hypnobirthing

[LimesMum]

Hi all - just after people's views on this?

I had a terrible first labour and am now 39+5 and getting really stressed out which the midwife has said is very unhelpful.

She suggested I try listening to some hypnobirthing

Just wondering if anyone has found his useful and if you'd recommend anything in particular? Have seen a few bit on you tube or CDs seem to be around £9 on Amazon

Thanks!

I've been listening to tracks from the ihyponobirth app in the bath, I don't know yet if it works in labour but it certainly chills me right out. I also have the 'birth skills' (by Juju someone!) book which is fab with loads of really practical stuff in the help you deal with labour and understand what is happening. Good luck xxx

I know people swear by it...but it did nothing for me. I just got really irritated by the woman's voice on the cd when I was in labour and made my DH turn it off!!
I did still use some of the breathing techniques and tried to think positively.....just without some annoying woman on a cd telling me to do it.

I didn't play the CD during labour, I just used it in the lead up. I used the Maggie Howell CD and utilised the breathing techniques, the breathing kept me calm during labour, and also some of the affirmations were helpful too. Kept me calm in the lead up, as I was getting a bit anxious about how I would handle labour. My pain threshold is zero, but in the end I managed it without pain relief. It doesn't take away the pain, am dubious about the reports I've read saying it gave some a pain free labour... For me it just simply stopped me freaking out.

I wanted to do it and thought it would be so good.

But I found it useless. I had cd playing and by the end there were 2 midwives, husband and the bloody tape all talking to me.

In the end cd got turned off. Husband was shouted at and midwives were on occasion told to fuck off (but they took it all in their stride).

Next time... Drugs drugs and more drugs!

Cd in bin!

I did a one day hypnobirthing course with Mindful Mamma. I thought it would be a load of hippy rubbish but my Mum insisted (her midwife friend recommended it). I listened to the tracks they gave me leading up to the birth but not much when I was actually in labour. I'm crap with pain but it put me in a really positive state of mind and kept me calm in the lead-up and throughout the birth. The self-hypnosis and breathing techniques it taught me helped me cope with a 42 hour labour on only gas and air. I couldn't recommend it more (plus TENS and a water birth). You can download mp3 tracks from their website.

Agree with pp - I took its principles and used them throughout the birth. Both of mine were in a fairly dream like state to be honest - both in water and that helped immensely but my state of mind is what got me through. I read The Gentle Birthing Method from cover to cover - the Mum's stories were particularly moving and inspirational - I found it helped me relax and mentally prepare for what's ahead. Very very empowering and brings you peace.

I truly believe that we don't spend half enough time preparing our minds and emotions for the marathon event of labour. Once you crack that, I think you can handle anything. I loved giving birth - what a privilege. I thanks hypo birthing and positive mindfulness for that.

thank

It works really well for some people but I wasn't willing to rely on it! I recommend Birth Skills by Juju Sundin for more "practical" coping methods which really do work (in my experience!). It's worth trying everything and being as prepared as possible!

If you can also get hold of Dr Gowri Motha's Gentle Birth Method - dip in and out of it and start by reading the Mum's experiences. I think you'll find it really helpful. There's one on eBay for £4 now.

I did a class (Natal Hypnotherapy - slightly less focused on the use of specific terms etc than Hypnobirthing) and we practised triggers & techniques daily. Maggie Howell stuff.

Loved it; positive and calm labour, despite being extremely complex and extremely high risk medically. I recommend it to everyone that will listen, but I imagine it's a get-out-what-you-put-in sort of thing. I'm always a bit bemused by the idea that listening to a CD for a bit could make any significant difference.

I had the CD - Natal Hypnotherapy - and it was great. Really took all my anxieties away and, though it wasn't the easiest day of my life, I had a fast, straightforward birth and I'm sure it was because of the hypno. Good luck!

. I'm always a bit bemused by the idea that listening to a CD for a bit could make any significant difference.

Agreed.

OP, you have to study all of this for it to make any positive impact. You sound like you really want this - go for it!!!!

Thanks all I've ordered the natal hypnobirthing CD as suggested by some of you- should be here tmw with Amazon prime - got to be worth a try I figured?!

I used that cd too. I had a bad birth with dc1 and didn't want to repeat that. I felt it helped me but I didn't listen to it during labour (didn't have time for anything!!). But I just believed my body could do it - it had done it once and we had survived it so even if it was that 'bad' we would be ok.
I also went to a local birthing class which was like yoga and helped
It was the combination of the cd and my own positive belief in myself rather than panicking that helped
Good luck

Oh and this analogy with the flight or fight complex really resonated with me
www.natalhypnotherapycotswolds.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/4917?opendocument&part=3

I didn't listen to mine during labour - just a couple of times a week during the last few weeks and it made it all seem that much more manageable. Good luck.