Hypnobirthing - is it any good?

[EmeraldIsle81]

Hi Mumsnet, Hypnobirthing been suggested by my midwife. What does it involve & is it any good? Thanks!!

I loved it. I was in labour for at least 24 hours before I realised that's what it was. I'd spent weeks practicing my hypnobirthing every time I had a Braxton Hicks so I just thought they were getting more intense. I baked a cake, stopping every 5 minutes to bend over double with a contraction and just didn't twig that BH just don't do that!

By the time I realised what was happening, I had a few hours labouring (consciously) at home and then 3 in the hospital pool with G&A before DD was here. Sure it hurt, it didn't stop a 4th degree tear, and I had a bit of a panic in the transitional phase, but I still felt like it was a positive experience. I don't think I'd have had that without the hypnobirthing to anchor me. (And to make me oblivious to the early stages.)

It was useless for my labour but it did make me calmer about labour in the months leading up to it so it was good in that sense I suppose! The Positive Birth Company pack is really good value

I agree. I had a horrendous first birth and HUGE anxiety about doing it again.

The hypnobirthing helped more with my anxiety than my labour.

I tried breathing through contractions and it helped for maybe the first 1/2 hour but my labour went from nought to sixty and was just too intense to breathe through.

I wanted a water birth and didn’t have time, I only had gas and air which was bloody great stuff.

It made my birth more manageable from a mental perspective.