"Hypnobirthing"

littlemamana · Apr 6th, 2012, 08:18 AM

I keep being told I should do hypnobirthing lol. I dunno if many of you have heard of it but it's this practice where you tell yourself that the pain you are experiencing is just "pressure" and the contractions are not contractions but are "surges". It's all about looking positively at every aspect of the birthing process and that's great and all and I can see how it would help some women to cope with the process but... for me... PAIN IS PAIN, okay? lol

It's really annoying me because my birthing coach (I'm a single mom) is one of my good friends and she's really into the hypnobirthing so she won't let me call a spade a spade and say that my braxton hicks contractions hurt.. She's like, "Stop with the negative wording! It's just pressure... good pressure..." No, it's pain and if you talk to me like that when I'm in labor, I'll probably punch you.

Noelle610 · Apr 6th, 2012, 09:03 AM

LOL sounds like it's not for you

I considered trying hypnobirthing ... it's a meditation of sorts. They say it works well if you're into meditation, yoga or something similar, but that some people find it totally unhelpful. You have to do what works for you!

Pinkie88 · Apr 6th, 2012, 09:57 AM

I've been listening to a self hypnosis hypnobirthing cd and I personally like it just to relax and meditate. I'm not sure whether or not it will work for me in labor.

ELHypnobirth · Apr 6th, 2012, 16:11 PM

It certainly sounds like HypnoBirthing may not be for you! Did you do a course? It would be a good idea to talk to your friend about how you feel before your labour as she is the one that is meant to be supporting you! How she feels and what she thinks about labour are not important as this is your birth!

citymouse · Apr 6th, 2012, 19:41 PM

I did the Hypnobabies home study course and found it really relaxing through late pregnancy and birth. I was induced and the pain management wasn't effective for me, but the positivity, relaxation, and breath control definitely helped.

The language is a big part of it, but I think forcing it to the point where you feel uncomfortable or silly is going too far. It's true that the things you tell yourself repeatedly can sink into your subconscious, so I wouldn't dwell on the idea of pain, but I wouldn't deny that there might be some discomfort. I'd just focus on the idea of having a birth experience that will be uniquely yours and make you feel relaxed and in control.

My birth was wonderful and it wasn't diminished by the fact that there was pain.

branjo · Apr 6th, 2012, 23:03 PM

I have never heard of that.. sounds really silly to me. I had my daughter with no pain meds and I just found a focus point when I would feel a contraction coming and imagine the beach and the breeze and the sand and waves and focus really hard on the smells and sights of my favorite place at the beach.... really helped to not focus on the pain. Very manageable. Just need a strong mind.

You can practice with ice cubes at home.. hold them in your hand and see how long you can hold onto them without feeling pain. Focus through them. You will see you can focus for longer and longer without feeling any pain and as soon as you look at your hand or remember the ice you feel the pain again.

StranjeGirl · Apr 7th, 2012, 00:11 AM

I did hypnobabies and it does help with relaxation and pain management if you are into that sort of thing. Unfortunately I had to be induced so it did not work the way I would have liked, because the setting was not what is needed to really keep relaxed (can't move around because you are hooked up to IV and monitor etc) I get the whole "don't use negative terms" thing, but honestly, pain was pain. THey try and convince you that having a baby is not painful, it is just pressure, but to me it doesn't matter what you call it, it hurts lol. But again, it did help with relaxation and when I had half an hour to focus and listen to the cd, it actually really really helped with the pain management...I even started to fall asleep during labor. Unfortunately I had people in the room with me and I was hooked up to everything and couldn't do things the way I needed to to really focus and use it, but what I did use of it was very worth it!

citymouse · Apr 7th, 2012, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StranjeGirl

I did hypnobabies and it does help with relaxation and pain management if you are into that sort of thing. Unfortunately I had to be induced so it did not work the way I would have liked, because the setting was not what is needed to really keep relaxed (can't move around because you are hooked up to IV and monitor etc) I get the whole "don't use negative terms" thing, but honestly, pain was pain. THey try and convince you that having a baby is not painful, it is just pressure, but to me it doesn't matter what you call it, it hurts lol. But again, it did help with relaxation and when I had half an hour to focus and listen to the cd, it actually really really helped with the pain management...I even started to fall asleep during labor. Unfortunately I had people in the room with me and I was hooked up to everything and couldn't do things the way I needed to to really focus and use it, but what I did use of it was very worth it!

