hypnobirthing

[midhyp66]

Hi all,
First off i am a hypnobirthing practitioner BUT im not selling. I really would like to know what you guys think of the title "hypnobirthing",
what kind of images does it conjure up?
does it sound like something just for middle class home birth women?
does the Hypno part sound too airy fairy?
Im keen to see this on the nhs and have thought the only way im gonna achieve this is if i offer the hospital free classes for women (obviously not indefinately) but i want to attract all sorts, young, old, single parents, poor parents, rich parents, pink, yellow and green parents.
what would make you interested in hypnobirthing?
i know it works ( have 3 kids, 1 awful, 1 painful, i hypnobirth) but its just trying to get others to listen not even sign up.
Cheers

Hmmm? Interesting question midhyp66!

My understanding from the name that it is hypnotism used in labour in order to help with the pain. Is that right? If not I'm totally on the wring track!

Hypnobirthing as a word works well - it flows off the tongue really well. To me it conjures up an image of a very relaxed atmosphere with the mum being coached into a deep relaxation state. Candles, music, massage, breathing techniques etc are all suggested, whether or not this is true I don't know. It could be used within the NHS as a complimentary therapy or alternative to other techniques eg birthing pools, tens machines etc.

Personally I don't know if I'd use it as the only thing during labour, however, when I was in labour with my DS I used visualization techniques that really helped during the initial stages. I used that along with entonox, pethidine and then I got my epidural!

Good luck with your research on peoples views!

Midhyp -I'm half way through a hypno course.

I"ve got nothing against title -but can see it might be off putting to some (I take your point re middle class home birth women) - maybe have some kind of explanation about it being about assistance for a positive and relaxed birth.

I am not sure about your teaching methods but there is a lot to be said to focussing on the hypno element and not on other said. Based on my personal experience so far on hypno is fantastic I"m massively unimpressed with the teacher's additional comments. I do not need her take on the evils of medication and various other asides which do not seem to be backed up by any medical evidence. I woudl stick to the hypno bit and not hte other bit (I have actually found her quite offensive on this which is somewhat underminnig my faith in this course).

My point here is if you're looking for a less home birth middle class audience you might want to stick to the facts and benefits (eg your own expereience) and not start suggseting people refuse medical treatment etc.

dh refused to listen to anything to do with it because it had 'hypno' in the title.
I don't like it myself but knew enough about visualisation etc to think that it might have some use. I did use it a lot -the book - couldn't go on course as dh vehemently opposed. it was really great and definately helped give me the birth i wanted which was truly wonderful.
have no useful ideas for what else it could be called, but do think that 'hypnobirthing' is a bit hippy dippy and offputting.

sorry not to be more positive about the title, but i really love the ideas behind it!

We had our DS using hypnobirthing in November and we had a truly wonderful birthing experience. I don't have any problem with the name myself as I understand the techniques behind it but I do think that it could but people off as I find that many people I know have a "closed" mind when it comes to alternative methods.
We didn't tell many people that we were using the hypnobirthing technique as I know people would have look negatively on any explanation that you use self hypnosis and relaxation techniques to get you through the birth and this is exactly what I needed to avoid as you need a positive mind set to apply the techniques. We told people that I wasn't going to have any pain relief as we didn't want our baby to be exposed to any drugs and the general reaction to that was disbelief!! We also had a homebirth and the MW was very supportive of our decision which was a great help and we found that we didn't need to go into detail we her.
I really hope that you have success in applying hypnobirthing on the NHS as it would help many women have the lovely birth I got (I can't wait to do it again!)

We did a 2-day intensive course and are now using CDs and relaxation sessions in advance of our birth expected mid-May.

While I tend to be sceptical about many alternative therapies I was surprised at how effective and sensible hyptotherapy actually is - its really just relaxation, visualisation and positive thinking and there's nothing flaky about that. I already feel so much less anxious about the birth and more confident in my body... though it helps that we are having a home birth with very sympathetic MW and doula.

So, yes, I think the name probably doesn't help as like a lot of people I initially had rather dubious associations with hypnosis. But I wish more people could get past this, as it could help so many, and I believe it should be more widely advocated for in the NHS system.

PanT - can I ask which hypnobirthing book/course you did? I am reading Marie Mongan's book and she seems to be saying that with her techniques you can just lie on your side all the way through the first stage of labour and then when the time comes "breathe your baby out in three or four breaths"

I have to say I am not convinced! Let me know if that is how it happened for you.

I like the book, by the way, and think I can definitely use the techniques, I am just not sure it is going to quite as easy as she makes out.

As for the OP's question, I think the name is what it is and you should keep it.

