Hypnobabies - who's with me? « Back to Group Discussions

[ilovejeff]

Who all is using/planning to use/curious about Hypnobabies?

I used it for DD's birth, and while I never really feel that I was able to get fully into Hypnosis during her birth (because the pressure waves - aka, contractions - were right on top of each other) I feel that it really helped me to be confident in my body and my ability to birth my baby. Actually, it helped me to have that attitude all through my pregnancy...and into this one. DD's birth wasn't painful at all...intense, yes, but not painful. (the midwifes hand in my uterus to remove the retained placenta was quite another story!)

I've started listening to it again when I go to sleep and throughout the night and am finding that I'm sleeping better since I started listening again...it's so soothing that if I wake up, it lulls me right back to sleep. Once DH is out of school at the beginning of next month, I will start setting aside time to actually focus on the scripts and listen without the intention of falling asleep. I'm also going to practice going into hypnosis with my hand in a bowl of ice water, so that I'm practicing in a less-than-relaxing situation. Hopefully that will build my self-hypnosis skills so that I'm able to get there during the birth this time.

If you're using Hypnobbies or a simple program, have you started practicing yet? If you've used it in the past, what was your experience?

[Monkey Keeper]

Meeee!!  My set is on loan right now to a good friend who is delivering in June, so I won't be starting until much later. Which is okay 'cause I got annoyed last time long before the end of my pregnancy. I am, however, practicing my finger drop at the end of every yoga practice.

I didn't have a lot of luck last time either, but I had an atypical labor (pain other than contraction pain), and after talking with a Hypnobirthing instructor, I found out that it was normal to feel atypical pain. I guess your subconscious lets you know when things are not as they should be. It did help me to relax through a lot, though, during early and early active labor. I was able to lie flat on my back through contractions 3 min apart and also even sleep for about an hour.

[nilatti]

I used Hypnobirthing took a Hypnobirthing class in preparation for my son's birth. I think that the affirmations and suggestions in the class were really helpful in getting me in a mental state that let me trust my body and follow it through my labor---but I don't think I got into that deep hypnosis state that I've heard people talk about. Of course, my labor was only 3.5 hours long, and I had contractions a minute apart the whole time--no time to really get into a good mental space, you know?

I'm planning to try it again this time.

[MissE]

I have read the book up until the dog's shampoo got dumped on it. I've been doing the relaxation and the affirmations every now and then, not regularly. I will probably do it more the closer we get to the due date. I must say though that I'm sceptical of pain free childbirth BUT I'm hoping to just be able to relax a lot more during labor than before. Last time was pretty good already (DDs birth) without any hypnobirthing/babies, so I'm hoping with a little more insight and training to have a more comfortable experience.

[MIrandaM]

I'm in the process of signing up right now.  Luckily I really like the idea of hypnobirth because it's the only decent birth preparation course held in English in our area!

[Engineering_Mama]

Me! I've already signed up for a class that starts in June. I've already started to listen to the first CD that the instructor sent me when I signed up for the class. During DD's birth I self hypnotized without any specific training at all. And had a pain free birth. Looooong, sometimes intense, but not painful. This time I'm hoping the class will give me more (that would be any) control of the hypnotic state.

[MIrandaM]

We're officially enrolled in the hypnobirthing course, the instructor's mailing me the kit this week.  Class is 3 hours each Sat & Sun for two weekends June.  But there haven't been any other English speakers interested, so she said that if nobody else signs on it will just be a private class for DH and I, and it'll be shorter and we can choose when we want to have it.  Sweet!

When she called I didn't recognize the number and thought she was someone else, so I started asking her how her pregnancy was going, how was her trip to Toscana etc before I realized it wasn't who I thought it was - whoops.   English is her second language so even after I laughed and explained I think she still didn't realize what was going on.  :0 

I'm so looking forward to these classes! Hypno for the win!

[ascher21]

I want to take them. I wonder...is it important to take a class, or can you buy the cd and book and do it yourself?

[MissE]

So is it really necessary to do the classes and do your SO fully participate? My DH is all about me doing relaxation but I don't think he'd be into it doing it with me. There are classes offered but it's more than 1hr away from us. I can't afford going that far every week.

[Monkey Keeper]

I did the homestudy. Definitely not interested in forking out the time or money for a class.  And no. My DH wasn't too interested, which was fine.I didn't need him to help me with the hypnosis...I just needed him to squeeze my hips :)

[ilovejeff]

I did home study. Taking classes was not in our budget, it home study type things work well for me, anyway. DH and our doula practiced with me a few times, but for me, listening to the cd's worked best during the birth anyway...the lady's voice is just so soothing.

[MissE]

LOL, about the lady's voice. I can listen to it now but in the first trimester with m/s there was a little too much smacking going on for me LOL. It's all good now and I love the rainbow relaxation.

[MIrandaM]

Hi MissE, no I don't think it's really necessary to do the full in-person class, and it may be overkill, lol, but I have a feeling for my DH that the more he learns beforehand the more relaxed and helpful he will be at the time of the birth.  And since we're overseas he'll be my only support at the time of the birth, besides the midwife.  For this class they invite your birth partner to fully participate, doesn't have to be your SO which I thought was cool because if I were hiring a doula she could come as my partner for no additional cost and (if she'd never taken the hypnobirth course) it'd be a perk for her.  The other deciding factor is that our insurance kicks in for a significant portion of the cost. 

[Carson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nilatti 

I used Hypnobirthing took a Hypnobirthing class in preparation for my son's birth. I think that the affirmations and suggestions in the class were really helpful in getting me in a mental state that let me trust my body and follow it through my labor---but I don't think I got into that deep hypnosis state that I've heard people talk about.

This was my experience too.  We took the course in person and it was good, but the whole time I kept trying to figure out what I would *use* during labor.  I found that it was the preparation leading up to it that prepared my mindset for dealing with birth.  I was NOT happy during contractions, er,  waves and I made that abundantly clear.  But when they were over, seriously, I was just dropped relaxed completely at peace. 

The coolest thing about the HB tracks were that my labor nurse had a very similar voice, what an awesome coincidence!  Glad she'll be there again.

I liked having DH and I attend the class because it gave us a set time each week to discuss birth concepts together and 'work' together towards a common goal.  He was really into the birth process and extremely supportive during birth; it's hard to objectively say if we didn't take the in-person class if he would have been that way.  I think we only did the partner audio thing once and it wasn't for us.

[ColoradoMama626]

I hope to use a combo of Hypnobabies/Hypnobirthing for my twin birth.I used Hypnobabies for my daughter and loved it then became a certified HypnoBirthing teacher and like it as well. I haven't started much practice yet though I keep putting it off - now that I have a little one time is so precious!

[ArtificialRed]

I'm signed up for a Hypnobabies class starting in early July. I am so excited! I think in my case the actual class is definitely worth it, if hypnobabies can help me have a natural birth it will save me a lot more money on the cost of interventions than it takes to go to the class over homestudy.

[Faliciagayle]

I did Hypnobabies with LO2s birth.  I'm not sure I ever got into hypnosis, per se, but the difference in my preparation and management of DSs birth was profoundly different than DD (both were "good" births).  I did home study but have been thinking about actually taking the class - tho by looking at them it still looks like a fair amount of the practice is at home, by yourself - so I really just need to find the external hard drive where I saved the MP3s and get cracking.  I pretty much only ever listened to it when falling asleep and the affirmations while walking/driving.  The couple times I endeavored to have a real session the experience was deep and I can see that with actual practice, it would be possible for me to enter into hypnosis.  We'll see what happens this time.