Any of you veteran moms NOT take a birthing class 1st time? (hypnobirth question too)

[SoonToBe]

I am planning to do hypnobirthing with this baby.  My midwife really recommends it and when I looked into it, I like the concepts.  I do feel like birth is natural and my body can do this.  I agree that being afraid and fighting your body are ways to have a longer more painful labor.  Many women in other parts of the world give birth like it's nothing.  Anyway...

So my midwife doesn't have me enrolled in the class until July 16th and 23rd.  I'm due August 5th.  It was originally July 9th and 16th and I told her I was very concerned it was so close to my due date.  She assured me that it's not something I have to practice forever and it's more of a state of mind and relaxing sort of thing.  When it got pushed off, I got really worried.  So she gave me some recordings to listen to and the book to read early to get me started.

I like the book okay, although some of it seems a little too different for me.  The recordings are awful!  They are so cheesy that I end up getting frustrated listening to them.  She told me to listen to it at bed while I fall asleep.  I only made it 3 nights before I gave up because it was driving me nuts.  "Allow yourself to go deeper, AND deeper, AND deeper..."  Maybe it's the way she says it or something.  I tried a guy version and a female version and I hate them both.

So I'm thinking I'm not going to get the full benefit from the hypnobirthing, but I'm hoping I get most of it. 

Here's the question...assume hypnobirthing does not end up being my thing and I don't have a program to rely on to help me during labor...how big a deal is this?  Those of you who had natural first births (and subsequent), did you use a program?  I have an absolutely wonderful husband who will be very supportive and help me in anyway he or I can think of.  I trust my midwife and I have a lot of confidence that I can do this.  If I take the concepts of hypnobirthing and many (but not all) of the techniques, do you think that will be adequate? 

Thanks.  Sorry this was so long.

[Peony]

Never used anything special for my births. I didn't take a class with my first, this was almost 9 years ago, hypnobirthing was unheard of here still. I read Birthing From Within and Bradley, and studied it a little, but I'm not into woo woo stuff and that is what it felt like to me. And the thought of DH helping me with any contractions was laughable even then! Anyway, I did just fine, the 20 hour labor was tolerable with water, deep breathing, and just focusing on other things. Pushing really sucked, but it was only an hour out of my life. I've done similar things for my next 2 labors. My last birth was really, really intense, I never felt like I got a grip on the pain but still I managed. It is only for a short time, it does pass, and that is what I always tell myself through labor. It isn't forever, I will survive, and well, I do. 

[kristandthekids]

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Edited by kristandthekids - 1/16/13 at 4:42pm

[Italiamom]

Totally natural, out of hospital birth with my first, and didn't take any classes!  Reflecting, I'm actually really glad I didn't take a class.  I did a lot of reading first, and I feel like I was prepared.  For me, I had no preconceived notions of what would help...  I just did what I needed in the moment.  I knew a lot about how to relax just from previous yoga experience, and I really feel like that was enough.  My active labor was 4-5 hours, plus 2 hours of pushing -- fairly intense for a first birth.  And I wouldn't change a thing.

I think it's great to have different tricks up your sleeve, but I wouldn't sweat not making it all the way through a course.  Your body will have a baby with or without hours of practice trying to meditate through something you really can't prepare for...

[SouthernStormy]

This is my first and I don't plan on taking any classes.

I'm just going to do what it feels like my body needs to do and try to remember the pain is only temporary.

[mamatalks]

I've had two babies both naturally and did not take any type of classes with either of mine. I just did lots of research on natural childbirth, picked up a few books from the library and focused only on the information related to birthing naturally! You can do! Once you've birthed children naturally you feel like you can conquer the world! Go for it! 

[Baby_Cakes]

I did the hypnobabies home study with my first, but as soon as ctx hit, it all flew out the window.  So, for all intents and purposes, I didn't take a class or have any method.  I just did what Italiamom said, I did what I needed to do in the moment.  Having a good support team, knowing the pain is for a reason, and taking one ctx at a time will get you thru.  Focus on the right then and not near future (at least until pushing) and you will get thru.

[Ree Tee]

This is my first birth. A few weeks ago I got the Hypnobabies book/CDs. I couldn't stay awake for the first 2 CDs in the series...And while I realize you are supposed to be receiving the "messages" in your sleep, I just couldn't stand the way I'd knock out then suddenly wake up at the end. I hardly had any idea of what was being said!

On top of that, I've had some trouble breathing in the past month...Somehow falling into such a deep sleep with the hypno CDs has been tapping into slight feelings of claustrophobia that I've had in adulthood. It's hard to explain. But I guess this is my way of saying I'm not following through w/the hypnobabies and am not taking a course. I'm going to try some of the pain management techniques in Birthing From Within, but will not be following any specific protocol.

