Which Hypno Birth CD should I buy?

[franch]

Decided we can't afford a HypnoBirth course, so am going to try a CD instead. Recommendations?

Also intrigued by this, franch, so will follow this thread with interest. (Also search hypno in title as there have been a couple of threads already on this)...

I used these . I bouight the set of 4 but tbh only used 2 of them - the relaxation olne in early pregnancy & the birth preparation one later on. Not sure if they helped but I managed with nothing stronger than entonox & I am a complete wimp when it comes to pain!

Hi h2d Am aware of threads on hypnobirthing - have contributed to some - but can't find any specifically on the CDs - please post a link if you find any and have a mo

That sounds good bonym, thanks

Hiya ! Will have a google when I have a chance. When I looked I found two 'major figures' in hypnobirthing both doing a set of CDs / and or a hypnobirthing course. I think one was American, one was N. London... (and both seemed a teensy bit odd...)

On the subject of pain -what I really found helpful were the coping techniques in "Birthing From Within". Some of the book was a bit too "hippy" for mme IYKWIM but a lot of it is excellent. You can get it from Amazon

h2d, yes there is a company called "HypnoBirthing" - I think they only recommend using their materials in conjunction with their courses don't they?

thanks bonym, will check out that book

There are Birthing from within workshops too I think.
I did a hypnobirthing workshop last WE with Annie

It is very interesting... there are more and more doulas who work with women who want to do HB too.

I should add I also know Bonym's CDs as it was created by a doula in Hampsire. I have met her.

Thanks for all this input. I'm with people at the mo, but will read / write later.

pupuce: amongst the various methods / approaches, would you generally say 'there is something in it'...

Yes certainnly if you have a particular fear.
If you do it properly I think it can have some beneficial effect but you also need a birth partner who will enhance that work (understand it and help you with it).

...but for 'normal' births, with no particular specific fear (from past / previous births etc.)... it might be just as well to follow 'best practice' wrt general relaxation ?

Then I would say you don't need it. The trick in birth is to LET GO.... and many women find that difficult, the more you hold on to fear and pain the more painful it is.
I give one to one birth preparation sessions and that is what I work on. I train the partners to help their wife/partner to let go and to recognise when to say this, how to say it etc...

sounds interesting, pupuce. Would it be fair to say that if we read Balaskas, we would get the 'drift' of your approach, and the methods you teach, or am I missing something of the nuance of the idea of 'letting go' / timing 'letting go' / encouraging someone else to 'let go'

Thanks for the info. Have been wondering what the best thing for this bear grappler to do at our forthcoming birth... (NCT classes start in a few weeks. I've also got a few books to go through: Ina May / Shelia Kitzinger / Balaskas as I mentioned....

I had 3 x 1 hour sessions with a hypnotherapist before DS2's birth. This meant it was tailored to my specific needs (ie loooooooong labour with huge 1st baby!). Have to say, Ididn't get the pain free birth I hoped for (or reduced pain for that matter) but I was more relaxed, slept better and DS2 arrived the specified 2 weeks early (and therefore 2lbs lighter than his brother).

So, it does work IMO.

I do wish we could afford the sessions - I do have residual fear from a traumatic birth last time round (just last year), but have decided just to do a couple of one-off workshops at the Active Birth Centre (the active birth one and the waterbirth/natural pain relief one) and hope that the CDs will help with the relaxation bit. (I've also had a lot of support from the homebirth team at the hosp I'm using, and have talked my last experience through at length with the consultant m/w, which was a big help psychologically.) Will get bonym's CDs unless anyone else has any other suggestions.

h2d, you are going to scare the living daylights out of the other dads-to-be at your NCT class with all your background reading and erudition (not to mention the mums-to-be - and the teacher!)

Yeah I'm gonna keep my gob shut so I don't get into trouble.

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I think I might read Ina May first. Balaskas was full of scary pictures.

Did you find Read's approach useful ? It's often lumped in with Lamaze and slated a bit IIRC...

Anyone want to say he's brill or he's pants ?

Thanks for the offer. Will store it in one of my brain cells.

BTW: You doing OK GSki ?

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Hi Gski. Glad your family came over. Is this the sis with the house and hotel and chef and the odd moan (or have I mixed up thread stories yet again ?)... Hope she behaved and helped you with anything you needed.

We've got Ina May's Guide to Childbirth March 2003. I looked at Amazon for reviews and think I chose this because it was a later text. Have you seen it ? How does it compare to the one you've got ?

I didn't realise Read is part of the foundation of the NCT approach. Would probably be a nice read.

I'm very surprised and happy to say that dw seems very calm about the whole birth thing. She's been reading lots of stuff and seems very grounded and un-hysterical which is lovely.

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Do you also have a nice bookcase I can borrow to put all the books I'm perhaps gonna skank off you too ?