HypnoBirthing® Classes

HypnoBirthing® – The Mongan Method is as much philosophy as it is a technique.

The concept of HypnoBirthing® is not new, but rather a ‘rebirth’ of the philosophy of birthing as it existed thousands of years ago. The method teaches you that in the absence of fear and tension, or special medical circumstances, the birthing body is free to carry out the work it was perfectly designed to do, allowing the birthing mom to work with her body and baby, resulting in a more comfortable, satisfying, and empowering experience.

You will gain an understanding of how the birthing muscles work in perfect harmony when your body is sufficiently relaxed and you trust birth. You will learn how to achieve this kind of relaxation free from fear, and as a result, you will be more in-tuned to and trusting of your baby and natural birthing instincts.

While using the techniques you learned in HypnoBirthing you will be conversant and in good spirits – totally relaxed, but fully in control. Awake throughout, you will be aware of your body’s surges and your baby’s progress. In this calm state, your body’s natural relaxants, endorphins, replace the stress hormones that constrict uterine muscles, can cause pain, and slow labor. This natural flow of endorphins, along, with your ability to surrender, and support the natural energy of your birthing body, will enhance your ability to achieve the birth you desire.

HypnoBirthing with Gold Coast Doulas was listed as the most mentioned childbirth class in 2016 by grkids.com

Pregnant woman on a birthing ball stretching
HypnoBirthing supports the whole person model of care, teaching and encouraging the birthing person or couple to be active participants in their health care experience.
Smiling couple cradles the mother's pregnant belly in a bright bedroom with a green plant

HypnoBirthing Advantages:

  • Teaches deep levels of relaxation to eliminate the fear that causes the tension and, thus, pain.
  • Greatly reduces and often eliminates the need for chemical painkillers and drugs
  • Shortens the first phase of labor.
  • Leaves mother alert, fresh, awake, and with energy.
  • Helps keep oxygen supplied to baby during birthing.
  • Reduces the need for an episiotomy.
  • Reduces the fatigue women can experience during labor.
  • Empowers parents with techniques to achieve a gentle, calm birth for themselves and their baby.
  • Gives the birthing companion and integral role in the birthing.
  • Embraces the concept of pre-birth parenting.
  • Teaches breathing techniques that allow for a woman to gently breath her baby down for a gentle descent and mother directed pushing.

What you will receive:

  • Five classes run by a certified HypnoBirthing practitioner
  • A book HYPNOIRTHING – THE MONGAN METHOD
  • Audio download card with HypnoBirthing’s own RAINBOW RELAXATION, and positive affirmations.
  • Five professionally written script/handouts to use at home while practicing and preparing for your special day.
  • Several practitioner-led hypnotic/relaxation sessions to assist couples in building confidence, eliminating fears, and creating a new foundation from which a safer, easier, more comfortable and satisfying birth experience can be achieved
  • Small class size for student comfort and personal attention.

Meet our Hypnobirthing Practitioner

Lisa Newhouse poses in front of a blue curtain wearing a brown top

Lisa Newhouse

Birth Doula
HypnoBirthing Practitioner

HypnoBirthing - The Mongan Method Badge

This educator is affiliated with the HypnoBirthing® Institute and is currently certified and authorized to teach the complete HypnoBirthing® Program.

If you’re ready to learn more about the support of a Gold Coast Doula, and we certainly hope you are, contact us today!