I'm so glad to read this post; it's comforting to read that many other mothers just did their own thing...

[greencarnation]

This is my first, and we don't have the money for a class.  I read Hypnobirthing, and it just isn't my thing.   I also read Orgasmic Birth, which I loved, but it's more of a philosophy than a method.  I plan on going with the flow, and just doing what feels right, or anything my mws suggest.

[Beckily]

I took Blissborn, but since it was the teacher's first time and we'd all actually signed up for Hypnobirthing she also gave us all that material, too.

I can't make it through the book and I haven't even tried the CDs. I like the idea, but it seems unhelpful to me to change the names of everything - because then everyone around you has to remember them that way and that's not really going to happen. Blissborn uses real words. I like it very much.

[Chaika]

I read Hypnobirthing and found some of it helpful, some of it was kinda meh.  I agree with the point about changing the names of things.   I will say, my boyfriend likes reading the partner script thing to me, which is cute.  Especially because he has a thick Russian accent and attempts to do this weird hypnotic thing with his voice.

[SoonToBe]

Thanks for the reassurance ladies.  I'm very confident (and stubborn ) in my choice to do a natural home birth.  Given that, I think all will be okay.  I will have my DH for support, a great midwife, and the pool which I know will help me relax a lot.  I LOVE being in the water.  Just got out of my hot tub in fact.  I get so relaxed in there.  I use it as a pool these days to cool off.  I just got out and my teeth chattered. :)  Anyway, looks like many mamas just go with the flow and it all works out just fine.  Thanks for the reassurance. 

[PoetryLover]

I wanted to take a class of some sort when I was pregnant with DS, but we couldn't afford it. I'm honestly not sure anything could have prepared me for the intensity of labor. We had a home birth with a midwife and her assistant. My DH was a wonderful, wonderful labor partner. This time I'm (when I have the energy) practicing prenatal belly dancing, as it's supposed to help during labor, and it's just fun. I'm not sure I'll feel comfortable doing the moves at the hospital, though. I'm afraid I might be embarrassed.  We're also (providing we can pay her) having a doula this time. Doulas are wonderful for making laboring moms as comfortable as possible.  I do have some affirmations, but last time I couldn't bear to hear them when DH tried to read them to me.

I think you've gotten great advice here.  and best luck to you! I'm sure you'll do fine.

[jillybeans]

We had uber religious midwives the first time, and took what we thought was a birthing class but was more focused on prayer in labor.

When it came down to it, my body took over and I did what I needed. We didn't use the breathing techniques, etc, because they just didn't work with me. I just used my instincts, and they worked!!!

[bumbold]

I took the hypnobirthing classes last time and it didn't really do much for me.  I didn't feel prepared enough for the pain of birth I just kept thinking well if I can relax it won't hurt because that is what the classes said but it hurt and this time I am going to be emotionally prepared.  Not that I am not going to try and relax but that I am going to try harder to listen to my instincts and not what some class says.  I also spent a lot of time laying down in labor because of the hypnobirthing classes having you try to get into a comfortable position and I think that may have been part of what created the cervical lip that I got.  I have been thinking about it a lot and trying out different things when I am having braxton hicks contractions and moving around seems to be a much better way for me to deal.  I am that kind of person after all, sitting still is hard for me. 

I think its more about being able to listen to yourself than anyone else so if you don't make it to the class then don't worry about it, I would just experiment yourself with ways of relaxing yourself.  Walking has been great for me recently who knows what will feel good during labor I am just coming up with a big list of things that I could try if I don't feel like my body is just telling me what to do.

[Big D]

There were no classes offered in my area when I was preggers with DS so I did all my research on-line.  Birthingnaturally.net has tons of good resources for different positions, dealing with pain in different areas, and the stages of labor.  I would say the research I did allowed me to have a natural birth in a hospital because I knew all of my options.  You really don't want to think in labor and while I did listen to my body, it was really nice to have tricks up my sleeve so I wouldn't default to climbing up onto the hospital bed.  I would highly recommend watching some empowering videos like Orgasmic Birth or The Business of Being Born just so you can see women birth in different positions (other than on your back in a hospital bed).  It helps you feel normal when you want to push baby out in a squat or in the tub.  Too often we are subconciously programed to accept what we see on TV as normal and to laugh or not accept different ideas (like vocalizing during labor).  You don't want to default to what you see on TV when things get hard (if they do) because you don't know how you will handle it until you are in the thick of it.  The more tools up your sleeve the better!  That being said, I am taking Hypnobabies this time around to add more tools to the tool box.   I really struggle with one CD in particular but the rest have been great.  If you don't like the ones you've borrowed, see if you can borrow some from another class (Hypnobabies or Blissborn).  Maybe you'll like their style better.