Should I give hypnobirthing a go?

[essexmum91]

Hello everyone! I'm 12 weeks pregnant with my first child and I'm starting to put together my birthing plan. I've heard of hypnobirthing and looked into this hypnobirthing retreat called Bump and Mind Retreats. Has anyone tried hypnobirthing or been on a pregnancy retreat? I would love to go but just want to know if it's worth it.

Yes! Loved hypnobirthing. It's so relaxing and reassuring.
It didn't make labour pain free, but it did make me sure I could deal with it? Plus it stopped me panicking in the run up.
I did a weekly class, but a retreat sounds lovely.

I quite fancy trying it. My hospital offers classes but I didn’t even know retreats existed!

Bookmarking to see what others think too

I'm debating this too as friends have raved about it but I'm unsure - there are lots of classes in my area so am keen to know what others think too! X

100% yes! I've had 2 very positive birth experiences due to hypnobirthing. It's a state of mind and incredibly effective. Find a good practitioner near you and commit to the practise, totally worth it. Good luck!

I recommend it. As a PP said, it's a state of mind that you should be able to take with you regardless of how your labour and birth pan out.

Try reading Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth - it is very Americanised (because she's a midwife there, where the rules are different), but it has loads of positive birth stories in different situations and it might help you decide whether it's the sort of thing you feel you'd benefit from.

Glad I came across this thread... I've been thinking about hypnobirthing I am only 5 +4 at the moment, but always thinking ahead!
I'm in Somerset and I think these classes are quite limited around here. Be good to hear of any good ones if anyone knows.

Based on the username it might be worth knowing: Broomfield and Colchester general (and maybe some other Essex hospitals, they're just the ones I either gave birth in or know people who did!) do free hypnobirthing classes - so my attitude was why not try: I'm not an absolute convert but it certainly gave me some useful techniques/coping mechanisms

I tried it with my first DC - it didn't work for me unfortunately. I'd say feel free to give it a go but keep an open mind. We don't always have a choice about the type of birth we have. I'm not dissing it - just that I ended up with PND and part of that was down to having a birth that was so different to the one I envisioned and planned for.

I used it when pregnant with DS - did 4x evening classes at the hospital and did lots of practice at home listening to the visualisations and reading when I could stay awake for it.

I think it really helped me with labour and birth - I used it in conjunction with waterbirth and gas and air - helps you to not panic and to understand the process and stay in control. Things went a bit pear shaped at the end and it helped me to stay calm.

Now 36 weeks with DC2 and have done a refresher but not much practice as yet - no matter how I end up giving birth with this one (higher risk now due to PPH and being older and fatter so no chance of a water birth), it will be part of my toolkit... along with gas and air and whatever else is needed on the day