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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Hypnobirthing - anyone done this?

15 replies

FourPlusOne · 31/03/2008 20:16

Am pg with my 3rd and have been thinking about this. Contacted a local hypnobirthing 'teacher' recently and am still weighing up my options. My 2 DCs were born reasonably quickly after very straightforward labours, used small amount of G&A. Still hurt like hell though, and even though I look back at both births in a v positive way, I could have done with a bit less pain! Everything that I have read about this seems to indicate that you feel it a bit less. I could have completely got the wrong end of the stick though.

On the other hand I am thinking, just ride out the pain, it doesn't last long (only the last 1 1/2 - 2 hrs were really bad the 2nd time, and that included the pushing), and maybe 3rd time will be slightly quicker anyway. If things go down the route where intervention is needed, then drugs would be involved in that anyway (I think?!).

Has anyone done this? I am also thinking about maybe doing it myself with relaxation CDs etc. I know this prob won't be quite as effective, but that way I can just do what suits me. Does anyone have any info on good birthing relaxation CDs?

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foxythesnowman · 31/03/2008 20:23

I used a CD last time (DC4) and would recommend. Apart from finding it very relaxing every night, I found I did actually use it during labour. It was an NCT one for a homebirth I think. Good luck!

pollyblue · 31/03/2008 20:25

I did a course (following the Mangan method) but didn't get to try it out as I ended up having a section. We were given CD's, books etc as part of the course to use at home - practising every day is recommended. I would recommend a course rather than trying to teach yourself, i really enjoyed mine - there were 3 of us on the same course who ended up with emergencies so the hypnobirthing side of things went out of the window but we all felt it helped us to cope.

Original poster

FourPlusOne · 31/03/2008 20:44

Pollyblue - did your DH have to go with you too. The lady I have spoken to (who seems very nice) says that it is important that partners attend. Dh works away a lot though so that will be difficult to arrange, though she has said that she can be flexible about times dates etc. At what stage in pg did you start? I am nearly 26 weeks but thought it may be better to start earlier. Have a lot of stress due soon (housemove etc) so think that this may help me switch off, esp as I already have 2DCs to look after.

Foxy - didn't know that the NCT did a CD, that is good to know. Will bear that in mind if I go down the 'DIY' route! Did you find that your 4th labour was very different to your others as a result?

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foxythesnowman · 31/03/2008 21:06

Only had G+A for all of them, but I remember thinking for DC3 at the time I could have done it without. (WHY??!!) For DC4 I remember very clearly the strongest contraction and as per the CD visualising that beach I was on really hard!

All got progressively quicker and the pain more managable. Number 4 was cracking on a bit quicker than I was happy with, but wasn't a problem once the MW got here.

G&A really came into its own for the examinations rather than the contractions.

mumdebump · 31/03/2008 21:25

Would definitely recommend hypnobirthing. It worked for us and DD. I would say you do need classes rather than self-teach CDs - they are nowhere near as good as having a proper practitioner teach you. They can tailor the techniques to find ones that work for you.

It is essential for your DH to go with you. My DH was working away a lot and our practitioner was really helpful in arranging dates to suit us. You need DH to support you throughout and he will be the one keeping you calm and focused when you go into a panic mode and think you can't do it.

The hypnobirthing is not just about 'pain management' or not needing drugs, it's a whole way of looking at childbirth in a really positive way (sorry if that sounds a bit hippy - I'm just so evangelical about it). My DH was v sceptical at first but was amazed by how well it worked.

Whereabouts are you 4+1? I can personally recommend a practitioner near York.

chunglimum · 31/03/2008 21:49

We used it for our DD (first one so nothing to compare it to) and it worked well. I am evangelical about it too and would recommend using a proper teacher... I think that it is great for coping with stress before the birth; we moved too and I was remarkably calm about it. I started at 25 weeks...

mom2latinoboys · 01/04/2008 04:53

I've had two hypnobirthing babies 1 induction (drip and all) and 1 normal labor. With both I used no pain relief (with ds1 I nearly slept through his birth). I tell every pregnant woman I know that this is the way to go. Partners do need to be involved. My dh didn't read any of the scripts but he knew to be quiet and gently supportive. All he's ever done when I'm in labor is hold my had and rub my forhead.

