Is hypnobirthing worth doing?

I found it really helpful. I only did it with my third. I had a tricky pregnancy and then a tricky birth and post natal period and the hypnobirthing really helped me stay calm and cope.

I think it needs to be done with a pinch of salt. There is far too much put on interventions being bad and I know several people who found that very triggering and felt like they had failed due to needing induction/an instrumental/ c section or were disappointed in themselves that the contractions didn’t feel like a ‘surge’ and were actually incredibly painful.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Total waste of time for me. Actually probably wound me up more.

I used the Positive Birth Company, which you can do at home on your own timeline. It was really helpful for me and kept me calm during an unplanned home birth. A friend started it at 37 weeks and also had a great experience. She was able to labour at home and was seven inches dilated by the time she got to hospital. As mentioned by a previous poster, it isn’t about having a ‘perfect’ birth, but about staying calm, assessing your options and feeling like you have some degree of control even if things get tricky. Best of luck whatever you choose. I hope, after having been through so much, that you are happily cradling your beautiful baby very soon.

It helped me a bit. The music helped me actually get some sleep once I had some gas and my pain levels reduced a bit. Wasn't a cure all by any stretch of the imagination. Certainly didn't hurt!

It made no difference to me unfortunately…

One thing that resonated with me is that they said if you go into something with fear your body will tense up and make things harder, whereas if you're relaxed your body is relaxed and everything is easier. It's common sense really, and basically giving you techniques to relax. Unfortunately things didn't go the way I had hoped for and planned, but this no doubt helped me tremendously and I would hate to thing how much worse my situation would have been without it. End result, happy and healthy baby and I put most of it down to doing this (my husband said so too, he did the course with me and helped me with the techniques). I guess ultimately, what have you got to loose? It's just another tool in your toolbox.

Yes definitely did. Baby came early at home (unplanned) and I was able to give birth no pain relief which was lucky as wasn’t an option. Contractions only lasted for a minute so just did the deep, slow breathing through them and then fine to talk again. Hypnobirthing was the best prep I did. It almost puts you in a meditative state and could breathe through it all. Was very special experience.

💯 It makes the biggest difference, your partner should go with you too. The best part about it for me was it got me actually looking forward to the birth instead of being terrified about it.

Made no difference to me

The breathing certainly helps and the positive affirmations are useful too but I wish when it was recommended to me that the person did so with the caveat that it’s just another little strategy to perhaps draw upon. However, to be balanced and honest, I found it a little ‘toxic positivity’ personally, in the sense that it was very anti-intervention - maybe just the material I came across. So I’d definitely research some breathing techniques but I’d look into hypnobirthing more broadly with an open mind. I reckon you’ve got time to practise some breathing and positive affirmations though! Good luck!

Yes yes and yes
But you left it too late...
3 weeks isnt enough to fully grasp the ful idea and get the full benefit

But look into the affirmations that come with hypnobirthing. Those are fab! And will still help

I did it. You do have to practice. I think it helped keep me calm early on when things weren't too bad, and I still use the meditation techniques when I have to face anything a bit scary. But it didn't help me at all at mid to later stages of labour. I agree, don't pay for a course at this stage, but find some meditative audio you like.

It helped me! I did lessons in person as well as listening to the soundtrack at night. My husband read the script during delivery and it helped me calm down. I had bad anxiety after a stillborn first child.

You’ll get lots of people saying that it worked for them, but it doesn’t for everyone. I’m not very suggestible (or relaxed!) and it did nothing for me. It’s basically guided meditation and relaxation, but you have to put some work in practising it, and also be the kind of person that works for. If you’re 3 weeks away I wouldn’t bother paying for a course - most of them are several weeks long - but you might find watching the breathing exercises online useful.

Good luck for the birth!