A mother of twins who has spent the last nine years supporting expecting parents is launching new hypnotherapy workshops for pregnant women and their partners.

Lisa Quinn, 44, of Hermitage Close, South Woodford, has recently trained as a childbirth educator with the National Childbirth Trust and has set up Birth with Confidence, workshops specialising in natal hypnotherapy.

She said: "All mums want the same thing – a healthy baby and a positive birth experience.

"I have taught many mums locally and all have had different experiences, however those with the most calm and often quickest births have been those using relaxation techniques.

"But, I hear about many women that go into the birth expecting the worst, feeling scared, unconfident and unprepared.

"I feel this is something that needs to change if mothers are to avoid unnecessary intervention and caesarean births, and natal hypnotherapy is working with mothers and midwives to alleviate the fear."

Mrs Quinn has run the Forest Twins and Triplets Club in Wanstead for the past nine years and sits on the Maternity Services Liason Committee for Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone and Princess Alexander Hospital in Harlow.

Hypnosis works by relaxing the mind and making the body believe it has already given birth before.

So by the time the body does give birth, it takes over and just gets on with it.

She added that birthing hypnotherapy is not just for mums, but can benefit dads as well.

She said: "I describe fathers as the ‘silent witness’ – they see so much and so much is expected of them often with attending courses to help them get to grips with supporting a mother and being prepared for birth themselves.

"Many fathers come to workshops skeptical about the hypnosis process yet leave totally amazed at the effects the hypnosis has on the mother in such a short space of time.

"If they can see the benefits then they will be the huge support mothers need when in labour and the experience will be really positive for both of them."

For more information on the workshops which start in February visit www.birthwithconfidence.co.uk or email lisa@birthwithconfidence.co.uk.