WA Country Health Service

WACHS ANTENATAL EDUCATION CLASSES

Are you birthing at a WA Country Health Service Facility?

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The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is committed to providing accessible childbirth education services to the regional population.

Hypnobirthing Australia ™ classes were introduced as Bunbury Hospital’s antenatal education program at the beginning of February 2019 and the outcomes have been outstanding. It is a comprehensive, complementary antenatal education program with a focus on birth preparation through knowledge, tools and support.

In our commitment to providing parents with high quality, evidence based childbirth education; we are offering access to the online version of the course for expectant mothers under our care, in conjunction with regular live online group webinar sessions.

** PLEASE NOTE – THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO PARENTS BIRTHING AT A WA COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICE (WACHS) FACILITY **

WA Country Health Service is proud to present an award-winning birth education program that is designed to provide you with the knowledge, tools and support to navigate your labour and birth.

Quality, evidence-based independent childbirth education
tailored to support a positive birth experience

FEEL PREPARED AND CONFIDENT

This course provides you with the knowledge, tools, support, mindset and a method of preparation to help you to prepare for a calm and positive birth experience.
Join thousands of other happy parents throughout Australia who have utilised this course to enable them to experience a beautiful and empowering birth.
Birth can, and should be an experience that you will always want to remember!

LIVE GROUP WEBINAR SESSIONS

WA Country Health Service (WACHS) are proud to provide regular live group webinar sessions with a midwife, giving you the opportunity to ask questions, clarify techniques and build confidence in your preparation for a positive birth experience.
12 hours of live group webinar classes. The course is broken up into 4 x 3 hour sessions and include tuition, practical exercises and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and interact throughout.

HERE'S WHAT YOU
WILL RECEIVE

Folio booklet with easy to follow information, cheat sheets, and resources. You will be referring to this booklet as you complete the live classes.
Access to our world-class online learning platform 24/7 via your computer or mobile device.
Hypnobirthing MP3 practice tracks, eBook, video tuition, extra resources & a collection of super inspiring birthing videos to help you on your journey to a calm and positive birth!

** PLEASE NOTE – THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO PARENTS BIRTHING AT A WA COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICE (WACHS) FACILITY **

Course Outline

In your classes, you will learn how to prepare yourself for a very positive and empowered birth experience by focusing on these four key areas…

Unit 1: Creating & maintaining a positive mindset

Introduction to the positive mindset of hypnobirthing
How our brain is wired to birth
The role of our caregivers
Mind/body connection
What is self-hypnosis and how will we use it for birthing?
Our hormones are our friends
My amazing uterus – understanding the physiology behind birthing
Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome
Causes of Fear (including history) and how it affects our labour
Re-programming the Subconscious
The language for empowered birthing
The power of affirmations
Birthing environment

Unit 2: Our toolkit for birth

Self-hypnosis tracks
Birth music
Conditioning with scent
Hypnotic anchors and triggers
Releasing endorphins through massage and touch
Acupressure techniques for pregnancy, birth & breastfeeding
Visualisations for pregnancy, labour & birthing
The importance of facial relaxation
Relaxation Breathing – a skill for life
Surge Breathing – the best tool ever!
Techniques to help make your surges more comfortable
The ‘urge’ to push/bear down – Breathing/Bearing down

Unit 3: Preparation & choices for empowered birthing

Bonding with baby
Choices in maternity care
Birth Preferences – having open communication with your caregivers
Knowledge is power – researching common interventions and procedures
Questions to ask, to assist in making informed decisions
Birth partner as advocate
‘Guess date’ – a normal range of pregnancy
Inductions – things you’re not always told
Achieving a natural start to labour
Maintaining a healthy diet
Preparing the body – staying active
Optimising baby’s position
Breech or Posterior – options & positions
Instant relaxation techniques
Self-hypnosis, meditation and deep relaxation techniques & scripts

Unit 4: Birth – bringing it all together

What to expect in the weeks and days leading up to birth
Signs that labour is starting
What to expect through labour (membranes releasing etc)
When to call the midwife/go to the hospital
Accidental home/car birth – what to do!
Birth partner’s role
Common procedures
Using water during labour and birth
Upright positioning, movement and birth positions
Special circumstances (including caesarean birth)
Fear release
Vocalisation
Cord clamping & placenta delivery
Undisturbed bonding & breastfeeding time – skin to skin
What to expect afterwards
Self-hypnosis – Rehearsal for Birth
A practice routine – preparation for birth!

