Hypnobirthing mamas?

[Celina2]

Hi! My name is Celina and my husband and I are currently expecting our 5th baby on earth (many more in heaven) in November.

We are looking forward to VBACing it this time and have been taking a hypnobirthing class. We only have 1 class left and unfortunately DH was picked up for Air Assault (active duty Army) school and won't make it to the last class (though thankfully he will only be gone 10 days).

This baby is a welcome home baby for us. Literally a welcome home. We chart and well, this baby and his flight arriving from his yearlong deployment was VERY well timed

I am looking forward to meeting other likeminded mamas. I don't know anyone else IRL who is even interested in hypnobirthing. We also CD and wear our babies.

Thank you for your time.

Celina

[doulatara]

Hi there!

I am a HypnoBirthing Practitioner. Congrats on your 5th baby, wow! Feel free to ask any questions if you have them, otherwise, I am looking forward to hearing other people's thoughts on HypnoBirthing. I can tell you, as a doula, I have seen some mindblowing things with the method.

[Celina2]

Thanks!! I am very happy to be going for it this time. My last birth was a c/s and it was a fiasco from several weeks before up until the c/s. The treatment I recieved at the hospital was absolutely appalling and I think that is why I ended up with a c/s. I had just about no trust in their ability to help me have a healthy baby (I have also had several pregnancy losses and terrible birthing experiences before and they did nothing to address my anxiety about that at all).

I find the hypnobirthing approach very refreshing. My doctor (thank God!) is very positive about it and wholeheartedly recommended it. I was actually pretty surprised about what she told me the Air Force (we are Army but our local hospital happens to be Air Force) policy on VBAC, if they don't have the capability of offering it (whatever their standard is, I think it has to do with having adequate staffing for an OR setup, etc.), they are required to refer you to a facility that does. And these folks don't like to refer out for anything. Hopefully they keep the policy.

Right now I am looking into getting Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I find that I am pretty much saturated in horrid birth stories and I need to change that. We are up on Alask and it is going to take a couple of days but I really want to read it. It came recommended by another hypnobirthing mama I know online.

Celina

[annettemarie]

Moving to birth and beyond

[Jessica17]

What is hypnobirthing, exactly? I've heard of it. I'm having a homebirth in February and am exploring all my options.

[pianojazzgirl]

I too am preparing for a VBAC and I've been using the "Hypnobabies" hypnosis for childbirth program. I'm really enjoying it so far (I've been studying it for about a week). Hypnobabies has a very thorough homestudy course which is what I'm doing. I also read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth and I really enjoyed the birth stories. And here is a link to a website with lots of great positive hypnobirthing birth stories: http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com/

Jessica - here is a link to the hypnobabies website for some info on the program and hypnosis for childbirth in general: http://www.hypnobabies.com/

And FYI there is also a great yahoo group dedicated to hypnobirthing. (It's called a "hypnobabies" group but really it's open to those interested in any method of hypnosis for childbirth) http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hypnobabies/

[wombatclay]

Heyla!

I loooooved hypnobabies for my vbac! You can check my sig, but basically hypnobabies kept what could have been a stressful birth peaceful and "happy". And it was a huge help during pregnancy too since it helped me relax and release some of the fears that came from my c/s. I don't know if we'll have more babes but if we do it's hypnobabies all the way.

The yahoo group was a great help too.

congrats on the babe and happy birthing!

[rmzbm]

I am also expecting my 5th...and keep saying I'm GOING TO look into the HB, but never do. *sigh* I'm a touch skeptical, but it sounds terrific. Can anyone that's used it share a little? :

[wombatclay]

Can anyone that's used it share a little?

There are a number of birth stories in the yahoo group (using different hypnosis methods)...I used Hypnobabies home study.

Unlike some of the self-hypnosis programs, hypnobabies is focused less on dissociating during birth and more on creating hypnotic suggestions that then play out during the birth. Basically, you listen to hypnosis sessions (on cd) that condition you to feel contractions as "pressure" and learn techniques that allow you to voluntarily block sensation from specific parts of the body or relax muscles very deeply.

You listen to a session every night, practice entering a hypnotic state on your own (using cues from the sessions) or with a partner, listen to affirmations (one set for pregnancy, one for birth), and practice creating and directing the deep muscle relaxation and anesthesia. The goal is a pain free birth in which mama is fully awake, aware, and moving around as she wants.

I found it really nice during pregnancy since the cds are very soothing...and it's ok to listen to them while you sleep. So I'd put a session on the mp3 player and sleep really well. And the fear release session was a good tool for me in facing some of the vbac stress that came up towards the end of my pregnancy. The affirmations were good too...I listened to them every day walking home from work and again while falling asleep.