Good luck it really has been amazing for me to experience.

pollyblue · 01/04/2008 15:58

Hello again, I was 26 weeks when i started the course, the others on the course (just 4 of us) were all about the same, we were all due within about a month of each other. I think so long as you can commit to about an hour's practice a day (perhaps when you go to bed) it doesn't matter when you start. Our course was especially good for me because i didn't get to do any ante-natal classes but our hypno teacher was a midwife of 20+ years and as part of the course she covered post-birth health, babycare etc.

It is important that your birth partner can attend too if at all possible, simply so they can learn the techniques alongside you and understand what you will be doing - if you find you can use the techniques effectively your partner can become your 'voice' during labour and speak to the midwife etc - you will be concentrating on your visualisation/meditation and won't be very communicative! Our tutor was fab and was happy to visit us at home if it was impossible for us both to get to the classes, she also offered 'top up' home visits as our births approached.

appledumpling · 01/04/2008 16:09

I used hypnobirthing for DS and would really recommend it. My labour was 14.5 hours and only the last hour was really painful. The rest of the time the contractions felt very tight and very strong and some were like a period pain but nothing more than that. I had no pain relief.

I agree with the others that your birth partner needs to be involved and classes are much better than trying to teach yourself. If nothing else, the relaxations are lovely and I used to be sound asleep before the end of them. I was 28 weeks when we started classes.

intravenouscoffee · 01/04/2008 16:22

Hi, I had a Maggie Howell CD which I listened to from 36 weeks (last minute nerves and panic led me to try anything!) Found it fantastic. Labour 7 hours in total, arrived at hospiital 9+ cm dilated with no pain relief, had some G and A for the second stage. Was still painful but managable with TENS and the visulisations. Would definitely use it again. I think a class is well worth it if you can afford it and get organised with DH. My DH works shifts and struggled t get time off to attend antenatal classes so hypnobirthing on top of that would probably have been impossible. He was v.v. sceptical about the whole thing but is now a total convert and tells every pregnant woman he meets about how fantastic it is!

Original poster

FourPlusOne · 02/04/2008 10:18

Thanks for all your replies. I think now that I will try and arrange the classes. The teacher is prepared to be flexible, and for a small amount of extra cost we can have one-on-one classes at home - this makes it easier for babysitters etc, and can fit around DHs work.

Would be more interested in going to a group session if it was baby no 1 as it would be a nice way of meeting other mums but that's not so much of an issue with no 3!

I think I could probably manage 1/2 hour to an hour a day practice - maybe sitting in bed just beore I go to sleep. House move and subsequent doing up of new house are imminent, so i will need something at the end of the day to help me unwind and keep me sane.

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beforesunrise · 02/04/2008 15:57

i have both a visualisation cd and so far have not been able to listen to more than 5 minutes of it without falling into deep sleep. it's quite pathetic really. wish i could have done the classes, but just no time (toddler taking up too much time..)

pregnabrain · 02/04/2008 16:08

Hi there

I did a hypnobirthing course with my dh this weekend and it was AMAZING. It has completely revolutionised the way we're thinking about the labour (this is our second) and I really can't wait for it now.

I can't believe how calm I feel about the whole thing. Until now, I have been a total worry merchant.

As soon as i'm on mat leave i'm going to set some time aside each day to practise as I don't want to lose this feeling.

Am in London and teacher was in Chiswick through this site www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk - she was wonderful.

VersdeSociete · 02/04/2008 16:16

I didn't manage to finish the course (baby early) or practice very much at all but still found the little I remembered and retained incredibly useful. Watch out for the spooky vids of American women eating large meals in labour very silently though; they haunt me still...

mumofk · 02/04/2008 21:48

my teacher said falling asleep practicing was good, as subconscious still takes it all in. I haven't 'tried out' the techniques in labour yet, but I'm looking forward to 'birthing' which is completely different to how I looked at it before the course. I've been so much calmer this time around, and I don't know if being calmer is having a physical effect, but I'm able to 'do stuff' much more than I could earlier in pg, and this is completely different to my last pg where I had to be mostly horizontal for the last 2 months (though I realise this could be just different pgs, but the hypnotherapy is just amazing!).

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