Hypnobirthing - how to learn?!

[DCmum95]

I’m really interested in learning about hypnobirthing but don’t know where to start! I’ve tried a couple of podcasts but it’s just people sharing their positive birth experiences using hypnobirthing, but I don’t know what it is and how to do it?!
has anyone learnt and able to tell me what resources there are please!
i want to learn what it is and what the techniques are - not just experiences of it in general and feel lostb

Hi OP, Hypnobirthing absolutely helped me so much with my second birth (I didn’t discover it until round 2, when a friend recommended). I recommend the Positive Birth Company, I got their digital hypnobirthing pack. Siobhan who delivers the course is lovely and helped me feel a lot calmer! The whole course was good and I particularly enjoyed the science topic that covers what our bodies do in labour and birth and the role of hormones and how important they are, especially ‘shy’ oxytocin. Also deep breathing and the Freya App :)

As an alternative to hypnobirthing I’d really recommend the book Birth Skills by Jujun Sundin.

I did HB with my first but found this much more practical for my second.

@DepressingRead thst is so helpful thank you. I will definitely get the course. It’s also my second so would like a different experience this time round, but so many places talk about hypnobirthing without actually saying what it is! I really hope for a positive experience this time round

^ I used the same course for my first too, planning to do it again as a refresher this time round.
DH found it very useful too as it told him very clearly how to make himself useful during labour.

Popthatmumma birth course is a more realistic version of birth prep - doesn't promise pain free but more so how to master it, and have an empowered birth.

I did it for my second birth after a not so ideal first, and it gave me the strength to do it drug-free.

I found breaking prep in to practical steps helped. Ideal baby positioning exercises, learning how to breath, how to vocalise, what I wanted my DP to do, how I wanted healthcare practitioners to interact with me, how long I wanted to stay home and how I'd achieve that, pain distraction techniques, mantras for when it got really sore, and then just how I planned to dig my teeth in and get through it towards the end.

Best of luck OP!

Op, if you’ve a DP or birth partner, try and get them on board too. When I was in labour and lost control/felt more focussed on ‘getting through’, my wife talking through the hypnobirthing steps really made a difference. It also really made me feel like we were connected through the birth and she said it gave her good purpose.