What Is KGHypnobirthing? Who Is Katharine Graves and Who Teaches It?
KGHypnobirthing is a complete antenatal and birth preparation method created by hypnotherapist and founder Katharine Graves. It combines evidence-based birth education, deep relaxation, breathing techniques, mindset work and practical preparation to help parents approach birth feeling calmer, more informed and more confident.
KGHypnobirthing is taught by accredited KGH teachers across the UK and internationally, both in person and online.
KGHypnobirthing is a method of birth preparation & antenatal education.
Rooted in hypnotherapy techniques. It is a lot of little things put together to make a big difference.
What Is KGHypnobirthing?
Hypnobirthing generally is a method of birth preparation, rooted in hypnotherapy techniques such as deep relaxation, visualisation, considerate use of language, which promote confidence, alleviate fears and reframe negative thoughts leading to an increased chance of a calmer and more comfortable birth.
KGHypnobirthing gets its name from Katharine Graves, the founder of KGHypnobirthing and a trailblazer of the hypnobirthing movement in the UK. KGHypnobirthing is hypnobirthing plus more. It is a lot of little things put together to make a big difference.
Parents and birth partners learning the KGHypnobirthing method will learn about the power of the mind, gain a deep understanding of hypnobirthing (not just what’s on mainstream like listening to a few relaxation audios!), they will learn to let go of fears that they may have and reframe and challenge their views of birth and decisions they make to be based on evidence and not assumptions. They will learn techniques to support themselves in the lead-up to birth, during birth and beyond, such as breathing, practising visualisations, challenging unhelpful thoughts, and using mindful language. They will learn about the physiological aspects of birth and that baby and body work together. Parents will learn how to navigate the maternity system, work with their caregivers and empower themselves to make the choices they want. They will ultimately set themselves up to have the birth they want.
It is not a method of pain relief. It is not anti-establishment, anti-midwives, or anti-clinical care. It is not medical advice or a substitute for medical care. The KGHypnobirthing antenatal course is evidence based and logical.
To quote Katharine, KGHypnobirthing is “simple, logical and profound — and it works.”
Parents and birth partners learning the KGHypnobirthing method will learn:
How fear, stress and tension can influence labour and birth
How breathing, relaxation and visualisation techniques can support birth preparation
How to challenge unhelpful beliefs and reframe fears around birth
How hormones work during labour and how baby and body work together
How to make informed decisions based on evidence rather than assumption
How to navigate the maternity system and communicate confidently with caregivers
Practical tools to support themselves before, during and after birth
How birth partners can play an active, supportive and informed role throughout labour
How to create a more positive, calm and supported birth environment
Who is Katharine Graves?
She’s the founder of KGHypnobirthing. Katharine Graves is widely recognised as one of the key figures who helped bring hypnobirthing into mainstream birth preparation in the UK. She is a hypnotherapist and hypnobirthing teacher. She is a trailblazer. She has an elegant presence that will sit with you for life.
She changed our life for the better, not just birth, but how we’ve been shaped as parents, and even what we do for a living. We’ve had colourful careers, from plumber to project manager, from training to be an Architect to an IT Engineer, and now we are passionate about birth – this is not the field we would have guessed we would be in if you had asked us 20years ago.
We love this new world, but our vision would be to live in a world where we are out of business as everyone is having the empowering birth they deserve and want.
We want everyone to know about KGHypnobirthing, if we are a good fit for you then great, but we don’t care if you don’t do it with us, we care that you walk the walk and get the birth you deserve. The world would be a better place, and your baby would have the start to life it deserves.
Who teaches it?
Katharine Graves teaches in person, read more on her website (links below), she has an online course and has taught the KGHypnobirthing method to other teachers. Her KGH teacher directory is also on her website, many in UK but worldwide too, and that’s a great place to start if you are looking for local in person classes. Make sure you look out for the course being “KGH” or an accredited “KGH teacher” – accredited teachers have trained with KGH and passed assessment, and deliver the full KGH teacher-led course which is 12 hours. This ensures that parents leave truly ready, not just informed, a shortened course removes essential layers of learning and practice time.
You won’t regret the investment you’ve made, not just from a monetary aspect, but from a time, energy and experience perspective. It’s priceless.
External links:
(Links open up in new tabs so you don’t lose this blog.)
Katharine Graves’ KGH UK website: https://www.kghypnobirthing.com/
Katharine Graves’ KGH US website: https://www.kghypnobirthing.com/us/
KGH Online course (this is an affiliate link): https://www.kghypnobirthing.com/?ref=3642
KGH Teacher Directory https://www.kghypnobirthing.com/hypnobirthing-teachers
