Who has had hypnobirthing classes? Would you recommend them? Are they worth the £££?

[electra]

The course that I have looked into is 12 hours of 1:1 and costs £350.

It is quite a lot of money and I am trying to decide whether or not it would be a sensible investment. I am not going to have a doula and really just want the whole thing to be as calm and unfussed as possible -- so just me and midwife.

What do you think? I'm trying to decide if I can justify spending that much.

Can you not do a group course? most group courses are around the £200 mark and your health in pregnancy grant will pay for that.

Failing that option, yes, I believe it is worth every penny, I can't compare my labours having learnt HypnoBirthing (comfortable, calm, wonderful) and those before I went to classes (hideously painful, traumatic, epidurals and full of intervention). I would have paid 3 times the amount and I'd far rather scrimp on baby kit, that's the only thing I do regret spending so much money on!

go for it!

Thanks childreneverywhere! Unfortunately I have left it too late and missed the boat for the group course. Sounds like it's worth the money.

I didn't think it was worth it but maybe we had a poor teacher
1:1 is probably better in terms of getting as much out of it as possible
It seems to require you to have a birth partner to help you get into the hypno but you could of course do it on your own

That's interesting Eldon because the woman I spoke to today said that she thinks it's easier if I don't have a birthing partner because i will be better able to focus...

Could you get to NW London? There is a great £20 2 hour breathing class based on hypnobirthing ideas.

Hi lazybones - do you know when / where it is?

Could you get to NW London? There is a great £30 2 hour breathe to a better birth class based on hypnobirthing ideas. It runs the first Friday of each month. I was intensly cynical but it transformed my experience of childbirth 2nd time round.

Whoops!

I sneered when she said it could be pain-free, I ended up falling asleep between contractions! It was a quick labour as well, although I think that would have happened anyway.

I did hypnobirthing 1:1 (or rather 1:me+DH). It was so worth the money and much better to not be in a group. Some of the sessions discussed v personal things and you can get a bit self-conscious at first, so for us it was better not to have an audience.
Am a bit about your woman's comments about it being easier without a partner. Is she a Hypnobirthing (Mongan method) practitioner? They would say birth partner v important as they will guide you through the hypno techniques and keep you focussed. And I have to say I really needed DH to go through the techniques with me - in class, at home practising and in the hospital for the real thing.
Our experience was great so I would say go for it. Well worth the money.
FYI our practitioner's website www.yorkhypnobirthing.co.uk

The class is run by a proper hypnobirthing practitioner, it was the 'budget' version I could afford and it was great - I wish you could get it on the NHS!

Absolutely. The midwives joked that my DD's birth had saved the NHS a fortune - no drugs, no intervention, v. quick labour - so perhaps they should pay for the classes with the money they're saving!

I did a hypnobirthing group class - my DH came with me and it was useful for us both as we could then practice the relaxation exercises together at home (nice baby bonding time). We didnt really do it for a painfree birth; we did it to distance this birth from our last birth experience. DH was also at DS2's birth which was nice, quick, calm and positive (everything I'd said it would be in my hypnobirthing affirmations). I think Hypnobirthing is more about getting your mindset right for a good birth experience - I'd definitely think you'd need a partner there with you for your tuition (will help you remember to relax with trigger words in labour if you need it; I didnt though) as unless your midwife in labour is used to hypnobirthing she may not be able to help you get back into your comfort zone - a partner is also useful so you can practice relaxation with them (particularly if you've left it till fairly late on in your pregnacy). I definitely think our course was worth the money.

Thanks for your replies. I think I am going to do it. Mumdebump - yes she is a Mongan method practitioner. I do prefer to be by myself in labour, tbh although I would want a midwife, of course

Message withdrawn

Electra. Good decision, hope it goes well for you.
Christiana, def take your DH. Hypnobirthing allows the partners to be involved and actually useful at the birth!

I found my hypbnobirthing class was worth every penny. I was lucky enough to have 1;1 becuase nobody else turned up

Honestly - it's the best money I've ever spent.

I think a 1 to 1 class must be lovely. I done a natal hypnotheraphy class which was a lot cheaper than £350 and there was one other couple on my couse and cost £180.

I haven't given birth so I can't fully comment on its effectiveness. Still I used the breathing and visualisation techniques when faced with a very nervous student giving me an anti D injection. I felt no pain at all.

(Midwivery students please note its not a good idea to get the shakes when giving an injection.)

Well, the woman I have contacted has decided that a 2 x 3 hour course would be best for me as I'm going to do it by myself without a birthing partner. She also said that the book I will be given takes Grantly Dick-Read's theory and makes it much more accessible. It will therefore cost £195 now which I think will be well worth spending

If they are doing the Mongan Method link and they offer you less than 12 hours tuition you aren't getting the full syllabus
(I realised this after the event with our course)

I know, EldonAve - but apparently some of the course is designed for a couple so wouldn't be as useful for me by myself.....this was what she said. She said that I could have the 12 hours if I want but that it may be more useful for me to have a modified version in my case...?

oh dear - I'm a bit worried now. But I did get her details off that site and she has her own site which looks totally above board...

Sorry to give you doubts
We did a 9 hr group course so I was somewhat miffed when I found it we should have had 12 hrs

Electra,

That's not true, she is wrong (I now teach HypnoBirthing after my experiences below), she sounds like she is an inexperienced teacher, often when teachers are newish and aren't confident with the course they offer "shortened" versions with various excuses because they aren't comfortable with all the content of the whole course (I've had to pick up the pieces in cases similar to this before!). It is perfectly possible to teach the whole course to a mum alone, I have done this many times for various reasons - you do NEED to whole course. You could consider taking a friend with you, or family member, but it will be just fine if it's just you, contrary to popular opinion HypnoBirthing doesn't rely on the dad's input (although if you can have it then that's marvellous).

Whereabouts are you? I might be able to point you in the direction of some confident teachers. If you would rather contact me offline then you can do so via the contact form on www.birthfriendly.co.uk

HTH

It also says on the site ....

"Does my partner/husband have to attend the classes?

Yes - birthing companions are a very important part of HypnoBirthing® success.

However, if your partner/husband cannot attend all the classes and/or help you practice or attend the birth, your mother, sister or friend can also be your birthing companion.

Whoever you choose (and we strongly recommend it's the father if at all possible, as it helps build a strong relationship with the child), they must attend all the classes and the birth."