Hypnobirthing (???)

[janh]

I was watching A Baby Story (on the Health channel) the other night and a woman having her 3rd child was using this technique - I think she had used it before too.

Basically she had hypnotherapy sessions with a lady with one of those sweet soothing foreign voices, talking about how productive and painless her contractions would be, and also used a "relaxation" tape in a Walkman. She had the most peaceful and painless birth I have ever seen on the telly (and I've seen a few!) Just as the baby was actually delivered she screwed up her face and squeaked a bit but that was all. No painkillers of any kind. Fantastic!

So I am curious whther anybody on mumsnet has ever tried (or even heard of) this? Is it really as effective as it looked or is she just one of the really lucky ones? Over to you, mears and leese!

I had hypnotherapy before DS2 was born for 3 main reasons:

1. I had no positive memories from DS1s birth
2. I wanted this one to be 2 weeks early
3. Pain free would be nice!

After my 3 sessions and listening to the tapes I took home with me I felt much more relaxed and positive about the whole thing, DS2 duly arrived 2 weeks early (and therefore 2lbs lighter) and it hurt like hell!!!

The hypnotherapist did have positive stories like one of her clients who virtually gave birth in the hospital carpark because she'd not realised how far along she was. I guess it depends how susceptible you are to hypnosis - some people are more so than others. I got my 2 main wishes out of the sessions though so maybe it also depnds how important the hypnotist's suggestions are to you.

:-)
Jane

janh - not really answering your question but I've become addicted to those baby stories & maternity programme; (& I'm not even a 'baby' person!!) did you see the one last night with the child with the cranial abnormalities, my DS was born with a similar condition (fortunately not nearly so serious) & had an operation so I was amazed to watch it.

Sorry to go off subject!

Hi, Lindy! That's OK - no, I didn't see the one you saw, that must have been a bit spooky for you - did your DS need an operation? Is he OK now?

Soupdragon, I'm glad you got 2 out of 3, even if the painfree bit didn't work! I wonder if that's where the one I saw was just one of the lucky ones? (Are you planning to have any more btw? That way or any other?) (Scuse nosiness!)

The baby programmes are addictive, I love them, although some of the families tend to go on a bit about being blessed. I like the ones with the complicated families, his, hers and theirs and a few adoptives thrown in and all in the delivery room with the camcorder! It's very interesting how much more low-key midwifey UK deliveries usually are than consultanty US ones (except for this hypnotic one). It's particularly fascinating for me to watch because I was never in labour at all so I still squirm and cringe and cross my legs at the critical moments (or does everybody do that?).

Hi Janh - yes, my DS did need an op but he is fine now, thanks for asking.

Yes, I too cringe at the births (although I had a c/s) it's just sooooooooooo 'American' isn't it, well it would be wouldn't it - but so lovely to see all those happy, smiling faces afterwards!

Did you see the one about the wonderful young doctor, who worked alongside his father, he was hugely popular with all the mums & dad; he then stopped to help at a road accident & was killed himself - it was so sad, they showed his funeral service full of parents & babies.

Goodness, now I am sounding like a real TV addict!!

No, I'm not planning any more!

If I was though, I'd go for the hypnotherapy again. The "2 weeks early" bit was the most important bit for me so it would be worth it just for that. It also helped me sleep better and relax. I'd certainly pay more attention to the pain free bit if doing it again although I wonder is having had it not work once I'd be to sceptical for it to work.

I used to fall asleep listening to the tapes of my sessions and you are meant to remain conscious throughout (I didn't doze off in the actual sessions) The hypnotherapist was unsure whether I was genuinely asleep in which case the suggestions would not have worked so well or if I was in a trance. I always woke up at the end of the taped session which was weird.

The woman who nearly had her baby in the carpark was actually a "friend of a friend" through my local NCT branch, as is the hypnotherapist so I'm sure her story is true. Obviously there are lucky ones out there for whom this works really well. DH was told a story on a course about a guy who used self-hypnosis to have a pain free vasectomy with no anaesthesia!!

Hi Janh-

I do know someone who does these hypnotherapies on women... I think theyw ork to a great degree - but maybe not 100% on everyone. I work myself with mums on relaxation techniques which I will use again during their labour.

On these birth stories.... I do not have Sky but have just discovered the Discovery Channel at one of my mother's (client) home.... and saw for the 1st time... these famous programmes (I saw the US deliveries) and I was really appalled (bear in mind I only saw it twice and may have been very unlucky!)!

• Women are called : the patient - excuse me are they ILL?????
• There is no skin-to-skin after delivery... babies are pro-actively handled by OB.... not mum... so mum doesn't get baby for quite a while it seems
• Women's birth appear to be actively managed - certainly true for their 3rd stage (placenta delivery)
• Babies are sent to nurseries (away from mothers)
• On Wedn's programme the OB admitted at the end that she thought mum had heamorraged but she hadn't really.... so she had been very proactive at managing her placenta's delivery.... OK maybe TV crew distracted her! And basically I find these medical teams... sweet but condescending and doing very litte to empower these mothers

Whinge over

Is it just me?????

Hi Janh-

I do know someone who does these hypnotherapies on women... I think theyw ork to a great degree - but maybe not 100% on everyone. I work myself with mums on relaxation techniques which I will use again during their labour.

On these birth stories.... I do not have Sky but have just discovered the Discovery Channel at one of my mother's (client) home.... and saw for the 1st time... these famous programmes (I saw the US deliveries) and I was really appalled (bear in mind I only saw it twice and may have been very unlucky!)!

• Women are called : the patient - excuse me are they ILL?????
• There is no skin-to-skin after delivery... babies are pro-actively handled by OB.... not mum... so mum doesn't get baby for quite a while it seems
• Women's birth appear to be actively managed - certainly true for their 3rd stage (placenta delivery)
• Babies are sent to nurseries (away from mothers)
• On Wedn's programme the OB admitted at the end that she thought mum had heamorraged but she hadn't really.... so she had been very proactive at managing her placenta's delivery.... OK maybe TV crew distracted her! And basically I find these medical teams... sweet but condescending and doing very litte to empower these mothers

Whinge over

Is it just me?????

Oh, yes, pupuce, I agree completely, that's partly why I was so impressed by this hypnotic one - there was an OB there but he was quiet and laid back and the whole atmosphere was peaceful - nothing like the usual US TV delivery! They are generally laid on their backs and attached to monitors and that's it. (The hypnotic one was allowed to wander the corridors and sit in a rocking chair with her walkman.) The contrast with normal UK deliveries - as seen on TV, as I said, I've never had one! - is very marked.

I did once see someone having a US home waterbirth - not sure if it was A Baby Story or some other baby prog but there were 2 midwives, mother, father and elder child there and that was all - I found that very surprising. She probably had to take out some enormous insurance policy to cover everybody if it all went wrong. (No hypnotics there though and she made some awful noises, I got a bit concerned about the child watching.)

Soupdragon, very impressed about the vasectomy!!! LIndy, no, I didn't see the young doctor one, that must have been real weepie!

Janh - I guess that why there are more and more doulas in the US... for the mums who choose to NOT follow the systematic route !

What saddened me most was to see that these mothers seem to be completely unaware of how managed they were being and how un-empowered they were
VERY VERY sad....