Tell me about Hypnobirthing/Natal hypnotherapy etc etc

[Badgerina]

This will be my 2nd baby, going to start pregnancy yoga soon, planning a home birth, having a doula, want to try self-hypnosis techniques. What CD/books can I get to use at home? We can't afford to do a course.

Hi

I gave birth in November at home using hypnobirthing. It was my first so I haven't got anything to compare it to, but it really did work for me. The labour was quick (something which is very common in hypnobirths) infact the midwife got here 15 minutes before she was born! I used the Marie Mongan method - I did go on a course but the things that helped me were the Rainbow Relaxation CD, which you can download if you do a search on google and also Marie Mongan's book - the breathing techniques were fab for me. The trick for me was listening to the CD and practicing the breathing techniques everyday. I didn't have any pain relief - not even gas and air. I would highly recommend it!

Hope this helps!

Joanne

I did natal hypnotherapy...First baby, planned homebirth 7months ago

I read the book cover to cover, also a few other home birth books

i did pregnancy relaxation 3 - 4 times a week from 16 weeks pg

then from 32 weeks i listened to effective home birth preparation CD (which i found impossible not to fall asleep to, and would wake up at the end feeling like I had been asleep and couldnt remember what i had herd)

I also drank lots of raspberry leaf tea, did a bit of perenial massage (not as much as planned) and got the helios homebirth homeopathy set too, and once i had reached my due date had a clary sage bath at night.

My Mum gave birth to both me and my sister (in hospital) with no pain relief except homeopathy.

I had have genuine belief that birth doesnt have to be pain-ful / scary etc and that as a mammal i am designed to give birth. I was not worried, and thought if my mum can do it so can i....

though I did get pethadine in, and ask midwifes to bring gas and air, and was happy to use them if i decided i wanted them

My natal hypnotherapy gave me a bond with DD... I geuienly felt she knew what she was doing.

I had lots of stressful life event planned when i was 38 / 39 weeks pg, and she was due on my birthday... I didnt want to share my birthday, but was happy for her to come from the day after, when all the stuff had happened.

The day after my birthday i had my morning shower and told bump that now was the time... i was now ready for her to come

i think labour started within 2 hours but i wasnt aware... i thought it was late pregnancy niggles which i had been having for weeks...

decided it was probably labour at about 3pm and called midwife... she called me back at 7pm.... it didnt really hurt.... i still thought it was the early stages, at 9.30pm i vomited so called midwife just to tell them... was still not sure if labour as it didnt hurt that much, though i had got my TENS on, on level 1, just cause i thought i should
Midwife asked if i wanted her to come yet, i didnt mind.... still didnt really hurt, couldnt be that far on... but midwife made the decision to come and see me..

she arrived 10pm, and by the time we had done obs between contractions and examined me it was about 10.15... I was 7cm (i was hoping to be 1 or 2cm, as i did feel it was now real, but i still thought not painful enough to be it!)

20mins later i was a Mummy! DD born safely at home without any pain relief.... I didnt push her.... she shot out herself.... the last 2mins was not that pleasant, but all managable (I turned TENS up to level 4 for the actual birth).
(Midwife 2 didnt arrive until 5mins after the birth!)

I didnt have time to get in my pool, or switch on my birth music CD or get my oils etc etc.... but i did have the easiest most pain free birth out of everyone i have ever met and I attribute that to my natal hypnotherapy.

Also in those early days the only thing that soothed fractious newborn DD was listening to the birth prep CD and birthing music... i know she knew / recognised it, and was calmed by it and it was worth it for that too

Good Luck. I hope to do the same for number 2, and plan to get my pool sorted as soon as I wonder if its labour... I will trust that it is!!!!

Hmm well I would imagine if you had a straightforward labour it would be great!

I used Maggie Howel's natal hypno cd for my 1st baby (I was hoping for a home birth).

I was in labour for two days and eventually transferred to hospital as I was so exhausted(I was 4cm)I was active/upright and did all the right things.
I had a synto drip for five hours and I was still 4cm's . So for me natal hypnotherapy had its limitations!

I eventually I had an EMCS as DD was in the wrong position.

For my 2nd baby I planned to have a Vbac and I used a Vbac natal hypnotherapy cd. Again only got to 4cm and had another section!This time my DS was in a great position but my cervix will not dilate.

My opinion is that you can't control your body but you can help to control your mind and fear.
I don't know of anyone who has had a hideously long and difficult labour and coped with Hypnobirthing or natal hypnotherapy alone.

Thanks women! Your stories sound very positive and are exactly what I need to hear.

daisyjacko thanks for the tip re: the free download. I will definitely look that up.

nannyl do you have a link to the book you used, or is it on the Natal- Hypnotherapy website?

Thanks again

MrsHoolie I totally agree with you. You can't control your body. Sometimes there are medical and/or physical things that prevent labour from unfolding.

My reason for wanting to use natal hypnotherapy is because I may as well try it and see what happens!

My first birth was straightforward. 14 hours in total: used TENS machine at home, arrived at hospital 5cm dilated, used G&A for a while, got into the pool, felt really relaxed, contractions slowed a little, got out, needed a catheter so I could wee, slept through an anterior lip, shouted at midwife during transition, got back in the pool, DS born in water after 45-50mins of pushing, DS started Bfing immediately, phys. 3rd stage, got out of pool to deliver placenta, then had synt. injection, small tear, no stitches.

This time I'm hoping for similar - quicker would be nice!

nannyl I like the tip about having Clary Sage baths from the due date. I could have done with that last time - went 17 days over! How much did you add to the water?

Sounds like it would be great for you,and will give you some extra confidence. Especially as when you go into labour a 2nd time you think 'oh now I remember what it feels like'.

And you have nothing to lose at all.

I certainly don't knock it and also I think it's good to practice the techniques to help relax in pregnancy not that you have much time in your 2nd one

I used Natal Hypnotherapy for my first birth, and will be again for this one.

I too thought that I always fell asleep and couldn't have told you what happened after a certain point, but when DH listened to it he realised that I had been saying some of the stuff on there, and not registered where it came from - you don't really sleep, you relax and subconsciously still take note.

I recall a particular point where I realised I wasn't frightened of the birth, and although logically I knew I had been once, I couldn't recall it - that's in there too.

I didn't have a straightforward birth, but the hypnotherapy took me through 2 days of labouring at home, and 2 hours being augmented on a drip, it was only when things got a bit too intense and I tried G&A, which completely threw my concentration, that I decided I needed pain relief. I did end up with an EMCS, but I wouldn't say the hypnotherapy was a waste of time, it made me much more able to cope with a pretty traumatic labour.

I am a big believer in meditation and alternative therapies, however for me natal hypnotherapy didn't work. I found that once in labour even with prompting from DH I couldn't focus on any of it! I didn't have proper contractions though, just 1 long agonising pain for the whole of my labour so that may have been why, as it wasn't how I'd imagined it to be and I had none of the waves of pain I was expecting!

However, I will still try it again with DC2 as even if it doesn't work, it helped to relax me in the run up to my due date.