Hypnobirthing - Worth the money?

[Aubergenie]

I'm reading the Mongan Book at the moment and have been looking at hypnobirthing courses but I'm dithering about booking onto one because of the cost. I'd be interested to know whether people who have done the course feel that it was worthwhile for them and worth the money. This is my first baby.

A friend has recommended an ante-natal yoga class that she says really helped her prepare for labour physically but also in terms of breathing, visualisation, relaxation etc. While obviously not the same thing I'm wondering whether that would be an alternative.

Or am I just being tight?

there was a post on this about a month back -think views were mixed but there were some good suggsetions on cds, tapes etc.

FWIW I'm expecting my first and did cough up for course - I've found some (not all) techniques very helpful and using cd/practising visualisations helpful in relaxing. I am not convinced course gave me a lot more than mongan book/using cd. Teacher was somewhat set in her views, not all of which I subscribed to and some of them were very wrong imho so if that is what you get for your extra money you're better off using book/cd

had dd 6 months ago and i used the hypno relaxation cd in preparation.

didn't do the course because i was pretty relaxed about it all anyway.

found the cd fab though I used the cd and the techniques quite a bit during the labour and especially during being stitched up after the birth because i only had a local aneasthetic sp? and g&a.

would highly recommend the cd and it is very similar to the yoga relaxation techniques so that would probably help too.

my birth story has just been published here if you fancy a read to give you an idea of what it was like and how i used the techniques birth story

I have seen a man have a wisdom tooth removed under hypnosis only.

he said he felt no pain at all.
I had DD with no pain releif at all so i already know i can do it myself so i would very much like to try a hypno birth if ever i as to have another

tis magic, worked both times for me. and if you look in the for sale -other section i'm flogging my whole natal hyp set for half rpice, as ds2 was my last baby

puff puff puff for my sale thingie. hope i don't get stomped by mnhq for this?

Morning, I am doing the hypnobirthing course at the moment and I would disagree with poppy in that I think the course is worth the extra money. HOWEVER I do agree with poppy that some of the hypnobirthing views are incorrect, as long as you are able to take from it what you need i.e. the relaxation and visualisation techniques and disregard the rest then do the course. I think it probably comes down to the teacher herself as well, if you are based in Surrey then I can let you know the name of the person we are using who I would recommend.

i also know someone who is trained to do the courses based in the yorkshire area

poppy - what views did your teacher express that you found wrong.
im not PG just interested. surely she wuold just have been showing you techniques?

The Mongan technique subscribes to the idea that childbirth is not painful for anyone, and that the only pain is caused by fear. There are no circumstances described where pain is a normal part of childbirth.
As someone who tried the technique and had a large OP baby that was stuck after 14 hours of active labour and OFP, and 4.5 hours of second stage (most in supported squat), I was very and about the idea that it must have been my fault that I was in pain as I obviously wasn't relaxed enough!
On the other hand, I have to say that I found the breathing techniques useful to control my emotions and stop me from panicking until I had been in full-blown active labour for 10 hours (and I was exhausted). It was just the (sorry) bullshit that annoyed me.

Mamazon - so those are the ideas that are "wrong" in my opinion.

Argh wish I had my book on me today as I would have listed the things I disagree with (due to pregnancy brain I have the retention of a goldfish) however todays reading of choice is Grantly Dick-Reads childbirth without fear which is what most of the Mongan techinique is based on.

MrsTittleMouse, to be fair on the british website it does say the following:

"Can you guarantee a completely pain-free labour and birth?
No. There are many factors that can affect a birth, some of which are outside our control.

Also, like any childbirth preparation class, the success of the techniques is related to the amount of practice you put in.

However, as a guide, we find that around 65-70% of HypnoBirthing® mums don't need any form of pain relief. Nearly all the mums in this category simply don't experience any pain - just pressure.

Around a further 20-25% only require something mild, like gas and air.

The remaining 5-10% usually fall into what we call 'special circumstances', where medical intervention is required. However, the HypnoBirthing® mums still tell us that HypnoBirthing® really helped - even if they were induced, or ended up with a caesarean.

Remember - the aim of HypnoBirthing® is not a completely pain-free and picture-perfect 'natural' birth (although that is possible).

