Well, this is my second birth with Hypnobabies. Here's my story with my first:
I followed my schedule exactly, and would get a chance after DS1 went to bed to do my track of the day. And every day, without fail, I would be asleep about 2 minutes into it. DH would come upstairs 2 hours later and wake me up to get ready for bed. Once I completed the full schedule, and made it to "maintenance mode", I just put all the tracks that I had done on my iPod, on repeat and put it on when I went to bed at night. I don't think I heard past 5 minutes into ANY track. While "awake" anyway. I rarely practiced my fingerdrops. I tried to use Anesthesia when I would have a weird pain, or BHs, but it didn't seem to do much for me. I did use it when I had to get a few blood draws (I am DEATHLY afraid of needles), and I have to say... it worked for that! Even when they had problems finding my vein, I would stay calm and cool. Prior to that, I would've passed out. At my birth, I was at 5cm when the midwife first checked me, and was amazed I was that far because I would simply "turn off" during a contraction, get past it, and then go about what I was doing. She then tried 3 times to get a needle in me due to GBS+ and the antibiotics she was trying to give me. She had me lay down, in case I passed out. Laying down was NOT a comfortable position for me in that birth. This was THE ONLY time in my labor I could say I had a hard time getting through contractions. After the third try, we both agreed to "give up" and she would try an antiobiotic vaginal wash, which would at least do something. She decided to check me before she sent her RN back home (who lived 5 minutes from me), since my prior labor had been pretty lengthy. This was 30 minutes after she first checked me and I was 5cm. She checked me, and I was 10cm!! I would've guessed I was at a 6! Yes, it was tough to lay on my back, while having a needle jammed in my hand 3 different times, during transition. BUT I NEVER would've guessed I was at that point. I ran out and jumped in my birth pool. About 5 or 10 minutes later (not sure of timing), my body completely took over and starting pushing the baby down. I had to HOLD BACK my pushing so I didn't tear, he was coming down and out so fast. It was the weirdest thing to do! After about 8 minutes, he was born! No burning, no tearing (I held my hand on his head the whole time). I never got a chance to listen to any of my Hypnobabies during the birth (I thought I had tons of time left), and it was AMAZING. Honestly, thinking back on it, the only part I think "badly" of was the needle part. I remember the sensation of that, and not really the "waves".
This time around, I started VERY early with my Hypnobabies, went through the weekly schedule, but only putting on a track a night, and having it repeat all night. It really helps me sleep. Once I hit about 20 weeks, I was at maintenance mode, and now have all my tracks repeating nightly. I'll occasionally remember a part of my dream, and I'll be explaining something to someone about a painless childbirth or something, then I'll wake up with one of the kids, and realized THAT was the part that was playing on my iPod. I would literally quote Hypnobabies in my dreams. So I know I'm "getting" it into my subconcious. I will try to put them on during the day, while I'm doing stuff, just to try and hear what she's saying. I'm amazed by what she says! I honestly don't "remember" any of it, but my body sure did!
This is a long story, thanks for anyone who made it through the whole thing! But what I'm trying to say is that IT WORKS!!! You may fall asleep, you may not "feel" it working (I never "felt" on or off), but when the time comes, it does amazing things!
) most of the time. The biggest challenge for me will be finding the time to consistently do it like I'm suppose to. The ladies voice doesn't irk me like I've read it does some. I'm feeling confident that this can be a technique that works for me. I was skeptical but I'm feeling pretty positive about it. It will be interesting to see how it goes. Anybody else doing it? How's it going for you?
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