Natal Hypnotherapy - which cd during labour?

[AlmostMumof3]

Hi

Am expecting DC3 in the next few weeks. Have had previous successful home births and am hoping for the same again. This time I have been listening to the Maggie Howells Natal Hypnotherapy CD.

The booklet says not to use the main CD during labour, but to listen to the associated 'music only' version.

Does anyone know why this is? I listened to the music only version today and it frankly got on my tits. I'm not a big pan-pipes person!

Has anyone used the main CD during labour? Any opinions appreciated!

Thanks x

Have no idea why they say that. I had the music with me to use and was not the slightest bit interested in putting it on when I was in labour. I was able to use the techniques without the music - or the other CD. I guess the music is to help reinforce the feeling you have been practicing.

Good luck - hope it goes as well as it did for me (also baby#3).

Perhaps there is a difference about what stage of labour you use it at. My friend used the main CD in early labour at home. Found it very helpful. (She had several hours at home with contractions slowly hotting up).

I think by the time she transferred to hospital (not a home birth) and was in established labour, she wasn't really interested in it anymore!

I am with you on the panpipes, and as for those sodding seagulls...

Am using different CD whi h only suggests listening to main track as soon as you think things are starting to happen... There isn't even a music track provided, just some very soft background stuff which you actually have to concentrate on quite hard to pick up.

Was very chuffed last night - started getting cramp in both calves but after a moment of going completely rigid and panicky remembered the CD and did a bit of scary obscene telephone caller type breathing and cramps gone within seconds!

The idea is that the Hypnosis cd prepares you for the birth, so that when you go into labour all the cues click into place, so in theory you shouldn't need to listen to the actual hypnosis script during the labour. The music is the same music that is used in the background during the preparation cd's, so acts as a trigger for you to go into a deeply relaxed state more quickly - your body is being "programmed" to respond in this positive way to the music ( a bit like pavlov's dogs, but without the drool!!!) and so the same tracks enhance the effects of the hypnosis that you have been experiencing during the pregnancy, increasing the positive effect that it has during the labour and birth. However, the music is not to everyone's taste, and one of the reasons behind attending the Natal Hypnotherapy workshops is that you learn how to write your own hypnosis script, that uses triggers, situations and circumstances personal to you and your own particular tastes, so if you don't like the music used, you simply pick your own preference to record your personalised hypnosis script to. If you are not writing your own script, then you can simply choose music that you enjoy relaxing to and during your pregnancy, listen to the same few pieces of music over and over again at times when you are able to allow yourself to completely relax, practice deep breathing etc. You won't get the full effect in labour, as you are not having the hypnosis at the same time, but it will certainly help.

Hope this goes some way to explain - I have used NH for both my previous homebirths with excellent effect - I didn't actually listen to the music during either labour or birth, but the hypnosis certainly kicked in and worked beautifully - I was calm, relaxed and felt no need for any pain relief at any time - the sensations were always manageable. I am really looking forward to listening to the cd again once I hit 32-34 weeks this time round, and am looking forward to the birth too!! (edd July!)

i used the 'relaxing birth music' CD during my labour (just for the later stages in hospital, for the early bit i was at home watching doctors and murder she wrote ) & found it really helpful. as lollyb1 said, it's supposed to help trigger all the stuff you've been practicing & i really think it did that for me. i also prepared a sheet for my birth partners which listed the cues and visualisations that resonated with me as i listened to the birth preparation CD so they could remind me of these during labour, which also helped.

with the gas & air & the the natal hypnotherapy i was practically on another planet for most of it - but in a good way! i was aware of the stuff that i needed to be aware of, and able to block out everything else, it was great