Hypnobirthing - did it work for you?

[glitterjo]

Hi,

I am 21 weeks pregnant with my first. Just got the Tania Cotterell Hypnobirthing CD - well, downloaded it onto my iPod. I listened to it for the first time on Friday evening.

I've never done any kind of hypnosis or anything before and I am a bit of a sceptic but funnily enough, thinking about things that might help me control pain has opened my mind a bit.

I didn't really like it though. I got a bit anxious when she was asking me to imagine being underwater (I hate being underwater!) and I found her voice rather annoying. I stuck with it, listened to the whole thing and tried my best to relax and go with it - it then repeated, I fell asleep and had a strange bad dream about it. So not a terribly successful first attempt.

I'm going to give it a bit more time though, thought I might try it again tonight. But I wondered if anyone had any good experiences (or bad) of using Hypnobirthing, particularly in a hospital birth. Are there other books or CDs that I might find more useful?

There aren't any classes or anything nearby so I'm dependent on what I can listen to on my own or read about.

All advice much appreciated.

[AbiAbi]

Hypnobirthing definitely worked for me - in as much as I felt completely in control and pretty much at ease, until the pushing stage at least, when it all got a bit intense!

I didnt do classes; I just read the Marie Mongan book which helped me understand WHAT would happen to my body during labour, and I found the breathing techniques easy to learn and helpful.

The book is good.... but I have recently started re-reading it as I'm pregnant again, and I have to say her tone is getting right on my nerves this time - she is SO judgemental about C-Sections, pain relief etc... (although I am VERY hormonal at the mo, so she may not be entirely to blame!)

I would say try and get the book off eBay or the library, read it with an open mind, and see what you think

[MrsTittleMouse]

If you're getting anxious with the visualisations then you need a different CD.

Regarding hypnobirthing generally - I have mixed feelings.

Did hypnobirthing help me cope with labour? Yes.

Did I experience pain? Yes - and this was the problem. All the books had told me that if I was doing it properly that labour could be painless, so when it wasn't I felt a big sense of failure (compounded by a difficult labour generally).

I wish that there could be a bit more honesty, that labour can be painful for some women, but that hynobirthing is still very useful to stay in control and not panic.

[MrsTittleMouse]

Ah, I see that I used the same book as Abi and we had very similar frustrations with it. Being told that if your labour has gone a bit pear-shaped that it must have been your fault, as it would have been fine as long as you had relaxed a bit more can do that to you.

[diggingforvictory]

I also read Marie Mongan's book and have the same reservations. It's very judgemental about pain relief and intervention.

I also used some hypnobirthing CDs (I can't remember which ones). All this helped me get through the first 36 hours of a complete nightmare labour without too much pain. I still ended up with a crash C-section and no amount of relaxation or breathing would have prevented that.

I did feel a complete failure for needing every intervention going. It took me a long time to get over that, and in part I blame hypnobirthing.

So my advice would be to read the book but keep a very open mind about it.

[sarahscot]

This is my 2nd pregnancy. My first labour was drug free and extrememly painful. This time I have decided to try using the Marie Mongon hypnobirthing book and CD (She has a nice soothing voice) for the early parts of labour but am definitely asking for a great big epidural when it gets too much. I find it very hard to believe that giving birth can be pain-free.

[tingelingle]

Er no, it didn't help me. The minute I had a contraction any thought of hypnosis went out the window. I couldn't stand any noise so couldn't put the CD on. I also couldn't work out how to do my 20 minute hypnosis in 10 minutes (time between my early contractions) or where the other exercises were meant to go.

HOWEVER!

I'm going to give it another go this time because I think the idea of relaxing and proper breathing to reduce pain is a good one. You know if you have a wax done and you breathe deeply it's easier than tensing? Well obv labour is slightly harder but the same principle.

If this is your first birth, I suggest if you do use hypnobirthing, you really need to understand how labour progresses and therefore have a better idea than I did about how to apply the techniques. I just went into a blind panic and couldn't come back from that. May also help to have someone rational at the birth who can remind you of your techniques. I'm hoping to use a doula this time and that'll be one of her jobs.

Good luck anyway, got to be worth a shot as has any other pain relief - you'll only know what's right for you in the heat of the moment.

