Can I mix n match natal and hypnobirthing?

[LoobyLou33]

I'm hoping for a VBAC with DC2 in a few weeks, and have been reading up on hypnobirthing in the Marie Mongan book. Then I decided I needed something to listen to as well, so I got the natal hypnotherapy CD (effective birth prep) this week.

I'm also going to pregnancy yoga and all these various approaches seem to complement each other, so my question is - has anyone mixed and matched them, or is it better just to keep listening to the CD now and focus on that? I find some of the Marie Mongan techniques a bit more specific and liked the idea of breathing through contractions differently to breathing through other parts of labour, especially visualising a balloon lifting off etc.

I also used a TENS machine a lot last time and wondered again whether that will confuse/complicate things or whether you can do the breathing and use TENS at the same time?

Lastly have people tended to listen to the CD during labour itself, or just in the lead-up? I'm reluctant to fork out for any more CDs except perhaps some relaxing music to play in the background.

[Guntie]

Following as I'm in the same boat...

[LoobyLou33]

Guntie interesting to hear you're wondering the same thing... Any advice or experiences from anyone?

[AMR73]

I did the Marie Mongan Hypnobirthing course and found it very helpful.
Listened to to relaxation CD on the run up to the birth as well as classical music- took the CD to the hospital, as well as a Bach CD but was so focused on breathing, I forgot to use them! My midwfe said that anything which helps you relax and focus is worth doing.

Used the hospital birthing pool during the birth but no pain relief required (although I am open minded about this as sometimes Mother Nature has other plans)

[ilovejackreacher]

I only did a Marie Mongan Hypnobirthing course and listened to the two CDs on repeat for the whole time I was in hospital - from the birth centre, then across to the 'normal' labour ward. I found listening to them really helpful even though I think that my husband was about to lose his mind after 10 or so hours of '....and now, it's time to relax....'.

It was a reasonably long and not totally straightforward labour but I found the whole experience really positive. Best of luck to you both! (my husband just had a vasectomy this week and I'm feeling a bit nostalgic about my pregnancies and births...)

[ShowOfHands]

I found setting the Mongan book on fire very therapeutic.

No reason you shouldn't use both. You do what works for you. The whole point behind it is that you're listening to and working with YOUR body. There would be some irony in doggedly following one way of doing things as it's the 'best' way. The only best way is what's right for you. If you like both and want to incorporate both, then do it in the way which seems right for you.

[FadBook]

We did the natal hypno (loved it btw, highly recommend) course and cd's. I then used a tens machine during 4 days of slow labour and the hard labour bit.

Personally, I think the fact your educating yourself reading the hypno book and using natal CD's will give you an added advantage - it's about having a "toolbox" of different things to use during labour. You might try one thing and it is effective so you try another technique you've learnt.

The cd, for me, was great for relaxing and concentrating on my breathing and "special place". It got me through labour relatively easily. There were other techniques from the course that we didn't use; make it unique to you (and your birth partner, they're key to helping you relax and get through the contractions)

[LoobyLou33]

Thanks everyone! Yes I was thinking a toolbox approach is the way forward.
Can anyone recommend download-able music for slow relaxation? Something with gentle waves and some music behind it?

[PollyIndia]

I did all of the above. I did a 2 day hypnobirthing course with Katherine graves and listened to her affirmations and used her visualisation ideas (so imagining a hot air balloon being inflated on the in breath and imagine it floating away on the out breath) then also was lent the natal CDs by a friend. I preferred those relaxations so used those loads at the end of my pregnancy. I also did a preg yoga DVD by Tara lee but instead of her savassanah at the end, I would do a Margaret Howell meditation. I also read birth skills by juju sundin and on the day, used all of the different bits. I actually quite enjoyed stage 1 of labour, and it was 12 hours so not especially fast.

[PollyIndia]

You can buy the Margaret Howell audio which is gentle music and waves. I was going to do that but ended up listening to nina Simone and alt j, among other things, which was quite a strange mix!

[DessieLou]

I used the Marie mongan techniques but handpicked the bits I found relevant. I had a home birth in the pool and it was an amazing experience! I found I just wanted silence though so I could get in the zone so didn't use the cd. I was so relaxed I was dozing between contractions! I used gas & air towards the end to take the edge off the discomfort but not sure how much of it was the gas & air and how much was the fact it gave me something to concentrate on when breathing IYKWIM.
Good luck and as others have said arm yourself with as many tools aspossible as you never know how you'll react til you're in the situation.

[GoldenBanana]

If you like the Maggie (not Margaret!) Howell Natal Hypnotherapy CDs and want some music for labour there is a CD that she does called Relaxing Birth Music. It's the music that's in the background to the NH CDs so if you've been listening to the Birth Preparation or Pregnancy Relaxation CDs and want a reminder of how relaxed you feel when you have them on, the music on its own will hopefully "take you back there" during labour.