HypnoBirthing - A male teacher

[sibex]

Good Morning to you all.

I was just wondering what your thoughts were on the subject of a man being your hypnobirthing instructor, should you choose that route for yourselves.

I am seriously considering extending my hypnotherapy practice to include hypnobirthing as an offering but am concerned that many women (or their partners) would not necessarily feel comfortable with assigning a man to this privileged role.

What are your views on this? Would you have an issue with a man, who is a father, being your hypnobirthing instructor?

Many thanks in advance for any feedback you could give me.

Simon.

 

[cosmicgirl]

I'm planning to take classes. I don't think I'd mind a man taking the classes, I think I'd prefer a woman but I don't know why.
What I would say is that the lady running my course is available to attend the birth to help with the techniques during labour and I would definitely want a woman for that part.
Best of luck x

 

[Daydreaming]

I would be fine with it - just not sure hubby would be.

 

[Karate Kid]

Same as Daydreaming.... I think I would be fine with a male running the classes I just don't think my husband would think that it was a good idea.

 

[cosmicgirl]

I'm struggling to get my oh to get into it and it's a woman teacher! x

 

[Cherrycola]

Sorry but I have the opposite opinion. As hypnobirthing is all about techniques to manage labour I think it would be important to me for a practitioner to have personal experience of giving birth, so I would select a woman who already has children over a man or a childless woman. Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[sibex]

Thanks so much for your replies. I had a feeling that it would be the case that both experience of actual birth and the husband/partner may be the sticking points.
I have to politely disagree that someone needs to experience something in order to teach it, although I can quite appreciate why I may be in the minority with that thinking, when it comes to childbirth.

 

[BellaRiven]

I wouldn't have a problem with a man teaching the class or the techniques as I imagine the techniques are relatively the same as what a woman would teach, I would expect the man to have some comprehension of birth and how traumatic this can sometimes be for a woman and how painful it is for them and empathise with them.

However I don't think I would want them at the birth as that is a Me and OH type of deal, I don't even want my mother there and I get on with her really well

 

[Kirsty.Y.84]

I think that hypnotherapy and I would imagine hypnobirthing is more around techniques to deal with pain and getting the mind to focus, therefore experience of giving birth would not be necessary. I think that if you are teaching techniques it doesn't matter if you are make or female, as long as you're a good teacher!

Me and my husband certainly wouldn't have a problem with it!

 

[Jayjay027]

I would prefer a hypnobirthing class to be taught by a woman who has given birth. As much as men may think they understand, they don't!
Hypnotherapy is different, that's ok. But anything to do with giving birth should be left to us ladies no disrespect.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk

 

[frankie247]

I'm afraid I'm in the no camp. To me childbirth and the preparation is a very intimate thing in my opinion which I why like others have said I really only feel comfortable discussing things with other women or my husband. I understand that you don't need to have gone through something in order to teach coping techniques, but I even feel uncomfortable with a male sonographer.

 

[Soshanna]

Hi Simon

My instructor was male and he is lovely! You may find that some men would be happier with a male instructor and their partners not mind or even prefer it too. Why don't you post on the HypnoBirthing forum as we have a few male teachers who could give you their feedback.