Birthing techniques? « Back to Group Discussions

[SplashingPuddle]

My first labour was long and challenging, and I never immersed myself in any particular birthing theory/technique, rather I tried various positions/books/ideas that I had heard of. I never settled into anything and didn't feel I was able to cope with the pain well. 

This time I am thinking it may be helpful to try out a particular program (hypno-babies, bradley etc).  I haven't decided on anything yet, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these or other approaches? Were they helpful or not?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Oliver's Mama]

The Hypnobabies sounded great to me but it was expensive, so I bought the Hypnobirthing book and loved it.  I wouldn't say I was in total hypnosis during labor, but it was pretty darn close and being able to turn off  my body and go completely limp between contractions definitely helped me cope with the pain.  It's been a while, but I think it was that book that also had some exercise an stretching-out techniques to do prior to labor that I like to think helped prep my body.

So my own little technnique was a combination of Hypnobirthing and the book Birthing From Within.. I studied and implemented both, and it turned out great.  Since I still can't manage the cost of hypnobabies this time, I found some cheap mp3s on amazon of birth hypnosis tapes, and plan to give those a try too.

When it comes to labor though, you just do what you gotta do, and I don't know that anyone's really stressing about sticking to a formal technique at that point! But if you immerse yourself enough in a particular technique, maybe some will become second nature when it comes time to cope.

[Kara9080]

Originally Posted by Oliver's Mama 

The Hypnobabies sounded great to me but it was expensive, so I bought the Hypnobirthing book and loved it.  I wouldn't say I was in total hypnosis during labor, but it was pretty darn close and being able to turn off  my body and go completely limp between contractions definitely helped me cope with the pain.  It's been a while, but I think it was that book that also had some exercise an stretching-out techniques to do prior to labor that I like to think helped prep my body.

So my own little technnique was a combination of Hypnobirthing and the book Birthing From Within.. I studied and implemented both, and it turned out great.  Since I still can't manage the cost of hypnobabies this time, I found some cheap mp3s on amazon of birth hypnosis tapes, and plan to give those a try too.

When it comes to labor though, you just do what you gotta do, and I don't know that anyone's really stressing about sticking to a formal technique at that point! But if you immerse yourself enough in a particular technique, maybe some will become second nature when it comes time to cope.

Thanks for mentioning that! I found a couple and bookmarked then to buy them later.

[cyclamen]

OP, I was like you the first time around - I read about various methods but never settled on one.  This time around I want to try the Pink Kit (which I heard favorable things about on MDC) and take some specifically prenatal yoga classes.  I also read this book  and found it helpful while I was dealing with my morning sickness.  I don't know if any of this will help but I hope it will!

[firespiritmelody]

Originally Posted by cyclamen 

OP, I was like you the first time around - I read about various methods but never settled on one.  This time around I want to try the Pink Kit (which I heard favorable things about on MDC) and take some specifically prenatal yoga classes.  I also read this book  and found it helpful while I was dealing with my morning sickness.  I don't know if any of this will help but I hope it will!

I had the opportunity to meet the creator of The Pink Kit - she was a riot!

[SplashingPuddle]

Thank-you for the suggestions. I had never heard of the pink kit.  I definitely will look into it. Has anyone tried the CDs it come with during birthing? I know the hypnobabies home-study kit also has CDs to listen to.  Has anyone had experience with them? I'm not sure if I would enjoy listening to a relaxation CD during birth or if I would end up feeling frustrated, since some relaxation CDs irritate me now. But I like the idea of already being really comfortable with something ahead of birthing so that it seems familiar in labour.

[Greenlea]

I took a Bradley Method class with my first child and it really helped me. Although, my 1st birth was still quite long (16 hrs) it was managable (until transition!) Because I felt like I handled my 1st birth well, my 2nd birth went even smoother. But I was not one of those women who were calm and quiet during labor. Regardless of pain, I'm quite vocal LOL.  

[camprunner]

Loved my Bradley Classes. Being thorougly educated helped a lot.

[magpiemind]

Another Bradley fan here! Knowing what was going on during labor and knowing roughly what to expect (transition, etc) was immensely helpful. It was a great help to my husband, too, enabling him to be supportive in the ways I needed.

A surprising benefit was that it almost felt like I had "permission" to do what I needed to do during labor. Without the classes, I would have worried more about whether it was "okay" to move into different positions; I would have been more self-conscious about what the nurses thought, etc. But I felt free to get into any position that would help, knowing that it was fine and normal and that no position was "too weird!"

[MaineCoastMama]

Anyone experienced with "Mindfulness Based" birthing classes? 

[cyclamen]

Originally Posted by MaineCoastMama 

Anyone experienced with "Mindfulness Based" birthing classes? 

I read a book about that (link is in my other post in this thread) and I wish there was one around here I could take.  Would love to hear others' experiences.

[expat-mama]

DH and I chose to combine methods and strategies from Bradley, Hypnobirthing and this AWESOME WONDERFUL AMAZING book that I recommend to everyone I know (and even strangers) called Active Birth by Janet Balaskas. 

We didn't go to any formal classes except our hospital birth class but we read Bradley books (these really helped DH know how to support me during labour) and practiced the Bradley breathing stuff at home, I listened to pirated Hypnobirthing cds that a lovely lady in my DDC provided on the internet  and I devoured Active Birth doing the yoga excercises outlined in the book and practicing the birthing positions and techniques in the book with DH so we'd be prepared to use them. It all worked out pretty well- I had a loooong labour but very little pain and I knew what to do in each stage to work with my body, to relax my mind, and keep myself in control while letting my body do what it needed. It was great! 

[SplashingPuddle]

Thanks for all the replies.  We just ordered the hypobabies home study as a Christmas present for ourselves.  =)

Is anyone else taking group courses/classes now? Or are you learning on your own? 

[firespiritmelody]

My dh and I took this weekend workshop with our first 3 babies http://www.pattiramos.com/birthpreparationworkshop.html and I've been apprenticing with her for about the last year. I don't know if we'll do the class again this time yet or not, might be awkward since I've been student teaching and assisting with the class all year. It's an AMAZING workshop though and if anyone is in the Seattle/Tacoma area, I would highly highly recommend it! 

[Munchkin08]

We start a "Birth Works" class after the new year. I am really excited to meet other mamas in the local area. We are also signed up for a "Partners Yoga for Birthing" workshop through my local yoga studio.