AMAZING OUTCOMES!

Through the data gathered in a survey conducted at Bunbury Hospital in 2019-2020; this program has been shown to:

> significantly increase positive feelings of excitement & preparation for labour and birth for parents

> increase spontaneous vaginal births

> decrease medical interventions

All parents who completed the survey felt more positive and prepared for birth at the completion of the course than they did prior.

In an overwhelming response, we increased birthing woman’s excitement and preparedness for labour and birth by over 70%.

The language used in relation to labour and birth vastly changed from very negative terms to very positive terms and overall, every woman would recommend this course.

Be Inspired, Excited and Prepared!

A program for all births – not just your first! Let us provide you with the the knowledge, tools and support to have a truly positive birth experience regardless of our birthing journey.

I really do have to credit the Hypnobirthing Australia course for how smoothly everything went

Lizzie’s Birth Story Lizzie Baby George Jan 2022 Albany Hospital The birth was intense! But absolutely everything I had hoped for-the Sunday night I had started noticing regular Braxton hicks...

I had the most amazing experience using the Hypnobirthing tools

Dairine’s Birth Story Baby Kai January 2022 Bunbury Thank you! We had an amazing birth! I laboured at home for the night just using a TENS machine and...

Your course was absolutely invaluable to my birthing experience – no doubt!!

Bec’s Birth Story Bec & Ben Baby Jack July 2021 KEMH Well I made it to 38 weeks, and had done everything under the sun to get myself in...

Click on the button below to access the information pack and register for

WACHS ‘Positive Birth Program’ Antenatal Classes

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is this course available to anyone?

This program is only available to parents birthing at at a WA Country Health Service Facility (WACHS).

How do I book in for the classes?

Click here to download the upcoming dates and times for all classes available through Bunbury, Busselton, Esperance and Telehealth. When you have decided what classes will be the best for you, please complete the registration form and return to WACHS Antenatal Education. Full details and requirements are included on the registration form.

I am unable to attend all the modules in a series - is it okay to attend the classes in different groups?

Yes! While it is great to start and complete the 4 modules with the same group and facilitator, you are most welcome to join any group that works for you. The important thing is to do all 4 modules.

I am 20 weeks pregnant, is it too early to take the classes?

As a guide, we suggest sometime between 20-30 weeks gestation. However any gestation is better than not attending at all. Some people attend early and have lots of time to make preparations, consider and explore options, look into additional resources, practice tools, and have conversations with their support team. Other complete the classes as they approach the end of pregnancy and the information is fresh in their minds during the birth.

I am really close to being due. Is it ok to complete module 3 & 4 this weekend and the start module 1 & 2 next week?

Yes! While it is ideal to do the modules in order of 1-4 as they build on each other, it is still better to complete the program out of order than not at all.

Should my support partner attend classes?

Yes! Great support in labour is a key ingredient for a positive birth. Partners find this program very useful in preparation for their role.

What is the Positive Birth Program?

The Hypnobirthing Australia™ ‘Positive Birth Program’ is a quality, comprehensive birth education program that includes information on everything labour and birth. This program will provide you with the knowledge, skills, support, and method of preparation for a calm and positive birth experience.

What type of classes are you offering?

Current classes available are:

4 x 3hr modules Positive Birth Program
2 x 2.5hr module 4th Trimester, Breastfeeding & Early Parenting Program
1 x 4hr Positive Caesarean Program
3 x 2hr Positive Indigenous Birth Program
4 x 1hr Breastfeeding Problem Solving Program – with a WACHS Lactation Consultant

I have already had children and attended antenatal classes in the past, should I attend again?

Yes! There is always something new to learn and every birth is different. Come along to gain some tools to work towards your positive birth.

Am I able to claim through Medicare?

The program is free for Medicare eligible. If you do not have a Medicare card please contact WACHSBirthEducation@health.wa.gov.au to discuss your options before booking into a class.

What birthing facilities do you offer?

Bunbury Maternity Virtual Tour

Albany Maternity Virtual Tour

Busselton Maternity Virtual Tour

Kalgoorlie Maternity Virtual Tour

Pilbara Maternity Virtual Tour

King Edward Memorial Hospital Virtual Tour

Fiona Stanley Maternity Photo Tour

Northam Maternity Virtual Tour

Geraldton Maternity Virtual Tour