Hypnobirthing

[Khadijah-x]

Hi ladies

So as D Day approaches.. and we all get that bit more anxious.. or alot more! I've been looking up hypnobirthing and REALLY want to be able to be in a relax state during labour and birth and really feel this type of birthing suits me perfectly.

I've read so many articles on women who describe feeling no pain with hypnobirthing.. and just pressure and being uncomfertable. I do believe the more relaxed you are and able to take yourself to a 'happy place' the easier the birth will be. Somewhat!

Has anyone else looked into this and will be trying it out? Anyone have any tips?

I thought I would create this thread so we could post things we had read / learnt / heard about what would help during labour, the positive thinking etc.

A few I've heard are

~ They are surges rather than contractions
~ The word pain isn't to be used
~ Positive affirmations such as 'my baby is the perfect size for my body', 'each surge is one step closer to having my baby', 'my body is relaxed and there is no tension' etc
~ Think of a happy place
~ Breathing is very important in 1 2 3 and breathe out saying relaaaaaaaax or various other words. There's alot of different breathing options but just to focus on the breathing

What else?

 

[loeylo]

I have been doing hypnobirthing classes, I also have the book and the cd. It works well but you need to put a lot into it to truly benefit IMO.
The breathing thing is also a bit more complex - there are three main ways of breathing, one for relaxation, one for contractions and one for the pushing stage. For relaxation, you breathe in for 4 and out for 8, breathing from your belly rather than your lungs (so if you place a hand on your chest and a hand on your stomach, your tummy hand should raise but your chest one shouldn't) - For contractions you count to 20 quickly as you breathe in and count to 20 quickly as you breathe out again. For pushing, you force your breath down through your body (practice when doing a poo!!)

I find the breathing really difficult. You need to listen to (or read) the affirmations daily and listen to the relaxation disc too.

 

[Khadijah-x]

Super! I've been listening on YouTube and websites as I don't have the CD but need to get one! I've been looking on ebay. Which one do you have?

Breathing in for 20 and out I just tried, and I can't do it for that long ha! I'll have to count quicker

What positive affirmations have you liked? I have alot downloaded on my phone which I'm hoping to print out or write on little notes and keep going over them in my mind

 

[Twinmum87]

I have been doing it off a good and MP3 and really enjoying it, but like previously said it takes practice. You will be able to use the techniques to help but it will not have the same affect as if you had been daily for several months.

The happy place thing you practice running thru a story line in your mind with lots of positive words and affirmations it in that help relax and calm you whilst doing some calming breathing. I have been doing it daily for a month and I still need the sound track walking me thru it or I cannot get relaxed so I am taking my laptop to hospital to listen to it on. Doing things like getting OH to stroke your back or another body part whilst you do relaxation excersize so you associate that stroking with deep relaxation and fall into a deeper state much faster and that anchor of sensation can help keep you in that deep state even when you hear external sounds that might otherwise disturb you so it does take a while.

 

[loeylo]

I have two. I have a British one called natal hypnotherapy which I prefer but the classes and the books are based on rainbow relaxation which is a bit floaty and cheesy for me!

I have only really managed to get into really deep relaxation a handful of times. One time I felt in a sort of trippy trance like state, it was so strange. That was during one called glove relaxation I think - it worked best for me but it was during a class and I don't have a script for it.

As for the affirmations, I think you need to play the whole lot over and over because you don't know what will work for you at the time if that makes sense.

It is also important that your birthing partner is fully versed on the techniques so they can keep you breathing correctly etc. I'd also make sure it is all in your birth plan.

 

[jstarr]

I've got the mindful hypnobirthing book by Sophie Fletcher which is good and it has a few affirmation/relaxation music tracks to go with it. You can download then from the website. I'm hoping the techniques help to keep calm and let things progress, certainly not expecting it to be painless though but any improvement on last time is good enough for me

 

[Xuxa]

Marie Mongan method... �� been using it for a while and it works!, 5th baby 3 days overdue but I will for sure make use of it again.
You need to put some work into it but it's worth it!
Good luck!