Journey Ahead: The Hypnobirthing Doula

Antenatal Learning

360 antenatal classes with a strong hypnobirthing focus

Welcome!

With a blend of hypnobirthing knowledge and real-world experience in the birth space, I am dedicated to guiding and empowering expectant parents on their birthing journey.

Through my unique hypnobirthing course, I bring together the best of both worlds to provide you with a comprehensive program that covers everything you need to feel powerfully prepared for childbirth. From relaxation techniques and visualisation exercises to evidence-based information and practical tools, my course equips you with the skills and mindset to embrace a positive birth experience.

As a hypnobirthing teacher, I believe in the innate power of every birthing person and their ability to birth calmly and confidently. My focus is on empowering you to tap into your inner strength, trust your body’s wisdom, and make informed decisions that align with your birth preferences.

Comprehensive Birth Preparation Course

The Home of Informed Choice and Women-Centred Care

As a hypnobirthing teacher, I believe in the innate power of every birthing person and their ability to birth calmly and confidently. My focus is on empowering you to tap into your inner strength, trust your body’s wisdom, and make informed decisions that align with your birth preferences.

With my course, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the physiological and emotional aspects of birth, learn effective coping strategies for managing pain, and cultivate a positive mindset that enables you to approach your birth with confidence and serenity.

Prepare to embark on a transformative journey where you feel supported, informed, and empowered.

The fundamentals of the course

Using a blend of my experience in birthing spaces and my extensive hypnobirthing training, I ensure you feel empowered, informed, and nurtured throughout:

Science

Discover the intricate interplay between the birthing environment, hormones, muscles, and biological functions. My course is meticulously crafted, drawing upon the latest evidence and research to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the physiological aspects of labour. Prepare to embark on a journey where knowledge empowers, enabling you to embrace the natural birthing process with confidence and trust in your body's innate abilities.

Mindset

Understand and work with your nervous system, fostering a resilient mindset. Learn practical techniques that promote relaxation, regulate stress responses, and enhance your overall birth experience. With a deep understanding of the mind-body connection, you'll feel empowered to navigate the birthing process with ease and confidence. Join my course and unlock the secrets of polyvagal theory to create a positive and empowering birth journey.

Practical

Gain invaluable tools and techniques for you and your birth partner to make your labour more comfortable. From breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to effective positions and pain management strategies, you'll be equipped with a wide range of practical skills to support you. Additionally, you'll learn essential skills for the postnatal period, promoting recovery, navigating infant sleep, establishing breastfeeding and more.

Learn with me!

Private or Group Classes?

Whether you choose to join a group class or opt for bespoke private sessions in the comfort of your own home, I offer a range of options to cater to your needs.

In my group classes, you’ll experience a warm and supportive environment where you can connect with other expectant parents, share experiences, and build lasting friendships. If you prefer the convenience of learning from the comfort of your own home, my bespoke one to one classes provide a flexible and accessible option.

With a focus on evidence-based information and practical skills, my course is designed to empower you and your birth partner with the knowledge and confidence to navigate pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.

Join me in my antenatal classes delivered online and across Stockport, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Manchester, where you’ll receive the guidance and support you need for a positive and empowered journey into parenthood.

« We're both excited! »

Becs & Jack: group Course

« The 3 part course really has changed our mindset and empowered us to ask more questions, trust our instincts and understand the birthing world has become over medicalised. We loved Hannah’s approach – she’s so passionate, so knowledgeable, clearly loves her job and is funny! Hannah makes what is sometimes difficult topics (such as being informed on inductions) digestible. Thanks so much Hannah! Highly recommend Hannah’s course – much appreciated that the course includes postpartum in the 3rd session too. »

« So informative! »

Georgia & Andy: One to One Private Course

« My boyfriend and I decided to look into hypnobirthing for the birth of our first child. As a children’s nurse I had a lot of anxieties surrounding labour and complications, mostly relating to being “overdue”. We did a 1:1 course with a Hannah, which I can’t recommend enough. It was so informative and my outlook on birth has changed completely. I feel calm, relaxed, well prepared and actually excited for our birthing process. I feel we are now able to make informed choices that are right for us and our baby and can advocate for ourselves. »

What topics does the course cover?

Read below to find out more about the topics covered on my course:

The Science

  • What happens to your body and why?
  • What are your hormones, muscles and nervous system doing when labour flows well?
  • How can we work with our nervous system to support our labour
  • Why does hypnobirthing work?
  • How can we work with it to deliver without intervention?
  • What positions can baby be in and how this might impact things?

The Tools

  • What tools and techniques can we use to keep calm and comfortable?
  • How can birth partners support and guide you through your labour?
  • How can you develop a hypnobirthing practice throughout pregnancy?
  • What can birth partners do?
  • How can birth partners support physically and mentally?
  • How can birth partners keep themselves calm and in a good headspace?

The Choices

  • What do we mean by informed choice and why is it important?
  • What are your choices around pain relief and the pros and cons of each?
  • Where can you give birth and the benefits of each
  • What are the roles of different caregivers?
  • What do we mean by policy, procedure and protocol and how do they inform care at present?
  • Crafting birth preferences

The Labour

  • What positions can you give birth in and why are these best?
  • What does intervention in labour look like and why does it happen?
  • What can you do to help your labour progress?
  • What can birth partners do to support you as your labour gets more intense?
  • What comfort measures should you consider having in place?
  • What is established labour?

