So I decided to splash out on a Hypnobirthing course and had first class today....

[ChineapplePunk]

All I can say is that I am feeling really positive about my labour already. Currently in bed practicing my calm/relaxing breathing. :)

The class today consisted of a bit of background to the Mongan Method and the physiology of birth. Everyone talked openly and honestly about their "fears" and anxieties regarding birth, and the therapist made a very good job of de-hypnotising us in regards to what most of us have been conditioned into thinking about labour and childbirth, i.e., primarily negativity and assured unbearable pain.

I am really looking forward to the next class and now feel very confident that I can learn to take control of my birthing process, and not allow panic to take over.

wahwah.. still waiting for this to happen with mine. it likes the common sense aspect but is bored by most of the history and repetition!

I have just finished a course which I had privately, just me and dh - purely out of luck as other couples dropped out and they decided to continue with it anyway! It was such a luxury. I didn't do Mongan Method but Katherine Graves and the teachers are community midwives with 20+ years experience each who work in our area too, so all in all think we have had a bit of a gold star package so am hoping it will work well for us.

Though baby is breech at the moment so it may be I have a hypno-CS!

thunks.. have you heard of the spinning babies website? Lots of ways of spinning it! DD turned at 35 weeks (and I can still remember the pain fives years on, but it is possible!).

I think that undestanding the pychological aspect of pain would help all areas of medicine. For example I believe that medical hypnosis could be used for cervical smears or dentistry or injections.

I used natal hypnotheraphy and it was very effective. I think these hypnotheraphy techniques help to calm anxiety. There is no point in worrying about what you have little control over. It helps to live in the present and leave the worrying to the midwife.

However I do think midwives need to be taught to control their language as well. Telling the woman she is going to be in terrible pain or is only 2cm dilated does not help. Midwives need to learn to be positive.

I was lucky with the birth of dd having a very good community midwife. I think that having a high quality midwife was as important as listening to the CDs in me having a good birth.

here here. ReallyTired have to laugh at the juxtaposition of your name and your espousal for the use of positive language . maybe you should be FabulouslyAwake haha