I am almost 36 weeks pregnant and having just started my maternity leave I am wondering if it is too late to start hypnobirthing? I see from the hypnobrthing website that the book & CD are no replacement for attending classes.

I haven't bokked a class & anyway can't drive which is an issue getting anywhere right now - lugging my every moving bump on the bus is only for emergencies.

Am I too late to start? Is it worth getting the CD and book and trying my best? I understand I can get it from Amazon (seeing as the website says they stop sending out orders at 3pm on Wednesday until the following Monday & every day is starting to count!)

Thanks very much
MM

Hi, I didn't end up doing hypnobirthing course until this pg, though looked into it for DD. I didn't go for it for DD basically because it sounded too good to be true- all the stuff I'd heard of birth before just didn't fit with hypnobirthing. After experiencing a pretty good birth I was ready to focus on the bits that were good, and hypnobirthing seemed worth the investment- oh yes, getting the cash together for the course also put me off first time around. I had faith in investing a course that (to me) relies on DH being good support, and from last time around I knew he'd be great if he believed in it. Doing the weekend course certainly got him convinced from being sceptical, though I here Mongan hypnobirthing aren't so keen on intensive courses, and doing it over weeks instead. I liked, and needed the weekend intensive part- I'm not sure I'd have the energy to keep going to evening classes,and daytime ones are hard when working, and for DPs.

It's quite funny really but I first heard of it on "Richard and Judy" and as I was up for it and scared of labour, I made sure I scraped up the cash. We used the Mongan method weekend workshop and it worked really well, not just in the labour itself but keeping me so calm throughout my pregnancy. I was in the pool and yes, I think it was very different to most first time labours and half as long too.

Anyway, back to the OP... perhaps your publicity needs to focus on naff things like "as seen on R+J..." and the benefits rather than on the word itself until word gets round (and it will).

(By the way, I would say yes it is worth trying at 36 weeks if you can practice intensively and try "Tranceforming Childbirth" too.)

I would LOVE to try hypnobirthing. Initially I was sceptical - imagining it to be airy fairy etc, but having had one very painful traumatic labour, I'm really keen to do everything differently next time, and having read almost obsessively on all the things I could do differently, hypnobirthing sounds ideal. The things that make it difficult for me are (a) the cost and (b) proximity of local classes. I think the nearest practitioner is some distance away and it would be difficult to make the times of the classes because of the timings of dd going to bed etc. Love the idea of having individually tailored course - at a convenient time and possibly at home? But don't know whether that is possible...

I think the title puts a lot of people off. They think of hypnosis and Paul McKenna-type '....and sleep!' stuff and think 'not for me!'.

I know a little bit about hypnobirthing, as my trainer (I'm training to be an antenatal teacher) is also a hypnobirthing practitioner. She uses some of the breathing exercises in her NCT classes and I think once people realise what hypnobirthing actually entials they feel a lot more comfortable about it.

I must say - I've found that some of the ways some people market their classes to be way over the top. Stuff like 'have the perfect, pain-free birth you have always imagined...' gives people unrealistic expectations and is just a lie.
I think classes need to be marketed in a matter-of-fact way to attract all sorts. Hypnobirthing is just another (excellent) way of preparing for birth - learning good breathing and other techniques to help you cope better with the pain and to keep yourself calm (especially during transition).

Good luck!

I've just finished the Mongham book and it all seems to make very good sense. I think i'll try andget onto a course. This is my first child and the main worry I have re trying to have a hypnobirth in the local hsp is when it comes to the 'pushing phase'. Hypnobirthing tells you just to breathe the baby out and let your contractions do the pushing. This sounds good advise- I'm not convinced that a mother's pushes are particularly useful- especially when you hear of mums that are pushing for hours? But I'm presuming that the midwives will be telling me to push? Or can I ask them not to?

It's true there are some people who are apprehensive at the word 'Hypno', but they're always happy after talking it through. It's the idea that someone will have control over you and 'make' you do something against your will. Of course, this is actually impossible, and hypnotherapy is much more a gentle way of releasing some of the unhelpful suggestions we've all acquired during our life, one of which is that birth is painful. There's more about this on the website www.thehypnobirthingcentre.co.uk.

It's a fact that the name 'HypnoBirthing' is already out there is the leading childbirth preparation method that really does make a difference so it's too late to change it now whether we like it or not, because it's spreading very fast by word of mouth becuse of mothers who have used themselves, who know it works, and are telling everyone else.

I've had two hypnobirthing babies and have to say that when I first signed up I thought it was going to be very "hippy-ish" but it wasn't at all. At my hospital (in US) It's either hypnobirthing or lamaze and I wasn't keep on all the panting in lamaze.

