Natal Hypnotherapy CD for homebirth - was it effective?

[slummymummytobe]

Hi - I'm 36 weeks pregnant and have been preparing for my homebirth by listening to the Natal Hypnotherapy CD by Maggie Howell. I haven't managed to listen as often as I hoped (probably only about 6 or 7 times so far) and wondered if this was too few times to make it effective. I wanted to hear about other peoples' experience with this particularly:

Were you successful at achieving self hypnosis while in labour?

Did you have to work on the visualisation / hypnotherapy other than when listening to the CD?

Did you have to listen to the CD while in labour?

Thanks for your help

[bluemousemummy]

Hi there

I tried these and whilst they were lovely for relaxing during pregnancy (I fell asleep a couple of times whilst listening!) I'm not sure that they helped a great deal in labour. Like you though I probably didn't listen to it enough to make it effective.

In answer to your questions:

1.No

2.Probably should have done

3.Probably should have done

Is this your first baby? It might perhaps be more effective for subsequent labours as part of the fear of the unknown element is gone. Fear is your biggest enemy in labour and that's what did it for me - I was doing fine until I got it into my head that there was something wrong and then I lost the plot and went to pieces! Where I had been coping fine with the pain it suddenly hit me like a tidal wave, all because I lost concentration.

Stick at the CDs is my advice, it can't do any harm and may just make all the difference. If nothing else it will help you chill out over the next few weeks!

Good luck!

[Anglepoise]

I listened to both this one (which I preferred) and the Rainbow Relaxation (Mongan method) one. They worked to a limited extent - there were a few contractions that I literally just smiled through because I was lost in a visualisation - BUT I found it very hard to stay focused. I would listen to them next time but prepare some specific visualisations to concentrate on, as too often I would feel a contraction coming and start wondering what to concentrate on that time and not be able to come up with anything in time!

So

1. A bit
2. No, but should have done
3. No, it all came on a bit fast (8 hours start to finish) and I ended up listening to soft rock (DD was born with a mullet )

[slummymummytobe]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Seems like I need to put a bit more effort in and listen to the CD more frequently. I'll try and plan some visualisations too. I'll make sure the CD is handy for labour too - didn't think I was supposed to listen to it at the time but I think it may help me to concentrate.

Anglepoise, love the idea of DD born with a mullet. Wonder what effect listening to the White Stripes could have on DC

[Tangle]

I used the NH one. I started at about 35/36 weeks and got more consistent as I got closer to my due date. Then went 10 days over and decided it was a lovely excuse for a lie down every afternoon . In answer to your questions:

1. Not sure. I don't think I conciously did anything other than focus on my breathing. I used to do yoga and I think the breathing / meditation stuff from there probably helped on a subconcious level.
   
   
2. No
   
   
3. No - I bought the "relaxing birth music" CD, but wound up not really wanting anything on and went extremely quiet during labour.
   
   Definitely agree that fear is something to avoid at all costs. I deliberately avoided letting other women tell me about their labours (why do the women with "nice" births never want to talk?). I deliberately avoided medical dramas that might show births (good birth isn't usually dramatic, afterall). I kept reminding myself that if childbirth were that risky the human race would be extinct, and that every single female relative I've ever had managed to give birth so why on earth wouldn't I?!
   
   For what its worth, DD was my first, 9lb12, breech, active labour lasted about 7 hours and I'd go as far to say I quite enjoyed the experience.

[Wade]

No to all your questions BUT I did find the CD useful. It helped me cope. I think the more you practice it the more use it will be as it gets very hard to concentrate on the techniques when the pain intensifies. However I only listened about 6-8 times before dd arrived and I still recommend it to people. I also found it really useful after the birth when I was stressed/anxious and couldn't relax.