Natal Hypnotherapy CD

[KellyKettle]

I have bought a Natal Hypnotherapy CD and listened to it twice now. Both times I have fallen asleep and not heard a thing. I honestly don't know what she says past breathing golden light into your lungs.

I don't know how I'm going to feel very positive about this birth if I don't know what she's saying.

Had anyone else experienced this but still gone on to have a positive birth? Particularly if your previous birth(s) were the opposite of positive.

Hi,
Got my copy through the post today! Listened to it and managed to relax as much as possible with a 16mo running in and out of the room/ playing/ squarking etc...
Think I'll find it difficult to listen to other than in bed before sleep as that is the only time I'm not with DS!
Oh well anything that helps make it better than last time.

I've been listening to the Pregnancy Relaxation one, and it only seems to send me to sleep when I'm going to bed (when I'd probably have nodded off anyway). At other times, the trouble I find is that I just can't imagine a walk through open countryside and a good tree to sit under, because (a) I just imagine the shocking hay fever I'd inevitably get, and (b) my happy times in the country have been during heavy rain (because less hay fever!), so being asked to imagine the sunshiney rays reaching in to my 'baybee' just confuses me!

Maybe I'm just not very good at being hypnotized...

My MIL is a hypnotherapist and assures me that falling asleep is a good thing and that all the messages will still reach my subconscious.... I've only ever made it all the way through withoit falling asleep once! I found sitting up rather than lying down helps to keep me awake.

Are you supposed to listen to it when you're actually in labour too?

i dont think you are supposed to listen to it.

But there is no reason at all why you cant. they have the birthing music for labour / birth so you can relax to that.

Im 38+6 and when in the early stages of labour i definitely plan to listen to both pregnancy relaxation and birth preparation.
There is no reason why you cant, but dont have to. All the stuff should have sunk in before you are in labour ideally!

Do you buy the birth music separately? I think my homebirth prep CD is just talking over music (although still haven't stayed awake for it...)

yes
there are lots of different CDs avaliable
i have pregnancy relaxation
Home birth preperation
and relaxing birthing music

but there are a few more too such as morning sickness and VBAC etc etc

Just wanted to feedback. I only listened to the cd for about a week before the birth and on the first night of my contractions. It really helped to relax me in the lead up and I was still thinking '3,2,1...beach' right through every contraction.

Really, really worthwhile. Wish I had found it sooner!

In reply to those who wondered whether to listen during labour... We live an hour from hospital and I found it helpful to listen to in the car on the way. Very comfortable and easy delivery!

an hour from the hospital? Bloody hell!

Thanks nannyl I'm not sure I can be bothered ordering anymore. I thought the homebirth prep would be a complete set.

I tried to listen during labour but couldn't concentrate on the whole cd properly. I used the birth music throughout though. I think if I'd had a shorter labour I would have listened to the CD in the early stages.

I also kept falling asleep while I was listening to the CD and in labour it was actually the first line of the CD I used.

BabC - I used the pregnancy relaxation one a couple of times and didn't like it / couldn't get on with it. It didn't help that the first time I listened to it, I got quite upset as the bit about you body knowing what to do seemed like a joke when my body has not enjoyed pregnancy (PGD since week 8, etc etc) and does not seem to do what it should hormonally (for my comfort and enjoyment anyway ).

I did the birth preparation one yesterday and was a bit resistant at first. Didn't help that LO had mad hiccups for first 5-10 mins so I got the giggles! But then it did kick in well, I did drift off properly in the second half - not asleep but not really sure what she said after going to the beach until it was wakey up time. So a big thumbs up in comparision to the pregnancy relaxation and will def be using it regularly in next few weeks!

Bit spooked by track 3, as I hadn't read the track listing and it's a shorter version of track 2 so was lying there feeling rather confused for a few minutes...

I've done the 2nd CD today for the first time and OML it was amazing - I felt so relaxed and 'heavy' and totally in the zone - where with the birth prep I didn't quite get 'there'

This one seems to have a purpose. Its on my iPhone so planning to do it lots and lots cos I can and I feel like I could go into labour 'now' (well hopefully not he still has growing to do) and I'd be fine.

