Hypnobirthing advice

[Something20]

Hi everyone :) I'm currently 27 weeks and would love to give hypnobirthing a try when the time comes and want to start prepping now.

Could I hear any hypnobirthing stories and also any books or tracks that you would recommend?

Thanks ❤️

@Something20 I've no advice as I'm in a similar position. 25+3 and done a hypnobirthing course and would be lovely to hear hypnobirthing stories from Mumsnet. Although if you do the Positive Birthing Company course £39 (really good and it's so easy and interesting to use) you can join their private positive birth stories Facebook group and there's a lot on there. X

Hey @GalaxyGirl24 :) I've looked at their online course, did you really enjoy it? I follow their Instagram and love reading the positive birth stories but thought I'd branch out and ask on here too, hopefully we get some responses 🤞🏼

Hi, I did hypnobirthing with my DS, started out very naturally, but ended in an epidural & forceps. I insisted on taking my music (was allowed one earphone in) and carried on with the breathing and meditation side of it. At the start the midwife kept saying I must have a high pain threshold as I wasn’t acting as though I was as far on as I was - I was very calm. I’ve no idea how people get through labour without hypnobirthing!

I would recommend the YouTube tracks by Emma Kenny - you can even start listening to them now in preparation. The book by Milli Hill is also a must.

Best of luck!

Highly recommend ihypno(?) app. Pay the couple of quid to have access to everything.

It's the only thing I used and I loved it

I did hypnobirthing with the Positive Birth Company for my second birth and I loved every second. I used a TENS machine and had gas and air for the last 30 mins. The breathing technique definitely helped to keep my focus. Good luck x

I did the Positive Birth Company online course, I thought it was brilliant and felt calm, empowered and prepared going into birth.
I gave birth in a MLU and whilst everything didn’t go strictly to plan, I was prepared for that and remained calm. In fact the midwives remarked on how calm I stayed throughout, my heart rate stayed totally stable throughout.
Of course maybe all that would have been the case without hypnobirthing and you can’t exactly control whether you will need an assisted delivery / c-section but my outlook was that if it helped my labour experience 0.5% then it was worth a shot.

@LemonSaturdays thank you for this and being honest! I totally understand hypnobirthing isn't going to be some magic easy way through labour and things are still going to take their natural course but if it helps me keep calm and ground so I'm able to cope through these things then it's been a success cause I'm such a flapper haha. I will 100% have a look at the YouTube and book, thank you so much!

@2007Millie that's amazing thank you so much, I'll have a look!! 🙌🏼

@crunchiecravings this is something I've already looked into and I follow their Instagram and love it! They seem to be a firm favourite so definitely a solid option so thank you so much. I've not really done any research into using a TENS machine so think that is my next port of call 😊

@blueeggsandspam thank you!! 🙌🏼 these are exactly my thoughts. I'm not expecting hypnobirthing to give me an easy labour but if it helps me cope with whatever gets thrown at me then that's amazing! I think I have a pretty decent pain threshold but I am such a panicer and flapper so I'm wanting to practice it and learn the breathing to help me keep grounded and calm and remember what I'm going through the labour! Thanks so much for that xx

I'm half way through the positive birthing company online course. Both me and my DP were a bit about it all but our NCT class recommended it. I'm glad they did now as I've felt like I have learned a lot more about labour and feel a bit more prepared.

My DP has said the same, I think before he would have just stood in the way not knowing what to do but he now feels more involved as a birthing partner (there is a lot they can do to reduce stress levels like encouraging good breathing techniques, supporting labour positions and massage)

I can't say if it will work as not given birth yet but I'm glad I've given it ago.

The positive birth company digital pack really worked for me op.

I tried hypnobirth approach, it's a great way to relax and think about what you'd like or not like in labour.
I ended up being induced and ultimately needed painkillers etc but that's just the way life goes.
Most important thing IMO is not to set hopes on any one way of delivery, you do what you need to do and that's fine!
Look at all the possibilities and think about what you'd like!
Good luck with birthing and becoming a mum x

I did the positive birth company pack & it wasnt for me. Personally it felt abit preachy to me and made me feel like unless I was going to have a water birth in a candle lit room at home with music etc that it was all going to go to shit. It doesnt really give advice or scenarios on things like what happens if you do need to be induced in a bright hospital room etc

@Something20 I did really enjoy it! I didn't think about following on insta so I'll do that now too! Thank you. I thought the information and the way it preps you on how to manage the breathing/birth plan/trying to make the most of every eventuality was good. Loved the layout and my partner feels a lot more involved and prepared as some have mentioned in the comments above.
It's my first child however so we will see how much I recall and stay with in the midst of labour! I really hope that I can get through at least some of my labour without the sheer distress and panic that you always see on things like OneBornEveryMinute etc!

