FAQ
About you
Would you like to birth without the need for drugs or medical interventions?
Do you have memories of a past traumatic/unpleasant birth experience?
Are you wanting to bring your baby into the world in a concsious and gentle way?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions then a Calmbirth course would be ideal for you.
When should you start the course?
The Calmbirth course is recommended anywhere from your 20th week of pregnancy, ideally prior to 35 weeks. The benefits of doing the course earlier in your pregnancy include: extra time to practice the skills you have learned, ensuring they are accessed more automatically/easily on the day; the chance to connect meaningfully with your baby; experiencing lots of relaxation time (beneficial to both you and your baby); and giving you plenty of time to negotiate your birth choices with your chosen caregiver and partner/support team.
Scientifically, how does the baby benefit when childbirth is calm?
During the last few months of pregnancy, during labour and childbirth, there is an incredible amount of imprinting occurring for both the baby and the mother. The mother is not only providing nutrients for the baby, she is also providing information. She is preparing her baby for the environment into which he/she will arrive. If the mother is calm and confident during pregnancy and birth, then this is already preparing her baby to be a calm and confident human being. On the other hand if she is stressed and anxious the biochemical interaction during pregnancy labour and birth can set up a different perception for that baby about life. How it happens sets up a pattern which can be repeated over and over again. (Lipton, B. 2005, The Biology of Belief, Mountain of Love/Elite Books, Santa Rosa, California.)
Does is completely guarantee a pain-free labour and birth?
Calmbirth helps couples understand one of the main reasons why pain is created in the first place. We have anecdotal evidence to support the fact that with this knowledge, some mothers can experience what they call a pain free birth, keeping in mind that these mothers also report they experience sensations of pressure and muscular activity which can be intense at times but according to them “not painful”.
However this is not the case with all mothers. It seems it requires a leap of faith for the mother to completely trust her body to create this experience.
The evidence from Dr Sarah Buckley, Dr Michel O’dent and others suggests that when a mother’s body reaches peak levels of birthing hormones and there is no fear, then their labour and birth can be experienced in a most profoundly joyful way.
"I know this wasn't guaranteed in Calmbirth but I remember you mentioning that some women don't experience any pain. And that's exactly what happened to me - yet another reason why I didn't think I was in labour! I would describe it as 'intense' and 'hard work' and the surges were intense pressure and I felt like I was going to pop near the end, but i was never in any pain. Even when I was pushing him out, it wasn't painful. I could feel my body stretching and that's exactly how I would describe it, but it wasn't painful at all. Isn't that amazing! "
Does calmbirth work for everyone?
Calmbirth is a model of interaction. In a sense “ IT” does not work. Rather it is the pregnant couples who understand how marvellously the mother’s body is designed, who develop the confidence to work with their birth process rather than resist it and finally, to eliminate fear these are the couples who are more likely to create a birth experience unforgettably joyful, calm and even ecstatic.
About your partner
Does my birth partner have to attend the calmbirth classes?
Having a baby is a shared journey. It would be best that your birthing partner attends the classes as they will be instrumental in assisting you on the day and being able to bond in that very special way prior to your baby's birth and after your little one is born. Your birthing partner will learn these techniques with you, being able to help throughout pregnancy and on your baby's birthday. These are life skills for all to share and use.
If there is an emphasis on taking away the pain, are we are setting women up to fail?
In the calmbirth® classes the pregnant couple explore one of the main reasons why pain is created in the first place. In the basic information imparted to the pregnant couples and the skills taught, the sensations of labour can be seen more in their true light as muscle sensation albeit intense at times. Couples are able to distinguish between hard work and pain. They are reassured that no matter what path their labour and birth take, there are no failures, just different birth journeys just as there are different life journeys. Even if unforseen circumstances arise, the skills taught in the classes assist the couple to remain calm and focused and bring out of that experience the joy of bringing their baby into the world.
Is there any scientific research that has studied the effects of calmbirth on labour and birth?
Since the inception of calmbirth® research is being carried out by sending out evaluation forms to couples after the birth of their baby.
This survey has shown that out of the 3800 calmbirth® mothers (2010)
58.1% normal vaginal birth/18.2% normal vaginal birth with assistance (compared to 51% general population)
15.9% emergency caesarean/4.8% planned caesarean (compared to 31% general population)
46.2% had no analgesia or anesthetic during their labour
28.7% who did use analgesia, used gas only.