[tingelingle]

lol Sarah, that's pretty much my plan too

[AbiAbi]

My problem with it is that she promises a pain free labour; I'd hate her less if she just said 'yes it'll hurt, BUT the breathing techniques will help keep you calm and more in control' rather than all this 'wonderful surge opening up your gates of life' bollocks!

[Guadalupe]

It didn't work for me, as when I sat down and went through all the exercises on the cd given to me by the hypnotherapist after our consultation, it then went on to tell me not to eat chips.

I had been given the wrong cd.

The lady came and replaced it and was very embarrassed but after that it seemed a bit of a joke.

'You.. will not.... eat... CHIPS, you hate chips, CHIPS are fatty and greasy... you loathe fatty and greasy...' and so on

But obviously my experience is a little unusual.

[detoxdiva]

I used the Marie Mongan one - and found it very useful in using the breathing techniques to manage the pain.

I took from it what I needed - having already had dd I knew that it wasn't going to be pain free but used the breathing techniques all the way through my labour up until the pushing bit. I was calm and in control to the point that the mw asked me to tell her when I was having a contraction. I wanted a peaceful quiet labour and for the most part that's what I got.

[glitterjo]

ah, ok, this is very helpful.

I tried the Tania Cotterell again last night and just fell asleep after a few minutes . Still, it was nice to get to sleep quickly, so that's something.

I will have a look at the Marie Mongan book - I've already gotten a bit cross at a few rather judgey things I've read re: pain relief (if it doesn't hurt like hell, why do so many people say it hurts like hell?) so it's good to be pre-warned.

[jocesar]

I did honestly, hand on heart, have a pain free labour with no drugs and it was an amazing experience. Was is sheer luck or was it because of the hypnobirthing course I did? I'll never know but I'm sure it must have helped. Also had a water birth which I'd massively recommend.

[MrsTittleMouse]

I completely believe you that you had a painfree birth. I'm sure that it can happen, it's just that it's presented as a certainty if you do hypnobirthing, not as a possibility.

Hypnobirthing was still very worthwhile to me, even though I had pain. I had a very long labour both times, and had a back-to-back baby first time around, which made things much more difficult and painful. Hypnobirthing helped me stay in charge for much longer than I could have without the relaxation and breathing techniques.

My midwife for the first (and most difficult) delivery told my DH that I was "very focussed". During my second delivery the midwives refused to believe that I was in active labour until they did an internal! So I think that I was doing pretty well, and don't take too kindly to the implication that it hurt because I didn't try hard enough.

[SaraL77]

I bought a natal hypnotherapy CD- not sure if it's the same as the ones mentioned above- see this link www.birthease.co.uk/birthease_shop/Natal-Hypnotherapy-CD.shtml

I listened to it for about 3 weeks leading up to the birth and although I didn't 'zone out'and go into hypnosis or anything during labour (DH hadn't turned the volume up enough so i couldn't benefit enough from it) I do think it helped me to focus and stay calm throughout labour.

it was a bit strange when she talks about your cervix 'opening like a beautiful flower' yeah right, you think during labour as the pain takes over!

but having said that, I'll be using it again this time round and may even try and implement it a bit more during labour...

[thumbwitch]

It helped me enormously - but I had sessions with a Hypnobirthing counsellor, rather than just a CD. She gave me a visualisation CD as well, which sent me to sleep most nights from about 34w on - I rarely got more than 4 mins into it before I was asleep!

Did it work to give me a pain-free labour - no. But it gave me release from my crippling labour Fear, and it allowed me to let my bod do what it wanted to, so the birth was fairly straightforward (despite being induced). It definitely helped in the earlier stages of labour but when stage II was upon me, no, I couldn't think of anything at all, let alone remembering hypnosis tecnhiques! But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[Bicnod]

I did a hypnobirthing course and it definitely helped. It got my head in the right space for giving birth - I wasn't frightened, I was calm and in control the whole time. It wasn't pain free but I had breathing and relaxation techniques from the course to handle the contractions and was able to keep on top of them. My biggest fear was losing control and I really believe the hypnobirthing helped me stay in control.

I did the course based on Marie Mongan's book and used the CD that comes with the book. Her 'rainbow relaxation' was very cheesy but knocked me out after about 2 minutes every time I listened to it (very welcome in the final few weeks of pregnancy!)