In my experience the midwives are very supportive, although often surprised, how we can do "mother directed breathing down" as opposed to the typical aggressive pushing. I think it is worth asking your midwife what the protocal is at your local hospital. I have worked with several mums to be who, having asked the question, have then opted to give birth in another centre/hospital which is more supportive of allowing women the space to birth in their own way and time.

I used hypnosis for the pain of contractions on the premise that it would tide me over until the pain got so bad I would need gas n air and/or other pain relief.

It worked so well that I was 7cm dilated when we got to the hospital but once in the clinical environment it seemed to stop working.

I would def be interested in hypnobirthing in future but defo makes me think of middle class women who have never had to work with hippy ideas and "earth mother" stamped all over them... How does this happen?? I only found how effectiv hypnosis is thanks to my anxiety disorder!!! When the drugs don't work....

You obviously did really well on your own.
It can get more intense once you're in the clinical environment. Basically because fear can creep in, hence you tense up and then the contractions can be harder to cope with. With HypnoBirthing, usually you would have a birth partner (the dad, friend, doula, whoever) who is trained to help you to re-focus and go deeper into the relaxation state. Alternatively of course next time you could just opt for a home birth and then the "flow" of the labour isn't interrupted at all!

Re the image of a "HypnoBirthing mum", I've worked with women from all kinds of backgrounds and now that so many midwives are training as HypnoBirthing practitioners, I think we'll see even more of a cross section of women.

Actually HypnoBirthing is being offered in at least one NHS hospital, with fantastic results. Obviously we need the word to spread to other regions, but of course everything has to be evidence based and the research takes a lot of time and effort, so it's a slow process. but you're absolutely right the potential cost savings are immense, not to mention the benefits to mums and babies!

is "natal birthing" ok - its the uk version of hynpobirthing...would you recommend it, it's half the price!

Natal Hypnotherapy isn't the UK version of HypnoBirthing. I believe it may be similar but it certainly isn't HypnoBirthing. There is a large number of very experienced HypnoBirthing practitioners across the UK, as it's been in existence for around 18 years. You'll always find a lower cost alternative. Personally I don't consider childbirth something to economise on. I'd rather scrimp on the things that don't matter like all the "stuff" we're encouraged to buy for a nursery/newborn. Your birth experience stays with you for the rest of your life (and I believe for the rest of your child's life). I think it's too important to be determined by cost. Many HypnoBirthing practitioners will offer concessionary rates to those mothers who are on genuinely low incomes.

do you know what the differences are between hypnobirthing and natal birthing? ie why hypno is better than natal (if it is)?

I haven't done Natal. I chose HypnoBirthing for my births, based on their longevity, the number of midwives and doctors who recommend it and the fact that I was lucky enough to have met quite a few women who could tell me face to face how amazing their births were. Obviously now I actually attend births too, so I've experienced HypnoBirthing births and supported mums through the experience as well.

All I would say is listen to your intuition about what is right for you (ideally putting cost aside). If you decide on Natal, then fine. If you decide HypnoBirthing is better, then I would call around as many practitioners as it takes and explain that you want to do it but can only afford to pay x. Personally I would never turn a woman away because she couldn't afford to pay the fee and there are many HypnoBirthing practitioners out there who share my view.

I was terrified about giving birth, so took hypnobirthing classes, studied the book intensely and listened to the relaxation cds every day. I prepared for a relaxing waterbirth at home and convinced myself the experience would be positive and intervention-free.

I ended up having a very traumatic birth. Was taken to hospital by ambulance to deliver my daughter (back-to-back, prolonged second stage, 3rd degree tear, retained placenta). Thankfully she was absolutely fine. But I was totally in shock and remember sobbing that it was nothing like the experience promised in the book and classes.

I felt like a total failure and I firmly believe (2 years later!) that it was largely because I was brainwashed into thinking birth would be positive and pain-free, and that any experience different to the contrary was purely due to my inability to relax.

Breathe the baby down - goodness how I laughed - didn't quite match with me shouting 'get it out.. now..'

I am heavily pregnant at the moment and will be doing my utmost to relax this time! I completely agree that calmness and positive thinking helps create an easier birth. However I feel incensed that hypnobirthing as a brand is capitalising on womens' natural apprehension about giving birth.

I have two friends who also took the course - one who had a difficult delivery and feels the same as me, with the other having a positive experience.

I apologise if this post appears negative, I just think there is not enough balance of opinion on this subject. Some people have positive birth experiences, some have difficult births, and fear is indeed a labouring mother's biggest enemy. If you are pregnant, I would wholeheartedly endorse relaxation, breathing and visualisation methods. But don't think you have to pay the big hypnobirthing bucks to get there.