalities of birth'. This is a complete how-to-deal-with fear toolkit for all pregnant women. In addition the book gives women and their partner's step by step practical guidance, tips and tools on how to practice and perfect these techniques for themselves. The reader is encouraged to practise each exercise, to complete the work book section of the book and to take ownership of, and personalise her own birth preparation.

As one reviewer, Shona Kitchener said, 'This book is a pocket sized course & therapy session in one! I felt as if someone was sat with me talking through each chapter. This was a life changing read and should be on every pregnant mum's essential purchases list!'. The clear, easy to follow style of the book takes the reader by the hand and supports her in her journey to follow and complete the five steps to a better birth: overcome fear; learn how to manage pain; know you can do it; prepare your birth partner; and, acquire practical skills.

Author and anthropologist Sheila Kitzinger felt, 'The material is well researched and vividly presented, and any woman who studies and rehearses the author's practical suggestions helps herself towards a positive - even exultant - birth experience'. The book is also full of inspiring and heart warming birth stories by mums who have used the tools and techniques, plus interesting facts about childbirth through the ages, which help reinforce the key messages in this book - trust, confidence and belief that your body already knows how to birth your baby.

Maggie Howell * An experienced, articulate broadcaster and media spokesperson available for interview and expert opinion * Qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist d.Hyp, c.Hyp, LHA, UKHypReg (specialising in natal hypnotherapy) * Experienced Doula (trained birth partner) * Mother of 4 * Founder of Natal Hypnotherapy * Pregnancy & Birth Magazine Expert to 2008 * Birthing Expert on Greatvine Areas of expertise: * Conception * Pregnancy * Birth - preparation, labour and post-natal * Breastfeeding and Co-sleeping * Baby sign language and communication skills * Attachment and Instinctive Parenting * Communication with children Maggie's Story Maggie learnt self-hypnosis for the birth of her first child in 2000 and gave birth at home in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Maggie's NHS midwife said: Maggie appeared to be 'sleeping' during most of her contractions, breathing slightly more deeply as they peaked. She used no pharmacological methods of pain relief and conducted her labour and delivery entirely under self-hypnosis. She appeared to experience no pain and very little discomfort.A" Maggie went on to speak at local antenatal clinics about her experience and decided to train to be a Clinical Hypnotherapist. The aim being to use the power of hypnosis to help women overcome their fear of birth and enable them to be more in control and manage the physical sensations involved in child birth. In addition Maggie became a birth Doula in 2003 and has gone on to help and support women during their births. In 2003 Maggie developed the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs and courses following research and hypnotherapy work with individual mothers and antenatal groups. She has since used the techniques herself for the births of her three subsequent sons. She is expecting her 5th child in January 2010. Maggie and her team of 35 Natal Hypnotherapists work with midwives, antenatal groups and hospitals running workshops and classes. The team run 'effective birth preparation' workshops for couples teaching them how to use hypnosis for an instinctive birth as well as training workshops for birth professionals. She has trained over 300 birth professionals around the UK on how they can use their language and relaxation tools to help women during pregnancy and birth. Maggie has recently completed her first book Effective birth preparation - a practical guide to a better birthA". This practical, inspirational and easy to read guide takes women and their partners through 5 easy steps. Women learn how to overcome their fears, how to reduce pain naturally, how to become more trusting and instinctive, practical comfort measures and specific tools and techniques for their birth partner to use during the labour. The book is full of interesting facts, inspirational quotes and dozens of up lifting, and empowering birth stories by women who have followed her method.