Any negative hypnobirthing experiences????

[Leonie P]

I am considering hypnobirthing and am wondering if anyone has had any bad hypnobirthing experiences or are they all good???

[koru]

Hi Leonie,

I am planning on doing some Calmbirth classes which a freind of mine actually teaches. Both she and my doula have advised that some people get very disappointed in CB/HB when they treat it as a pain-relief/painless birthing tool becuaes invaruiably they all feel pain then panic when they can't rememeber the techniques they learned and it all goes pear-shaped. I'm approaching CB as a way for me to remain more focussed and to work with the pain as I am inclined to be the anxious type that flips out a bit. so I reckon it depends on what you expect to get out of it....
Hope that helps and good luck with it - would love to swap stories on the other side & see how you went

[Leonie P]

Thanks for that Koru,
Thats exactly the kind of stuff I was after, informative but still positive. When are you due? I'm 24thish May.
Keep the stories coming girls.

[Tobily]

Originally Posted by koru

Hi Leonie,

I am planning on doing some Calmbirth classes which a freind of mine actually teaches. Both she and my doula have advised that some people get very disappointed in CB/HB when they treat it as a pain-relief/painless birthing tool becuaes invaruiably they all feel pain then panic when they can't rememeber the techniques they learned and it all goes pear-shaped. I'm approaching CB as a way for me to remain more focussed and to work with the pain as I am inclined to be the anxious type that flips out a bit. so I reckon it depends on what you expect to get out of it....
Hope that helps and good luck with it - would love to swap stories on the other side & see how you went

I agree with this.

I think it can be a fantastic tool for relaxation but I really don't like the denial/minimisation of pain as an element of labour that is sometimes implied with it. I just feel it can set some women up for being seriously underprepared for the intensity of labour - which then leads to full scale panic when it starts to get full on.

I think it's a valuable skill but it's also good to round it out with other coping strategies as well.

[Leonie P]

Just wanting to this link up again. XOXO

[Janie]

This is good, I love any thread on hypnobirthing, but I can never think of all the things I want to know about it!

I might have to start my own thread with some HB/CB ponderings.....

[Leonie P]

Originally Posted by Janie

This is good, I love any thread on hypnobirthing, but I can never think of all the things I want to know about it!

I might have to start my own thread with some HB/CB ponderings.....

Hi Janie,
None of the websites I have seen are terribly good at describing what it is all about. The only way I found out was to call a lady who teaches it and talk to her.
At first I thought you put yourself into a trance and almost get away from the whole experience.The wonderful lady I spoke to said it's more about understanding your body, releasing your fears, trusting your body and surrendering yourself to the birthing process. She said it's not about not feeling the pain but finding ways to deal with it.
Hope this helps
XOX

[Megan]

Leonie, I recently did a calmbirth course and although I haven't had bub yet I can say that the techniques (breathing/visualisations etc) really have helped me throughout the last part of this pregnancy. Unfortunately I wont be able to use the techniques the way I thought as I am having a c/s due to breech bub, but I know it will still come in handy to relax myself before, during and after.
Sorry, I don't have any real experience for you but I do think what you learn you can use in a lot of other areas including breastfeeding and when bub comes home as well so even for me who wont get to experience a VB this time around, I think it's worthwhile.

[Leonie P]

Originally Posted by Megan

Leonie, I recently did a calmbirth course and although I haven't had bub yet I can say that the techniques (breathing/visualisations etc) really have helped me throughout the last part of this pregnancy. Unfortunately I wont be able to use the techniques the way I thought as I am having a c/s due to breech bub, but I know it will still come in handy to relax myself before, during and after.
Sorry, I don't have any real experience for you but I do think what you learn you can use in a lot of other areas including breastfeeding and when bub comes home as well so even for me who wont get to experience a VB this time around, I think it's worthwhile.

Talk to your midwife as I have heard there are natural ways to turn a breech baby ie kneeling down with your head on the floor and bum stuck up in the air; so you might get your chance afterall

[ryatha]

I've just started my hypnobirthing course and so far I am really happy with the theories and way they are explaining it. I'm more than happy to update here after each class. And we saw videos of women birthing who were using the hypnobirthing and they looked like they were in pain but very calm and composed. A LOT better than the other birthing videos i've seen!

Megan - my therapist mentioned that there is also something you can do hypnosis wise and position wise to help bubs move out of breech. You may have already tried it but I was really interested to hear about it. A position called "polar bear" i thought it sounded very cute!

[Leonie P]

Originally Posted by ryatha

I've just started my hypnobirthing course and so far I am really happy with the theories and way they are explaining it. I'm more than happy to update here after each class. And we saw videos of women birthing who were using the hypnobirthing and they looked like they were in pain but very calm and composed. A LOT better than the other birthing videos i've seen!

Megan - my therapist mentioned that there is also something you can do hypnosis wise and position wise to help bubs move out of breech. You may have already tried it but I was really interested to hear about it. A position called "polar bear" i thought it sounded very cute!

I am due to start my classes in 2 wks and I might do the same thing, esp seeing the limited info out there.

[Janie]

Thanks guys! We're not actually TTC as yet, but I'm starting to think about what I will do next time.

I think my main question is not really something that can be answered, it something I need to work out for myself. I loved my birthing experience, I would say that I totally surrendered myself to it, and was quite high (although in pain ) throughout my labour. Even through a four hour second stage I didn't freak out, although I would definitely prefer for it to be shorter next time! So I guess in some ways I worry that I don't want to mess with what I am already happy with, ITMS? I think I coped really well last time, and my husband was brilliant support, why would I need something else to help me? But then my rational side says that any useful tool might come in handy. Things might not go as well next time, I might need CB to help me. Even with things going well, I'm sure that CB would be beneficial. So yeah, it's not really a question, just something I wonder about. I've pretty much decided that I will do CB, and possibly decided where too. I guess I will talk to them at the time about my concerns.

For anyone who has done classes, can you please tell me how they include the dads?

[olive]

sez id seriously look into calmbirth, ididnt do the course but was shown some breathing techniques and found that they got me through the labour and birth! highly recommend it

[Janie]

Thanks Jols! I am planning on doing it, have the money put away and everything! Yeah, I guess it's just that I think too much and I feel almost a bit superstitious , that I don't want to mess with what worked for me last time. I know that sounds totally crazy LOL!

[olive]

totally understand!!!
i was different, wanting everything to be different from last time!! worked

[Janie]

LOL Jols. I know you know what I mean better than most, as I've talked to you about the birth. There are some things I hope are different - I hope my baby is not malpositioned and coming out on the side of their head LOL. I hope that my baby is anterior. With those two things sorted that should reduce the length of the second stage which is the other thing I would like to be different .

But as for how I coped, I thought I was a star (and yes I did want to give myself a medal hehe). I just loved it, my hormones did a fabulous job, and it was a great experience. I don't want to jinx myself for next time! Yes, I'm a weirdo

[olive]

i think even if you did the course but felt once in labour you didnt need the techniques, you've havnt lost anything IYKWIM

im sure everything will be different for you next time!! my biggest thing was reducing second stage too, going from 3 hours with sophie to 35 mins with millie was awesome! dont forget hopefully this tike you wont have a broken foot either!!

ETA ohh and i give you a gold star for last time!!

[Janie]

Thanks, you're a doll. Yes, with any luck I won't have ANY broken bones or injuries next time . 35 mins must have been awesome!!!!!!!!! You rock!

ETA Sorry to hijack folks