A Biggleswade mum has started her own hypnobirthing classes to dispel myths and teach others the techniques after it changed her life.

Jess Slender’s life changed forever after the birth of her first son in 2011, when she went into labour without any plans or preparations.

Due to a high amount of stress and anxiety, Jess had a traumatic birthing experience – which took her down the path of hypnobirthing.

The mum of three believes the key to birthing is to have an understanding of your own body, relaxation, and to remove all negative perceptions.

She told the Comet: “There is so much in the media about birth in a negative way which is somewhat why we have this skewed perception of birth today.

“I had no idea that actually lots of things in your subconscious will affect how your birth happens.”

A year after giving birth, Jess got pregnant with her second – and she said she felt “the need to give birth naturally”, having been unconscious during the birth of her first baby.

With anxiety about going into labour again looming as she came to her due date, Jess took to her blog to voice her feelings.

“This amazing other blogger suggested I contact the Birth Trauma Association and talked us into hypnobirthing,” she said.

“It gave me the confidence that I needed, both in my body and my partner.

“Sometimes people think hypnobirthing is giving birth in a field – but it’s about having confidence in your body, understanding your options and making informed choices that are right for you, no matter how you birth your baby.

“It was such a wonderful, calm, exciting and joyous experience and I felt it was criminal that not every woman in the world has this information. It’s changed my life.”

At this time, Jess worked for TUI in Luton and used her work bonus to train as a hypnobirthing teacher. After being made redundant she put more of her time and efforts into her business, The Confident Birth Company.

She said: “It all progressed, and more and more people were asking me to not only support them in the run up to their birth, but to actually support them during their birth.”

Jess now offers group hypnobirthing classes in Letchworth, Hitchin and Biggleswade, private courses and a doula service. For more information on the different services go to theconfidentbirthcompany.co.uk.