Is it possible to do hypnobirthing without a class?

[berri]

I've checked and there is nothing in the local area. Nothing even within a 30 min drive!

I know the books/CDs are meant to supplement a class, but is it worth trying them on their own, or shall I just not bother?!

I am v keen to avoid a labour like my last and really wanted to give this a go after so many great recommendations from friends.

Has anyone got any advice?

I have PM'D you.

Thanks for your PM king prawn, I've replied.

, hope you're feeling ok! Have been thinking of you.

Original question still stands!

No idea, but I'm also interested. I can't find anything local to us.

I'm in the middle of a HB course now, and I would say that you gain loads from just using the book / CDs. However, I've learnt some very useful things on the course, and in particular the videos of women using HB during birthing have been a revelation. I would imagine however that you may be able to find some clips on Youtube?

Thanks Stowe - may be worth doing on my own then? Would you recommend a particular set of books/DVDs over others?

Yep, completely possible to do hypnobirthing without a class - I did. I read the Marie Mongan book when I got pregnant and then just dipped in and out of the bits that I found really useful.

I listened to the CD every night to relax from about 7 months and just trained myself to relax during labour.

I was lucky in that I had a very straightforward and quick labour, but I clearly remember being in the bath in the hospital, visualising blowing out the surge as a big blue balloon and blowing it away. The exercises are very useful for the most part, although I didn't bother with the Rainbow Relaxation or the Glove method (all will become clear when you read the book).

I think I just tried to take on board the relaxation techniques and it worked for me, the only point at which I had a slight panic during my labour was when my OBGYN told me I was 10cm and I should start pushing. I didn't realise I was that far along!

I watched lots of births on youtube and it helped to see it in action so to speak, and I will definitely use hypnobirthing for my next baby.

Good luck!

I have the Natal Hypnotherapy CD and am not going to classes.

Am already paying for NCT, a private lactation consultant, yoga and fitness classes and thought this was just one step too far. A few friends of mine have done it with just the disk, and I really do think it will be fine.

It just helps you to relax and to 'get into the zone'. I don't think you need to be in a class for that. Good luck!

Thank you Pudgy and Bona, great to hear you're both having positive experiences from it so far even without a therapist.

Are the Marie Mongan & the Natal Hypnotherapy techniques very similar?

I'm not sure how similar they are but I've heard they both work well. I did the Marie Mongan method because my sister used it also had a great experience.

Some people prefer one over the other, but other people have used techniques from both.

I wanted to use the hypnobirthing to have a calm labour but I wasn't particularly militant about not having drugs. I just wanted to go as long as I could and if I felt I needed anything then I would ask for it.

The hypnobirthing was brilliant in keeping me calm, I think as soon as I got to the hospital I just concentrated on my breathing and trying to stay as relaxed as possible. I recall also mooing like a cow to help stay relaxed and it worked and the hot water in the bath took the edge off the contractions.

I just kept telling myself that not all pain is bad, and each surge brought the baby closer to arriving. I also kept telling myself that the more I relaxed at each contraction, the less painful they'd be so my mission was to become even more relaxed than the last one. It really helped to give myself these pep talks. I had a doula who was also repeating all of these things out loud and she really kept me and my DH focused.

I highly recommend it, it is a great method to use to keep you calm and in a relaxed frame of mind! And don't worry about having an epidural or drugs, you don't get a medal for doing it au naturel, but with any luck the hypnobirthing will allow you to "enjoy" some of it instead of panicking.

Thanks pudgy, this is all so useful and making me feel a bit calmer :)

I too am not bothered if I end up having an epidural in the end, I just want to feel like I'm doing something to make myself feel a bit more in control, I'm convinced that my awful experience and pain last time was due to me feeling like I didn't know what was going on (well I didn't, as DS was v early!).

Can't do any harm, after all....going to perhaps see if there are any DVDs in the library first and then choose which one to go for.

Yes!

I used hypnobirthing cd's prior to DD2 (5 years ago!) I had an awful birth with dd1 and was waking in the night then having insomnia.

The CD's helped so much I used the cd's and tens to labour and then just a little gas an air when she was crowning. It was fab and the best birth by far of my three (I thought I could do it again without any revision for dd3 but it didn't quite work that way!). Thinking about DD2's birth brings back alsorts of really positive memories / feelings that I don't really have with the other 2.

Can you tell I recommend it

I'm trying the natal hypnotherapy book and have just ordered the CDs - hoping they'll help me have a natural birth this time as ds1 was delivered with forceps. The book is great - I chose natal hypnotherapy (maggie howell) over the hypnobirthing (marie mongan) as the reviews on amazon suggest that this can be used on its own without attending a class whereas some of the reviews of the hypnobirthing book / CDs indicated that it reads as an accompaniment to the course. Also Maggie Howell is British so I might identify more with her style than Marie Mongan as she's American. I have to say so far I'm liking the ideas in the book and am feeling quite relaxed about the birth, even looking forward to trying some of the techniques out!

I read a brilliant book from our local library called Stand and Deliver which covered various methods of natural childbirth including hypnobirthing. It was really inspiring to read other mothers experience of the birthing process and it was realistic too, detailing how things had to change to deal with complications that arose.

Hypnobirthing wasn't quite right for me (or so I thought). I just couldn't do the whole visualisation thing and put it to the back of my mind until I wasnt coping in labour. I'd been sent home from hospital as I was only 2 cm dilated and was already in a lot of pain and wondering how on earth I was going to cope. Pacing up and down and active breathing techniques were just exhausting me and I remembered what I had read in the book. I put on a CD of favourite relaxing music (that I already knew well), crawled into bed (it had been a long night and my husband had gone back to bed) and gently breathed my way through the next 3 hours of agony. Although the pain was undescribable, I managed to be so calm and relaxed, breathing in time with the music which ebbed and flowed much like the contractions. It was like a hypnotic state and quite surreal.

Before I knew it, I was ready to push - and still at home - which I wouldn't recommend! It was a very uncomfortable drive to hospital and DD was born within 20mins of arriving at the hospital. It all happened so quickly, I didn't have time to think of pain relief.

To this day, my DD (now nearly 5) still loves this music and we have listened to it regularly in the car to get her to fall asleep. She calls it her sleepy music and she even listens to it to go to sleep now at home. Baby no.2 is due today. I have the same CD of music ready to take with me and on the ipod. I really hope I'm lucky enough to have the same experience again as it was totally mindblowing.

are there the Mongan books available for sale with the CD's? Had a look on waterstones website, but couldn't see if the book on there had a cd with it. :s

Doris & Pineapple - it's so good to hear your previous stories! Sounds like it really helped you remain calm, even though nobody is expecting a pain-free experience

And Pineapple congratulations and good luck!! I'd love you to come back (obviously when you have time!) and let us know how you got on.

Explosion - thanks for the distinction between the two methods - I'll definitely have a look this week and choose one.

I had hypnobirthing classes with Katharine Graves and she was great too. She has a series of relaxation CDs to go with her course, and she's just published a book which can help a lot if you can't get to the classes. It takes you through her relaxation techniques, and she's English as well, so it gives a UK angle, which I like.

Marking place to read thread later...