To ask for honest experiences from those who did hypnobirthing?

[LisaSimpsonsbff]

My local hospital runs a free hypnobirthing class and have written to me to offer a place, but saying it fills up so if I want it I need to make a decision now, even though I'm only 21 weeks (the actual course would be much later in pregnancy). My instinct is that it's woo mumbo jumbo, but a) my brother and his gf, who are super normal people, insisted it was amazing and b) I've had and am having a lot of problems with anxiety in this pregnancy (it was my fourth pregnancy of 2017) and although I'm still currently in a place where I can't imagine I'm going to get as far as giving birth, I can imagine getting in a right state about it if I do get there, so maybe would be a good candidate for some relaxation and confidence-building? I had a look at some online threads on Mumsnet and elsewhere and they were astonishingly positive, though I noted that a lot of them were from women who hadn't yet given birth! All the negative comments I could find (in admittedly a quick search) were from people who hadn't done it but said it was surely nonsense. This made me feel a bit suspicious (is it a cult?!) - surely there are people out there who did it and found it rubbish, cringey or just a bit meh? So, can I ask for honest opinions from those who did it, either good or bad?

I'm a very anxious person and suffered through pregnancy terriblty with anxiety. (Had a miscarriage and lots of other things going on)
Hypnobirthing really helped me. It meant that despite my moments and things not going as planned (do they ever?) By the time I got to the catheter stage before forceps the staff actually commented that they thought I was only a few cm dilated when I came in because of how calm I was. I was obviously 10cm and had been pushing for hours.

Personally, I think it's worth a go regardless of whether it turns out to be rubbish or not. You've got nothing to lose and it can only help you to relax!
I used to love my hypnobirthing sessions.

Sorry to hear about your miscarriages. All the best with your upcoming arrival

Yes I did it with both my babies. For my first I just had a cd to listen to at home and I found it really relaxing more than anything. Played the music (without any speech) during the actual birth and felt very calm with it. For my second I booked myself on a day course and started listening to the tracks again at home, again I found it really helpful both in terms of pregnancy relaxation and staying as calm and in control as possible during the birth. There is actually a lot of science behind it in as far as how our hormones work, if you are stressed then your whole body will tense and make things harder work etc. Definitely give it a go - good luck

Amazing is how I'd describe it, for me personally.

I'd had a horrific first birth, ridiculously long intensive but unproductive labour that ended in a c-section. I was so upset about the whole thing and determined to have as natural a birth as possible the second time round.

I did hypnobirthing but just on my own (listening to the tracks every night in bed) I never attended any group sessions. I felt so much more positive throughout my pregnancy and when I went into labour I managed so much better than the first time. In fact, I didn't realise I was in labour for the early hours and even when it got intense I was well able to cope. I delivered my baby without anything other than some gas and it was a fantastic experience. I know plenty of people who've had similarly lovely births, without hypnobirthing, but I had been so so anxious that I really don't think I would have done it without having done the hypnobirthing.

I think you should go for it - if it doesn't help it certainly won't do any harm so it's worth a try. Best of luck

Do it! As long as you go in with your eyes open and stay sensible, rational and reasonable, then you have nothing to lose.

I give the above caveats as I’ve found that there are definitely people who overestimate the benefits of HB and (particularly with a first pregnancy) it can be easy to get caught up in this optimism whilst losing sight of the reality.

BUT, my experience of HB was that it was overall positive, in that I enjoyed the course (as did my husband), found out a lot about relaxation techniques and most importantly (for me), came away wanting to do more research about my birth choices. It was this, I think, combined with the relaxation and visualisation techniques, that led to me feeling much more empowered and confident than I would otherwise have.

In the end, I did end up with a EMCS, but I genuinely believe that the relaxation techniques I learnt helped me cope with the stress of that (and of the previous 65 hours!!), and I felt much more knowledgeable about my choices and possible options/interventions than I would otherwise have done.

Of course, if you have great and unbiased antenatal support and courses locally then this part of HB might be less relevant, but we didn’t.