As @BeautyAndTheBump1 says I did find parts of it a bit preachy in terms of trying to be all natural all the time, but I just tried to absorb the info in my own way and make it fit me. I'm hoping to go natural and the stories on the fb group are inspiring but I suppose you can't plan for everything!

@BeautyAndTheBump1 not sure if mine has been updated since you have done the course but there was a whole section on pain relief, c-section, inductions etc.

I do agree there are times which are a bit preachy but as long as you are aware and can make your own mind up about labour I think it's ok. I'm under no illusion that I will take medical intervention/pain relief if it's required and I will definitely be listening to the midwife on duty above all else.

Hi.

I can only give my two cents. I was interested in the hypnobirthing with my first baby. I went to a class they did at the birthing centre where I was due to have my baby. They used the Marie Mongan book and sent us tracks to listen to. (I can send you them if you want to message me).

I found it really helpful, the tracks made me fall asleep instantly though (but apparently your subconscious takes it all in). I listened to the track and listened to an audio book on it.

My only advice is to make sure you either have someone to advocate for you, or speak up and demand the midwifes listen.

Looking back on my sons birth I think it was a mixture of a high pain tolerance, hypnobirthing techniques and negligence on behalf of the midwifes At the MLU that they didn’t believe I was in labour and kept sending me home... by the time I went to the hospital (MLU sent me there 24hrs after my water broke because they told me hadn’t gone into established labour... without so much as an examination) for an induction I was 10cm, they could see his head and i couldn’t feel the contractions anymore. So make sure they listen to you and don’t let them be dismissive because you aren’t screaming in pain (to me the point of hypnobirthing is to relax and breathe so you aren’t wailing in pain).

Not hypnobirthing as such but I really recommend Juju Sundin's Birth Skills book. I got a 2nd hand copy online. As people say, every birth is different and it didn't really help with my first as I was induced and the contractions were too intense from the get go for me to use much of the techniques. Second birth however I went into labour naturally and managed to use the visualisations and breathing to get me through with no pain relief required.

I used the positive birth company digital pack and used hypno when having my homebirth 8 weeks ago. I found it really useful it’s amazing what breathing properly can do! I managed to get through with no pain relief although it wasn’t the quiet birth you read about, the breathing really helped and made a huge difference but I still roared and moo’d like cow 😂

I did the positive birth company pack too, along with pregnancy yoga etc.

Ultimately I would recommend it. I do think it can be a bit cult ish in some regards, but the tools (e.g. breathing) and science lessons are well worth it. I don't think I would have coped with my 65 hour back-to-back labour and OP delivery of my baby without it, put it that way!

Hypnobirthing didn't really match my personality but TENS machine was absolutely amazing. Just make your partner read the instructions before you go into labour so he can stick it on without looking confused! I arrived at hospital 5 cm dilated and she was born half an hour later. I had NO idea I was that far along until they were wheeling me through the hospital to stop me dropping her in Costa!!

Sorry I haven't replied to everybody but thank you so much for all your responses! ❤️

I think we're going to give the positive birth co online course a try as I think it will be helpful to find out the science behind the birth and we can do it together so my OH knows how to support me best he can through labour!

I liked Maggie Howells hypnobirthing, you can get it on I tunes. I was induced and had to be hooked up the monitor at all times. I found the birthing ball helped ALOT. I think next time I would like to try a tens machine also. Heard a loot of good things about them xx

I would advise you not to bother. I took it very seriously, had private lessons with a hypnobirthing teacher who was also a practicing midwife, practiced the visualisations daily with DH, and when labour hit, I was not particularly frightened or tense, but it was absolutely useless for helping to manage. I had to fall back on good old medicine.

Best wishes and I hope you do find it useful, if you pursue it. Just be aware that you can take it seriously and practice a lot, and it may still do nothing for you.

Not hypnobirthing as such but I really recommend Juju Sundin's Birth Skills book

100% this. It can be as simple a technique as counting your breaths through each contraction. That's what got me through. Oh and imagining a coffee plunger.

There's an interesting theory I read about not pushing and likening it to doing a poo. Sorry no other way to word it.