Hypnomamas?

[Slackermom]

I know there are a few of us here! I thought maybe we could all check in and share how we're doing.

I've been doing the Hypnobabies home study course for three weeks now, and I love it. Seriously, I think I'm addicted to it. After I listen to a CD, I want MORE .... I feel so relaxed and happy. I wasn't sure if I am just zoning out during the sessions or whether they are really working, but a friend told me that the euphoria I feel after doing a session is because of my endorphins, which is all the anesthesia really is.

We met with our doula last night, and she's really enthused about the program, too. If nothing else, it's really helped me to feel positive about my birthing time. I've gone from feeling nervous and full of "what ifs" to feeling relaxed and almost eager for it.

So how is everyone else doing with it?

[beachbaby]

I am doing Hypnobabies, too. Actually, I just finished the course and am on the maintenance part now. I may go back and do a few of the weeks over.

Overall, I think it's really helped me focus on myself and the babe and to look forward to birthing. My midwife is excited about it, too--I let her borrow the quick reference guide so she can get a feel for what it is all about.

I skipped the Fear Release script and still don't know if I'll go back to it--I am worried that it will bring more fears to the surface. DH listened to it and he thinks it'd be ok, but I'm still nervous. I guess I feel that I've worked hard to let go of so many fears already, that if I start focusing on them again, I'll just resort to worrying more.

Do y'all find the affirmations popping into your head at odd times throughout the day? "My pelvis is soft aaaaaaaaaaaand flexible" :LOL

Curious to hear how everyone else is doing!

[Slackermom]

Originally Posted by beachbaby

Do y'all find the affirmations popping into your head at odd times throughout the day? "My pelvis is soft aaaaaaaaaaaand flexible" :LOL

:LOL :LOL Yes! Every now and then I get affirmations through my head. Or else I chant to myself: "Bubble of Peace! Go to your Bubble of Peace!" :LOL :LOL

[*Amy*]

Hee hee!! I love it too. I was just telling a friend this morning that I had a self-lead session this morning where I spent a lot of time talking to/with Brynn and discussing what a wonderful birth we are going to have together. It was really wonderful. I've also been visualizing my dream birth and MAN does that make me feel euphoric!! I'm getting kind of obsessed with thinking about all of the details, like she suggests. It's like being in love and thinking about your wedding day or something!

It is amazing to me how powerful the mind is. I've been practicing the "peace" anesthesia on my gallbladder pain (which is extremely intense at times) and I can make it go away if I concentrate really intensely. Other little pains go away immediately. I'm always like, Wow! That is so cool!

Like you said, Jellyfishy, it makes me really happily excited for our birthing time!

[Awaken]

Hi- as I've posted before, I'm not doing the full home study course since I did the full hypnobirthing thing last time, plus I didn't want to spend the $

I have the affirmations cd and dh is taping the scripts for me that I downloaded and transferring them to the laptop and ipod - he is sooooo sweet about it- he knows how much of a difference it made last time, so he is really taking an active part in making sure I have my scripts! So far I've been listening to the Special Place, Glove Anesthesia, and Visualize Your Birth scripts. I mainly do it before bed- so I usually fall asleep, but that didn't seem to matter last time, it still worked so I'm not that worried. I'm not doing the fingerdrop, lightswitch, etc.

For me, just the positive thoughts make a HUGE difference- I am feeling totally positive about the birth! I can't wait till 37 weeks when I can start listening to the Birthing Day affirmations- I'm sure it'll be great! It's funny when I put the affirmations on in the car and ds starts repeating 'peace' 'birth' 'relax' and so on :LOL

[memory maker]

Can I just say that when I first read the thread title I had my glasses on instead of my contacts and I thought it said "hippomamas"
I first thought was "yes I do feel big enough to be a hippo"

Sorry just had to let ya know

[Queen of Cups]

I'm enjoying my HypnoBabies homestudy course again this pregnancy. I'm just having trouble staying awake during the sessions! I'm not too worried about, though, since this is my second time using the program and I'm only 30.5 weeks. I tried the fear release session last pregnancy and didn't like it and I'm just going to skip it this time...

[MistyB]

I am doing hypbirth and love it!

I am on the 3rd phase out of 4 and will start 4 next week. I really enjoy the relaxing meditative time everyday to myself.

My favorite part of that method is the birth affirmations that are at the end of every days practice time. I went out and bought a great pair of noise cancelling/reducing earphones and I love using them. I have all of the files on my mp3 player and they pretty much go everywhere with me so I can practice when it is convenient.

[SonjaW]

I took HypnoBirthing classes (I'm actually taking a refresher course right now). I am LOVEING this program, and I love my instructer. DH has halped so much, even when I get upset or panicky, he will do a script with me. I fall asleep a lot too, but that just means I am relaxed!

My instructer did a fear release with us, and it was absolutely awesome. I was able to put my fears in baloons and send them off to the sky where they could disappear. They haven't come back. I really thought it was valuable.

Several weeks ago I have having some really bad leg cramps in the middle of the night. I would wake up in the middle of the night instantly screaming b/c my calf muscle would be one tight ball...hard knot..as contracted as possible...get the picture? I had this happen quite often when I used to run Cross Country in high school and college, so I knew what it was. DH would wake up (I was screaming owww..owww.owww), and he would first think I was having a nightmare, so he would tell me to wake up. I would then pant "I'm am awake...leg cramp", and he would instantly start repeating a HypnoBirthing script, making up half of it along the way. Last time he did the control valve (kinda) and I was able to turn the pain off, and wait for the cramp to release. It was amazing, still very intense, but really manageable. That was the first time I realized that this practice is going to get us through labor and delivery. It was the first time I firmly believed that even though he doesn't have the scripts memorized, his "faking it" works just fine.

Yip!!