What Hypnobirthing Really Is (and Why It’s Not About Whale Music)

This Journal entry is available in two ways: you can read it below, or press play to hear me sharing it in my own voice.

I’m going to take you back for this one… to the moment I was sitting in the car, holding my 12-week scan photo.

That’s when the fear hit. The oh my God, this baby has to come out of me kind of fear.

I remember sitting there, frozen. My mind was racing… I’m rubbish with pain. I’ve got the lowest pain threshold. I’m going to be a nightmare in labour.

I texted one of my friends, who was also pregnant, and asked if she felt the same. She replied, “Have you thought about hypnobirthing?” And I laughed. Out loud.

“Not a chance. I’m not a hippie. I’m not sitting cross-legged with whale music playing while someone tells me to relax. I don’t relax!”

I’m logical. I like to plan. I like to be in control. The idea of someone telling me to “breathe deeply” made me laugh more than it calmed me. But then she sent me a birth story, and that changed everything.

It was about a mum giving birth to twins, calmly, confidently, completely in control. The way she described her experience blew me away. I remember thinking, That’s what I want. That’s what birth could be. So I started researching. And that’s when I realised… hypnobirthing isn’t about pretending birth doesn’t hurt. It’s about understanding how your mind and body work together, not against each other.

When you feel fear in birth, your body releases adrenaline. That adrenaline tightens your muscles, slows your labour, and increases pain. It becomes a cycle – fear → tension → pain → more fear. But when you understand what’s happening, when you feel educated, prepared, and in control, that cycle breaks.

And suddenly, everything starts to make sense.

This was the science I craved – the logical, evidence-based understanding that allowed me to feel powerful rather than panicked. For me, hypnobirthing became about stepping into my own power. It gave me confidence and understanding, not to script every moment, but to trust my body and my instincts.

It’s not about having the “perfect” birth plan. It’s about feeling calm and capable, whatever path your birth takes.

Because here’s the truth – it’s not the already-zen, chilled-out women who need this most.
It’s the ones lying awake at night thinking, I just want to know how to do this.
The ones who say, I’ll just go with the flow, while silently panicking inside.

That’s exactly why I created The Mama Spring Method and my group hypnobirthing experience.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about preparation and power. It’s about helping you feel calm, capable, and completely in control – no matter how your birth unfolds.

So no, it’s not about whale music or humming cross-legged. It’s about igniting the power that’s already within you.

And if you’ve ever rolled your eyes at the word “hypnobirthing”? This one’s for you.

If my story made you curious about the “how” behind it all, you’ll love this next read What Is Hypnobirthing? And How It Actually Works (Grimsby Edition), where I share exactly how hypnobirthing works and what to expect from a local course.