It is to have a calmer, easier, more comfortable birth- where you are in control - and in a way that most mirrors Nature."

I am a little of the "the success of the techniques is related to the amount of practice you put in." But do agree that practice is essential.

However I do think that some of the teachers probably do preach "no-pain".

I did the Mongan hypnotherapy course and would highly recommend it. For me, doing the course was well worth it as I'm not the sort of person to be able to pick it all up from a book. Also, doing the course made my DH much more of a useful birth partner second time round!! i.e. he remembered to give me drinks/energy sweets/cool flannel/prompted me to relax.
I wanted to do as much as possible to prepare for the birth of my second baby. I had felt prepared 2 years ago for the birth of DD, but in hindsight I am sure I could have avoided an episiotomy & ventouse if I had been more relaxed during labour and had learned some of the techniques I now know from hypnobirthing. It was useful to have the sessions to discuss fears, talk about previous birth experience etc with the practitioner.
I found that listening to the CD throughout my pregnancy instantly helped me to relax and usually sent me to sleep (in my first pregnancy I had HUGE problems sleeping).
I gave birth 4 weeks ago and did have a a longish pre-labour, with stop/start braxton hicks for a couple of days. But once labour got going it only lasted 3 hours (it was only painful towards the end, but even then apparently I was still smiling between contractions) and I just felt super-relaxed and I didn't need any pain relief. The breathing techniques were fantastic in dealing with the contractions (and I swear the techniques made the contactions more effective, too) and also the 'J-breathing' for the second stage meant I didn't have to push and instead breathed DS out in 7 minutes. I'm convinced my relaxed labour contributed to DS
having Apgar scores of 10 and 10. Labour didn't go according to 'plan' in that I wanted a home waterbirth and ended up going to hosp as midwife thought DS had passed meconium. This honestly didn't bother me at all as I feel such a huge sense of achievement at giving birth to DS without any intervention.
I reckon that you could learn the breathing techniques from the book. Definitely recommend yoga, I did that too!
Another book I am so glad I read was this one by Ina May Gaskin. It is a bit hippy dippy in places, but the information is invaluable. This book, the mongan one and yoga might be enough if you don't want to shell out for the course?
Sorry this is a bit long and rambling, I am sleep-deprived and not making much sense! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

mamazon/mrstittlemouse The first thing was that I thought she was straying into lecturing on birth/health issues methods rather than teaching the technique. She was not a qualified mw or nct type teacher etc plus that wasn't what the class was about so it was inappropriate. Some of the stuff she said was just plain wrong (eg re why you get pre eclampsia).

Plus Mrs T she did reinforce the view about it being in the mind etc - I'm sorry but I agree with you as I don't buy into that rubbish if you go through a birth like you did!

Now I'm really hopeful of hypno and breathing technique as I think it can control fear/anxiety (I've lost a baby previously so am keen to use it to try and minimise obvious traumatic associations I'll have) . What I don't think it'll do is obliterate pain or complications completely -I''m hoping it'll make things as good but there is no guaranteee of a pain/complication free birth although obviously you might be better placed to deal with it if you've been using some of the visulisation /breathing.

This probably makes me a very poor pupil -but I do believe that it has benefits and have been practicing but just don't think its a panacea for all ills.

I didn't read the website, just the book, and I did find it very optimistic. I don't remember anything about the technique not working in difficult situations, in fact I can remember a lot of stuff about it working even for women who were induced, and it being put forth as a bit "fail-safe". That was two years ago, so maybe it is selective, but my anger was just after birth when it was very fresh.

I'm also very (as you are) about the link to practise time. I do feel that if you have a good labour, then it's down to the hypnobirthing, and if you have a bad labour, it's down to you not doing it right! So heads I win, tails you lose!

Hi poppy - cross posted there.
Sorry to hear about your previous loss. I do think that the techniques can keep a lid on the panic, which is obviously very useful. The thing that scuppered me was the sheer length of the labour, and I became too exhausted to have the strength to breath properly and visualise. There just wasn't anything left. I think that you have a good attitude for a good delivery, and I know that my birth was pretty unusual, so I'm sure that your chances are very good.

