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Hypnobirthing - Instructors...

Hi. I'm looking into Hypnobirthing courses as I quite like the idea of trying to keep calm etc during my, hopefully, water birth! I've e-mailed a few instructors that I found online that either do the lessons either in a class or one to one. One lady has already got back to me saying that for a 10 hour course the cost is £200 and its one to one sessions. What qualifications should she have, does anyone know? Just a Hypnobirthing instructor qualification? I don't really want to spend money on someone who isn't going to teach me properly... but then I don't really know what to look for / ask either. Any advice appreciated! Thanks.

Replies

  • I don't know regarding qualifications etc but you need to check when they want to start them, a friend paid for one to one sessions but started it at 16 weeks so was finished by 26 weeks and she said it was far too early she would have preferred them nearer the end of pregnancy so it was fresh in her mind. I did it myself with the Marie Monaghan book and CD which was fab!

  • Thanks Noodle. This lady is saying anytime from 16+ - I'm thinking I want to do them around 25-30 weeks. Apparently she says the earlier you do them the more you can practice - but I'm more concerned I'll forget it than need to practice! :)

  • That's what my friend felt, she continued her 'homework' but felt she would have preffered the professional coaching later on. She was petrified of labour, which is why she did it, and she managed a short natural labour after staying at home until 6cm, she thinks that is entirely down to hypnobirthing!

  • That is good to know! I'm trying to not even think about the labour - but I know how awful my pain threshold is! And that amount of time that I could potentially be in pain.... I think I'll do anything that might help me cope! Lol!

  • That's one of the reasons I wanted to do it also, I'm such a wimp with pain lol

  • I've just finished my hypnobirthing course one on one sessions and to be honest I think I could of done it with the book and the cds myself. She didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about birth and Labour

  • I've got the book and the cd, kindly lent by a fabulous md-er!! It's very interesting although I'll admit to finding so e of it very new age/hippy/American which just isn't me! I think having already been through labour once perhaps gives you a different perspective too. Anyway I'm focusing on the breathing and relaxation techniques so we'll see how it goes! I certainly wouldn't pay money for it I don't think.
  • Thanks. That is really interesting! Maybe I'd be better off glancing through the book etc first! I'm not very 'hippy' so it had crossed my mind that I might feel a bit silly doing the class.

  • I've read the book too and I have to say what put me off is the practice. I totally get that it'll be very difficult to use in labour if you haven't rehearsed it but I found my attention span too short! lol! I think if I was investing the money for 1-1 instruction I'd do it later on - I'm sure you can still get enough practice in the last few weeks. Have you looked online at other instructors to look at the span of qualifications they have?

    At the moment I'm reading Birth Skills by Juju Sundin and really enjoying it. Its a similar philosophy in so much as our bodies are designed to give birth however the focus is on multiple skills to take your mind off the inevitable pain. (using your legs, visualisation, breathing, stress balls, your voice) I can see myself doing some of these for sure. She says that the mind can only focus on one thing at a time so if you can distract from the pain in your abdomen by really focussing on something else then you can master labour pain!

  • was on my phone last night so could'nt really type out an SA on Hypnobirthing but i can give you my honest opinion

    It may have only been my instructor however i do not think they are worth the money in anyway shape or form, most of my sessions were the women coming to my house and just talking and telling me about her hypnobirthing experience, she read out poems and hypnobirthing quotations from the book! everything we covered in the classes are in the book!

    unless you are going to plan for a totally natural experiene then its not for you! i went into it for wanting to stay calm during labour as i have a fear of doctors and hospitals!

    the teacher showed us videos of hypnobirthing labours which are very interesting but you can find them easily enough on youtube!

    there were also videos of children who had complicated biths and the hypnobirthing people believe it can affect kids later in their life!!!!! for example! a video if a little girl playing with ther doll ties a rope around its neck, they said this is becuase she had the cord round her neck at birth!!! now i think that was all a bit too Hippy and out there for me! some of it was very americanised!! and over the top

    the overall idea of hypnobirthing is interesting and correct in its methods, women all over the world have been having babies without any medical intervention becuase they do not have the fear of birth and labour! if you do not fear the pain then your body can handle it better! but this is something we all know, there is a quote in the book that states a man was driving along the motor was going to fast when he saw blue flashing lights in his mirror, he automatically started sweating and heart was racing and had sweaty palms, why was this? because his head said your going to get pulled over by the police your going to get arrested etc etc and then the physical effects came out in his body

    where the mind goes the body will follow - this is the idea of hypnobirthing! so its all about learning to stay calm and remember your breathing techniques! the book tells you how to learn the different types of breathing, i dont think you need a practionioner to show you how to breath, you have to do all the practicing on your own anyway so, but i do think you can do it from the book and the CD, its the relaxing music and concentrating on your breathing that makes you calm and keeps you concentrating

    i would honestly look into the CD and read the book before you book a course as i do think its a little bit of a waste of money unless you are going to throw yourself 100% into it!

    anyway thats my two pennies worth! if you need to know anything just ask

  • Thank you for your honest and detailed reply, its really insightful.

    I'm going to buy the book and have a gander at that first! Is it this one thats the 'legit' one does anyone know?

    www.amazon.co.uk/.../280-3074580-7892463

    Thanks

  • That's the one pep. There are some really interesting parts if you can separate the science from the hippy bits. It's quite closely linked to sports psychology in a way in that controlling your mind and fear has a resulting effect on your muscles and how you are able to use them. That I'm very interested and makes complete sense. In the simplest terms Fear makes us tense up, in my labour with p I know I was tensing and fighting the contractions almost. That's what I wanted to stop this time,
  • Yep Pep thats the book!

    there is a cd too, called rainbow relaxation the marie mongan method! x

  • the panic and tension. I hope by focusing on the relaxing and breathing. And staying in control of my breathing it'll help. Your muscles need oxygen to function properly, breathing slowly and calmly is the best way to do this. Have to say I've not been to diligent with practising, should probably get more into that now!! It's definitely worth reading the book, keep going through the new age bits and pick out the science!!
  • I have a similar one but it was orange. It is very airy fairy, I found the CD relaxing though and enjoyed that as it helped me concentrate on breathing Etc

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