Hypnobirthing??

[AdiVic]

Hello - I've been reading another thread about negative labour stories and the hypnobirthing approach. I'm 26w p and have been told I will prob go early. When I do, I would love to avoid drugs. I had pethadine (waste of time in my case) and an epidural in my first labour after being induced as the contractions were horrid and I was more terrified of the pushing the head out bit. I am hoping to avoid being induced this time, and can cope with the contractions, but as I have never felt the actual coming out bit, I feel a bit panicky. This has been a complicated pregnancy and I had one last year which ended at 17 weeks with me having to be induced then, so I am not in the frame of mind to bu**er about and be all tough - but I would like to find out about others experiences of hypno birthing as it sounds good. Sorry to ramble on;)xx

We have just done the course (Edinburgh) and though I haven't had my baby yet (due 8 March), I am so happy we did. I've had a great pregnancy so far but was terrified of the actual birth....and it has completely changed my mindset. So much so that I am looking forward to the birth! Really excited.

The best things about it are the positivity, the help with breathing and the fact that it gives you the confidence to know that you can do it.

I think every woman should do it. It will also help your birth companion help you relax. Honestly, the best money I have spent.

The relaxation exercises are so helpful too. They will show you videos of women who are deeply relaxed and giving birth and it just shows you your body was meant to do this - the more relaxed you are, the easier time you will have.

Based on my own experience, I say go for it! My local hospital actually runs a hypnobirthing course but the waiting list is endless, and because of such high demand it's practically impossible to get on it, therefore we decided to book onto a private one.

My experience has been very similar to KikiLeith's, it changes your mindset and general approach to birth. It gives you a box of tools, both mentally and physically, which enable you to deal with things in a much more relaxed and productive way, and hopefully this will continue when D-Day arrives.:) In my view people seem to think it's fine and "realistic" for women to resign themselves to inevitable trauma and unbearable pain, yet if someone decides to resign themselves to positivity and maintaining as relaxed an attitude as possible whilst being completely well informed and knowledgable about the birth process and all potential scenarios, this approach is somehow less "realistic" and airy-fairy. Not at all. The more relaxed and confident you are then it makes absolute scientific sense to me that you will be far less likely to succumb to fear, which in general, results in much more tension and therefore much more pain.

It did P me off that I had to go down the private route, but hey-ho, I'll stick my principles in my back pocket for a while until they offer the option of hypnobirthing routinely within the NHS. :)

Natal hypnotherapy is the UK version and IMHO was amazing.

I attended course and brought book (got given complimentary cd).

There is a massive focus on the birthing partner and their role.

You learn tools to take with you whilst in labour. And definitely learn to relax and trust your body to do what it should do.

They don't proclaim to take any pain away just give you information and tools to help you.

I can't link on my phone but I detailed my labour in another thread and how Natal Hypnotherapy worked (search my old posts). I honestly believe I got the labour I wanted as I was relaxed and prepared for my body to do what it should.

If you can't afford course, definitely buy the book and Cd's.

All the best

I had the book and cd's, but didn't do the course. It worked to get me over my fears about labour in the run up to the birth, however I didn't find it even slightly useful during labour! Each to their own though, I'd still probably try it again if I have another baby, it certainly didn't do any harm and gave me something to focus on other than baby shopping!

Why do you feel it didn't help in actual labour, Rockchick? Was it to do with being in a hospital environment?

I'm trying to figure out how useful I feel the classes are being at the moment - am halfway through a course of four.

I think that because my labour wasn't how I'd expected it to be, I couldn't focus on any of it. I wasn't getting gaps between contractions, so no time to recover from them, and despite putting the hypnotherapy cd on, it just irritated me, and I felt almost like my body wasn't doing what it should do in labour! By the time I went to the hospital there was some concerns for ds's well-being, so it was the last thing on my mind then, I just wanted him out safely!

I think if I'd had a 'textbook' labour (if there's such a thing!) and it had been what I expected, just painful, it may have helped me. I know that there's a lot in the book about how it helps people cope with the unexpected, but I just felt the opposite.

I did natal hypnortherapy.

i got the book and the CDs, but didnt need any courses etc

i did pregnancy relaxation from 16 - 32 weeks
then effective homebirth preparation from 32 weeks

I had the easiest most painfree birth of anyone i know

i laboured by myself if the dark (my bedroom)
the midiwife arrived (i wasnt sure if i was in proper labour as it didnt hurt but i was sure something was happening)... I was 7cm, and 20mins later i was a mummy.