See what our clients are saying about HypnoBirthing

In my 10 years of clinical practice as a midwife, I have recommend HypnoBirthing to my patients because it is a philosophy of self-care and advocacy that is not only paramount to the birth experience a woman and her family will have, but provides tools and a framework that can be carried over into many life experiences and the adventures of parenthood that lie beyond birth. As a pregnant patient now myself, I found this course very balanced and informative and am glad that I took it at around 20 weeks, as I now have 20ish more weeks to continue to incorporate the meditations and affirmations into my daily self-care routine. My partner gleaned not only insight into my professional life though this course, but this course really aided him to feel more bonded and connected to our growing baby and I know that he feels enhanced self-efficacy around how to be the most helpful and involved in supporting me and our baby for the duration of our pregnancy and birth experience.
Laurel Jessup, CNM
I just wanted to shoot you a note thanking you so very much for all your help before we went through our birthing process. I went into the hospital on Sunday and gave birth to our boy on Tuesday. There were some complications so the birth was pretty tough, but I did get to do it vaginally despite quite a bit of c section discussion amongst the doctors. Ryan was a great coach, and it has been a remarkable experience that really brought us even closer than before. Thank you so much for all you did, Ashley. Without the tools we picked up in your class, I'm not sure I would have made it through this crazy process!
Kerry Hart
Everyone should take this class. Birth is a serious milestone in your life… so take the time to be prepared. You won’t be sorry!
Russ C.
I learned that fear should not be part of my experience and whether it goes how I plan it to or not, I can be equipped and prepared to handle whatever may come.
I went into HypnoBirthing® wondering if I was going to be able to get my wife on the count of three to cluck like a chicken. What I discovered was a natural, common sense approach to helping her (us) through the birthing process. Among the things I liked were: - the way it helped us think through the whole "concept" of birthing. - the way it allowed us to do this together. - the way I felt educated and prepared entering the hospital. - and last, but not least, the way it let us bring our little girl into the world drug free. I'd recommend it to anyone, even though the chicken part didn't pan out.
Joel Schoon-Tanis
My partner and I took Ashley's HypnoBirthing Series during COVID. For a virtual class it exceeded our expectations. Ashley taught really well-balanced information. Empowering and informative yet also appropriately recognized that these tools are to be utilized especially when birth does not follow the mental movie that we have of it for whatever reason/need for intervention. It really helped my partner feel informed and gave him great tools to feel more connected.
Hypnobirthing was a valuable tool both in pregnancy and labor. We really appreciated the information presented to us during class and were able to look forward to the birthing experience. We learned what to expect, but more importantly we learned to be flexible and accepting of what would come our way to make the birthing experience a rich one.
Abigail
We took the HypnoBirthing classes which prepared us for all possible outcomes of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. This was extremely helpful, especially when I found out I would need to have a c-section.
Loved the class! It was a great way to learn not just about HypnoBirthing, but how your body works and what your body is supposed to do during labor. I learned how to keep my mind from getting in the way of my labor. Ashley is a great teacher and is super helpful with any additional questions you may have. I loved the actual meditiation in class. Her voice is perfect!
Andrea Chappell
I highly recommend taking the HypnoBirthing course with Gold Coast Doulas! I think even if your plan is to have medical intervention for birthing your baby, it would be so beneficial. There is so much information covered in this class if you're hoping to at least learn how to relax, stay calm, and let your body and baby do the work. Learning all about what your body is actually doing during those more intense portions of labor and linking that with how to breathe so you can make progress is game changing. I feel so prepared, ready, and looking forward to seeing how my experience goes. Thanks to this class I have so much more trust in myself, my body, and my baby. I think that's an important piece to giving birth that this class includes. Lastly, my husband feels more comfortable, informed, and included in my birthing experience because of this course. They covered a lot in regards to a partner's role, what he/she can do to help, stay calm, and be present through it all.
Julie K.
I’ve thought a lot about how HypnoBirthing helped me in my pregnancy, labor, and delivery. The truth is that it made a huge difference in every stage. Before the class I thought I knew about pregnancy and birth, but it turns out there was so much more to learn. And we went into every stage with enough knowledge to talk openly and easily with our doctors. We knew what our birth preferences were and why we wanted things a certain way. We knew how to stand up to protect our baby, and we were given so many tools to stay calm, relaxed, loose, and limp. Without this class I know I would have requested pain medication and I know I would have been much more upset about a scheduled induction. But because I was able to make my own informed decisions, I have no regrets about our birth. I’d do it all over again!