All i need now is my placenta to move so I can have a natural birth - but if it hasn't I'll definately get the CS version.

Hope to come back with my happy story in 8 - 12 weeks!!

Hi,

I listened to it a LOT, never once heard it through without falling asleep. However I had a very easy birth (don't get too excited... I mean easy as far as birth goes, he didn't just fall out ) - I'd definitely use it again.

Good luck

Just wanted to add more feedback on this CD seeing as I had my first baby, vaginal delivery after 2 day labour, on 4th Sept with gas & air as pain relief.

Also - my contractions were augmented with synto drip in the last hour and a half of labour (attempted home birth with last minute hospital transfer) due to anterior lip of cervix not dilating properly, his head in a funny position and slowing down my contractions and keeping me at 8.5 cm dilated for several physically gruelling hours - by the time I got to hospital things were more favourable (possibly due to bumpy ambulance ride!) before I pushed him out in hospital in 38 mins.

I feel like I had a fantastic birth despite things not going entirely as I planned and I am so pleased with my experience, I reckon listening to the CD helped.

I listened to this cd, the birth preparation track, every day for at least the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, I really made a big effort with it and I think it paid off.

If I'm honest - I couldn't really get on with it at first, I have had experience with hypnotherapy before, both on the receiving end and hypnotising someone else, and I was used to a different relaxation induction method so I found it took longer to get into Maggie Howell's method of induction with the golden light etc. However I know from experience the 'power' of relaxation and hypnosis so maybe I am particularly suggestible to these things to start with.

But I stuck with this CD - and going from listening critically, twitching about trying to get comfortable in bed, not getting very relaxed and getting hung up on the way she says "baby" I was within a couple of weeks of daily listening getting very deeply relaxed each time and waking up at the end of the track drooling into my pillow.

As far as the actual labour was concerned - when labour started I used the relaxation part of the CD to help me sleep through the early contractions which was lovely.

Throughout my labour I felt relatively calm and confident (except for the actual hospital transfer, but when I got to hospital and got on the drip my confidence returned in abundance)

I was relaxing through the contractions for a day and a half before the gas & air (which was great too I hasten to add) and saying 3-2-1 Relax to myself and using all sorts of visualisations that I was making up on the spot (one I used was imagining myself floating up and looking down on my house, then on my village, then on my county, then on the UK etc etc until all I could see was the planet earth - really helped me to be objective) also did a lot of walking in circles around the house and garden and TENS machine.

This is what I attribute to using the CD: I never felt like I needed any more pain relief than gas & air, it was all totally managable, I completely trusted my body and didn't panic, especially during the whole pushing phase when I just knew I could do it - I think I was more objective and less emotional when the potentially traumatic transfer happened - I remember lying in the ambulance clutching my gas & air and thinking "wow, this is weird! I'm in an blue lights ambulance and it's for me!" and I coped well with initial latent labour.

Part of the CD also mentions how you will cope after the delivery - He's 8 days old and so far I have adjusted well to the change in sleeping patterns, my baby is calm, I feel totally confident with him and that I can provide for his needs - I don't get stressed when he cries. This may be the luck of the draw but may also be due in part to that self confidence part of the CD.

Sorry if this got lengthly but I hope my experience can help someone as I was so curious to know if it would 'work' before my actual labour & delivery. Have already passed on the cd to my friend who is pregnant. I think the key is sticking with it even if you don't get on with it at first - the more you listen to one track or one type of CD (probably doesn't even matter which one it is, hypnobirthing, hypnoBabies, Natal Hypnotherapy etc etc) the better I think.

Hello
I will add my views too... I gave birth 2 days ago, at 40+3 and have been using the CD's since 16 weeks pregnant.

What an amazing birth I had!!!!!!!!

I have always been of the opinion that giving birth is natural / normal / part of life that the whole human race has done before etc, so when i herd about "hypnobirthing" I knew it was something i wanted to try, and i fell into the "natal hypnotherapy" version, when i found one of the CDs and the NCT nearly new sale
I liked it, bought the book, and read it cover to cover, and was positive about birth (and planning a homebirth) from before even being pregnant.

The CD's and the book just confirmed to me that there was nothing to worry about, and i didnt.

