Is 30 weeks too late to start Hypnobabies?

[~Amy~]

I'd like to do Hypnobabies, but don't know yet if I'm going to try for a VBAC or have a repeat C.  I will be discussing this with my doctor around 28-30 weeks and making a decision. Is 30ish weeks too late to start?

[PAgreenmama]

i'm doing hypnobabies also although i've started really early.  from what i hear, 30 weeks is a common time to start hypnobabies... i think there are 5 lessons (one week each) and then you're on the maintenance program.  you should definitely join the hypnobabies yahoo group for more information.  

good luck!

[callieollie]

As the previous poster said, it's 5 weeks with maintence after so 30 weeks is fine.  I started early just because I was excited but I didn't need to.  I also second looking into the yahoo group. It was really helpful!  Good luck - I LOVED hypnobabies!

[hennaLisa]

I started Hypnobirthing (the Mongan Method) at 30 weeks and it was perfect. It was my first birth, I had tons of fear about pain etc. to overcome, and I had an AMAZINGLY wonderful birth experience at 39 weeks. It was super-easy.

[prothyraia]

30 weeks is fine- I think they actually recommend starting around that time (reasoning that if you start too early, you won't keep up with it).

[HappyWoman]

Hypnobabies was really helpful to me during my pregnancy and successful VBAC. If I remember correctly, HB recommends starting around 6 months, if you can. Whenever you start, it's important to be consistent with it.

A frugal tip, that I learned here on MDC, is that you can purchase a USED copy of the home study course from HB for $85. You can also sell it back to them, and receive $60 back.

HB makes other hypnosis tracks, in addition to the popular home-study course, including a track for preparing for a C-section. Many of their tracks are available for download on their website.

[Smokering]

If you can afford it, I'd recommend doing it even if you plan for a repeat C-section. For one thing, you'll have it up your sleeve if you change your mind at 38 weeks and decide to do a VBAC after all! But Hypnobabies is medical hypnosis, and that works for all sorts of pain (and fear). You could use it to calm yourself before and/or during the surgery if necessary, to cope with incision-site pain afterwards, or afterpains, or breastfeeding pain, or even first-bowel-movement-after-childbirth pain! (Plus third-trimester sleeplessness and achiness, if you're prone to that.) Check out the stories on the Hypnobabies site - there are plenty of mothers who have benefited from the program with their C-sections.