Hypnobirthing... Is it worth it??

[Lou1324]

I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant with dc2.

With DD I was induced at 42weeks. My labour was relatively short (12hrs) but I felt completely out of control and ended up with forceps as she was back to back. Honestly, I completely lost the plot!

I'm terrified about doing it all again! I've heard good things about hypnobirthing, but not sure my DH really buys into the idea... Just wondered if anyone has had any experiences positive or negative?? Has anyone self taught or gone to classes??

Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

I did the training when pregnant and taught for a while. Am a qualified therapist (hence did the trainers course as therapists are terrible patients).

It's a combo of practical advice, confidence building, relaxation and positive reinforcement. It helps you stay in control no matter what happens.

It was a complete waste of time for me, and I took a one-on-one course with a highly recommended teacher who was also a working midwife, and practised it seriously with (now-ex) DH's full support every day.

Yes yes yes!

Bad back to back birth with DC1 though natural in the end I felt out of control like you.

Did hypnobirthing from a book and my own chosen music. DC2 I was so relaxed I didn't make it to the hospital. DC 3 again back to back and got stuck but I stayed relaxed and in control throughout.

Go for it.

Hope you don’t mind me jumping on. When’s a good time to start a course/book?

They suggest as early as poss so that you can practice loads. I did my course a couple of weeks before DS was born.

It was totally worth it even though I didn't practise much. Can't recommend enough

And if you get the book try to get the us recordings. They just sound better with a us accent!

I did prenatal yoga which included 15min Hypno at end, from 20 weeks, and also did the Maggie Howell self-guided CDs daily from 30 weeks at home. Try to buy second hand from Amazon, or they can be expensive.

I had a planned home birth for DD (first pregnancy) which unintentionally became a 'free birth' when she arrived after midwife had left us due to 'slow progression'.

I definitely wasn't the Hypno birthing unicorn story of painless home birth with preternaturally calm mother - I was in agony - but I'm sure Hypno techniques helped me through transition without any pain relief or midwife support. I 'breathed' DD out without realising she was on her way out. I was in my own world, just breathing, then DH had to fish her out of my pants. When it came to the placenta the paramedics/midwife had to explain how to push as I'd got to that point on breathing alone!

There was definitely a point though when the contractions set in and I decided Hypno birthing was bollocks though

If I were to do it again, I'd follow the recommendations to get DH or other birth partner trained up so they know what you're doing and can support.

With DC3 I had an unexpected home birth and I think the only thing that stopped me completely freaking out ( whole thing took hour 15 minutes from first contraction to baby in arms) was the prenatal yoga with hypno therapy I ‘d done.

It was just me and DH for the first hour. paramedics turned up in force 15 minutes before DC3 (they’d come really quick once we’d called them just by the time we realised I wouldn’t be getting to the hospital I’d only been in labour about 45minutes)

Oops posted to soon. It really helped me focus on breathing etc instead of the terrifying prospect that DH might be catching the baby iyswim.

Oh I found the American accents truly awful I did Sophie fletcher mindful hypnobirthing and I find her voice extremely calming you can download it on audible.

Also if you have Apple Music I find hypnobirthing Australia surge of the sea a good one and she does an affirmations recording which is part of positive reinforcement, the only other accent I can deal with.

I’m 36 weeks though in my second I didn’t do hypnobirthing with my first and had a similar birth experience to you, no forceps though.

Definitely worth it. Did it before dc2 & used techniques again for dc3. Really good relaxation techniques, which I still use when I'm having trouble sleeping. It is really important to keep your body relaxed in labour to prevent injury and I couldn't have done it without hypnobirthing.

100% yes.

I'm not a woooo 🦄 🌈 type either and know which painkillers I could have and when.

I genuinely didn't need any - even when they gave me oxytocin to get things shifting along (very leisurely birth - DS is still a dreadful dawdler) I still couldn't even be arsed to try the gas and air. I was curious to see if it was like laughing gas - but that would have meant I'd need to get off my backside and waddle over to the other side if the room and I just couldn't be bothered.

It was a very boring birth and the midwives did need a bit of persuading that I was in labour to start with, then later on that DS was imminent.

I'm quite a laid back sloth though!

Maybe the us cds worked for me as they were made by the tutor that took my course (Mickey Mongan). Yooor bay-bee!

Haha fekko I love the idea that you were just so chilled. Il look him up see if he is any better it was all female accents that I heard and they just caused me to feel on edge, weird as I don’t have an issue with accents any other time.

I found it useful. It definitely helped in the early stages.

BUT I was still thrown off by the chaotic/ unplanned nature of DS’s arrival. Laboring on a ward because the delivery rooms were full didn’t help! I freaked out during transition but was otherwise fine.

Mickeys a woman! She has one if those twangy American accents!

Did fuck all for me except relieve me of the best part of £400. I did two courses with two different pracitioners, one for each child. Practiced religiously with DH non stop. DC1 was EMCS and frankly it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced until I got an epidural. Not a single technique made a single bit of difference.

DC2 was a VBAC, but again bloody awful until the epidural kicked in. The first course left me feeling pretty shit and a failure - I didn’t get invited to the after birth meet ups.

I've found that the best practitioners may be therapists!

It can take a long time to perfect teaching relaxation techniques, hypnosis and self guided imagery.

YES!

I was induced with my first at 37 weeks & had to argue with a consultant that I was ready to push so I wanted to be more in control.

I did hypnobirthing & pregnancy yoga from 8 weeks. The breathing exercises helped massively, I could breathe through a contraction & I also used the pain dial imagery.

I didn’t use the CD as I found it threw me off but I got to 8cm without any major pain & then needed my partner to help me get back in the zone but then I could focus on the hypnobirthing again.

It works, it helps you focus on finding those contractions that get the baby out.

I did the Maggie Howells CD from about 28w. It chiefly helped to relieve prenatal anxiety but I did admittedly have a fast labour and didn't really feel contractions so who knows!

I can't see any harm in giving it a try. But be prepared that it may not work.

With DC1 I had a fairly good natural birth (just the way it worked out, not hypnobirthing) so decided to try hypnobirthing for DC2. I bought the CDs but didn't attend classes. The CD used to always send me to sleep.

Didn't help at all. Despite the fact I was already approaching birth with a positive attitude because of the positive experience first time, I had a much more painful experience with DC2. I was induced and it took 5 hours from start to finish (I deliver fast) but the midwife didn't believe I was so far advanced so I had no pain relief at all, and my husband wasn't really supportive, so I was fully "conscious" of what was going on in my logical normal brain, which was horrid.

Comparing the two experiences I think the key is to not to feel stressed and to feel supported by those around you so that your body can do its own thing - first time was much better for me as I went into a primal state where I was labouring at home and then in hospital at dark at night and the primal brain took over - a lovely fog.

I think like everything you won’t know until you’re in labour. I used relaxation and self-hypnosis techniques with my dc2 and has a really easy, quick, relaxed labour (still bloody painful contractions though)! Had a fairly straightforward labour with dc1 too although I was really anxious and not at all relaxed so everything took twice as long!
I’d definitely recommend looking into self hypnosis and relaxation techniques but wouldn’t pay for an expensive course.

No, it’s a load of bollox and a money-making scam. Just get the epidural!