Welcome to The Calm Birth School In Person & Online Hypnobirthing
Unlock the power of hypnobirthing for an extraordinary pregnancy and unforgettable birthing journey using our in person & online hypnobirthing classes & resources.
Welcome to The Calm Birth School Where You Will Find A Wide Range Of In Person & Online Hypnobirthing Classes & Resources
Become an empowered hypnobirthing instructor, embark on a relaxed pregnancy, or find the best most perfect in person & online hypnobirthing instructor who will help you to create a positive birthing experience. Welcome to The Calm Birth School, we’re here to help you make your birthing experience truly extraordinary. With our personalised, relatable and accessible approach, we’ll guide you through the transformative power of hypnobirthing, via our online and in person classes as well as our online resources.
Are you wanting to become a hypnobirthing class instructor?
Are you pregnant and wanting to know about online hypnobirthing?
Are you looking for the best in person or online hypnobirthing instructor?
My name is Liz Stanford
If you have landed here, you are probably looking to train as a hypnobirthing class instructor or perhaps you are pregnant…
My mission is a big one I want all women and pregnant people, everywhere, to realise how strong, powerful and amazing they are. During our lives, as women and pregnant people, we are often told by media or people around us (or even by ourselves) that we aren’t good enough or capable enough. We are often regarded as weak or fragile. This is not true. Women & birthing people are magnificent and their birth experiences can really help them to see that.
Level 3
Hypnobirthing Class Instructor Training Diploma
If you are a birth passionate person and you want to help people prepare for a positive birth experience- sign up for our free checklist & guide here!
Prepare
for birth
with The
Calm Birth School
Create a calm, joyful birth by choosing between an online hypnobirthing class or contact one of my The Calm Birth School Hypnobirthing Instructors!
* please note that our online hypnobirthing birth preparation parent class does not use inclusive language. We hope to provide a class in the future that will cater to anyone who wants to access it. However we have many instructors who can teach classes online all across the world who have undergone LGBTQ+ competency. This is indicated on their listing in our directory with a badge and we can provide inclusive resources including the updated The Calm Birth Method Book.
I highly recommend this course to anyone considering training as a hypnobirthing instructor.
After using hypnobirthing techniques to have two wonderful births, I was passionate about training as a hypnobirthing instructor to be able to help other women achieve the same amazing experience. I looked at various different instructor programmes and decided on “The Calm Birth School” as I liked the openness and approach of their course. I am so glad I did, from the first contact with Liz, it has been a truly wonderful and enlightening journey! I have learnt so much, have felt and continue to feel supported on my instructor journey and have become part of a wonderful community of lovely people.
Rachel Kidd
On the blog
The 20 Best Hypnobirthing Podcasts in the UK for 2026
The induction rate in the UK is on the rise. Around 1 in 5 women have their births induced. Many expectant parents are searching to find ways to prepare for...
From Birth to Calling: My Journey with The Calm Birth School
"After discovering hypnobirthing during my first pregnancy, I experienced first hand how powerful it could be. Even though my birth didn’t go perfectly to...
Falling in Love with Birth: My Path to Becoming a Hypnobirthing Instructor
"I first discovered hypnobirthing during my first pregnancy in 2020 and fell in love with it. It had such a positive impact on my birth but I knew I’d only...
The Calm Birth School Hypnobirthing Guide
What Is Hypnobirthing?
Hypnobirthing is sometimes viewed as being a bit “woo woo” or “out there” but the truth is, hypnobirthing is a holistic, evidence-based approach to preparing for childbirth that blends together 6 essential pillars; Hypnosis, Breathing, Relaxation, Affirmations, Visualisation and Birth Education. It helps you to change your perception of birth, in particular reducing your fear and equips you with coping tools to manage sensations during labour. The aim of hypnobirthing, The Calm Birth School way, is to help you create a positive birth experience no matter what type of birth you have…
Inspired by research on fear, tension and pain pathways in the body, hypnobirthing helps regulate the nervous system so you can labour with calm confidence and strength. It can be used alongside medical care whether you are planning a hospital birth, birth centre birth, or home birth, and it supports & inspires informed decision making and active participation in your birth journey.
Why Hypnobirthing Works: The Science and Physiology
Birth is driven by hormones. When fear and stress are high, the body releases adrenaline, which can slow labour progress and increase discomfort. Hypnobirthing helps shift your nervous system into a parasympathetic state so oxytocin and endorphins flow more freely, supporting:
- Efficient cervical opening
- Effective uterine movement
- Pain Management
- Emotional regulation and calm focus
Research consistently highlights that when women & birthing people feel relaxed and supported, there is a reduction in perceived pain, decreased need for analgesia, and higher satisfaction with the birth experience. Hypnobirthing does not replace medical care; it enhances your body’s natural capacities, optimises comfort, and supports well-being before, during, and after birth.
Core Hypnobirthing Techniques
Hypnobirthing uses a set of practical, evidence-based tools that you can practise throughout pregnancy:
Breathing
The Calm Birth School uses 3 hypnobirthing breathing techniques which can be practised during your pregnancy to build muscle memory, encourage positive hormone release and help you to feel grounded. The breathing patterns are then used at different times during your labour to promote relaxation, balance oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and to work with the body at a particular phase of labour. This also helps you stay present and connected to your body.
