Hypnobirthing - worth the money?

sarah1980

Am expecting baby no. 1 in Feb. We have already signed up for NCT classes, costing £180. Now, I am not really fearful about the birth per se, but I am very conscious that if I am not calm and relaxed then it will affect the baby (not just delivery, but later with colic etc.) Also, I do not want the first thing my child hears in the "outside world" to be me screaming and hysterical.

A friend of mine is a nurse and she recommended Hypnobirthing. I did a bit if research and it sounds like it could be just what I'm after. Thing is, the courses in my area are around £300 and with the money we've already spent on NCT and the fact we're trying to save to buy baby stuff, it's a really tough choice.

Has anyone had any experience of Hypnobirthing? I realise it will be different for everyone, which is why I'm trying to get opinions (good or bad). All the Hypnobirthing websites I look at obviously only have positive testimonials.

Just one last point to note - I plan to have a water birth if possible and as much pain relief as I am allowed! My concern is not about the pain for me, it is about my reaction and trying to give our baby the easiest experience possible.

stingylolo

Sorry can't help there, never done hypno birthing.

My birth was gas and air all the way, nothing went as I had wished in my birth plan, but I still had a good and memorable experience (even though I was out of it most of the time). I had a pethidine injection in the end but was too late for the epidural when I gave up (hadn't had the chance to sleep for most of the night before with mild contractions). You just need to remember that you work with your contractions, not against it. Stay focused but relaxed, and listen to the midwives.
If you are worried, you can ask them if they can monitor the baby, which only involves a sound scan thing attached to your tummy.
To be honest I don't really know how the birth is for the baby, but it seems the hell of a shock for them to be out. My little one just stayed there, all swaddled up, for hours, just staring. Was probably wondering where he was ! He doesn't seem too traumatised despite being distressed during labour, so I think as long as it's all straightforward, the birthing experience is not a bad one, the contractions, the squeezing and pushing, it's all ok.

If you are looking for info and testimonials on hypnobirthing, why don't you ask on the bounty forum or something similar (websites for mums and mums-to-be) ? When I needed help with mother things there was always someone coming along with good advice on there.

I wish you all the best for the birth of your baby.

Jo_R_2

I've actually been thinking about hypobirthing as well so I'd be interested to hear if anyone has experience.

I have two DDs and am pregnant at the moment. I have very short second stages (I can't remember the word for it off the top of my head, that's gonna bug me now!) which didn't prove too much of a problem with DD1 as I was under the influence of pethidine - which I absolutely detest now but took all the pain away - but with DD2 I was determined no pethidine, had my waters broken (which I didn't want but baby was 43 weeks and no signs of emerging!) and it was all so intense and painful that all the reading and practicing I had done about keeping calm and breathing just went out the window.

My second stages on my maternity notes are down as one minute and four minutes and being honest, I remember with DD2 into transition that feeling of just wanting to be somewhere else and come back with a perfect little baby already born lol! :rotfl:

So hypobirthing appeals to me in principle because my body goes faster than my mind is prepared for. Have you asked your midwife - the last one I had was really into active birthing (great) and quite open-minded (I had a home birth booked and she thought it was great) so it's quite possible they might know of someone or be able to offer advice.

sooz

I never had the time to do a hypnobirthing course (especially for DS2!) but used a ante-natal hypnotherapy cd. It certainly helped calm me, & infact left me so relaxed I nearly refused to go to hospital! It was also much cheaper, at only about £16.

I also had a waterbirth for my second, & it was wonderful. However, do bear in mind that your pain relief options are much more limited - gas and air is about it, or pethadine as long as the last dose was atleast 4 hours before you get in the water IIRC. In the end, I couldn't even manage the gas and air (i kept gagging)...so just relied on the water. It was certainly a very gentle entry to the world for baby...he floated up to meet me & I caught him. He didn't cry until he was taken from me to be checked, over an hour later (I think )

I am already listening to my cd this time (due in december/jan) & am planning on another waterbirth. My main concern is that the pool won't be free, so am considering taking up residence in it from 38 weeks

getcarter

One of my bosses at work did the course with his partner, I think it was on a weekend - any way he couldn't praise it enough, he's just gone back to the course to give a talk about their experiences.

Carter

Katgoddess

I went to NCT classes and they were fab! Good for making friends with parents with similar aged babies. (Also if you are on a low income you can ask for a discount - they want their classes to be available to everyone)

I brought a hypnotherapy cd set from the nct website. I used the pregnancy relaxation cd and birth preparation cd before the baby was born and I thought they were fab. I ended up with an induction and emergency c section so was on heavy pain relief in the end but I was very relaxed all the way through. Even being wheeled into the theatre. :eek: The cd was worth it for the 10 mins when they were putting the epidural in and I couldn't use the gas and air. :eek::eek: (Breathe IN golden light...)

