Would you use Hypnobabies if your MW wasn't a fan of it?

[mrsfrenchy]

I have the Hypnobabies homestudy program and I'm getting down to the line about when I can start it before it's too close to my due date. This is my second homebirth. I used the same MW for my last birth and was really happy with her.

I was asking her this time about Hypnobabies and if she had ever had anyone use it. She hadn't heard specifically of hypnobabies, just of hypnobirthing in general, but she seemed pretty skeptical about it, and said that she had had a few people use it without great results, etc. She just seemed sort of uneasy with the technique in general.

Now, granted, it seems her experience is with hypnobirthing and not hypnobabies, but would you go ahead and do it if she wasn't comfortable with it? Or do you feel that it's important that your birth attendant be on the same page when using hypnobabies?

[cocoanib]

Hmmm, this is my first birth, so I don't have experience with this, but I am currently doing the homestudy course.
I think if my MW showed signs of not being thrilled with it, I would still go through with my course. I feel like it's my baby's birth and she's more of a witness. I feel it's more important for me to be fully prepared than to worry about her not liking my childbirth prep.

[Veritaserum]

Originally Posted by mrsfrenchy

I was asking her this time about Hypnobabies and if she had ever had anyone use it. She hadn't heard specifically of hypnobabies, just of hypnobirthing in general, but she seemed pretty skeptical about it, and said that she had had a few people use it without great results, etc. She just seemed sort of uneasy with the technique in general.

Now, granted, it seems her experience is with hypnobirthing and not hypnobabies, but would you go ahead and do it if she wasn't comfortable with it? Or do you feel that it's important that your birth attendant be on the same page when using hypnobabies?

HypnoBirthing and Hypnobabies are so, so, so different. If you like her and she's not going to outright sabotage your use of hypnosis by insisting that you WILL BE or HAVE TO experience pain in order to have your baby, then you'd probably be ok. It would be great if she could read through some of your materials so that she realizes just how different Hypnobabies is. My own midwife recommends Hypnobabies (over other childbirth classes) because she sees how much it helps moms.

A nice quality in a midwife is that she respects what you want.

[callieollie]

I agree with Veritaserum. For me, it was more important to find a doula who was knowledgeable about it and supportive of it. Luckily, I found a doula who actually taught Hypnobabies so it worked beautifully but even if I hadn't, I would have gone with it anyway as long as I didn't feel like she's sabatoge it. I'd also probably explain the differences in what she has seen and hypnobabies. I think I'd enjoy giving her the opportunity to see something work so well. I don't think my midwives had seen THAT much of hypnobabies but I think they were impressed by how well it worked.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

My midwife didn't come right out and give her opinion on hypnobabies, but when I casually mentioned it, she didn't seem impressed, just by my sense. She shrugged it off, kind of like, "Well, you can TRY it" but again, she never came right out and knocked it. I think she would have been supportive of just about any birthing technique I wanted to try, though. (I ended up birthing before the midwife could make it to my house, so I guess all of those affirmations that I deserved a fast labor really worked )

[xelakann]

I don't think it should matter if your mw is a fan or not. I just had the BEST hypnobabies birth. I almost feel like people think I'm making it up, but I had a fast 4 hour labor (1.5 in active labor), painless --yes painless--except the last two contractions (in which my baby torpedo'd out of me)... and my baby was 10 beautiful pounds.

I used hypnobirthing with my first birth and didn't have a horrible experience, I thought it was great for pregnancy. But hypnobabies is totally different. I have hard explaining that to people where I live. A very popular spa that caters to new moms and pregnant women (as well has having childbirth classes and a lactation consulting business) uses hypnobirthing and most people around here are familar with it... when I try to explain hypnobabies they just think it is a weird knock off, then I tell my birth story and they seem more interested.

During my birth I just listened to my iPod the whole time (the Easy First Stage of Labor) track and I took some Bach's Rescue Remedy. I listened to the tract over and over. As each pressure wave came I'd just focus on only feeling pressure and tightening and also on opening my cervix.

I would also recommend getting the Baby Come Out tract. Not to help get the baby out, but because it has a great fear/control release part on it (used in conjunction with the Fear release CD). And it listening to it won't make your baby come if he/she isn't ready.

[turnquia]

Well now is your opprotunity to teach her how awesome it is!!!

I say do it and show her how awesome it is!

I used it for some of my labor (forgot about it with transition) But I slept quite a bit and chatted with midwife for most of labor. Transition it defiantely helped with relaxing but I never did remember the techniques... next time I will know better

[Banana731]

Veritaserum-

I've read the Hypnobirthing book and listened to the cds, so I am familar with those. I don't know a whole lot of specifics about hypnobabies. How are they different?

[fazer6]

It's your birth and without a doubt hypnobabies will give you a more comfortable birth. Personally I wouldn't care what the MW thought, it's not her birth. Fine she's sceptical, but what have you got to lose? Would not doing the hypnobabies help your birth in any way? Is there any possibility that not doing the course woudl help you at all? I've already had one hypnobabies birth so I know without a doubt that it's a superb way for me to birth and it suits me perfectly. If you put the effort in you can get some really good results.

[purplepaperclip]

I used hypnobirthing for my dd's birth and I LOVED it! I really don't see how it is any of your midwife's business HOW you choose to get through labor.

Is she objecting to it on religious grounds? I do know some of the more stringent fundamentalists take issue with anything that uses the word 'hypnosis'.