Relaxation
Relaxation includes fantastic grounding techniques to help you feel calm and safe. It also helps build muscle memory so that relaxing the body during labor becomes easier.
Hypnosis
This is the “hypno” part of hypnobirthing, which can often deter people. Hypnosis is deep relaxation. Relaxation allows access to the subconscious to change outdated beliefs about birth, such as the idea that it is scary, frightening, gory, or dangerous. Hypnosis is not mind control and it doesn’t mean you will do something or disclose something that you don’t want to. You are always in control!
Visualisation
Visualisation is a tool that can be used to prepare for birth. Imagining, picturing, and visualising your ideal birth helps your brain think you have already given birth, which helps calm and regulate your nervous system. It also encourages taking practical action to achieve the desired outcome.
Affirmations
Affirmations are empowering, positive statements that help to redirect attention or change feelings about giving birth. Repeating affirmations helps create new neural pathways, which can lead to noticing more positive things. They can also be a good grounding tool for staying in the moment and redirecting attention away from alarming feelings.
Education
Hypnobirthing is a full antenatal course that helps prepare you for giving birth. It includes education on the birth companion’s role, birth options, navigating the pregnancy and birth experience with care providers, interventions, and what to pack in your bag.
In addition to the core pillars of hypnobirthing you also learn;
Partner Support Strategies, How to ask questions of your care provider
Creating birth plans/preferences, Bonding and connecting with your baby and they develop & grow, Choosing where to give birth, How movement and exercise can support your pregnancy & birth
Benefits of Choosing Hypnobirthing
Research into hypnobirthing, hypnosis, and mindfulness-based birth preparation suggests that these approaches can support people to feel calmer, more confident, and better prepared for labour and birth.
Studies have shown that learning relaxation, breathing, and mindfulness techniques during pregnancy may help to:
- Reduce fear and anxiety around birth
• Increase confidence and a sense of emotional control
• Support deeper relaxation during labour
• Improve coping with the sensations of labour
• Encourage supportive partner involvement
• Increase satisfaction with the birth experience
Some research also suggests that practising relaxation and mindfulness techniques may be associated with shorter labours or lower use of certain medical interventions for some people, although results vary and depend on many individual factors.
Importantly, these approaches are not intended to control or guarantee birth outcomes, but to provide practical tools that help people feel informed, supported, and emotionally prepared for whatever path their birth may take.
Is Hypnobirthing Right For You?
Hypnobirthing is ideal if you want:
- A calm and informed birth preparation plan
- Practical tools to manage sensations without fear
- Involvement of your partner in your birth experience
- Confidence and clarity about your choices
- A positive mindset that supports your body’s natural instincts
You can start hypnobirthing at any stage of pregnancy, but earlier practice often helps deepen confidence and skill with the techniques.
If you have had a previous traumatic birth experience, hypnobirthing can help with anxieties, and be part of your birth preparation plan. However, it’s worth noting that practising hypnobirthing does guarantee a perfect birth experience. A birth free from medical interventions or special circumstances can never be assumed, but doing a hypnobirthing course can help you to feel more positive during your pregnancy and ensure you have tools and strategies to use no matter how your birth unfolds.
What to Expect from a Hypnobirthing Course
What to Expect from a Hypnobirthing Course
Our hypnobirthing course includes:
- Education on the physiology of labour and birth
- Practical breathwork and relaxation guidance
- Guided self-hypnosis and visualisation recordings
- Partner support training
- Birth planning and coping strategy sessions
- Ongoing support and encouragement
This holistic preparation supports both your emotional wellbeing and practical readiness for labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hypnobirthing mean I will be unconscious or unaware during birth?
No. You remain fully aware, present, and in control. Hypnobirthing changes how you feel about birth through your practice during your pregnancy and teaches you how to enter a deeply relaxed, confident mindset during birth so your body works more effectively. This helps the mind and body to work together.
Can I still use medical pain relief if I want to?
Absolutely. Hypnobirthing complements whatever birth choices you make, including medical pain relief options. Its purpose is to give you tools, not to limit your access to care.
Is hypnobirthing evidence based?
Yes. Hypnobirthing techniques are informed by research in psychology and neuroscience. Studies suggest that fear and anxiety can increase the perception of pain during labour, while relaxation, breathing, and mindfulness techniques may help reduce stress responses and promote calmer, more effective coping during labour. By encouraging a state of relaxation, these techniques may also support the body’s natural physiological processes during labour.
Do I have to be a certain age, fitness level, or pregnancy type?
Hypnobirthing is suitable for most people regardless of age, fitness, or pregnancy type. If you have specific medical conditions or complex care plans, your hypnobirthing practice can be personalised in collaboration with your care provider. You can prepare using hypnobirthing whether you intend to have a spontaneous vaginal birth, a birth induction or another type of intervention or if you have decided to have a caesarean birth.
How long should I practice before birth?
Regular practice throughout the weeks before labour strengthens your confidence with the techniques. Many people begin around 20 weeks, but starting at any point can still be beneficial.
Begin Your Calm Birth Preparation
Hypnobirthing is more than a method. It is a compassionate way of engaging with your body, your baby, and your partner as you approach one of life’s most profound transitions.
Start your journey today with a supportive hypnobirthing course designed to help you create a positive birth experience.
Discover tools for a calm, empowered birth.
Begin your practice at home today.
Questions or personalised support? We are here for you.