We offer holistic, evidence-based prenatal education and postpartum support.

Birth is truly one of life's great miracles, a sacred right of passage for both mother and child.​

Our history

Since 2015, Boston Hyonobirthing, eponymous for the hypnobirthing method taught in our popular childbirth classes, has provided outstanding, accessible, and equitable perinatal services to families in the Boston area and beyond.   

In 2020, we changed our name to Boston Births to support a more inclusive vision of our prenatal services.  Please visit our new website for more information: www.bostonbirths.com

The focus of our work has always rested in providing outstanding, accessible, and equitable perinatal services to families in the Boston area and beyond.  We have had the honor of working with hundreds of families and healthcare providers, and continue to strive to reduce barriers to high quality perinatal education and lactation care. Our mothers experience lower rates of labor augmentation and surgical births, and higher rates of maternal satisfaction, natural vaginal birth, and longer duration of breastfeeding.  ​

Our philosophical  approach

Our childbirth philosophy brings together Hypnobirthing and holistic practices that are rooted in the belief that childbirth is a normal and natural process in the absence of special medical circumstances, and not an illness or medical event. We teach techniques that we have found to be effective, including relaxation, special breathing, visualization, self-hypnosis, and guided imagery, to help expectant parents feel physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for childbirth, and reduce fear, anxiety and pain.  

Hypnobirthing is a comprehensive childbirth education program that emphasizes the mind-body connection to facilitate calmer, easier, and gentler birthing.  You and your birth partner will learn how to give birth confidently and calmly in any environment. 

FEAR IN CHILDBIRTH
​
As a society, we are socialized to believe that childbirth is an inherently painful process that is to be avoided or feared.  Like all mammals, our bodies naturally respond to stress with psychological, hormonal and behavioral coping strategies and defense mechanisms that can influence pain perception.  In labor or birth, stress can lead to adverse effects such as increased pain, maternal and/or fetal distress, and prolonged labor duration. 

We often assume interventions are the answer to our fears, erroneously believing that they should be routine for all women. Mothers --and even partners who fear childbirth should know that surgical delivery is not the only way out.  Likewise, the routine use of intravenous fluids, epidural analgesia, labor argumentation, continuous fetal monitoring, episiotomy, and restrictions on eating and drinking not only disturb the normal processes of labor and birth, but can diminish a woman's ability to cope with labor.  

These interventions are commonplace in the U.S., characterizing the majority of births in America.  We believe interventions are important tools in maternity care when used appropriately. After all, there no right or wrong way to birth.   However, research shows that when mothers and their birth partners learn about natural birth processes, and understand informed consent and alternative choices, they have less fear and anxiety to begin with, and less desire or need for labor interventions.

Through Boston Births, you will learn not only that childbirth is a normal event, but that it also does not have to be feared.  Our classes will teach you how to remain calm and relaxed in order to assist the body's instincts and normal psychological functions. 

With our techniques and education, healthy mothers, and even those who require assistance due to special circumstances, learn to bring their babies into the world in a calm and gentle way, reducing fear and anxiety and feeling empowered through educated decision-making.

Why no brands?

Most natural childbirth methods share a lot in common, including HypnoBirthing -The Mongan Method, Katharine Graves' Hypnobirthing (also known as KG Hypnobirthing),  Hypnobirthing Australia, Hypnobabies, the Calm Birth School, Mindful Birthing, Lamaze, and the Bradley Method.  We are often asked what's the difference?, especially when it comes to hypnotherapy-based childbirth classes.  The truth is, there are many similarities among them, and there is no singular best method out there.  

We firmly believe that a flexible, individualized, and up-to-date approach is best, and we offer a combination of simple and effective self-hypnosis (hypnotherapy), visualization, meditation, breathing, and other natural techniques to optimize your labor and birth experience. Our childbirth classes cover the core principles of HypnoBirthing and other natural childbirth methods.

Who are our classes good for?

Everyone!  It doesn't matter where you choose to birth -whether it is at the hospital, at a birth center, or at home. The relaxation techniques we teach are associated with decreased use of synthetic pain relief, lower cesarean rates, decreased length of labor, and increased physical comfort and emotional satisfaction. ​

The cost of our childbirth courses includes our proprietary Birth Toolkit (an essential course pack), text book, affirmation cards, and ongoing email and phone support throughout your pregnancy. Your birth partner attends free of charge.  *For virtual classes, you'll receive a box with everything mailed to your home.

REGISTER For classes

See some of our families