If you used Natal Hypnotherapy CDs in labour

[Laugs]

Please can you tell me what you did?

I have the 4 CD set, but not the instructions. I've listened to the Relaxation CD a bit and the Birth Preparation one quite a lot.

Did you listen to the Birth Music one the whole way through labour (and did it not drive you mad?) or just at the very end?

Did you feel that alternating it with other music was a distraction - useful or otherwise?

Did your birth partner actually do the whole '3,2,1 relax thing' and did that help? DH has listened to it once but I don't think he paid much attention.

Thanks very much!

I just did the birth preparation one loads before the labour. During I listened to a compilation cd of my favourite music as I find it easier to concentrate on music that I know IYSWIM. And yes, it was on repeat for 5 hours! I loved it but dp never wants to hear any of the songs again!

I just said 321 relax to myself for each contraction and held dp's hand. I also 'turned down the dial' for the later contractions. I found it helpful for the 1st stage, although by the pushing stage I was concentrating on pushing too much to worry about managing the pain!

Good luck and I hope you find it useful

I just listened to the preparation and relaxation ones too. I didn't get DH involved in the hypno side this time, did put a poster up on the wall (it was a home birth) with the words of an affirmation I liked, to remind me. It didn't take the pain away, but it certainly helped me cope with the pain, be relaxed and much less fearful (after a previous traumatic birth experience). Just posted about this yesterday, but the mw commented on how relaxed I was, even in the notes. In fact one thing to watch out for with using hypno is that if you're very relaxed the mw might not believe that you're as far progressed as you are. By the time I got in my birth pool, I was in transition, the mw had been reluctant to examine me except for once till then!

Forgot to say, I didn't listen to the CDs at all during labour. Just my own CD (Bach fugues) for the first bit, then wanted quiet.

I listened to the birth preperation on quite a lot (DD was 10 days late and it was a good excuse to lie down every day ). I dont' think DH listened to it at all. I didn't use the music CD during the birth - watched Jane Austen to start with but then went very quiet.

Coped fine with breathing and TENS for the 1st stage, got in the pool just before transition and then out again to push (long story). I was very quiet and calm throughout the labour - to the point the MWs had to ask me to tell them when I was having a contraction.

I didn't use any of the techniques on the CD conciously, but I didn't feel at all stresed by what was happening. Have you ever done any yoga/meditation type stuff? The closest I can get to my experience is that I was in a meditative state - I was very aware of what was going on around me and what was being said, and I could use rational thought in a fairly abstract way, but I had absolutely no desire to be involved in any conversation and had to find a non-verbal way of communicating (squeezing DH) to let the MWs know there was a contraction going on.

Tangle are you me? I coped fine with breathing and TENS for the 1st stage, got in the pool just before transition and then out again to push

I used the Marian Mongan hypnobirthing CD. I also did a hypnobirthing course which was fantastic - DH and I went two saturdays. They are expensive but the teacher gave me a huge discount as I really couldn't afford it so always worth asking.

DH and I listened to the CD a lot at night time (the MM one has something called 'Rainbow Relaxation') and I don't think I ever heard it all the way through as it sent me to sleep really quickly! We also did lots of practice from the hypno course. Didn't use any of the techniques apart from breathing during labour and didn't listen to any CDs but I wasn't frightened and was calm, relaxed and felt in control pretty much the whole way through. I don't know how much of that is down to luck and how much is down to the hypnobirthing but I'll definitely be doing a refresher course if I have another sprog!

Good luck

Sorry about all the !!!!s - don't know what's got into me

Thanks for all these replies. I posted in the night and have just turned on my laptop for breakfast, what a nice surprise.

This all sounds very reassuring. I was pretty freaked out by labour last time and really panicked, so I'm hoping for a much calmer experience. Due tomorrow, so I'll let you know!

I used the birth prep CD before labour and had the music all set to listen to and then never used it on the day! Much like the ladies here DH never got involved with the CDs so had no idea. In my head I would say the 3 2 1 relax thing and "turn down the dial" and it did help to a point I think. I managed to get to 9cm by the time I went into hospital on the tens alone, then got into the birth pool and used gas and air from there with the techniques, though at the end it was more a case of me telling myself I can get through this, it is nearly done as my way of coping with the pain..not as bad as that sounds honest! I had such a positive birth this time compared to my previous two (no hypnotherapy).

Good luck - hope baby doesn't keep you waiting too long. My 3rd was 2 days early compared to 8 and 12 days late for my others. Perhaps the hypnotherapy helped keep me more calm before and that helped and earlier labour? Nice thought anyway!

Thanks Beautifulgirls. Maybe I need to think of an affirmation to tell myself too. I had quite a bad experience with pethidine last time, so I think my aim is just not having to use that. I do feel a lot calmer going into this time, despite knowing what I have to look forward to!

I used this set and had the birth music one on during my labour. It is repetitive though and did get annoying - after 5 hours listening to it, I remember thinking between pushes "turn that bl**dy CD off" but being in too much pain to actually speak and get anyone to do it!