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!!

Window that seems a bit much just to suggest going straight to epidural and it’s not without it’s own risks. There are lots of pain relief options to try it’s not just nothing or epi.

I think it helped - I used the Maggie Howell's CD for all three pregnancies and had fairly quick very calm births though it all went a bit tits up after DS2 arrived and the midwife took some convincing I was in labour when I went in with DC3 - she arrived before the MW had filled in the booking in form! Try it - if nothing else you have a lovely snooze listening to the CD every afternoon whilst on mat leave....

I loved my hypnobirthing experience and think it did make a difference to my birth story which you can read here www.natalhypnotherapy-nm.co.uk/birth_stories.php

I loved hypnobirthing and I think it did make a difference to my birth story which you can read in full here www.natalhypnotherapy-nm.co.uk/birth_stories.php x

Yep, totally worth it for me- had a drug and intervention free labour and birth... although I didn't do a specific "course"- just used apps, workbooks, online resources and went to a lot of antenatal yoga. I also read Ina may Gaskins book "spiritual midwifery" which I recommend to all pregnant women I know. It changed my whole way of approaching labour (for the better) and turned it into a really beautiful experience- even when it wasn't the birth id "planned".

AMAZING!

So worth it.

Was induced with DS1, no pain relief throughout and I honestly wasn't in pain. Just had frankincense oil diffused through the room, it was amazing. Had a long labour (15 hours) and a big baby at 9lb 8 but it really did work for me.

I really benefited from it. I didn't go on an expensive course, just read the book, practised every day and listened to the accompanying meditation cd I downloaded from iTunes in the weeks before my due date.

None of my friends had anything good to say about labour. They were all terrified, had horrible experiences and when I said I wanted as natural a birth as possible, one even said "yeah, you wait, you'll be SCREAMING for that needle."

I can honestly say, I didn't feel much 'pain' at all in the whole 21 hours. My mind really did interpret it more as excitement that she was on her way. I held on to every stage of pain relief (breathing - TENS - G&A) for as long as I could to avoid running out of options too soon. She kept slipping back and forward so the whole end-stage and crowing was hours and she even broke or dislocated my tailbone on the way out!
But still, neither of our vitals ever indicated we were at all stressed and the only negative feeling was the sheer exhaustion after being awake for 2 days.

I really do rate it but wouldn't pay loads for class.

Queen I also read Ina May Gaskin's Spiritual Midwifery, which I also credit for my good experience. Loved it.

I listened to the cd daily from about 26ish weeks I think when I had my first child. I loved the daily relaxation and I felt quite chilled going into labour. I then listened to the cd on loop during labour which really helped me but probably annoyed everyone else in the room, so perhaps take headphones!
One of the central things that helped me was to remember that I actually had no control over the process of birth, I had to give into it and let my body do its thing and go with it.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

My husband bought the book before our first child, he read it cover to cover and was very into it. I didn't have time to read it (it's not my bag really) and ended up with a similar birth to yours, baby born back to back, although no forceps.

We had our second child a few months ago, the book stayed in the garage. Second birth was nothing like the first, much faster and hurt more but it was a very positive experience in the end. I had uterine hyperstimulation (basically you contract without a break, I had 5 hours of this) no amount of hypnobirthing would have helped!

What I'm trying to say is don't be frightened second time around, chances are you'll have a much better experience anyway. I think my mind set helped as much as anything, I never felt any fear.

I’d say if you want to feel in control get an epidural. Or possibly a doula. Both were awesome (different births). Hypnobirthing did nothing for me in the overwhelming horribleness of a back to back labour.

Windowsong lol you sound like me. I think I was saying exactly that when I was high on the epidural!

I found it great
Was very stressed about birth during the pregnancy so gave it a go.

On the day ds was back to back with no break in contractions and decided to go for an epidural at 6 cm. then ended up having an emergency cs.
I think all the hypnobirthing work kept me from panicking and loosing it.
Well worth it even though epidural and cs would suggest it wasn’t successful, I very much feel that it was

Did anyone find classes useful? They do seem very expensive but I’ll definitely not be able to convince DH to read anything about it by himself.

Group classes are a lot cheaper than private sessions. You can do lots using the book and cds.

I did the Maggie Howell CDs, I think they helped a lot with a 3 hr induced labour with non-stop contractions. I was very calm and could talk through the contractions, so midwives refused to believe I was in labour and refused pain relief. It did hurt though and I was also using a tens machine.

I went through transition alone and after that insisted midwives examined me, DD was practically out (I was still calm).

If anyone wants to buy my set of 4 CDs pm me.
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I used the Maggie Howell hypnoborthing CDs - didn't go on a course. I used them 3ish times a week from about 30 weeks (less before then). For me it worked really well but in conjunction with being very well informed about options, statistics, different interventions etc

I planned a home birth. I had 20 hours at home followed by a transfer in and an emergency section at about 26 hours. I didn't have or want any pain relief until the spinal for the c-section. I can honestly say that I didn't experience contractions as pain and the only time I felt at all "stressed" was when the ambulance to transfer in took 2 hours to arrive! I felt stressed because I just wanted to get on with it.

The hospital staff on the labour ward and in the theatre said that they'd never seen anyone as calm as I was and were quizzing me about what I had done/was doing to be so ok.

I didn't feel like I was actively using the techniques though I did use the music - more I felt my breathing, body and "headspace" just naturally slotted in to what I'd trained it to do.

So a bigs thumbs up from me

I found the visualisation practice helpful and definitely used that (could have been instinctive though as it felt very natural to me). But I think to really benefit your birth partner also has to be on board. My DH dismissed it all as a waste of time and wasn’t very supportive which I think negated some of the benefits for me.

It helped me to a certain extent when I was labouring at home, but once I hit the consultant led unit at the hospital it all went to shit. Continuous monitoring, laboured on back as a consequence, failed epidural and forceps delivery as it transpired he was back to back - all very traumatic tbh.

I’d do it, but keep an open mind and accept that it might not go the way you want.

Oh should add that let your MW know that you're using hypnobirthing techniques... when I turned up at the hospital they thought I was in the early stages of labour. I was actually in transition (I knew I was because I was starting to feel like I might not be able to manage without pain relief)... and by the time anyone bothered to check me, I was 10cm.

Apparently it happens a lot with hypnobirthing first time mums - you appear much calmer - therefore earlier in labour - than they 'expect' you ought to be at transition/full dilation.

It was amazing for me. I was terrified of labour, but the techniques helped me to feel calm and in control. Ended up with an emergency section and the dr said they had never seen anyone going into one so calm!

Yes. But pay for a trained hypnobirthing tutor rather than relying on being self taught with CDs etc. We chose hypnobirthing over NCT classes and it was fab for both of us during first birth. I was calm and in control throughout even when I had to make choices that weren't my preference - episiotomy anyone?

ps - I second queennefertity. I was 9cm when admitted and both me an husband got a shock ... MW was saying she could feel the head, and I was saying 'seriously, no, that can't be right' and she was v patient saying 'I've been a midwife for 20 years' ...

I loved my hypnobirthing experience. I was induced at 42 weeks with a 10lb baby. As soon as I went into labour I was really sick and I felt like drugs or gas & air would've made that worse so I was really glad to use the breathing control techniques instead. We had a really positive experience with it and felt in control throughout. I had by chance two hypnobirthing midwives in the hospital who were fab and just let me get on with it with minimal intervention.