If I'm doing Hypnobabies, is there any point in bringing relaxing music too?

[GuavaGirl]

I'm planning on doing Hypnobabies at my hospital birth. Under "things to pack" I have "relaxing music" listed. Is there any point in bringing this? Or is it a good idea? Do you just listen to your hypnobabies tracks the whole time? What has been your experience?

Thanks!

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I would bring relaxing music for just in case! While I loved listening to the hypnobabies tracks throughout the pregnancy,I found I couldn't listen to them at all during labor. I didn't listen to soothing music, either, but that's just because I didn't think about it. Really, it's just hard to tell what you are going to prefer during labor.

[desertgirl01]

I second that! I joyfully listened to Hypnobabies every night during pregnancy (from about 25 weeks on) because it helped me sleep. But, whoa, as soon as labor started, I couldn't stand it. I had to have almost complete silence during labor, which is out of character to me...usually love hub-bub.

Wouldn't hurt to bring a cd or two, or load up your ipod with different types of music. You never know what you'll want!

[Lilcrunchie]

I had two totally different experiences. With the birth of my oldest almost 6 years ago, I used the Mongan Hypnobirthing program. My instructor also made us a CD with her reading a bunch of different tracks (like glove anesthesia, etc.) in her home recording studio, so I had a lot more variety (more like Hypnobabies).

I had a relatively short labor for a first timer (a little over 6 hours). I pretty much listened to my CDs non stop and was in a zone that way.

With my DD, I used the Hypnobabies supplementary course (and my Hypnobirthing CDs, etc. as well). I think I listened to them a bit at home. Most of my labor I wasn't sure I was even in active labor. I was only at the birth center for about an hour, and during that time I had NO interest in using my CDs. I just used my breathing and relaxed and felt very calm without them.

This time around (baby #3) I have no idea what I'll want, so I'll have my hypnosis stuff available and I also made some different playlists (calm/relaxing stuff, more upbeat stuff, and then some just instrumental/new agey kind of music) just in case. I like having options

[MamaChicken]

Sure, bring it. It is small, won't take up too much space. I spent several hours in labor with the twins singing 80's rock with my DH and MW, waiting for things to get more intense. I only listened to the HypnoBabies CDs some of the time - and it was the Deepening track at that.

[kltroy]

Definitely bring it. You may or may not use it, but it's another item in your toolbox. Hypnobabies may end up working beautifully for you... or you may end up using a different coping strategy when the time comes. I planned to use hypnobabies but when it came down to it I was with my mom and we had a good thing going that was working for me, so I didn't end up needing it.,

[wombatclay]

Another vote for bring. I had two hypnobabies births and in both I reached a point where I really didn't want the tracks. With dd2 I put on music while I was in the tub and with ds I didn't want anything after a certain point!

[Veritaserum]

I had a playlist of music that just makes me feel happy (Cat Stevens, Eva Cassidy, etc.). I switched between that and my Hypnobabies tracks at various points during my last baby's birth.