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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Amyone on here planning to use hypnobirthing?

25 replies

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 12:21

I'm just wondering if any of you are planning to use hypnobirthing during your labours. I'm part of the yahoo hypnpbirthing group but there aren't many from the UK on it.

I've not been very good at doing my practice as I get itchy and fidgety when I enter hypnois but have just watched this and am inspired to work harder now

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MKG · 09/09/2008 12:44

I've had two hypnobirths, and definitely recommend it.

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 13:31

Anyone else?

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Lawrene8 · 09/09/2008 13:32

Would reccomend it - did it for DS 2 years ago and found it really helpful.

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 14:54

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Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 14:54

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notsoslimnow · 09/09/2008 15:03

yes planning to use hypnobirthing techniques due a week on sunday.

2catsand1rabbit · 09/09/2008 16:30

I would love to look into hypnobirthing. I had a look for classes near me (Oxfordshire) but they were £300! I'm starting NCT classes next week and am hoping they can give me some advice on buying a CD or something. I'm 30 wks pregnant, when should I start practising?

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 16:53

Look up www.natalhypnotherapy.com if you want something quickly They do a home study course that is fairly cheap.

The course that I am following is much more comprehensive and gives many more tools that can be used in labour. I'm following a hypnobabies course from America. The shipping fees listed on the site are much higher than I paid. They do a cheaper option for international deliver. I'd really recommend it.

Check out www.hynobabies.com

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JamInMyWellies · 09/09/2008 17:01

Excellent thanks for the link I would love to use this. I looked into courses in my area and they were £500

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 17:11

I think I paid about 32 pounds for delivery from America and it took about 5 days. They normally advise that you start around 30 weeks but there is an accelerated programme if you need to start later.

There is also a yahoo email group health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hypnobabies/

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girlsallaround · 09/09/2008 17:11

does it have to be full hypnobirthing or is there a useful resource i can read which help me in general in the labour? my problem with hypnobirthing is that my partner is not into it and i would really depend on his full support for it

expatinscotland · 09/09/2008 17:14

i'm listening to a CD every day.

been doing it for a week and though i was skeptical, i'm not so much anymore.

got mine off NCT sales for about 16 quid.

it has taken the edge off. my bp yesterday was sitting at 110/86 so i'm looking to head things off because i've had it spike before delivering both my girls and got watched like a hawk.

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 17:23

Try to get him to watch the link that i've posted. DH wasn't into it but is getting there now. He has learnt to put me into hypnosis and is amazed by it. The American course allows a birthing partner to help you into into hypnosis and to keep you there if you need it.

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expatinscotland · 09/09/2008 17:24

i'm giving birth on my own, no partner, so this CD is just the ticket for me at the moment.

i've got the post-natal one, too.

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 17:28

Expat I hope your BP drops and settles a bit. You don't need to be worrying about that right now. How long have you got left?

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expatinscotland · 09/09/2008 17:35

about 8 more weeks.

it'll be fine.

i've never had ketones in the urine, just bp spikes.

didn't cause problems in either delivery before this, but i naturally have elevated bp thanks to my dad's side of the family.

Original poster

ajm200 · 09/09/2008 18:18

I've got a homebirth booked, 6 weeks to go and a husband who really flaps when I'm in labour so I'm hoping that he takes on board that I need to be left to focus and leaves me in peace and I can just be totally unaware of everyone around me.

I'd love to have no-one there except a really understanding MW who will let me go into myself and focus but DH would probably divorce me if I suggested it.

One of my best friends is a MW so not an impossible dream. If he freaks out this time, I will go it alone next time.

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notcitrus · 09/09/2008 18:38

I've got the hypnobirthing book (Marie Mongan) and been doing some of the exercises (there's a CD in the back but being pretty deaf I hate listening).

It's been reassuring reading and it's certainly helping me get to sleep if nothing else - like other meditation only with more of a pain relief focus. Will see how the birth goes...

MrsTittleMouse · 09/09/2008 21:43

I used it for DD1's birth and it was very useful. However I found the blurb surrounding it a complete load of bullshit. Sorry. There is the expectation that if you "do it right" that birth will not be painful, and that isn't the case for everyone. Some women get that outcome, but dependent on the position of the baby and the length of the birth, not everyone does.

