What do MWs actually think of hypno-birthing?

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

I'm practising hyno-birthing techniques for the arrival of DC2 in a few weeks time and one of my main worries is, strangely, that the midwives will think I'm being unrealistic and 'woo' and I'll be embarrassed if it goes wrong. I'm already quite embarrassed about discussing it with my community MW, still more so with my consultant and need a reality check.

What do MWs actually think about hypno-bithing? Are they happy when they see women having a go or do they roll their eyes?

Quite interested in this OP as my friend is practicing this for her DC1 and has offered to lend me her CDs for my DC2. Have heard lots of mainly good reports, but just interested to get another perspective.

Why not ask your own midwife and see? I know people who are training to be midwives and they're very supportive of hypnobirthing. I'd think anything that women can do to prepare for birth - especially something as calming as hypnobirthing - would be good for the ward!

I suppose it depends on who I get on the day but I'm just fishing for general ideas to help me stop being so embarrassed about it/so I know to prep DH that he might need to back me up.

The midwife who delivered DD was also a Hypnobirthing practitioner-very handy!

Mine arrived as I was about to start pushing, so there was no time to exlain, but afterwards one said - so that explains why you were so calm! And they both said they'd had some experience of it and thought it was great. I think it's becoming more and more common now, so you're much less likely to get the 'woo' effect.

Incidentally, I had DS2 in 3 hours, I didn't even have chance to get into a hypnotic state! I'm pretty sure that's because I'd convinced myself that it was such a completely normal thing to be doing that my body just went with the flow. It didn't even hurt much!

My midwife loves the idea and has said that a lot of her homebirthers have used hypnobirthing techniques with great success.
I'm expecting DC1 in 2 weeks(ish) and have had my nose in the Mongan book and been listening to the CD on repeat. If nothing else, I feel really positive about giving birth and know that the techniques have helped me manage a lot of stress over the past few months.

One of my community midwives tried to get me to go on a hypnobirthing course when I told her about my less than positive experience at the local hospital last time and revealed I wanted a home birth this time. I've already got the CD and am totally relaxed about the birth process - it was the crap midwife/hospital care last time that I have issues with. She seemed really enthusiastic about it.

Maybe it depends where you are? St Marys, Paddington are great with it. They are pretty good with all sorts of 'alternatives' too.

I bloody love it.
I don't see it as an alternative to pain relief but it makes a bloody good back up.

I am a bit of a chav tbh, I live in the most non woo area you can imagine (although woo-land is within close travelling distance).

I doubt very much that my mws see a lot of hypnobirthing. They were fine with me. Didn't turn a hair. Although I did have my last two at home so perhaps the community mws are a bit more open?

Anyway I think it's great and I have had tons of kids.

I couldn't afford the course so I got some CDs instead.

I'm a midwife, I'm expecting Dc2 and am planning on doing hypnobirthing well, reading the book. So yeah...! I'd think you were great! I've never seen it used though, much to my disappointment! Considering how much hype I've heard, and I work in a fairly 'affluent' area, where I would have thought more people would be in to such a thing... but no.

Anyway, it's the same as anything, you might get a midwife who thinks it is great... or you might not. But it doesn't matter what the midwife thinks! It's not her pushing the bowling ball baby out...

This is interesting. I'm starting a 6 week course with DH on Sunday.

Interestingly, DH's aunt is a GP and had 4 children and thinks it will be really useful.

DH is a dentist and his uncle in a professor and consultant neurologist. They seem slightly more sceptical until we had a very interesting family discussion at the weekend when DH's aunt was explaining that a lot of the practices are built on things that medics and dentists do to calm patients anyway. All agreed that the fear - pain cycle definitely exists and anything you can do to break that or stop it escalating is great.

Only issue I have is that uncle was saying that all his female obstetric colleagues or the wives of the male ones give birth on the maternity ward and most have elcs. He didn't say that I should go down the elcs route but he seems a bit sceptical of the birthing unit due to the lack of pain relief and the general uncomfortableness of transferring and the fact that I could then be at the back of the queue for an epidural. He agreed there wasnt much risk though as part of the hospital.

Everyone's being very polite and supportive but I get the feeling they think I'm a bit nuts to be contemplating giving birth somewhere where all the pain relief options aren't readily accessible - particularly when it's our first and I have no idea how I'll feel!

My hypo-birth instructor for DC1 has now been hired by our local hospital to provide some awareness training for the midwives there and apparently they are quite keen. Not sure yet if DC2 will be born there or at home but I'm pleased to see it being promoted to midwives.

One thing to be aware of is that midwives who haven't seen someone use it successfully before may underestimate how far along you as you appear very calm!

I'm almost at the end of my course - I haven't found it 'woo'. Its mostly common sense tbh. Your body relaxes - Blood flows to your uterus (rather than diverted away from it with fight/flight reflex) meaning surges are effective - shorter labour - baby is not forced down the birth canal. Less stressed mum, less stressed baby.

The meditation / visualisations / mantras etc. are all useful tools.

I also have found our teacher to be a brilliant source of knowledge - we've have 1:1 sessions and tbh be able to gain her insight on things (hynobirthing and in general) has been brilliant and well worth the money.

shinyblackgrape that's why I don't discuss birthing options with anyone apart from close friends and my mum.

OP - I know several MWs who are hypnobirthing practitioners