Hypnobirthing course: worth the expense?

[ExistentialistCat]

I'd love to hear about other people's experiences of hypnobirthing and views about shelling out 200 quid for a course. Worth the money, or can you get on just as well with a book and a CD on your own?

It may also be relevant to throw into the equation that DH - wonderful and supportive as he is - is a sceptical scientist by nature and I'm not sure how much he'd be into all this. I've heard that having your partner involved is very important to making the techniques work and don't want to waste money if that's going to be an obstacle for us.

Thanks for reading!

i had natal hypnotherapy cds and thought them v good. the outlay for the whole pack is significantly less than hypnobirthing.

I was nervy anout birth of third child. Did course; it was a bit weirdy, spooky vids of American women eating three-course meals in labour - but it gave me some good breathing exercises and visuaisation stuff which helped me hugely. So worth it. Force Dh to suspend disbelief!

"visualisation"

you need to be committed to practicing it as does your partner to get the max benefit

I don't think you have to buy the idea that you are likely to get a silent painfree labour, however, to get a lot of benefit from hypnobirthing...

did not do course as DH not into it. Did read a book on it though and found it extremely useful in general for my attitude and ability to help myself during the whole experience.

I didn't do a course but before the birth of DS1 I went along to a trained hypnobirther and had, I think, 3 sessions with her.

To be completely honest I really don't think it was helpful, I was very naive and was convinced that it would help, that birth would be easy, I kind of also thought I would find it easy as my mum had 4 easy births.

The reality came as a huge shock to me, and when I found that my breathing and visualisation techniques had absolutley no effect on the continuos pain I experienced throughout labour I felt even more frightened. DS1 was in a 'back to back' position which made labour very painful, slow and difficult.

I had a friend who got the CDs she felt that they had been really helpful.

I hope I don't put you off if you want to do the course, I think it is worth doing whatever you can to 'stack the cards in your favour' but please do keep in mind that it won't guarantee anything.

What CDs/books did you use?

I think you need to realise before you do it that whilst it may help, it probably is not going to make the whole thing painless especially if you have a difficult birth. People who do it for a second or subsequent birth may tend to have more realistic exopectations.

I did a course a long time ago before I had DD1. Which course are you thinking of doing, BTW?

I thought overall it was money well spent. I think the effects of it are subtle, and like the natural birth classes I went to I had a problem with the idea of not being encouraged to be realistic about possible pain or problems in case you set yourself up for them, so to speak.

I had a labour which was nothing like the easy, gentle natural birth I had been telling myself I would be having (not to mention breastfeeding!) but I think my overall optimism and relaxation throughout the pregnancy and labour were aided by the course.

I think out of all the alternative therapies it has a good basis in science. Our unconscious mind has been demonstrated to have demonstarble effects on the body, so no reason why your husband should write it off.

I just wanted to say that I've done half my hypnobirthing course so far. And I've found it amazingly helpful already. Theres no way I'd have got dh involved but having done the course he's got quite into it.

I'm not the type of person who would've got on well with just the books. For a start it didn't make sense to me when reading it in the book. And I haven't even listened to the cd yet. I'm the type of person who needs that interaction.

Yes its expensive as I've spent £250 for the entire course (2 whole days + cds, books and handouts). But I think its worth it and really do think it'll help me on the day and also for the rest of my life.

I'm doing Hypnobirthing The Mongan Method.

I think if you really want to fully go for it then you need to be commited to practise the techniques. And it depends on what type of person you are as to whether you need to do the course of not. If you think you can self teach yourself with the cd's and book then thats great and I've give that a go. If you are like me and need the one on one interaction and teaching then do the course.

Oh and I wanted to add that my hypnobirthing teacher is a scientist herself. And alot of it is about the science of your body and how your body is so well equipped to give birth and the technical explanations of how the uterus works etc. I think the "hypno" part of it puts people off but if you remove the "hippy"ness of it then it would make alot of sense to alot of people. Its just basic science.

The book by itself is very good but attending the course fills in all the gaps.That's why the course is better than using just the HypnoBirthing book (which is the one produced buy the HB Institute and is used on the courses) - you are given therapy, have the exercises demonstrated and have a practitioner there to explain everything.

It's not for everyone but it is fantastic for the majority (in my experience as a practitioner).

OT, but can anyone recommend a good hypnotherapist in London? I have lots of things I wouldn't mind addressing - healthy eating for one - and I could do with a bit of input, course notwithstanding.

I did a Mongan Method course and it really was worth it. Of course the class depends on the instructor as well.

It has been the only childbirth class I've taken, and covers the biological process of birth as well as the hypnobirthing stuff.

My instructor was awesome as she was a realist and told us that this would automatically make giving birth easy. She told us that didn't call it labor because it was easy, and that hypnobirthing was a way to make doing that work more bearable.

My dh wasn't very involved, because come the day I found being talked to and touched was vey annoying.

broken - I am a hypnotherapist base in W1 if you are interested...

I am inetersted - apart from anything else you couldn't be much closer... Hmmm... think I'll have to renew my CAT subscription to get in touch with you.

The hypno bit is really about the therapy you get on the course - that is where the hypnosis come in, although you don't have to be a hypnotherapist to be a HB practitioner.

I know - the course was created by a hypnotherapist so maybe that's why.

Definitely worth the money as you'll learn life skills not just birth skills. It'll help to make your birth really positive, whatever route your baby decides to take. Dads love being able to help more too.

You can also download some great visualisation tracks from www.hypnobirthingdownloads.com which will prepare you for an easier birth - they won't replace the course but they're a fantastic alternative, effective, great value and good choice of titles for pregnancy and birth. Also good complement for birthing classes.

I think the course was worth the money - our course leader was very realistic and helped each of us adapt what the book says to suit us (as otherwise the book is a little black and white and agree with Starlight that the floaty misty rainbow can be abit odd!). The relaxation and positive visualisations are a nice way to prepare for birth - and get rid of lingering fears. My DH was very sceptical but really got into it and loves practicing the exercises at home as it makes him feel much more involved.

BTW, this is my second pregnancy - in my first I did NCT classes and think the hypnobirthing course is probably better at preparing you for birth, though NCT better for making friends and preparing you for after the birth.

georgiemum - you are not currently set up to receive CAT messages. Is there another way to contact you to find out more?