I wondered if these "pains" could be contractions at about 1330, but wasnt sure.... had some lunch, made some bread, then went upstairs and listened to my CD again. I realised they probably were contractions, but were NOT unbearable or anything.... i just breathed and they were gone again.

called daddy and hospitsl at 1530.(only called hospital as my midwife said please call before 4.30 if in doubt so community midwife on call could not be called out a few moments after getting home, otherwise id have waited longer)

Midwife called me at 1600.... all fine.. i made some flap jack
1700 OH home and TENS machine on level 1

we had some tea

she called back at 1900, by which time i was having to lean on table and breath during my conctractions... 4 mins ish apart, 45 seconds long.

1915 i wanted to be alone, so while OH filled my pool, i went up to my bedroom, put down blackout blind, and just laboured by myself if pitch black room... all fine, very relaxed, calm and silent

2130 i vomited so decided to call hospital to let them know.... midwife called me back and said she'd come round. Was relieved she was coming but not desperate...

2200 ish midwife arrived... brings in stuff etc etc
starts to do her stuff at 2210 ish i think.... so we wait for gaps between contractions for her to do pulse / BP / examine me...

probably examined me at 2220... 7cm....

went to loo 1 last time (I think i had transition on the loo! i made a aggghhhh noise!) and tried to make it downstairs which i did just...

Pool too hot so knelt on sofa....
waters went
4 contractions later she was out at 2237.

No pain-relief except TENS which by birth was up to level 4 and on boost for duration of the birth!

Much faster than i imagined possible, and i had no time for my pool / birth music / to be naked (which were all crucial parts of my birth plan for me!) but im sure the saying "breathing in golden light (for the count of 4) breathing out releasing tension (for the count of 6)" made each contraction only last 4 breaths...

all completely manageable and not really painful at all.

My 2 stitches (with about 10 puffs of gas and air) were far far worse than the birth itself.

I cannot recommend the CDs enough..... and birth was so much better than even i had ever imagined, and i think i was pretty certain everything would be fine!

Nanny! congratulations!! You got your lovely HB!

And I am thrilled to hear the CDs helped but so, so lovely to read your birth story.

I still have a few weeks to go but your birth sounds so positive, it's made me excited!

HI everyone. I wondered if I could ask if anyone has used both the Effective Birth Preparation CD and the Marie Mongan one (Hypnobirthing) and had a preference? I used the Mongan method last time, but the Birth Prep one seems to get great reviews!

Congrats nannyl :) Really pleased you had such a positive experience.

Hi everyone, it's really interesting reading some of your experiences of the cd and birth. I'm just considering getting it at 31wks. Do you think you really need the full programme- ie all 4 CDs or is just the single birth prep one enough? Also I'm still undecided at the mo between home and hospital birth (although if hospital will be trying to stay at home as long as poss). How much difference is between the home and hospital CDs s there? Does it really make a difference?

Thanks xx

CollieandPup - I just had the 1 birth preparation cd, not the whole programme - I was aiming for a home birth but bought the hospital version from Amazon by mistake - I'm sure it really didn't make much of a difference (even though I ended up having to go to Hospital after all!).

During the birth 'walk through' section where she describes the whole process of giving birth there was mention of "when it's time to go to the place to have your baby" which was obviously the hospital part, but it really was just a small mention and I think the home birth one probably would have been very similar, maybe it would mention it briefly - but I think there is hardly much of a difference really. It certainly didn't matter to me when I was listening and imagining giving birth at home.

Has everyone doing this and using the effictive birth preparation done the exercises with your partner or the scripts etc?

Would listen to the cd together before going to sleep. My dh never heard past the first 2 minutes though, must be very susceptible to hypnotherapy

My partner listened to it once! He didn't do any other prep. However he was confident (and brilliant) at knowing what i wanted, talking me through contractions and being a birth partner though - so maybe could be different for someone who wasn't so confident.

Hi, many of you may well have had their babies by now, but if not please do not worry about feeling like you are asleep whilst listening ot the cd. As one of you said - you only hear the end when I ask you to open your eyes - that shows that your subconsious is actually listening to every word even though you truely feel like you are asleep - if it helps I felt the same listening to my own cds for all 5 of my home births!!