Anyone ever done a hypnobirthing course and how did you find it?

[GinaFjord]

Thinking about trying for DC2 at the end of this year. Had a horrible time with DD, she was very big, was stuck and I ended up with forceps and v v large eposiotomy plus DD didn't stop crying for 4 hours after she was born and had a lump on her head til she was 8 weeks old.

Trying to trace back where it all went wrong - I did have an epidural about 15 hours into labour and think perhaps this wouldn't have helped things due to poor positioning.

I would like to avoid an epidural if possible, thinking about something like hypnobirthing to help me stay in control. Can it actually help you deal with the pain constructively though? With DD, every time I had a contraction it felt like someone literally stamping v v hard on my bladder and then I would have to go and pee. It was not what I was expecting at all and I felt really unprepared to cope with it.

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I had a traumatic induction with DS1 and when I got pregnant with DS2 I did a hypnobirthing course - to ensure that the ghosts of DS1's birth didnt effect my labour with DS2. It was the best money I spent. My labour with DS2 was everything I had hoped for with DS1's birth - peaceful, fast, manageable with no pain relief, DS2 born in pool and wonderful. The best thing about the hypnobirthing course was that it helped me understand the physiology of labour so I didnt panic at any stage and knew what my body was doing so it all felt under control. I practiced the relaxation exercises a couple of times a week from 31 weeks onwards.

Good luck and I hope you have the birth you want this time.

There has been a thread on this recently if you search. I'm a HypnoBirthing teacher, I came to it after two horrible births with my first 2 children (syntocinon, epidural, lots of pain, lots of vomit, stuck on back on the bed in agony etc..) and my 3rd and 4th births were unbelieavably different, in fact every minute of them was enjoyable. Yes the pain was significantly less (I didn't need any pain relief) but more than that it helped me bond with them quicker, breastfeeding was easier, I felt happier afterwards and the knowledge and understanding and confidence it gave me was amazing.

It's about very much more than just pain, particularly if you go to a class with your partner (the best way of using birth with hypnosis in my opinion).

Perhaps contact a local practitioner now, many of us run coffee mornings where they have lots of mums and babies who have attended their courses so you can ask lots of questions, it doesn't matter that you aren't pregnant, I've had women who weren't planning on having babies for a good couple of years come to my coffee mornings! I'm on the borders of Cambs/Essex/Herts/Suffolk if you're anyway near there, I have a coffee morning on the 22nd you'd be very welcome at!

HTH

Thank you both, that's really positive

Childrenchildreneverywhere, I'm in Milton Keynes, so not a million miles away - is the coffee morning for expectant mothers or a general thing?

Do you know roughly how much the courses are and the length and when the best time in the pregnancy to do them is?

Coffee morning is for anyone who is interested really. I also run free introductory workshops (nearest to you is in Royston, Herts) every few months, these are intended for pregnant women in early stages and those thinking about TTC, perhaps this might suit you better? if you email me via www.birthfriendly.co.uk I'll happily note your name and contact you when I run my next free workshops (probably June and September).

Courses vary from £200 to £500 depending on location and whether they are private or group. Mine are £200 for group classes in my own home, £250 for group classes in a venue I hire in Herts and £500 for private classes in your own home (basically that expensive as I am v.v.v.busy and need to equal what I could earn if I taught a couple of people at the same time), also most practitioners offer concessionary places for those in financial need (I offer one half price course per group) and also are normally happy to take payments in installments.

Usually these fees cover 12.5hrs of tuition, a book, 2 CDs, handouts and email and phone support from your practitioner. Don't forget the new health in pregnancy grant of £190 from the government (non means tested) which will pretty much pay for a course!