HypnoBirthing - What do you know/think?

[JSparkSM]

Hello!
I'm currently a first year student midwife at The University of Manchester. At the moment, we have a 'problem based learning' assignment, where my group and I have been given HypnoBirthing to look into. I've been assigned the job of finding out what you lovely ladies know about HypnoBirthing and any opinions you may have about it? I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some feedback on this.
Thank you!
Jessica

i did a preparation for vbac hypnobirthing cd - first section was incredibly helpful, it was all about 'letting go' of the bad memories associated with 1st (unwanted) c section. 2nd section was strategies for vbac, i did get a few useful tips from it which i used during 42 hour labour with ds2, but think the cds alone are probably insufficient.

I did the course, privately because I left it too late to do a group. It was brilliant.

I had a 4.5hr labour at home. Midwives didn't think I was in labour as I was very calm etc, so they wouldn't come out the first two times we called. They finally came to "check on me" 20 mins before DS was born, so they were far too late to give me any gas and air, but the hypnobirthing techniques got me through it (I wasn't thrilled though).

I read the book before the classes, and as mrsravelstein says the cds and book alone are insufficient. I learned loads from having the classes.

I recommend to everyone, as does my DH who also loved the classes, and actually felt useful during my labour as so many of the techniques involve you working together.

Thank you very much mrsravelstein and FlingonTheValiant for your comments! Both were very interesting and useful :)

In my experience, hypnobirthing works best in an environment where medically managed births are not happening i.e. at home. I had 2 babies, one in hospital, one at home. Hospital birth was awful, and literally impossible to do hypnobirthing as active management of labour was carried out to a tee. Never ever again. Then with second one at home, it suddenly all made sense (the hypnobirthing).

Are you looking just at Hypnobirthing or at hypnotherapy for birth?

I used Natal Hypnotherapy - partly because I didn't think Hypnobirthing was for me - I was put off by the imagery & language used, the accent on the CDs and because I thought it was only really suitable for a natural birth and I knew I was facing an induction under consultant care because of complications. Plus I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a course I didn't think was for me when self-hypno with CDs was far cheaper and suited me.

Hi, I took a Hypnobirthing class and red a book by Marie Mognan and listened to the downloads. I like the breathing and relaxation techniques, and think the class was useful. I have been doing a lot of yoga before and during pregnancy, and think Hypnobirthing was complimentary. I do not believe in pain free birth... I have a logical/quantitative mind (i am a banker), and have been having difficult time with the visualisations Hypnobirthing advocates, althlough I have given it a fair chance.... I think these should work well for women with artistic/creative minds... My consultant was a bit lukewarm on the overall idea; told me it works better for 2-3 time birth givers...

Oh Lily, I wish you could believe as I do, not through a belief system but by experience. I am a retired Northern Midwife of over 30 yrs experience. My god daughter asked me to attend her Hb birth and to read the book . I thought it was American Psyco-Babble until I saw her start to smile when I old her she was in transition. I snce have attended births where believe me they have not had pain. Im sorry if you dont believe it because it exists. I too am a left brain thinker and analytical. I was very sceptical at first and have had to let all my barriers down because of what i have witness 1st hand.I am so impressed I have attended the course and have had 10 births up to now ( done free ) all wonderful no pain relief and the visualisations have been a revelation to me. If only you would open your mind and accept MAYBE there is a possibility you are wrong. \if not contact me and I will give you the face book or emails of mums who have done it. Have a lovely birth and call me for advice if you ever need it.

Dear Jessica. why dont you email Stepping Hill Birthing Centre as they have HB classes there and the teacher in question Katy Redford allows student midwives to attend free of charge and will come to your Univercity to lecture. She is a full time teacher.

I didn't use Hypnobirthing, but Natal Hypnotherapy for my second labour and it worked wonders at giving me a totally different experience.... it's catching the attention of the NHS I heard, with studies planned to assess the effectiveness of it!
I was very sceptical but the resulting calmness and trust in myself were amazing, I couldn't recommend it more. Relaxation, visualisation, and tricks to keep fear and pain at bay.... my first labour was long, under epidural, terrifying. The second one was 2h in total, no pain relief, I was bouncing around happy and relaxed straight afterwards....

