Natal hypnotherapy v Hypnobirthing (Mongan vs Maggie Howell)

[RunningGuerita]

Help please! I would like to buy some of these CDs and don't know which to buy? What is your advice????

A friend of mine has tried both CDs - she prefered the Maggie Howell CDs, can't remember her exact reasoning but she definitely thought they were better. She liked the Mongan book, particularly for the breathing techniques (don't think she's read the Maggie Howell book though). The Natal Hypnotherapy CDs also have the advantage of being in a british accent rather than american (assuming you're British!) - I think the Mongan ones are just american accents aren't they?

She seemed to be happy to use the Maggie Howell CDs with the Mongan book, so don't be afraid to mix and match!

I tried out both and ended up wtih a mixture of the Marie Mongon book (its not too American and is well written and clear) and the more British mp3 recordings. Try a few and see which mean the most to you - they will always be the most powerful.

Thanks. I'm actually both US/British so don't mind the accent thing!

I'd recommend Natal Hypnotherapy. I did a day course with my husband and then had a homebirth - I found that the breathing techniques really helped me to deal with the pain to the point that I didn't need any other pain relief (gas & air and TENS were both at the ready).

The course was great and brought it all together; not sure how well it would have worked with just CDs or a book though.

I used the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs for 2 of my births and found them to be amazing - I loved the imagery, the voice and the techniques. My friend went on a hypnobirthing course and did not have such a great experience as she felt it was all a bit prescriptive and found it strange the she had to change a lot of the words they used. She was left with the impression that if she did not have a pain free birth (which she did not - she had lots of problems) then she was doing it wrong.

I would strongly recommend the Cds and have heard great things about Maggie's new book and the Natal hypnotherapy courses as well.

I used the Natal Hypnotherapy CD and found it really good. The one I used was called Effective Birth Preparation for a hospital or birth centre (but there are others available to suit different circumstances). There was visualisation and relaxation exercises, all set to some really lovely relaxing music, and Maggie Howell's voice is also very soft and relaxing.

I did hear samples of another (American) cd on the internet, and have to admit that the voice did really grate on me, and that probably would've affected my whole experience!

Listening to Natal Hypnotherapy made me feel soo relaxed throughout my pregnancy and in labour, and it made me feel completely in control the whole time. (Even though I was a first-time mum!)

The birth itself wasn't pain free, but because of all the positive reassuring messages from the cd it was nothing I couldn't handle. Because I was so relaxed my body wasn't tense so the contractions seems restricted to a smaller area (if that makes sense!!) One midwife actually thought I'd had a caesarian!

Oops, I am asleep this morning, I meant to say epidural of course, not caesarian, lol!! (again!)