Experiences of the Positive Birth Company

[Lazydaisydaydream]

Just looking for any experiences of using the online class/digital pack from the Positive Birth Company?

I'm 19 weeks pregnant with my second, and obviously I'm not going to be able to go to any of the birthing classes/pregnancy yoga that I had planned so looking for something I can do online in place.

With my son I had quite a traumatic delivery, ended up having a category 1 EMCS. I went into labour quite naive and hasn't really thought much about it. This time I'd definitely like to feel a bit more in control, even if I end up having another c section. Has anyone used hypnobirthing type techniques and found them useful even if they didn't have a "natural" birth in the end?

I quite liked the Positive Birthing book (couldn’t get on with the classes / online pack) - it has a section on assisted delivery and c-section. I think my birth was an overall positive one because that book helped prepare me really. For me hypnobirthing didn’t work but I presume it was because I had an elective induction and so it was more painful - I literally couldn’t even remember my name and felt so out of control until I got my epidural

@grumpyhoonmain what was it about the online classes you didn't like? I'll have a look at the book as well.

They didn’t feel right. Maybe things would have been different in a face to face class I don’t know. But nothing registered. So when I tried to use the techniques I didn’t really remember anything except what I learned during my NCT classes. But I guess for you it wouldn’t be an option to have face to face classes.

I used the digital pack and found it really helpful and useful. I was a bit about hypnobirthing to begin with as a lot courses/teachers are very sniffy about any form of pain relief or intervention, and you’re treated as a “failure” if you need these things. The online course wasn’t like this at all, I found the content very accepting of all forms of birth and had special videos on how you can still utilise the hypnobirthing skills even if you have to have an induction, instrumental delivery, or a c section. And there’s no snootiness about pain relief either!

My birth wasn’t what I’d planned at all, I ended up needing an induction and the whole process was very long, and I fully utilised every pain relief going! But I still utilised the skills, I managed to stay calm and in control the entire time. Which, as a highly anxious person with a previous extreme fear of giving birth, was an amazing feat!

I’m planning on doing this myself. It’s the one thing I’ve seen recommended most - including by women who ended up having emergency c-sections which sounds positive. I’m hoping the face to face classes are back on for autumn (not due till November) as they’re near me and like to do them.

I had their app for timing contractions - I think it’s called Freya. I found that quite helpful as it brought together timing contractions with different hypnobirthing tools.

@MoonBabysMagicalKalimba thanks that's really helpful, I definitely don't want to use something that will make me feel like a failure if I have another c section so this sounds great.

Sounds a bit too hippy-dippy.

My sister did hypnobirthing and had a difficult labour as baby was back-to-back

She swears by the Hypnobirthing techniques though as she stayed calm throughout all 30 hours, and baby never got stressed. She needed up having epidural and ventouse, but all the nurses said both she and her baby were calm and healthy

I really rated my experience if hypnobirthing, although I have deduced that not all courses are the same! I’m not remotely hippy, but positive thinking, good breathing techniques and a generally high level of preparedness definitely benefit ANY type of labour you have

@Bezalelle thanks for your contribution

@Gerdticker that's definitely it, I was not prepared at all last time and although I don't think my mental state impacted the outcome, it definitely impacted how I coped with it and felt about it. I'd just like to feel more mentally in control this time.

I am 39 weeks with my third baby.
First pregnancy I did NCT, second I forked out for face to face hypnobirting classes.

This time I've done PBC digital pack and can honestly say it's 100% the best of the three. I considered myself well informed but I learnt a lot from this course. I would pay a lot more than what they charged and honestly feel like for the price you can't go wrong.

I really liked the digital pack and it honestly really helped me. really helped me stay calm for most of my labour and the theory / science was so interesting.

There were only a couple of things I didn't bother with (e.g I wanted to still call a contraction a contraction and not a surge) and 'down breathing' did nothing for me whatsoever despite all my practising. That's the beauty of it though - you can pick and choose to tailor the techniques to suit you personally. You don't have to do it all.

There is a positive birth company YouTube channel. I'd recommend watching some of the videos so you can get an idea of if you'll like it before spending any money.

Absolutely fantastic. The digital pack completely changed my birth. I had the confidence to opt for a homebirth as a first time mum and had an amazing experience.

I can't recommend it enough! I'm going to revisit the digital pack again as I'm pregnant with my second. I also love reading the positive birth stories on the Facebook group.

Just to say I found her approach balanced and she does discuss interventions and C sections too, and not in a negative way at all.

Wow, £39 is really good value! Wish I'd done that first time around instead of forking out something like £250 for a face to face course

There is a pregnancy yoga app that's free atm, it's called Prenatal Yoga, I haven't tried it yet but plan to.

Thanks everyone! Think I'm definitely going to try this, have watched a few of her YouTube videos now so thanks for that suggestion.

@pinkpeoniesplease your comment makes me feel a bit better about not being able to attend face to face classes this pregnancy

I got so cross with the second video that I never watched any more. Fortunately I only paid 12 quid for the digital pack!

(What annoyed me was that the first video was about how we all carry negative ideas around with us about birth and need to counter them; and then the second video launched into a lengthy personal anecdote about how terrible her induction was. Given that I was always due to be induced for medical reasons, tbh that just rubbed me up the wrong way.)

I am working through this and while I find breathing and calming useful, there is a definite agenda behind the videos. There is a section on tearing where water birth is pushed quite hard (sorry for the pun 😆) but following the advice she gave on critically evaluating what people tell you, some of the stuff she was saying is not what the research suggests. This put me off somewhat.

As with anything do your research don’t just blindly follow.