I had a drug free and almost pain free and pretty much silent labour and birth at home. I used a TENS and had that on level 4 and boost during the actual birth.

I was calm, was not at all worried about the birth and i knew it would be fine... despite being very positive it was all much much easier than i imagined it would be.

I hope number 2 as and when he / she comes (not yet as baby is only 5m old) will be as easy

Exactly my point nannyl if I had the labour I was expecting, it may have helped me, but I found that as nothing was what I had been expecting it didn't help at all. I also had drug free labour, but the hypnotherapy had nothing to do with that, it was a decision I'd already made and stuck to.

Thanks, Rockchick - I'm sorry it didn't help you. I could entirely anticipate responding in the same way (irritation with the CD and the blueberry-coloured mist), though the thing that's wrecking my head at the moment is that for once in my life, I'm facing an experience that no amount of reading can prepare me for, and I have NO IDEA what labour will be like.

I've used it twice now - Mongan Method, course and home practise (this bit is essential imo), and it's been awesome. Won't guraantee you an easy labour (nothing will) but will ensure you have the tools at your disposal to stay calm, focused, relaxed and in control no matter what turns your labour takes (first time I had waters broken, syntocin drip, continuous monitoring, ventouse delivery with episiotomy, so not ideal by a long stretch but managed with no pain relief (apart from local when they did episiotomy), and was 8cm when I got to the hospital. I can't speak highly enough of Hypno, it changed everything for me.

I completely forgot everything to do with hypnobirthing once I was in labour. Perhaps it's more helpful if everything is straightforward but if the baby is in an awkward position positive thinking and visualisation does not have an impact.

I did a Hypnobirthing course which was, very luckily for me, taught by a very experienced midwife.

I found it really helpful in labour. I had a very fast labour (4.5 hours from start to finish) with no gaps between contractions, but the contractions themselves I found very manageable with the breathing techniques. I also had the CD on repeat whilst we were at home.

Unfortunately, my labour ended in a crash section under GA, but I never at any point felt panicked or frightened or in terrible pain. They think (altho it's just guesswork) that DD was distressed by my waters breaking (which happened before labour started, although shitty hospital didn't believe me until they examined me in advanced labour and confirmed it ) and by the speed of my labour. Who knows really though - just one of those things.

For me, the course was well worth it and I will use the techniques again if we have another baby.

Just to correct what has been said above: Natal Hypnotherapy IS NOT the UK version of HypnoBirthing. HypnoBirthing is the same whichever country you are in because women and babies are pretty much the same wherever you are! There is however a UK version of the original HypnoBirthing book by Marie Mongan which talks about NHS services and changes the spelling to UK spelling. HypnoBirthing is a comprehensive ante-natal course which prepares you for birth whatever happens.

If you need any more info there are some FAQs here
If you are looking for a Certified HypnoBirthing Practitioner i.e. someone who is fully trained by the HypnoBirthing Institute and continues their professional development, you can find a comprehensive list here

Best of luck with your birth experience.

I would highly recommend the HypnoBirthing Classes. CD's are addressed to the public in general: HypnoBirthing Classes are addressed to YOU.
Have a wonderful Birth!

Hi AdiVic,

I done a hypnobirthing (HB) course and think it is well worth the money.

Like Rockchick my birth didnt go as planned but i still feel the HB helped. I felt in control the whole time. I didnt feel the contractions come and go the way i had thought i would, the sensation became fairly constant.

I stood or paced the whole time i was in labour (12 hours), just didnt like lying down. Didnt have any pain relief.

The only part of the HB that i would disagree with wash the pushing. The HB course me and my DH completed, talked a lot about the "pushing" being a manufactured concept. But when i was fully dilated (didnt know at the time), my body was involuntary pushing, it was so bizzare. Walked to labor ward to find that i was FD and ready to meet my baby.
The last bit was about an hour but honestly dont worry about the pushing the head out part if you reckon you can deal with the contractions.
I ended up with my legs up in stirups and an episiotomy as my LO decided to have the cord round his neck twice.... BUT the HB made the whole thing a very positive experience for me.

Hi AdiVic,

I have used HB for two births and now teach the method based on how good my first experience was. Yes, the course is an investment of your time (and money) but you have everything to gain. I really hope whatever you decide to do, this experience will be better for you. Here's an article I've written about it - may be of interest - www.naturalchildbirth.co/uk/articles/78-birth-methods/hypnobirthing/19-hypnobirthing-give-your-baby-an-opportunity-to-arrive-into-a-calm-and-peaceful-environment.html