I went to HypnoBirthing classes (Marie Mongan) because I was worried about having a long first labour and terrified of the idea of an epidural (or any needle really). I'd booked a home birth and had it all planned...

I was admitted to hospital for monitoring on my due date (high blood pressure), they wanted to induce, but I agreed to a sweep only. Contractions started and stopped. Nearly 24 hours later, my waters broke spontaneously and contractions started and stopped. The following day they started the gel for induction (and IV antibiotics) and contractions started up again. The next day I actually made it to the delivery suite for a couple of hours on the drip to speed things up, before DS made his arrival, somewhat to the surprise of the midwife who hadn't realised I was that far gone. If you'd told me what would have happened before hand, I'd have been terrified, long labour (66 hours from 1st contraction), stuck in hospital, many needles etc.

But, thanks to the Hypnobirthing, it was fine, a good birth and I was happy with the experience. I got some sleep each night (even managed to sleep between contractions), didn't miss any meals, walked to the delivery suite and back and didn't use (or ask for) any pain relief. I didn't achieve the pain free birth I'd hoped for (which I still believe is possible) but still think that Hypnobirthing can work well in a medical setting and shouldn't be restricted to those planning to stay at home.

Although, as a midwife there are things to be aware of, because I was so quiet and calm, I don't think anyone realised how far on I was. Hence the need for augmentation. I was also told a number of times that what I was having weren't contractions (since they didn't seem to hurt 'enough') which was worrying to me as a 1st timer - how would I cope when it got bad? When in fact, it didn't really get any worse. I was also interrupted a number of times during contractions for conversations, monitoring etc as a lot of the staff didn't seem to be able to tell when I was having one (DP could, but he'd been on the course with me!). Positive mental state is very important and this is easily risked by dismissive comments from medical staff.

I'm really pleased to hear that this is being covered by your Uni and would certainly recommend it.

I did natal hypnotherapy - hypnobirthing was a bit too woo for me. I went on a course and listened to the CD a few times. My birth was not quick and pain-free - it was very long and ended in an emergency CS - so not what I'd hoped for. But I was very calm throughout - the midwife didn't believe I was having such strong contractions because in her words I wasn't "distressed enough".

I would really recommend it. Although things didn't go to plan for me, I felt able to cope with whatever happened and seemed to reach a level where the pain became ok and I was somehow removed from it - also time seemed to speed up so that after 24 hours I had no idea that it had been more than a couple of hours. I actually enjoyed the experience - something I would never have believed a few years ago.

Despite things taking a more medical route I only have positive memories and I really do think it helps you look at it more positively. I used to be terrified about the thought of childbirth.

I also found the Grantly Dick-Read book about pain-free childbirth really inspiring.

Thank you VERY much for all your thoughts and sharing experiences, it has given me a great insight into HypnoBirthing. I will definitely pass your comments on to our group, I'm sure they will find them all very interesting :)

JSparkSM

this is really interesting thank you.

As someone who suffers from panic attacks i like this idea of being able to relax and get in the right mindset give myself a chance of not freaking out.

would love to hear more stories if there are any!

After a difficult (and damn painful)first birth, DH and I were terrified when I became pregnant again. So on seeing an ad in the back of a baby magazine, DH and I decided we had nothing to loose, apart from a bit of money, and enrolled on a hypnobirthing course (the Mongon method)

The best bit of the course was the "fear release" where I was hypnotised, and as a result no longer had a fear of giving birth. I was induced at the end of my pregnancy, and everything was going well (zero pain) until the midwife unsettled me, and suddenly I had a huge amount of pain, which, fortunately didn't last very long as DS was born shortly after.

With my next pregnancy, I was so cross at the way I had been treated in hospitable during my 2 previous labours I decided on a home birth. I again used hypnobirthing, and was able to have a pain free labour. When the midwife came to the house she was calm and didn't insist on examining me, moving me, and just let me do what I wanted. She didn't snigger at the hypnobirthing CD (like the midwife in the hostpital) even though we had never met before, and she had no idea I wanted to use hypnobirthing.

If my DD is ever pregnant, I will ensure she is able to use hypnobirthing so she can have an easy as possible birth.