.

The Fourth Trimester

  • What choices do we have around feeding and how can we navigate this?
  • If you want to breast/chest feed, how can you prepare for this?
  • What tools can you use in those early weeks?
  • How can you help baby heal from the birth? 
  • What can we expect in baby’s nappies?
  • What are signs baby is doing well?

Biological Norms

  • What is biologically normal sleep, eat, digestion and communication behaviour?
  • How do we support these in a biologically nurturing way?
  • What does it mean to be a responsive parent?
  • How can you nurture your baby to feel safe, secure and held in those early days?
  • Skin to skin, cluster feeding and a whole lot more! 

Costs?

Flexible, affordable payment plans available.

Class content is delivered over 5 sessions, usually I do this over 3 x classes which typically includes two shorter evening sessions and then a full day of learning over a Sunday or Saturday.

Courses run regularly, keep an eye out on the Journey Ahead Instagram or Journey Ahead Facebook pages, or my store page to be kept updates as to when new dates are released.

Alternatively, you can contact me at any time to find out more information about upcoming classes.

At the end of the sessions you will receive:

  • 20 x audio relaxation files including some for certain situations e.g. Breech, c-section
  • Access to 2 hours of pre-recorded content on breastfeeding*
  • Access to 1 hour of pre-recorded content on baby massage*
  • The KG Hypnobirthing book
  • A printed resource pack for pregnancy and postpartum
  • A free guide on Aromatherapy for pregnancy and birth
  • Up to six hours free virtual doula care via Whatsapp in the lead up to your labour
  • Discounted birth and postpartum doula rates
  • Discounted home birth kit rates (hire of pool and equipment)
  • Early access to parent and baby events which tend to sell out quickly!

 

The cost for this type of learning is £295. You can bring up to two birth partners to attend the sessions with you, and I encourage them to attend each session as you’re learning as a team!

Typically this content is delivered over 5 x 2-3 hour sessions or two full days. This can be shaped around your individual needs when you invest in this package.

At the end of the sessions you will receive:

  • 20 x audio relaxation files including some for certain situations e.g. Breech, c-section
  • Access to 2 hours of pre-recorded content on breastfeeding*
  • Access to 1 hour of pre-recorded content on baby massage*
  • The KG Hypnobirthing book
  • A printed resource pack for pregnancy and postpartum
  • A free guide on Aromatherapy for pregnancy and birth
  • Up to six hours free virtual doula care via Whatsapp in the lead up to your labour
  • A 1hr postpartum visit for feeding support
  • Discounted birth and postpartum doula rates
  • Discounted home birth kit rates (hire of pool and equipment)
  • Early access to parent and baby events which tend to sell out quickly!

 

The cost for this type of learning is £395.

There may be a small supplement for travel to your home depending on where you live, please enquire to discuss further.

Whilst doing the full Journey Ahead antenatal course is always the recommendation, sometimes families will ask for a number of focused power hours.

These are power hours to zoom in on a key hypnobirthing or antenatal focus, and so we are best to discuss and agree this via email before booking.

This option may be worth exploring if:

  • You want an additional birth partner to join you and want them to be ‘on board’ with the hypnobirthing basics. This is common when someone decides they might like a family member there as well as their partner who has done the full course.
  • You did a course less than 18 months ago and just want to recap the basics (may need more than one hour).
  • You’ve done another course elsewhere but need additional support with an aspect such as infant feeding, postnatal recovery or other.
  • Your birth partner couldn’t make the in person course and wants to upskill.

Please note this course isn’t suitable if you haven’t done any Journey Ahead education – the full course may be a better fit for you if this is the case.

Let's talk about your journey!

Get in touch with any questions...

Q&A

This is totally down to preference!

Most people join around the 20-25 week mark but I’ve taught at the 8 week and 38 week marks before!

Learning sooner gives you longer to practice but some like to wait until later which is fine.

I only ask for a £75 deposit and then payment in full before the course starts.

Payment plans are available too – just drop me a DM and we can sort this for you.

Feedback from parents who have done both, is that my course covers similar content but includes more detail and comes from the angle of empowered choice.

My detailed focus on the nervous system is unique. I’m not tied to a specific education provider meaning I can offer a unique view, and direct you to unbiased information.

Some courses do not allow birth partners in all sessions whereas this is something I request. As a working doula, I also offer pocket doula services to all course attendees until labour starts. I also provide the resource guides which are unique to my course.

Some parents do both NCT and my classes! My class sizes are smaller than NCT. I typically have between 3 and 4 couples in each class for a better experience.

The Journey Ahead course is for all birth experiences.

It covers every common intervention and choice you may be faced with in your journey including how and where you give birth.

The focus is informed choice and positive experiences not one specific type of birth.

I actively encourage birth partners at all of the classes.

I work with you as a birthing team and so you have up to two birth partners included in the course fee.

Informed and confident partners contribute massively to your birth experience.

Any more questions?