[Mosaic]

I did, successfully! My midwife also used hypnobirthing personally and wasn't thrilled with the results she experienced. She also felt that other women who used hypnosis for birthing developed "expectations" about their birth that made things more difficult if things didn't go a certain way.

My birth was not a picture-perfect one (long, back labor, etc.), but hypnobabies worked absolutely 110%, I was thrilled with the entire experience and not in the least bit frustrated or disappointed. Really, the midwife's scepticism did not impact my birth at all!

[mrsfrenchy]

To those asking why she objects or that its not any of her business:
I think she's just skeptical of the results and maybe just a little weirded out by the term 'hypnosis' (the same way a lot of people are, I suppose).
I just didn't know if it would still be effective if they weren't on the same page--knowing hypnobabies techniques,etc. But as another PP pointed out, she's not the type that will sabotage my birth by expecting that I be in pain, etc. And really, at my last birth, I didn't rely on her a lot for supportand she didn't interfere much--she just checked me periodically (mostly when I asked), listened with the doppler, etc.

I think I will go ahead and start it. Thanks for the responses.

[Veritaserum]

Originally Posted by Banana731

Veritaserum-

I've read the Hypnobirthing book and listened to the cds, so I am familar with those. I don't know a whole lot of specifics about hypnobabies. How are they different?

Well for a start, Hypnobabies uses hypno-anesthesia techniques, which go deeper than your basic guided relaxation. Hypnobabies also incorporates other, non-hypnosis ways of facilitating a birth and increasing comfort (position changes, vocalizing, water, massage, etc.) and includes general pregnancy/childbirth education. Each class introduces a specific hypnosis technique that is then reinforced by practice during the week until the next class. After completing Hypnobabies, women have multiple hypnosis tools they can use when they give birth, which generally allows them to experience easier, more comfortable births.

Here are two links with comparisons between the two:

http://www.birthnaturally.org/hypnobirthing.htm

http://pregnancybirthandbabies.com/c...pnoclasses.htm

Originally Posted by mrsfrenchy

To those asking why she objects or that its not any of her business:
I think she's just skeptical of the results and maybe just a little weirded out by the term 'hypnosis' (the same way a lot of people are, I suppose).
I just didn't know if it would still be effective if they weren't on the same page--knowing hypnobabies techniques,etc. But as another PP pointed out, she's not the type that will sabotage my birth by expecting that I be in pain, etc. And really, at my last birth, I didn't rely on her a lot for supportand she didn't interfere much--she just checked me periodically (mostly when I asked), listened with the doppler, etc.

I think I will go ahead and start it. Thanks for the responses.

I think you should be ok, then.

[Lilcrunchie]

I used Hypnobirthing with my first child's birth. My midwife didn't recommend it specifically, but steered me away (thankfully!) from the hospital class (I was having a hospital birth attended by CNMs). She directed me to a local woman who taught an in-home class that was less intervention-centered. That woman offered two classes...one more traditional class (but less intervention focused) and a Hypnobirthing class. I wasn't sure about Hypnobirthing but that's the only class she was offering in our time frame, so I did some research and decided to go with it. I had a great experience w/ Hypnobirthing although I hear many people criticize it. My instructor was great and also made us a CD in her home recording studio where she read a bunch of other tracks...so I had more variety than with the typical Hypnobirthing program. DS's labor was 95% painless and it went really well.

That said, when the same midwife who directed me to the in-home class saw my birth plan, she made a comment about "breathing the baby down" and told me something like "honey, trust me, when it is time you are going to want to push" and sort of chuckled. At the time it irked me a bit as I found it very dismissive, but I was a first time mom and she was the midwife, so I assumed maybe she was right.

In labor, hypnobirthing was awesome for me. But...when it came time to push, despite my birth plan saying "no coached pushing, no counting, blah blah" the midwife sort of went into MEDwife mode and had me in bed, with everyone holding my legs back, nurse counting, etc. and it made me feel out of control and unable to focus. I only pushed for about 20 mins so not so bad, but I think it could have been better, kwim? It bothered me mostly because I felt like she had made up her mind that this is how it was going to go when she saw my birth plan, kwim?

With my 2nd pregnancy, I used Hypnobabies supplementary course (I've never done the full program. Not sure they even offer the supplemental course now but it was meant for those who had already completed Hypnobirthing (mongan). I just used it as a home study. It worked well again. This time my contractions were so mild for so long I wasn't sure I was in active labor and showed up to the birth center 10 cm dilated with NO idea I was that far along.

I was in a different state with that labor and delivery, and delivering w/ different midwives. I had discussed my experiences w/ coached pushing, counting, etc. with my first birth and I think they knew I wanted this one to be different if possible. They really worked w/ me to let that happen. I was okay with some calm coaching in order to help me avoid tearing (and they did help with that!), but I just didn't want the frantic type of environment that seemed to happen during pushing w/ my first.

So I had a good experience w/ both programs. I am very happy with how Hypnobirthing worked with my first birth. I just think with better midwife support it could have been an even better birth. Looking back I could have advocated better for myself (and my doula could have helped out there) but it was tough at the time. I do feel like my midwife had sort of a notion in her head that breathing the baby down was ridiculous and had an idea of how pushing should go and acted on that, regardless of what I wanted.

I know my midwives with the birth of my 2nd really went out of their way to do the best they could to help me be in the place I wanted and needed to be mentally for hypnobabies, and I appreciate that