Joanna Fitzsimons

Hello and welcome to the Wise Hippo Sussex! 

I am Joanna a proud mother of twin boys; Hamish and Noah and an experienced, practising midwife, clinical hypnotherapist, hypnobirthing instructor, and antenatal educator. 

Firstly let me offer my congratulations on your pregnancy. This is an exciting time for you. I feel confident that my experience and passion can make this journey a truly positive one. I feel strongly that it is a woman’s right to have a positive, pregnancy and birth experience, that both you and your partner feel empowered throughout this wonderful journey into motherhood. 

I have supported hundreds of  women in their pregnancies and births; those using hypnobirthing techniques and those without. Based on my experience and feedback from the women and birthing partners I have taught they have calm and positive birth experiences. Clinical research has shown that hypnosis during childbirth decreases the need for pain relief, lessens medical intervention, and increases spontaneous vaginal birth (Smith et al 2006). 

This is why I trained to be a Wise Hippo instructor; I believe in empowering women and their birth partners to be aware of their choices, teach them tools and techniques to have a positive pregnancy and birth. I also believe a ‘positive birth’ is a state of mind. It’s not defined by what happens during labour and birth but how a woman and her partner feels about her baby’s (babies) birth. Because of this belief, I am able to teach tools and techniques that empowers women and partners to trust their instincts and ensure that their baby ( babies) have the right birth on the day. 

I have been an antenatal educator since 2000, having taught women and their partners expecting just one baby and those expecting multiples. I am passionate that women and their partners  feel confident and look forward to the birth of their baby (babies). Today, due to many influencing factors, women are often fearful of their birth experience. Due to these influences, the subconscious mind has learnt this lesson wrong. 

This is where The Wise Hippo Sussex Hypnobirthing Programme and my experience comes in. I use techniques and tools in the form of hypnobirthing and birth preparation to help women to understand the connection between their mind and their body. Helping women remain emotionally in control and trusting their instincts. These are tools for life and not just for birth. 

The Wise Hippo Sussex Hypnobirthing is for all women, whether you are a first time mother, had babies before or expecting more than one baby, single and  same sex couples . 

I have included some Frequently Asked Questions under the course details. However, if you would like more information or would like support, please go to my contact page, I look forward to hearing from you.