Is hypnobirthing worth it if you’re likely to have an early induction?

[InTheNightWeWillWish]

I’m currently 29 weeks and it’s likely I’ll end up having an induction at 38-39 weeks. Obviously dates won’t be confirmed until closer to the time, I might go naturally but there’s also a good chance I won’t. Even if I do go into Labour naturally, it’s not going to be a water birth on the midwife led unit, it’s going to be on the delivery ward with monitoring.

As I get closer and start having these conservations with the hospital I will be asking about the likelihood of ending up with an emergency c-section and if it’s looking likely I’d rather push for an elective. I also have no strong preference either way about pain management - I generally prefer not to take pain meds unless I need them but I don’t have my heart set on having a natural labour without pain relief. I think I’m sort of setting myself up for the worst and hoping for the best. By the way, I know there can be positive inductions - my mum was induced with me and it was about 6 hours from start to finish.

So with that in mind, is it worth doing a hypbobirthing course? If you knew you were likely having an early induction did you do hypbobirthing? Do you think it helped? I’ll be doing NCT courses shortly, if that makes any difference?

Yes I would, I found hypnobirthing very useful during my second emergency csection, it's not just for naturally started vaginal births.

I had an early induction and I found hypnobirthing really useful

From experience of induction I'd say that whatever you do just try to keep at the back of your mind that it's best to be flexible, that anything can happen and that the important thing is your health and the health of your baby rather than the mode of delivery.

You could go naturally, your induction might lead to a vaginal delivery and whatever happens hypno birthing might help.

In my case I had a failed induction (literally nothing happened) and a calm c section first time round. It wasn't what I would have wanted but everyone came out the other end. I'm glad that I planned for every eventuality (I did hypnobirthing too!) and ultimately don't care that I've now had two c sections and haven't ever had a contraction.

I don't think it would hurt to have it up your sleeve as an option if it's something that interests you, it might help make all the process of induction (being prodded and poked, examinations, the waiting...) a bit easier. I wouldn't lump loads of money on a course or whatever but certainly worth reading.

It doesn't interest me in the slightest, I had one induction at term and did no drip without epidural and I'll be likely having an early one this time and apply the same rule.

But I can see how relaxation and mindset certainly could be a helpful thing if you're naturally inclined to benefit from it plus of course there's no guarantee that you'd need the full whack of induction process, I'm hoping this time it will be one pessary to get me started and then I'll be able to labour and deliver naturally just not in the MLU or whatever.

Just do be wary of this idealisation of the 'natural' birth that seems to come with certain purveyors of the hypnobirthing especially if you know you aren't likely to get one. I did find NCT covered quite a bit of the sort of stuff I'd expect in a hypnobirthing course so maybe see how that goes before committing to it any more?

Sorry that should say 'said no drip without epidural'

Thanks all.

@8dpwoah and @headintheproverbial I think you’ve both highlighted what I’m worried about - knowing I’m unlikely to have a natural birth, I don’t want to get caught up in the mentality that can come with hypbobirthing of natural labour or it’s a failure. I feel like I’m in a good place at the minute with the fact that I could go into labour naturally but it could also be a 5 day failed induction ending in emergency c-section. When I spoke to my midwife, she suggested it might be an area where I can keep control as so little else will be in my control but I don’t want to feel like I’ve failed at the end of it. I’ve already been disappointed with myself that things haven’t gone to plan in this pregnancy, which I’m trying to let go off and don’t want to carry through to delivery.

Hypnotherapy is very good to help you deal with the childbirth process, whatever that may be. Breathing techniques, relaxation, staying calm and focused. I’m a midwife and always recommend it. I have tried to do it myself in two previous births but if we have no3 I will be doing a course

If you do the PBC course keep in mind the largest part of it is about the natural production of oxytocin. There is a small chapter on how to have a positive induction, sceptical on pain relief.
I ended up with both drip and pain relief and I felt a little bad
about it after the course.
The breathing exercises are very useful, a skill I still use in other situations.

I had an induction at 38 weeks and honestly the intensity of induction meant the hypnobirthing was pretty useless for labouring

But I am glad I did it because it helped with everything else around the birth etc. so having umpteen cannulas and needles, pessaries inserted, waters broken and then EMCS - just helped me to stay calm and relaxed irrespective of what was happening

It also felt like a nice bonding experience with baby in the lead up, I felt really in tune with myself and with baby

So ultimately I don't think it helped with labour but it helped in other ways and I would probably recommend :)

I did find the Milli Hill book covered enough of the 'soft' stuff without making it the Holy Grail so that with the practical bits from NCT might be enough then? Although I've read on here that lots of NCT can be a bit evangelical about it too, ours fortunately was very balanced.

The rival company I wouldn't touch with a barge pole or give a penny to and I think they are also possibly the ones that are a bit more hard-line?

I found it helpful! But it’s worthwhile bearing in mind just because you use hypnobirthing doesn’t mean for have to forgo any pain relief if you think you need it at that moment in time.

I was deadset against pain relief as I think I’d bought into that ‘better birth’ narrative, but how the pessary worked for me was intense 1 min apart, 1 min long contractions pretty much from the beginning which unfortunately wasn’t matched with progression of labour. I caved and had pethedine and it was just what my body needed to a mental break, and baby was born 90 mins later.

I’m in the same position in that I will probably be induced & will definitely be in labour ward but I think the breathing/ relaxation techniques might be helpful. I’m looking at the honest midwife course as it seems to be quite balanced & not too evangelical 🤣