Overall, I think the positive approach of HB is to be applauded and I think as long as you don’t go in thinking it’s a miracle cure for childbirth then it’s a great thing

I read a hypnobirthing book and although I found some of it very eye roll-y at time (visualise breathing out a golden thread....!) I found it really helpful as it outlines a lot about how the body works and how you can help to relax and the benefits of relaxing. I would say go for it, if it’s not for you, you haven’t lost anything but it may help. I wouldn’t pay money for a course though; They’re £300 ish round my way!

I found it to be bullshit once in the actual birth scenario! It was all well and good in the lead-up to the birth (though probably gives an unrealistic confidence in how easy it's going to be to deal with the pain). When labour actually came on - and particularly as it progressed - it was completely worthless! It made it take longer to ask for the (amazing) epidural, because the whole hypnobirthing ethos had convinced me not to get pain relief. Such unecessary bullshit. My next baby, I'm just doing the sensible thing and having the epidural straight away!!

My DD used it in her two Home Births and credits getting through the first with only some gas and at the final push stage and her second with no pain killers and being relaxed.

The negative comments are from people who haven't done it? Some people like to rubbish the choices of others.

Its useful to do, even to just keep calm until you get to the hospital and things are progressed, or at home and the MW gets there.

The relaxation techniques can help with pain etc during pregnancy and any anxiety after Birth.

I haven't done it yet, but am also 21 weeks and have the hypnobirthing audio book in my car after a reccomendation from another Mumsnetter who was so calm on going into labour the midwives tried to send her home again when she was in advanced labour.

I know I'm classed as high risk so won't get nice things at the birth like a water birth, low lights etc. I even got hauled out of a hot bath last time as you can't stay in a normal bath once your waters have gone. Hypnobirthing is about the only thing I can do for me at this birth so I'm going with it, and the CDs (all 9 of them!) are sounding less woo and whale music than I'd worried they might be.

I'd go for it - if it isn't for you, you haven't lost anything. Meditation techniques will helpyou stay calm if nothing else.

I did it with a workbook and CD set from 4 months. Had a very positive birth but even if I hadn't, I feel like it gave me tools to stay relaxed and clear headed. One of the things I found very useful was learning to tune in with my body and the different sensations it would go through in labour. So when the contractions were getting stronger, being able to visualise what was happening in my muscles and why i needed to relax to let it happen stopped me from tensing up and being like FUCKING WHAT IS THIS PAIN I'M TERRIFIED. Even though it was painful, it helped me keep a sense of 'there is a point and an end to this' if that makes sense, and to go with my body rather than fighting it.

As with anything I think you take what works for you from it - there are people who are total sceptics and those who say you've 'done it wrong' if you feel pain. Most people I know fell somewhere in the middle, but found it added some kind of value - another tool in your toolbox if you like.

Good luck!

I did two hypnobirthing courses, practiced religiously and all it did was leave me with a sense of failure. The breathing exercises, and all the techniques taught did absolutely nothing to help me during labour. DC1 was breech, diagnosed a few weeks before due date, and my consultants were extremely supportive of vaginal breech birth. The HB practitioner offered minimal help or support when faced with something that clearly wasn't going to be a whale music home birth, and then didn't invite me to the post birth meetup. I had an EMCS in the end, and once my epidural was in my birth was something incredibly positive, until a day or two later I felt that I had failed massively. This is despite DC mostly arriving bum first, and only a section after she got stuck halfway out and distressed. An elective section would have been a far better option in hindsight.

I tried a different course for DC2. Did all the stuff beforehand, went into labour, it was agonizing, had epidural, again, birth became enjoyable. DC2 was a successful VBAC.

I really wish I had done something like this during my pregnancy. I skim read a book about it but I was very late on in pregnancy and didn't take it very seriously. I think part of the reasons I felt the 'bad' parts of labour were so 'bad' is because I couldn't relax. I also have a tendency to hold my breath through pain so I would have found the breathing techniques very useful.

I say, go for it, it's free.

I did a hypnobirthing course and it helped enormously with my fear of the birth during pregnancy but during the actual birth i didn't really use hypnosis techniques. I did manage to not have an epidural though which was what I wanted. So id say all in allit was a success for me.