So I would recommend the exercises and the breathing and visualisation, but caution that if the birth is more difficult than you had hoped that it doesn't mean that you are doing anything "wrong" and to keep up using the techniques during labour, because they will still be useful to allow you to keep control.

missytabitha · 10/09/2008 16:54

I did it for DS1 really recommend it. I forgot half of what I was supposed to do but never the less my birth was a lovely, relaxed water birth which I have very fond memories of which not many people can say. I put it down to mainly religiously listening to the affirmation and relaxtion CD for a couple of months before.

I remember saying to a friend a week after I'd had DS1 that 'I wish I could re-live my birth again' and she looked at me like I was mad...I am due in March 08 and it is just essential for me. Once I get within three months of birth I'll start practising again. PS. Course a little 'new agey' but worth it to see DH's face

Aubergenie · 13/09/2008 08:05

We did the course, which was great and really got DP on board. He had originally come along just to humour me, but by the end of the first day was feeling much more positive about his role in the birth.

We've been practising quite a lot, but have now discovered that I'm going to have to have a much more medicalised delivery than we had planned, and I'm worried that all the techniques will go out of the window once we're at the hospital. It seems that lots of people use it with waterbirth/homebirth etc and I can totally see how it would help then. If anyone who's used hypnobirthing in a hospital setting (being continuously monitored etc) has got any tips, please do let me know!

I'm due in 2 weeks.

Libra1975 · 13/09/2008 08:14

I used Marie Mongon, I found the hypnosis bit a waste of time and not very useful to me BUT I would of paid double for the confidence it gave me, the breathing and the visulisation exercises. The surge breathing alone got me thru 10 hours of labour and to 8 cms with no pain relief.

Aubergine, I didn't use it in hospital because of LO position ended up with a emer c/s as soon as I went in but I can't see why you couldn't use it whilst being monitored as the techniques don't really require you to move around, just let the midwives know that you want a quiet and restful environment and to try not to engage with you too much.

Puddlet · 13/09/2008 08:30

Hi Aubergenie
Just wanted to respond because I used Natal Hypnotherapy and feel that it really helped me to get through a birth which was far more medicalised than I wanted. I would have gone for a home birth but was GBS+ so needed ABs in labour - so that meant hospital. Then my waters went but labour didn't start and as I was GBS+ I had to go into hospital straight away.

I managed to hold off the induction for about 6 hours but as things still hadn't really got going I agreed to a pessary. They did want me to have the drip as well but I negotiated a couple of extra hours and that was enough time for labour to get going properly.

Despite the need for monitoring the midwives were very supportive of me staying upright and active. In the early stages I spent a lot of time bouncing on my ball and then as I headed towards transition I knelt on the floor leaning over the ball and rocked back and forth whilst still being monitored. I delivered kneeling on the bed.

For the me the main benefit of the hypnotherapy was that it helped me to stay calm and positive in the early stages. I was really focussed on "welcoming" every contraction (at least partly because I was so keen to avoid having the drip) and I'm sure that helped. It certainly hurt, especially in the latter stages and I made a lot of noise but I got through with no pain relief (by the time I asked for gas and air I was so out of it that I couldn't work out what to do!). I wss very pleased with the outcome.

The prep I did was listening to the CD every day (it was great as I fell asleep every time!) and dh and I also went on a weekend course. That was very focussed on homebirth which made us feel a bit excluded but it was useful for the two of us to have the chance to spend some time focussing on how we would approach the big day. I think this approach is actually really good for nervous men becuase it gives them a definite role to play.

LouLou99 · 17/09/2008 21:33

Aubergenie
I was induced due to high blood pressure for my last labour and pretty much continually monitored (or at least it felt like that). However i did get to 8cm without wanting any pain relief adn even fell asleep for part of my labour (been on the ward for several days beforehand and feeling very sleep deprived). In the end used nothing except for gas and air for stitching up and attribute this mainly to hynobirth type techniques. It meant that when things got worse just before delivery i was fully lucid enough to understand what was happening, and i really appreciated that.

Aubergenie · 18/09/2008 08:24

Great to hear so many positive stories! Thanks ladies and congratulations. It's funny I've been practising loads, but it's impossible to know whether you've done enough isn't it? Hopefully it'll all kick in when the time comes...

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