I didn't use the after birth cd for various reasons. Having a screaming baby to look after for a start. But I will definitely use it again next time.

I went for the cd as it has a good resell value on ebay et al and good karma points when I [strike]copied it for[/strike] loaned it out to friends.

Oh and after ordering from the NCT website once, they keep sending me lots of 10% codes. I think they are personal ones otherwise I'd post it up.

Good luck x

Loopy_Lobes

Three babies here but no experience of hypno birthing, it sounds very interesting though and IMO any form of pain relief that isn't drugs related has got to be a good thing for mum and baby.

On another slant have you looked into water birth? most people who had a water birth will tell you it's a very calm experience for mum and baby, the warm water also gives great pain relief.

With regards to stress I think the babies are pretty tough, they only hear muffled sounds inside and when you're pushing you're not supposed to make any sound as all your energies are focused on pushing. Once baby is out you'll be so over the moon you'll be laughing and crying and will instantly coo and reassure your little one so I doubt any 'screaming' you may have done during the contractions will have any lasting effect.

Best of luck!

sarah1980

sooz wrote: »

I never had the time to do a hypnobirthing course (especially for DS2!) but used a ante-natal hypnotherapy cd. It certainly helped calm me, & infact left me so relaxed I nearly refused to go to hospital! It was also much cheaper, at only about £16.

I also had a waterbirth for my second, & it was wonderful. However, do bear in mind that your pain relief options are much more limited - gas and air is about it, or pethadine as long as the last dose was atleast 4 hours before you get in the water IIRC. In the end, I couldn't even manage the gas and air (i kept gagging)...so just relied on the water. It was certainly a very gentle entry to the world for baby...he floated up to meet me & I caught him. He didn't cry until he was taken from me to be checked, over an hour later (I think )

I am already listening to my cd this time (due in december/jan) & am planning on another waterbirth. My main concern is that the pool won't be free, so am considering taking up residence in it from 38 weeks

Thanks for that - I never thought about a CD, but it's a great idea!

TBH I'd rather have the water birth and skip the epi/pethi if that is the choice, like I said my main concern is for the baby and I can imagine it would be more stress-free to emerge in water than to ingest drugs!

I realise that the birth is not necessarily something the child will remember (!), but I have quite a spiritual outlook on these things and I would be thinking also about their first experience of life in general, and hoping to avoid the message that "life is a struggle".

Hope that doesn't sound too "happy clappy"!!

xx

Jo_R_2

Loopy_Lobes wrote: »

Three babies here but no experience of hypno birthing, it sounds very interesting though and IMO any form of pain relief that isn't drugs related has got to be a good thing for mum and baby.

On another slant have you looked into water birth? most people who had a water birth will tell you it's a very calm experience for mum and baby, the warm water also gives great pain relief.

With regards to stress I think the babies are pretty tough, they only hear muffled sounds inside and when you're pushing you're not supposed to make any sound as all your energies are focused on pushing. Once baby is out you'll be so over the moon you'll be laughing and crying and will instantly coo and reassure your little one so I doubt any 'screaming' you may have done during the contractions will have any lasting effect.

Best of luck!

I did look into water birth both with DD1 and DD2 but once contractions get going I can't move from where I am. Me a big weirdo but I get glued to the spot and that's it for me, no walking or owt, I can just about change positions, stand up, crouch down etc but nothing else which was a shame because I really like the idea

Jo_R_2

sarah1980 wrote: »

Thanks for that - I never thought about a CD, but it's a great idea!

TBH I'd rather have the water birth and skip the epi/pethi if that is the choice, like I said my main concern is for the baby and I can imagine it would be more stress-free to emerge in water than to ingest drugs!

I realise that the birth is not necessarily something the child will remember (!), but I have quite a spiritual outlook on these things and I would be thinking also about their first experience of life in general, and hoping to avoid the message that "life is a struggle".

Hope that doesn't sound too "happy clappy"!!

xx

Nope I share that sort of outlook too! I half thought about just leaving DD2 in there seeing as she wasn't that bothered about coming out!! It did concern me having the waters broken because it's meant to be a shock for the baby and DD1 actually came out covered in the caul as my waters didn't break which I found out after was quite a spiritual thing. But you do what you feel is best at the time.

But if you look on youtube there are some amazing water births, so calm and peaceful, definitely worth a thought as well.

angelfairy

Hi Sarah1980,

I have been introduced to the idea of hypnobirthing by some of the ladies on the pregnancy forum on here after having a bit of a panic over what I will be like in labour.

If you look on ebay there are some books and cds avaiable (now which one of you ladies snapped up the auction bargin on this over the weekend). To buy it new on ebay is range from £11 to £15 if my memory serves me correctly. I will be getting one of these in the next month or so.

I have seen the courses you are referring to and if you have the money then fine, but you might get what you need from the book and CD at a fraction of the price.