24.2% had an epidural (compared to 43% general population).
18.2% reported that generally they would not describe the sensations they experienced during labour as painful
39.7% describing their pain as mild or moderate.
74.6% were able to breastfeed soon after birthing
82% felt a strong bond with their baby immediately after birth
About Calmbirth®
What is calmbirth® written by Peter Jackson
Calmbirth® is the name given to a childbirth preparation programme developed by midwife Peter Jackson to specifically assist couples to create a calm, joyful and even ecstatic birth experience. The calmbirth® programme has the potential to dismantle the fear, stress and anxiety experienced by many women during pregnancy and childbirth.
The three important foundation factors addressed by calmbirth® for natural childbirth are
understanding
confidence
fearlessness
The knowledge and skills the programme teaches prepares the mother to remain relaxed and focused during her labour, to make informed choices, if and when necessary and to be in tune with the natural energy and rhythm of her baby’s birth.
The calmbirth® programme is based upon observation, research and clinical experience. The three main areas covered in the programme are:
One of the foundational principles of calmbirth® is Dr Grantly Dick Read’s “Fear – Tension – Pain syndrome which is supported by contemporary research scientists such as Dr Candice Pert and Dr Bruce Lipton.
Dr Herbert Benson’s extensive research into the normal physiological response of Relaxation which is the opposite to the well know fight and flight response which Dr Grantly Dick Read accurately described in his Fear – Tension – Pain syndrome. The programme highlights the importance of self care and use of the person’s subconscious resources to create confidence, understanding and to dismantle fears not only around labour and birth but for all areas of life.
Bonding and Conscious Parenting draws on the research findings of Dr David Chamberlain, Dr Bruce Lipton and Dr Thomas Verny to name a few. Their evidence shows the importance of pre natal education and the relationship between the mother, father and baby.
What are the benefits of calmbirth®?
People leave the classes with a greater understanding of the birth process, confidence in their own ability to work with the birth process and excitement about their approaching birth. We receive many emails, cards, letters which anecdotally confirm that couples, given the right preparation can create a very special birth experience, even if medical intervention is required.
Benefits are:
Reduces fear, tension and anxiety
Couples develop a thorough understanding of labour and birth
May significantly diminish pain / pain perception during labour
Often decreases the need for painkillers
Can reduce fatigue during labour and decrease length of labour
Promotes bonding between couples and their baby
Empowers partners to play a more integral role in the birth of their baby
Prepares couples for unexpected circumstances that may develop during pregnancy, labour and birth
Do calmbirth® classes take the place of hospital childbirth education classes.
The calmbirth® programme is an entirely different programme to those run in hospitals and birth centres. Registered calmbirth® practitioners have been through a training process and are qualified to teach the calmbirth® model of childbirth preparation. Couples attending calmbirth® classes are encouraged to become informed of the content of the classes conducted in the place they are to give birth then make up their own minds whether to attend the hospital classes in consultation with their care givers.
Calmbirth® has a very different focus to many of the hospital classes.
During the classes we focus on you, your baby, your body, your mind (including the sub conscious) and your partner.
Hospital classes tend to focus on the stages of labour and educating women on the procedures that you may or may not need.
Calmbirth® develops skills and works towards creating a deeply relaxed physiological response within the woman’s body, essential for labour, birth and beyond.
Hospital classes provide information and knowledge.
Calmbirth® creates confidence and excitement around birth, that comes from experiences and knowledge gained from the class.
Hospital classes can sometimes create more fear or anxieties around giving birth.
Both have their place in the preparation for having a baby.
What are the differences between the calmbirth® course and other courses®?
Calmbirth® is a highly acclaimed, evidence based and scientifically proven childbirth education program leading the way in childbirth education, training and research since 2004 in Australia and abroad. Calmbirth® provides couples with knowledge and practical skills to empower them to positively and confidently birth their babies regardless of how their birth unfolds.
Over 20,000 couples have attended a Calmbirth® program since 2008. It has been designed in collaboration with experts from the birthing and mind -body disciplines and is run by trained and experienced birth professionals who attend couples at birth every day. So we know about birth better than anyone else because we have been on the birth room floors everyday for over 40 years.
The Calmbirth® program is based on research from neuroscience, midwifery, obstetrics and epigenetics. It is also the program that GP’s and obstetricians highly recommend