I used a natal hypnotherapy CD which was great.
It’s not going to give you an amazing birth experience- you tend to get what you get, but it gave me an amazing feeling of control. The less stressed you are the better your labour tends to progress.
Choosing to learn the techniques doesn’t mean you can’t have opiates or an epidural or anything else, it just gives you more options. It’s not like stage hypnotherapy, you’ll know what’s going on every step of the way. It’s more about deep relaxation than anything else.
I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

also the language used in the classes was laughable when faced with the reality of my labour. Sensations my arse - I was begging anyone to make them stop.

HB generally isn't big on talking about when it doesn't work. There are a few on here who have had similar experiences.

I hypnobirthed my first (induced) and am hoping to do the same with the next one.
My midwife thought I had hours to go and didn't want to examine me, when she finally did she realised I was 10cm.

The majority of my friends think its bullshit but I don't think a single one of them ever actually read the book. All I can tell you is that it really helped me.

You might as well do the course and if you don't like it, don't do it.

I used a hypnobirthing cd, but to be honest, it all went out the window when my labour started! To be fair, my whole labour was 3 hours from start to finish, if I'd built up more slowly, it would have worked.
I just remember being on all 4 and screaming 'fuck hypnobirthing!!'

It was amazing for me, when I watched the birth video they showed I though “yeah right!” But amazingly I had the birth! Don’t get me wrong it still hurt like hell at the end and I was lucky to have a “normal” pregnancy but it really helped me feel in control and not be scared, I’d recommend it to anyone. Also I did weekly classes the last month of my pregnancy and it was the only night of the week that I had a decent night’s sleep! I couldn’t get on with the visualisations but the relaxation tracks and breathing techniques got me through it. What have you got to lose by trying it?

Have just done a weekend course (am 26 weeks pregnant) and loved it. It’s actually not all that ‘hippy’ it’s quite practical, if your scared your tense, if your tense labour will be harder. We talked through how the body works when in labour and what it needs to do to get your baby out, only a small percentage was about breathing and visualisations.

Your lucky your hospital offers them, I paid £350 for a 2 day course!

You have nothing to loose by going but do be open minded, the whole point is to use positive language and stay in a positive mindset which won’t work if you take negativity to the class with you.

I'm sorry to hear of your miscarriages OP . A friend of mine gave me a book on HB when I was expecting no 1. I was surprised as she is the most cynical sceptical person I know. Her "take" on it was that she wanted to feel as much in control as possible and that the relaxation techniques might help with that. I read the book and did see the point of that, and of the visualisation, and had DD1 with nothing but tens and DD2 with tens and gas as it was a trickier birth.

I was lucky in the births I had but I think what I took from HB was that the feeling that I was still in control and TBH for much of the labour the most helpful technique was counting through the contractions so I had a feel for when it was likely to abate.

I did many many years ago see a documentary of someone who had abdominal surgery under hypnosis as they couldn't have an anaesthetic so I would never say never but go in with your eyes and mind open and don't pin your hopes on HB giving you a rosy cosy time.

I ended up with an EMCS as I failed to get the pushing stage. DD was wedged and was preventing progression. I still had an epidural and I don’t think it helped me with labour but it did help to keep calm in theatre.

I did it and it worked for me. I had a relatively calm birthing experience, with no pain relief, even though I was incuded and finally had a ventouse delivery. It was 1,000% more useful than the utterly pointless NCT course I did. The more you practice, the more effective it is. I was so zen, that the midwife didn't realise I was as far along as I was!

It's definitely worth a try if your hospital is offering it.

Me personally? Worse than useless. Pile of shite.

It was fantastic. If it’s free, give it a go. I’d highly recommend it.

Yes most definitely. I found it at baby number 5 and wish I'd known with number 1!

I used the natal hypnotherapy cd with both pregnancies. I used to fall asleep with it on so if it was woo I was unaware! But falling asleep doesn't matter according to the literature.
I didn't consciously use any particular techniques during labour BUT I felt very calm and zen during the whole thing. And I had a terrible fear of labour throughout the first pregnancy particularly.
There is evidence to suggest that being stressed during labour leads to more intervention from HCP so the calmer and more relaxed you are the better.
Tbh even if you have to have every intervention, being calm is only going to help you. It also helps you to listen to the midwives when they are talking to you and telling you when to push etc.
I had both my babies in the pool in the hospital and they were both quick labours.
I can't see why it isn't worth a try at least, nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.
Give it a go!