The courses are expensive but if you can't afford it you could ask the person running it for a discount. DH and I were skint at the time so that's what I did [cheeky] and she let me do it for half price (which meant the HIP paid for it).

[Porcelain]

I can't tell you yet, but will let you know!

However...

I had a session with a friend who is a hypnotherapist, then started on the Natal Hypnotherapy (Home Birth) CD.

One thing I have noticed already is that I have no fear of the birth, nor can I recall ever having felt worried or scared about giving birth, although I am sure I must have at some point. I also find that I tend to forget most of what's on the CD, at first I thought I fell asleep, but I actually just forget it as soon as it stops.

The CD is a bit flowery and "red tents" in places. I got my DP to listen to it while I was doing it the other day, as he has done a lot of NLP and I figured he could pick out some of the triggers. He managed not to laugh until afterwards, but he has now been warned that if he refers to my birth canal as "velvety soft" when I am in labour, he will get punched on the nose. (Same goes for "you're doing really well" which was the stock phrase from our NCT class)

[sweetnitanitro]

I'm glad to read this thread and see that people had similar experiences to me! I did the Marie Mongan one and found it very useful for relaxation when I was a blimp heavily pregnant and also for feeling more positive and in control about the birth.

I did need pain relief though and felt the book was a bit judgey about it, and afterwards I even read a few comments on other forums about how if it doesn't work then it's your fault for not practising enough [hmmm] Also I have a (ex)friend that did hypnobirthing who was very smug because it 'worked' for her, which I took quite badly because I had PND.

So thanks to everyone for sharing, it has made me feel better! I would still recommend hypnobirthing to people for the positivity it gave me (I never lost any sleep worrying about the birth!) but the pain-free labour thing I would take with a pinch of salt.

[sassie23]

Very interesting thread I am just about to decide whether to do a course or not. Had to be induced last time with DS and it sent my contractions into overdrive which then led to a epidural to slow things down. This time I want to do as much as I can to control the early stages myself. Also I am not a very 'relaxed' person so I figured I need all the help I can to get through without panicking. From reading this and totally accepting the fact it is extremely unlikely to have a pain free birth I would still like to increase my chances of a more relaxing first stage. But do I spend the money on the course or go with the books and cds? All practitioners in my area are connected with Marie Mongan thanks for your advice

[anyabanya]

I did the Maggie Howell one, and it was great for relieving me of extreme labour fears beforehand.

However, my birth was very painful indeed, due to physical problems unique to me and my skeletal structure, and hypno breathing went right out the window. In the end, it was a very traumatic birth, but I remained extremely calm, which i credit to hypnotherapy, and to my consultant and midwife's amazement i am not actually traumatised about the birth, but rather sanguine, which I also think ahd something to do with listening to the cds. I was really just relaxed about it all.

It bothers me enormously to read that some approaches are judgemental about pain relief and intervention though. FFS, you would not go to the dentist and say 'I want a root canal, but don't give me any pain relief'. I really believe that the idea that pain relief means 'failed at birth' is dangerous and iniquitous. I honestly thought I would not want pain relief, but in the end, i did want it and was glad for it.

So, yes, I guess what I am saying in a roundabout way is that even though I did not get the birth I hoped for, or the birth that in some ways i thought was guaranteed because I was 'preparing' for things so carefully, natal hypnotherapy DID work in that I was calm, the baby remained calm too, and I am emotionally fine afterwards.

[BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte]

I also did the Maggie Howell natal hypnotherapy. The birth was far from ideal and I did get scared but honestly, the pain was far, far less than I could ever have imagined.

I found that I needed to listen to the CDs every day, and to keep practicing...

[Scatt]

I'm doing the hypnobirhting course currently and I find the classes so much more helpful than just reading the book. The book is interesting but perhaps not that informative on how exactly to relax in labour - but possibly i'm just someone who needs lots of instructions for things to make sense. Also our tutor (who's a midwife) isn't into the preachy 'you'll feel no pain thing' just that it will make whatever kind of birth you have more relaxing.
The rainbow CD is nice to sleep to but I'm not sure I would have had the motivation to do it without at teacher.
Saying that I did the natalhypnotherapy CDs for my DS and I thought they were good and obviously much cheaper except we didn't have a CD player at hosp and I think having my other half more involved will be help.