Hypnobirth CD/book vs class

[Caro050116]

Hi all, I am 30 weeks (due 5/1/16) and thinking about Hypnobirth (ideally...who knows what will happen on the day!!). Based in Bristol and was considering a course but they are around £300 which is a bit beyond my price range! Does anyone have positive experience of using CD/ book combination without going on a course? If so, which one? There is a lot of choice and could really do with some guidance. Thanks!

I went for class option with dh. The reason being is that I'm the sort of person who needs to ask questions a lot when they are learning! It was really nice because it meant dh was learning too, which was important for his role in the birth process. Was also really relaxing when we went through all the exercises.

Agree private classes are expensive. Think mine cost about the same. I justified the cost by dividing by the number of labours I was going to use it for (2 in the end)! My friend got cheap classes through NCT in London. Not sure if they offer something like that in Bristol?

I didn't do classes, I just used the book and CD - I got the Maggie Howell one. Wouldn't have minded doing classes there just weren't any that worked for us in terms of timings.

My labour was straightforward, short and (relatively!) pain-free. Hard to say how much of that is just luck though! I think the hypnotic-birthing helped me feel calm and in control, and like I'd done a bit of prep, at least!

(Although for some reason the "relaxing" music gave me the absolute rage when I was in labour: DH had to gently take my laptop away before I chucked it out the window!)

I can't compare. I used the Maggie Howell book and CD and thought it was brilliant. Straight forward labour, no pain relief and breathed through my contractions and used the techniques to focus and stay as calm as possible, so I would highly recommend.

I paid for pregnancy yoga classes so didn't want to pay for hypnobirthing classes as well. I used the cd in the run up to labour while practising yoga poses at home.

When it actually came to it, some of the breathing exercises I'd learned at yoga classes were useful for the first 2-3 hours of my 24-hr labour. The hypnobirthing turned out to be completely useless for me, I'm afraid.

thanks all! I have already spent a small fortune on classes (NCT/ antenatal Pilates and aqua yoga - they definitely saw me coming!!). Also, don't want to spend the £300 and then need an emergency C-section and not use the techniques!
A friend of mine gave me "preparation for birth after a C-section" CD (this is my first but she planned to use it for her second child - had to have a second c-section and didn't get to use the CD though sadly). Searched for Maggie Howell and found that this CD is from the same range so I will go for the labour CD and get the book from this range too I think.

Thank you all for your help!