There's a longer version in my sig but during my birth HB helped as well. I was totally pain and discomfort free until around 7cm. Then the contractions became seriously uncomfortable but not "painful"...just really intense pressure that I chanted through. Pushing was intense but again not painful. I pushed for 4 hours but remained relaxed and "cheerful" through the whole thing...I think the HB let me relax so completely between contractions that I had the energy to keep pushing.

Then during shoulder dystocia and a 4th degree tear I was still able to maintain the calm/pain free focus. HB did nothing to touch the sensation of the repair of that tear though (so they hooked up an iv and thank the gods for warm fuzzy pain meds).

Anyway, I think it's a great tool for birth, especially for vbac mamas.

[rmzbm]

Oh, so there's more than one version? Can you, very basically, tell me how they differ?

[pianojazzgirl]

I believe there are 3 main "methods" (or maybe there are 3 that offer homestudy courses?). You can check out their websites:

http://www.hypnobirthing.com/
http://www.hypnobabies.com/
http://hypbirth.com/

I don't know too much about it, but just from talking with (a lot) of other mamas it sounded like hypnobabies was the most comprehensive and effective, which is why I chose it.

[wombatclay]

There are tons of different hypnosis for birth options...the three biggies (at least here at mdc) are HypnoBabies, HypBirth, and the Mongan Method/Hypnobirthing.

HypnoBabies- a 6 cd, 2 workbook course. The workbooks include basic pregnancy info (Brewer Diet, how to avoid interventions, labo/birth positions and exercises, etc) as well as hypnosis specific information. The goal is for mama to be pain free but able to move around and interact without losing her hypnotic focus.

HypnoBirthing/Mongan Method- a one book one cd system that is designed to be used with a class or private hypnotherapist. However, many mamas have used it on their own. This system includes the "rainbow relaxation" technique and the goal is again a pain free birth for mama. The catch is that this method tends to stress complete relaxation and inward focus so interacting with other people or moving can cause mama to lose focus...I've heard a lot of mamas complain about this but it's not a problem for everyone!

HypBirth- gets rave reviews from UCers but I don't know a lot about it. It has workbooks, cds, and a video.

The yahoo group a pp mentioned has mamas using all sorts of different programs for BTDT ideas, as well as FAQs about different programs...

[rmzbm]

Thanks! Time to go join that group!

[dlm194]

I'm another vbac-er (and army wife ) due in November who is planning to use hyponobirthing. I just signed up for the class at out local hospital.

Question for those have used it: Is it imperative that my dh be at the classes? The woman I talked to at the hospital said he should be there but he has another class he is taking. He's willing to put off the class if I really want him there but he really has to get his classes done. My mother offered to come if I wanted. Thanks!

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I used hypnobabies with my 2nd. I did a lot of research and it seemed like the one that worked the best.

[leila1213]

Originally Posted by dlm194

I'm another vbac-er (and army wife ) due in November who is planning to use hyponobirthing. I just signed up for the class at out local hospital.

Question for those have used it: Is it imperative that my dh be at the classes? The woman I talked to at the hospital said he should be there but he has another class he is taking. He's willing to put off the class if I really want him there but he really has to get his classes done. My mother offered to come if I wanted. Thanks!

IMO it is extremely important for him to be there at least part of the time. My DH would not read anything about it and absorbed about 1/5th of what he heard in the (private) class - in our home! My mom also came to 1 or 2 of them and didn't absorb a whole lot either. : But maybe your family is different (I hope)!

[wombatclay]

I think it also depends on what program you're using and how active a role your partner will take in terms of hypnosis...he should attend at least a few classes (or read the Mongan book or other birth hypnosis book) so he'll know what to expect and how to support you in hypnosis.

I think some programs stress the partner's participation more, while some focus mostly on teaching mom.

The class instructor might be able to tell you more about what your dh may need...

[ThatCrazyLady]

I used Hypnobabies with baby #3, a VBAC. I can't recommend it highly enough--the only pain I felt was for less than a minute during transition, and my DH helped me relax back into hypnosis quickly.

For me, the affirmations that things would go smoothly, that my body knew what to do, and the daily practice were key. Having DH as a part of it was also quite important, as knowing that I could rely upon him to deal with the medical staff allowed me to maintain relaxation.

As a matter of fact, had DH not been spending stretches of time feeling my belly to time "pressure waves" (aka contractions), we might have had a home UC, as he surprised me when he suggested going to the hospital--I had been reclining in bed, listening to alternating cuts of hypnobabies new age music and music I love and find relaxing, when he said, "They're about 3 minutes apart, should we get ready and go?" Since my DD was born just over an hour after we arrived there, I'm glad he was aware (though with the annoyance factor of nursery staff pushing interventions on my baby all too soon, maybe a home UC would have been easier).

The class seemed pretty expensive--I think it was $300 for 5 or 6 4-hour sessions--but was well worth it, especially when I think of the charges for various obstetric interventions (and there's the priceless "My baby was born without drugs" factor).