I think in some ways the book does have to be optimistic, it's trying to overcome years of the conditioning that women get from TV, horror stories etc that birth is something to be endured and painful. The book itself is trying to brainwash women that birth is not something to be feared and the method strongly uses repetition for this. However I agree the other conclusion to this can be that if it fails then it's your fault which isn't ideal!

"What I don't think it'll do is obliterate pain or complications completely -I''m hoping it'll make things as good but there is no guaranteee of a pain/complication free birth although obviously you might be better placed to deal with it if you've been using some of the visulisation /breathing.
"

that's exactly the view point I am taking with it which is why I think if you are able to seperate the wheat from the chaff then the course is a good idea (I have a doctor DH who is probably driving the teacher mad with all his questions butit means I get both sides)

I think in some ways the book does have to be optimistic, it's trying to overcome years of the conditioning that women get from TV, horror stories etc that birth is something to be endured and painful. The book itself is trying to brainwash women that birth is not something to be feared and the method strongly uses repetition for this. However I agree the other conclusion to this can be that if it fails then it's your fault which isn't ideal!

"What I don't think it'll do is obliterate pain or complications completely -I''m hoping it'll make things as good but there is no guaranteee of a pain/complication free birth although obviously you might be better placed to deal with it if you've been using some of the visulisation /breathing.
"

that's exactly the view point I am taking with it which is why I think if you are able to seperate the wheat from the chaff then the course is a good idea (I have a doctor DH who is probably driving the teacher mad with all his questions butit means I get both sides)

sorry double-post!

I did the hypnobirthing course when pregnant with DD and I have to say that it was fantastic. Practice will greatly increase the success of the techniques as it is a learned response and you will be able to slip into trance more easily if you have practiced.

However, I would say that the Hypnobirthing method is very American and there are some things that didn't sit comfortably with me. It is not necessary for you to see a hypnobirthing practitioner. You may feel more comfortable going to see a qualified hypnotherapist who can teach you techniques to use in childbirth. This will be just as, if not more, effective than hypnobirthing as the hypnotherapist will have other techniques they can use and not just be limited to the ones taught in the hypnobirthing course.

I did the natalhypnotherapy CD's as I was unwilling to spend money on a course. I did Birthlight yoga aswell. They never said that the birth would be pain free but that I would feel in control of the surges / contractions. However, it was pain free and I felt very in control and calm. The CD's are 16 quid each so worth every penny in my opinion.

Just got in from work and seen all the replies. Thank you! Lots of food for thought here.

Sorry about your loss Poppy - I really hope the hypnobirthing helps you get through your next labour without any more trauma.

WindUpBird - I'm curious about the Ina May Gaskin book. Unfortunately the link you gave isn't working. Could you give me the title?

I did a course and had a great hypnobirthing experience. Agree that some of it was a little too American but managed an amazingly calm and painfree (to an extent) homebirth with husband asleep in the next room (he had a meeting the next day which he couldn't get out of). I didn't have a birthing partner helping me with the visualisation (DH wouldn't have as he thinks it is mumbo jumbo)but managed to stay calm and relaxed. Agree that it might be worth reading the books/listening the CD's and seeing a local hypnotherapist for more ideas. Good luck and enjoy!

Aubergenie - I don't know much about hypnobirthing, but as for the Ina May Gaskin book I'm pretty sure the other poster was recommending "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" (try here

I have now read it 4 times, I kid you not. Once a week before dd2 arrived (at home and in water!), and it totally inspired me, so much so I re-read it after the birth, and again a year later. I'm now pregnant with number 3 and have re-read it again. The first half is birth stories, and some of it is a bit wacko, but the core message is that lots of women can and do give birth naturally, and that is something we don't often get exposed to in our high-interventionist medicalised birth culture. I really recommend the book for giving your spirits a boost!

Good luck with the pregnancy.

Sorry Aubergenie, the Ina May Gaskin book is: Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. IMO it should be given to every pregnant woman! Well worth a read and I have seen it recommended a lot on MN.

Ah, just realised Pidge has already linked to the book for you

WindupBird - glad to find another fan, I'm always banging on about this book to every pregnant woman and I agree it should be given to them all!! It's fab. I even went out and bought her "Spiritual Midwifery", now that one really is for the hardcore hippy!