Hypnobirthing?

[Impatient TTC]

I've started to look at pain relief and what to expect in labour. In theory I would love to avoid having an epidural (though I am not ruling it out at all), or at least to give it a go and not plan an epidural. After all, whilst i know it's going to be painful, I don't have a sense of whether it will be bearable painful, as this is my first.

I thought i'd look into hypnobirthing. Has anyone else done classes at all, and if so, what did you think? They're quite expensive, so I need to be convinced they may help if we're going to sign up. I just feel like I want to do all I can to be prepared and avoid drugs (well, an epidural, and to be honest this is because the thought of an epidural totally freaks me out!) if I can.

 

[milosmum]

I found hypno birthing really helpful but I did not do the classes (too expensive and not easily available near me) so I used a course I downloaded from the Internet onto my iPod and listened to every night while practising my breathing etc. anyway it worked well for me along with a tens machine. I would recommend the home and natural birthing secton of this forum lots of information about hypo birthing in there and lots of girls who used it successfully. Good luck with your pregnancy and labour x

 

[usone123]

I didn't take the class, no time and its expensive, but I read the book and listened the the CD that came with the book. I also went to amazon.com and got a couple childbirth hypnosis CDs on MP3 (Hypnosis for Birth #1 and #2 by Gabrielle Targett). She had an australian accent which was different than what I'm used to but when I was actually in labor the real hypnobirthing CD annoyed me and I switched back to the Australian lady and it was much more soothing.'

it didn't make it pain free but it did help pass the time quite a bit. My labor was 4 hrs and 10 mins of pushing in comparison to my 1st child of 41 hrs and 10 mins of pushing.

thx
Rae

 

[Mintaroo]

I did Hynobirthing. Took the classes. It was expensive and I didn't really like it. The meditation CD that came with the book irritated the crap out of me for some reason- maybe it was the narrator's voice, or the way words were pronounced, but I hated it so much. The classes weren't really that helpful, I think reading the book and downloading the CD would be a better bet.

I tried a few times during my labor to do Hypnobirthing. My doula is also a certified instructor and she is very into it. But I just couldn't do it. I did better with quiet focused meditation without prompts and imaging. I guess the Hypnobirthing probably helped me to do things calmly, and I did try to picture things like "your vagina is a flower opening... blah blah blah". I have a feeling that Hypnobirthing works a lot better when you actually buy into it all the way, if that makes sense.


I didn't get an epidural for the same reasons you said- an epidural really freaked me out. And then the more I looked into it and read, the less I liked the idea of all that medication in me and the baby. But all of my friends have had epidurals, and they said it wasn't that freaky when you have to choose between pain or that creepy needle!

 

[MindUtopia]

You might consider looking into Natal Hypnotherapy. Similar concept, but it's a UK program with a British hypnotherapist (I'm American and even I found the women's voice and accent on the hypnobirthing CD to be really annoying!). I've also heard people say that NH is more open to lots of different kinds of births and teaching you skills for coping with them than Hypnobirthing (which is more strictly natural birth). There's even a c-section CD if you know you'll have a planned c-section, which I think is really excellent because frankly that seems more scary to me than having a natural birth! The classes are also cheaper. We're taking the one-day workshop in a few weeks and it's only £95.

I've not really started doing the birth prep CD yet, but Natal Hypnotherapy has a pregnancy relaxation CD that I've been using about 1-2 times a week since I was maybe 10 weeks. It's really great. I can totally see how the relaxation and breathing techniques I've learned already would be helpful during birth. I don't anticipate it will make it 'pain-free' though some people say they didn't really feel much pain at all, but I think it will help me a lot in controlling my breath and staying relaxed through contractions, which can only help with pain, right? I've also just found it to be really reassuring. There have been a few times when I've had some anxiety come up in pregnancy (not even necessarily related to pregnancy, just general anxiety and stress) and I used the relaxation CD and instantly felt much better. So it's helping with something! Anyway, I'd highly recommend it if that's something you'd be interested in. Also, if you decide to do that method, get the book that Maggie Howell also wrote, Effective Birth Preparation, it's excellent! Probably the most helpful book about birth I've read and even my husband finds it to be a pretty interesting read. I've read lots of books on natural birth, but this one is probably the most clear and to the point and really made it so easy to understand how the body works during birth and how you can work with it instead of against it.

 

[solitaire89]

Another vote for Natal Hypnotherapy here

I had a completely drug free and pain free labour and home birth with my first. I used the 4 cd programme, read the book and did the 2 day courses. It was a bit expensive, but it was certainly worth it. If you have any specific questions about the Natal Hypnotherapy, feel free to give me a shout

 

[Hopefulk]

I haven't had the baby yet but love hypno birthing! Had the one to one classes and use the CDs (not an annoying voice imo... The CDs are narrated by an English woman who has a love voice although I understand they were previously very American).

The book is also great - puts the process of birthing into perspective. Great having husband involved. Even if I have drugs in labour, the relaxation brought to me in pregnancy by using the CDs has been worth every penny.

Good luck.xx

ps: our 'tutor' is a midwife, mother of two, hypno birthing practitioner who has now become a hypnotherapist an is great! She came to our house for four two hour sessions and answered a million questions about birth, parenthood, etc. I'm hoping she's on duty at the hospital when we are ready to birth!

 

[Impatient TTC]

Thank you!

I'm back in the UK for Xmas, so have just ordered the natal hypnotherapy cd and book, as recommended by MindUtopia! I'm semi in the habit of meditating (started when ttc) so hopefully that gives me a small head start.

 

[enceinte2012]

Another vote in favour of hypnobirthing. We have done 3 of 5 sessions so far and loved every minute so far. I am actually looking forward to my labour/birth and am sick of folk asking if I'm scared! No matter what happens I think the hypnobirthing will help me stay calm and relaxed. I also feel more confident about labour now.

 

[AnxiousAnnie]

I listened to the Natal Hypnotherapy CD during my pregnancy and thought it was really good. Unfortunately, my labour didn't go to plan and I ended up with induction followed by an emergency section and i credit NH with helping me to remain calm when things went wrong.