Opinions on HYPNOBIRTHING please!

[annyaya]

I am pregnant with my second baby (edd 2-22-05) and just found out about something called hypnobirthing. I'm not a big computer user (I'm on it maybe once a week if not less), I'm more of a book worm! BUT in my quest to find real live opinions of it someone said to ask on mothering.com so here I am - for the first time ever! I did a search about it but must admit I am really a novice here and don't understand a lot of the abbreviations used so thought I would just start fresh and see what it brings?
Just a little backround on myself... my first baby was born in a birthing center with a cnm, this next baby will be born at home with a personal midwife and if I'm lucky any future babies will be born at home unassisted!

Like I said, I'm not on the computer a whole lot (we do not have internet service at home so I have to use the library computers) but PLEASE don't be turned away by my absense - I will come back as often as possible.

[jane-t-mommy]

Hi, I haven't actually birthed with hypnobirthing yet, but did take the class and am due with dc#2 within the month. I really enjoyed the class and am looking forward to having this tool at my disposal during this labor. I've found that I am already reaping the benefits of practicing frequent relaxation. Good luck in making your decision. Hope this helps.

[Artisan]

I think it helped me a lot in terms of feeling in control and relaxed. It helped me sleep during my pregnancy as well. It did not, however, take away the labor pain.

[Nammymom]

A friend of my husband's claimed she felt no pain at either of her 2 births w/hypnobirthing.
I tried hypnobirthing with my 1st babe, and sadly, it didn't do anything for me at all. If anything, I got more panicky as the (induced) labor rushes were so intense and painful. I had other factors affecting my labor though (induction, long labor, uptight hubby, harassing phone calls from family, epidural, snowballing interventions).
I think it's totally worth trying. Try to do the exercises at least once a day, for months. Do them when you're alert. I did them before going to bed, which helped put me to sleep, but may have been why it wasn't effective during labor. Even just getting the slow breathing down, and being able to focus can help you.
Look at it this way, you may gain significantly reduced pain when it counts, and worst comes to worst there are no negative side effects. Just make sure to practice a lot!!

Good luck, and a great birth!

[momsgotmilk4two]

I did it with my second baby and will do it again this time. I used the hyp birth program. It really helped me to manage the pain and to relax and not be scared, but I would not say that it eliminated the pain. I think people get disappointed when they expect to have a pain free labor. My feelings were that if it worked, great, if it didn't ,oh well at least the excersizes were relaxing It helped me to be in control which was a big thing for me since I felt so out of control during ds 1's birth. The pain during transition really scared me, wheras with the hyp birth I stayed calm. I reccommend it to my pg friends, even if they are planning on a medicated birth.

[rainbowmoon]

do you have to take an actual class or can you learn how to hypnotize yourself and write your own scripts?

i tried to get a hypnobabies home studycourse during my last pg. but there was some sort of mixup and I never got the course (was refunded though).

can anyone post links to the program you've used?

[momsgotmilk4two]

I used the program from www.thebirthconnection.com

You don't have to take a class with that one, it is all do it yourself.

[rainbowmoon]

thanks for the info

[Nammymom]

I had taken the class, but honestly all you need is the material. It's great if you can educate yourself additionally (I love Ina May Gaskin's books and Birthing from Within and similar). Just make sure to practice the hypnosis and the breathing.

Best wishes and a fabulous birth!

[annyaya]

Thanks to all for your input. From what those of you have said here and on other threads, hypnobirthing helps you stay calm and relaxed during labor and birth but does not take away the pain (even though that is what many of the hypnobirthing sites claim - no pain).
This is all good to know because then a mama won't feel like a failure when she actually experiences pain even though she may be totally successful in remaining extremely relaxed throughout labor and birth.

[Tanibani]

Originally Posted by annyaya

From what those of you have said here and on other threads, hypnobirthing helps you stay calm and relaxed during labor and birth but does not take away the pain (even though that is what many of the hypnobirthing sites claim - no pain).

It depends on a lot of factors (on the class, if the instructor was good or not, if the mom practices enough, if she is still fearful up to the birth....) but many women have had painfree birth experiences... I was one of them.

I took the course - HypnoBirthing, course created by Marie Mongan
http://www.hypnobirthing.com/
and I had a painfree long 18 hour labor in the hospital. Seriously... I was brushing my teeth during transition. You can read my birth story in this thread:

Tell me more about Hypnobirthing

It's a very good discussion and I answer a lot of questions.

My second birth (homebirth) was not 100% painfree. There was mild discomfort and totally manageable. I was full of questions (why didn't it work as well this time? - I think I know why) but I wasn't disappointed in myself. I did pretty dang good overall! Once again, transition was not completely overwhelming (or even close.)

But I still think it worth looking into/doing. I think all pg women should look into.

The course teaches women how to relax their muscles (head to toe) during labor. The more a woman is relaxed, the less pain she will feel. If she is able to completely release all tension in her body (quite a feat and something I was unable to do the 2nd time) she will have a painfree experience. If she is able to release some of it, then she will have a litte pain/discomfort, just depends on the degree she is able to relax. A lot of women love laboring in water. Why? Because they instinctively release the tension in the bodies, start to relax, and wah-lah... it hurts less and less. All HypnoBirthing does (and that's why I love it) is for the mom to do this on her own - with or without water.

I love this woman's story - she ended up with a C-sec (I say "ended up" because that's not how * she * originally envisioned giving birth.)
http://www.belliestobabies.com/hypnobirthing.htm

Rainbowmoon, you can either take a class or study-at-home. I was lucky to take a class with a great instructor (who teaches the course to Doulas, etc...) The thing that gave me so much confidence was hearing her own amazing, real life stories of her own clients. I knew if they could it, so could I. Her clients had painfree, first time 6 hours labors. Mine was 18 hours... I'm a different person and I had other dramas going on in my head at the time (read the thread with my birth story.)

I personally preferred a class (and then I practiced at home) because I feel I got so much out of it.

But if a class isn't available, do the study-at-home (hypnobabies.com or hypbirth.com.) Hypbirth is from the Birth Connection. The BC is run by a Doula who created 1) Hypbirth and 2) Earth Mama Angel Baby products (all over MDC, the pg women with angel wings.)

Nannymom, it sounds like you were in a very stressed environment! It's very difficult to stay calm and relaxed with everything you were faced with. In an ideal world, hubby isn't nervous, family isn't making harassing nerve-wracking phone calls, hospital isn't running around you like it's an emergency....