Hypnobabies and "pressure waves"

[purplepeace]

Hi all,

I am using the Hypnobabies program and really love it. I am wondering though if I will realize when I am beginning my birthing time (early labor). Is is possible that I "programmed out" noticing Braxston-Hicks contractions? While at the midwife's last week, the midwife was doing belly check and commented that I was having a contraction. I really tried to focus in and I guess it felt a little tighter, but nothing like I thought it would be like, not uncomfortable at all and more just like the way my belly contracts if I am bending over. I haven't really felt anything else that I would consider contractions, B-H or otherwise, though the baby moves all the time and I feel that.

Maybe I am just getting too paranoid, but has anyone else had this experience?

[FuzzyOne]

not sure if it means anything, but i am also using hypnobirthing and have had very few braxton hicks that i noticed...

[veganbaby]

Hi!
mysticdreamer here! Nice to see you posting here too. I didn't start doing hypnobirthing until closer to the end. When checking me, my mw says I'm having BHs....I can feel some and not feel some. So I don't know.

[ex-stasis]

I did Hypnobabies with both my first and second births. I think you will be able to tell... the "pressure waves" feel different from BH ctx. I couldn't always feel BH's (especially in my second pregnancy) but the pressure waves are pretty distinctive.

[emiLy]

I never felt any BH with my first pregnancy. I am this time, but only because now I realized what one is! I didn't do hypnobabies and am not this time, so I don't think it necessarily has to do with that. I did eventually realize "waves" were real and went to the hospital, but it never was unbearable until I tore (well, that's not the right word, that was bearable too, but that did hurt when nothing else did). So, you could just have a high tolerance for the feelings associated with birth, hypnobabies or not.

[richella]

I didn't do any hypnosis w/dd1. I had some surges in the evening 3 nights in a row, but nothing regular. 3rd night same as before, but my water broke and I went to hospital to find that I was having more frequent and stronger surges than I'd had any idea.

I felt plenty later, but the early surges were not painful at all, just stronger and distinctly different from bh. That is, the ones I felt.

[purplepeace]

Thanks everyone! (waves to mysticdreamer/veganbaby)

There seemed to be some new feelings last night and I've definitely had the burst of energy (scrubbed the shower last night and I have *never* done that before!)

The time may be approaching!

[aran]

I didn't feel/recognize BH when I was pg with DS1. I had the same experience as the OP - getting examined at a pre-natal appointmnet and being told I was contracting, and having no idea!

This time, I started recognizing BH between 30 and 32 weeks, and they've gotten progressively stronger (sometimes I lose my breath, and have to sit down) and in the evening become uncomfortable to the point of waking me up. (I am at 36 +6 now, and that never happened with DS1, even though I went to 41+1). Never did hypnobirthing... so I think it can be physiological... or maybe a first baby thing?

[CathMac]

BH contractions versus "pressure waves"

Generally speaking BH contractions are less intense. To the extent that there is any discomfort it's certainly possible to direct your "anaesthesia" (hypnosis) to minimize or remove the discomfort but I don't think you could do that without being aware of it; that's why you need to "direct" the anaesthesia. Unless perhaps the whole overall "Relaxation Benefit" (for lack of a better term) aspect of the hypnosis sort of prevented the BH in the first place. Assuming that is theoretically possible I don't think you could achieve the same effect with a "real" contraction / pressure wave.

It is also worth noting that while hypnosis can minimize or eliminate pain I think that even if you get really good at self-hypnosis you will have some awareness of the physical cause of what would otherwise be experienced as pain. One example most people can relate to is dental work. The novacaine will dull the pain but you still feel the pressure of the instruments in your mouth.

A more positive example would be childbirth itself where the hypnosis is so successful that little or no discomfort is felt but the Mom can actually feel the baby wiggling down. That's the experience I was hoping for, but it didn't happen for me. I suspect that it's really rare. However, my second delivery was unmedicated and fairly comfortable due to Hypnobabies (Kerry Tuschhoff's program).

Good luck, ~Cath