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Hypnobirthing

Hi all!

I'm trying not to look down at my ticker...fark me a cauliflower *faints*.

Anyway...Hypnobirthing. I am interested. I have spoken to my midwife who thinks it would be great for me to help with anxiety and focus while in labour. I'm all booked up for a 4 week course to start next month.

Can anyone offer any experience / advice / thoughts on this?

Thanks! x

Replies

  • I didn't do a course but read a couple of books about it. I found some of the techniques worked and helped me focus.I found labour to be a positive experience, because I didn't think of contractions as pain really. I would say it's worth a try definitely!

  • I didn't do a course either, I read the Marie Mongan book and listened to her affirmations. I didn't get much time for anything else during labour, I think it helped - certainly made me relax and focus when I'd listen to it towards the end of pregnancy despite her slightly annoying voice! I've heard really good things about Lazy Daisy classes which I think use this kind of approach.

    This is the book - I actually found it when having a clear out the other day. Happy to send on to you - a PP'er of old sent it to me. Paying it forward Smile

  • Ah thanks Sshh, but that's the book a colleague has just lent me so no need to send on! Really appreciate it though :)

    I'm booked in for the NHS course, so it's £50 for 4 classes (2.5 hours long each time!) which includes all materials etc, it starts in 3 weeks!

    I do want to see Labour as a positive experience, because at the end of the day, it is, I get my boy at the end! But I also have trouble with anxiety and think the breathing and stuff will help me and my focus. I also think it will help Mr Rod because he can get a bit panicky when something is out of his control.

    I'm glad to see that the breathing has helped people. I am fully on board with painkillers etc if they're needed, I just don't want to rely on them if that makes sense?

  • I did the Marie Monaghan book and CD, it helped me relax in the last few weeks of pregnancy and the overdue stage. I never got to use it in labour as I didn't go into labour and had an EMCS before labour started but it helped me feel calm whilst being rushed to theatre and with the concern for the baby in the room so I really think it's worth doing! Also pregancy yoga I found really good for keeping me relaxed in pregnancy and also helps with breathing techniques

  • I enquired about Pregnancy yoga locally but it was so expensive! They do yoga at my gym but I don't know if they would let a preggo in!

  • I just did a home DVD it was quite straightforward and easy to follow. It was a Nicole croft one, can reccomend it?

  • I did hypnobirthing if you want any info let me know

  • I'm borrowing a friend's notes + CD on hypnobirthing this time around but with S I found pregnancy yoga really helpful for breathing techniques. There's also a book that I bought called 'breathe your way through birth with yoga' that I got a lot out of. Might be worth a look if the classes are really expensive.

  • Neverlosehope please tell us more. I'm doing it too!xx

  • On the yoga side, you definitely shouldn't be at normal yoga by this stage. There are so many moves that need to be avoided, so I wouldn't go near a regular class. If all pregnancy yoga is like mine it's not just adapted yoga, it's birth positions, breathing techniques for different stages of labour, and meditation techniques...so along the same lines as hypnobirthing, I guess. I also did a course of Lazy Daisy classes, and while they were a bit hippyish for me, I found them useful.

  • I got on the hynobirthing course and start in two weeks! Exciting! Also a friend lend me her book so I'm gonna have a read of that and see what I think. Thanks all.

  • I had the book and dvd and too be honest I found it a little bit too hippy-ish for me although fundamentally liked the philosophies. I used a book called Birth Skills that gives lots of ways to manage pain using your body, mind and breathing and I found that loads more practical and did actually use a couple of the techniques.

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