Your experience sounds like mine!

supermaman · Apr 10th, 2012, 18:57 PM

I did hypnobirthing classes with my first,loved it but pricey. A friend recently used an online hypnobirth course and got on really well, wish I'd had that option as it was much cheaper. She got downloads to listen to and also videos to watch and her birth was amazing.

beetroot · Apr 11th, 2012, 02:43 AM

I didn't do hypnobirthing with my first but was taught breathing and visualisation techniques in an active birth class to get through the contractions. I can honestly say it was the best thing I did to prepare. I don't remember the contractions being painful, just very intense, especially during transition, and overall my experience was a very positive one. I didn't use any pain meds. This time I've bought a natal hypnotherapy cd, which I find very relaxing, hoping it works as well. I understand it's not for everyone tho. Xx

Apr 6th, 2012, 08:18 AM	#1
littlemamana Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Somewhere Over The Rainbow Posts: 1,732	"Hypnobirthing" I keep being told I should do hypnobirthing lol. I dunno if many of you have heard of it but it's this practice where you tell yourself that the pain you are experiencing is just "pressure" and the contractions are not contractions but are "surges". It's all about looking positively at every aspect of the birthing process and that's great and all and I can see how it would help some women to cope with the process but... for me... PAIN IS PAIN, okay? lol It's really annoying me because my birthing coach (I'm a single mom) is one of my good friends and she's really into the hypnobirthing so she won't let me call a spade a spade and say that my braxton hicks contractions hurt.. She's like, "Stop with the negative wording! It's just pressure... good pressure..." No, it's pain and if you talk to me like that when I'm in labor, I'll probably punch you.

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Apr 6th, 2012, 09:03 AM	#2
Noelle610 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 6,700	LOL sounds like it's not for you I considered trying hypnobirthing ... it's a meditation of sorts. They say it works well if you're into meditation, yoga or something similar, but that some people find it totally unhelpful. You have to do what works for you!

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 09:57 AM	#3
Pinkie88 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: US Posts: 2,337	I've been listening to a self hypnosis hypnobirthing cd and I personally like it just to relax and meditate. I'm not sure whether or not it will work for me in labor.

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Apr 6th, 2012, 16:11 PM	#4
ELHypnobirth Mum (Mom) New BnB member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2	It certainly sounds like HypnoBirthing may not be for you! Did you do a course? It would be a good idea to talk to your friend about how you feel before your labour as she is the one that is meant to be supporting you! How she feels and what she thinks about labour are not important as this is your birth!

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 19:41 PM	#5
citymouse Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 3,916	I did the Hypnobabies home study course and found it really relaxing through late pregnancy and birth. I was induced and the pain management wasn't effective for me, but the positivity, relaxation, and breath control definitely helped. The language is a big part of it, but I think forcing it to the point where you feel uncomfortable or silly is going too far. It's true that the things you tell yourself repeatedly can sink into your subconscious, so I wouldn't dwell on the idea of pain, but I wouldn't deny that there might be some discomfort. I'd just focus on the idea of having a birth experience that will be uniquely yours and make you feel relaxed and in control. My birth was wonderful and it wasn't diminished by the fact that there was pain.

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 23:03 PM	#6
branjo Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: California Posts: 452	I have never heard of that.. sounds really silly to me. I had my daughter with no pain meds and I just found a focus point when I would feel a contraction coming and imagine the beach and the breeze and the sand and waves and focus really hard on the smells and sights of my favorite place at the beach.... really helped to not focus on the pain. Very manageable. Just need a strong mind. You can practice with ice cubes at home.. hold them in your hand and see how long you can hold onto them without feeling pain. Focus through them. You will see you can focus for longer and longer without feeling any pain and as soon as you look at your hand or remember the ice you feel the pain again.

Status: Offline

Apr 7th, 2012, 00:11 AM	#7
StranjeGirl Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: santa barbara,california Posts: 2,361	I did hypnobabies and it does help with relaxation and pain management if you are into that sort of thing. Unfortunately I had to be induced so it did not work the way I would have liked, because the setting was not what is needed to really keep relaxed (can't move around because you are hooked up to IV and monitor etc) I get the whole "don't use negative terms" thing, but honestly, pain was pain. THey try and convince you that having a baby is not painful, it is just pressure, but to me it doesn't matter what you call it, it hurts lol. But again, it did help with relaxation and when I had half an hour to focus and listen to the cd, it actually really really helped with the pain management...I even started to fall asleep during labor. Unfortunately I had people in the room with me and I was hooked up to everything and couldn't do things the way I needed to to really focus and use it, but what I did use of it was very worth it!

Status: Offline

Apr 10th, 2012, 18:57 PM	#9
supermaman Mum (Mom) New BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: london Posts: 5	I did hypnobirthing classes with my first,loved it but pricey. A friend recently used an online hypnobirth course and got on really well, wish I'd had that option as it was much cheaper. She got downloads to listen to and also videos to watch and her birth was amazing.

Status: Offline

Apr 11th, 2012, 02:43 AM	#10
beetroot Other Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: South Wales, UK Posts: 349	I didn't do hypnobirthing with my first but was taught breathing and visualisation techniques in an active birth class to get through the contractions. I can honestly say it was the best thing I did to prepare. I don't remember the contractions being painful, just very intense, especially during transition, and overall my experience was a very positive one. I didn't use any pain meds. This time I've bought a natal hypnotherapy cd, which I find very relaxing, hoping it works as well. I understand it's not for everyone tho. Xx

Status: Offline

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