Brianna Pitts
The HypnoBirthing class through Gold Coast Doulas was absolutely worth the time and money! I ran across the class during my research on natural birthing options, and I am so glad that I did. I feel more prepared for labor and delivery now, and feel confident that whatever happens during my birth I will be able to take it in stride and know what my options are. I would highly recommend the class to anyone feeling unsure about the entire process and hoping to have the most relaxed birth possible.
Not only did we learn the HyponoBirthing technique, I now feel so much more prepared for childbirth in general. The class covered the stages of labor, what to expect, breathing techniques to use, and so much more. Ashley explained, followed the flow of the book, and delivered the information in an understandable way. She was very easy to learn from! I am recommending this class to all of my friends - the information learned is truly invaluable!
Ally Henderson
We learned a lot of very valuable info. I enjoyed all the science and physiology behind HypnoBirthing.
I learned how to focus my energy on having a calm birth by asking the questions of what I need to have present (or not) to achieve that. I learned techniques for training my brain to stay calm during labor, different breathing practices, as well as the various birthing stages and what is happening in each one.
When I realized a scheduling error and found we wouldn’t start this class until I was 35 weeks, I thought we would be too rushed to learn anything from the class and almost cancelled it, but it was a lifesaver! Because of this class, I was excited rather than nervous for birth! We arrived to the hospital confident with our birth preferences and equipped with a toolbox of resources to manage an unmedicated labor. Despite some unforeseen circumstances requiring extra intervention measures, I was able to focus and breathe through labor until our healthy baby girl arrived.
I would highly recommend any and all expectant parents to take the HypnoBirthing class series. HypnoBirthing totally changed the way I view birth and what a beautiful experience it can be. It really helped release the anxiety and fear I felt surrounding my birth experience and helped equip me with the confidence and calm I need to make educated decisions when bringing my child earthside and creating a birth plan that fits mine and my families needs.
Miya Rodriguez
This class was amazing and very helpful! I never learned how to breathe with my last two babies so I was freaking out, and I think the more I practice the breathing the more I’ll be able to relax so my body can be ready to birth my baby. I cannot wait to use the techniques taught in class during my birth. I feel confident and ready to do this.
R. Garcia
I loved taking this class! It provided a deeper knowledge into the power of relaxation and letting my body take over for what it was made to do. I learned how to deepen my relaxation, release my fears about labor and delivery, and gain confidence in my body’s ability to do what nature intended. My fears about labor and delivery are pretty much gone at this point, and I look forward to bringing my baby into this world and using my HypnoBirthing techniques!
Abby K.
From the very first class, my entire mindset and assumptions about birth were changed. It was something I felt nervous about before, but my feelings changed to excited and completely capable.
We learned so much from this class. Most useful to me was the breathing method for delivery to push my baby down. We learned a lot about what to expect in general as well. We definitely recommend this class and Ashley.
Jenna E.
Ashley was a phenomenal instructor. Knowledgeable, approachable, engaging. Both my spouse and I would say our biggest take away was a newfound courage and excitement about the labor and delivery of our child!
Sarah B.
I am a first time mom and came into our first HypnoBirthing class completely terrified of giving birth. After just one class I started to see a dramatic shift in my mindset, and by the end of the course I had a new sense of confidence and anticipation for my upcoming birth. I am so thankful for the tools I have learned. My partner and I have gained the knowledge necessary to advocate for the care we wish to receive on our big day!! I can’t wait to bring my baby into this world using HypnoBirthing.
Sarah F.
Ashley was a fantastic resource throughout the entire class. She was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer any questions thrown her way. Her experience with and around birth was evident and reassuring as we navigated all topics of preparing for birth, the birthing process and postpartum. I would highly recommend this class- especially to first time parents. My husband and I are feeling so much more confident in making our birth plan/preferences and all the choices for baby we didn’t even realize we needed to make. Knowledge is power, and this course certainly gave us the power of preparedness.
Alexis P.
This class completely changed my outlook on pregnancy and birth. It made me feel so well educated on what is going on in my body and what I'm going to experience, and it made me excited and confident to bring my baby into the world. It was so reassuring and informative, and I will tell everyone I know who's expecting to take this class!
Mikaelah S.