Hypnobirthing? - Austin,TX

I had a friend who did hypnobirthing. She said that she lost it when she got into transition and just couldn't get back into the hypnotic phase. But, it was very useful up until then, she felt.

I got the Hypnobirthing CDs and book and I thought they were very helpful. It is VERY NEW AGE- However, I think I should have taken actual CLASSES for it and started the classes very EARLY on, because the techniques all flew out the window when I was induced. That was disappointing for me.

Pitocin makes incredibly painful contractions from the get-go. I got an epidural and was so thankful for it, but I used the techniques to keep the birth moving, moving the baby down the canal, visualizing and breathing effectively, etc.
This time, I am going to a birthing center and will be taking Bradley Method classes.

I think Hypnobirthing techniques with Bradley classes will make a powerful combination for me!

I am not an expert, but for an at home birth, I would recommend using the Bradley Method as that is what enabled all my friends to have wonderful at home births.

I don't have any experience with hypnobirthing, but definitely look into the Bradley classes. You will be amazed at what God made our bodies to do, naturally, without all those invasive practices the doctors use. I had my first in the hospital, but no drugs, and my second was a home birth. I would not do it any other way from now on. An hour after my son was born (at home), he, my husband and I fell asleep and slept all night. No nurses coming in at all hours, no hard lumpy hospital bed, embarassing nightgowns, painful IV's, just our little family snuggled in for the night. Sorry, this is not really an answer to your question, but congratulations on being informed enough to go for a home birth. If people could feel the results, they wouldn't think twice about doing it.
Like others have stated, the bathtub is a lifesaver. Also, my midwife had the baby and I soak in an herbal bath after his cord was cut and we had time to admire him. This really helped with the vaginal stinging and discomfort, and it helped to warm the baby as well. It was a great bonding experience for our family, as my daughter got to help "bathe" him. God bless you and I pray that you have a wonderful experience bringing your sweet angel into this world.

I don't really know about Hypnobirthing, but a GREAT book to get you in the mind set of birth and to work through your feelings about this birth and your previous birth is Birthing From Within It is such a great book, it helped me. Another good book is Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth. It has lots of stories about home, birthing center, and hospital births. I think it is great that you will be having a home birth. (As long as you have someone qualified there) :) I think it is more relaxing for the mom, and then the baby doesn't have the stress of moving the day after it was born. Please post and tell us how things went. :) I would wish you luck, but you don't need it.....:) You'll be great!

Good for you!! I don't know much about hypnobirthing, but just wanted to suggest that you look into the Bradley Method. I used it w/my first and went thru 13 hours of labor (got to a 9) and never made a peep! Not saying it wasn't "labor", but it helps you really focus and you have to REALLY FOCUS...but I'm sure you know that. Anyway, look into it, you'll be glad you did. By the way, I ended up w/a c/s. It was New Year's Eve and the dr did 13 c/s that night! I am sure she was just ready to go home!! Go for the home birth, hospitals are filthy places, anyway.

I did not do Hypnobirthing, but I did go through the Bradley classes. LOVED it and felt like it absolutely prepared me for a natural birth. I started off just reading "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" and then found a class. Great stuff....

I can't help you with the hypnobirthing, I believe I have spoken to one person that did it and I recall them being very happy with it.

I am in a mom's group and have a friend in Iowa who has 5 kids and she had all her babies at home in water. Her thoughts are you go to a hospital because you are sick. Being pregnant isn't a sickness. I think it is pretty neat... but I am a weenie and had all 4 of mine in the hospital with all kinds of experiencess. The good comes with the bad I suppose. Those couple of days inthe hospital is my only time to have someone cook for me and wait on me LOL!! and too I like drugs LOL! Even though I had problems with those as well.

Anyway, I could ask my friend if she minded me sharing her email or chat id if you would like. She would be a great source of info!

Kudos to you for going outside the box! Congrats!

I don't know what hypnobirthing is but I highly recommend using the bouncing ball during your contractions. Its that big ball people use to excercise on. It helped me get through the pain. And have your hubby rub your lower back with warm oil while you gently bounce on the ball. I hate the hospital too! Thank goodness I'm using a midwife. Some of those Dr's today are atrocious!

I've had two babies at home and while I read the hypnobirthing book and listened to the cd some I'm not sure I consciously used it. I also attended a Birthing From Within series before my first homebirth. By far what helped me the most was the ability to move through contractions. With my daughter I sat in a glider and would rock rhthymically sp? to get through each contraction, with my son I gently bounced on a birthing ball. My visualization was that of a fluid swirling energy moving through me. Deep breathing helped a lot too. Now, I'm going to give you the best tip ever....Have your husband or doula put a sheet or blanket in the dryer and if you begin to hold tension put it on you. When my husband did this for me I totally relaxed and was so grateful I fell in love all over again:)

Congratulations in advance, I pray you have a swift and safe delivery and a healthy baby.

I had my daughter at a hospital in June, but because I did not attend any childbirth classes, I read lots of books on the topic. I read the Hypnobirthing book, and found it to be interesting. I was mainly looking for ways to calm myself during labor. The book was somewhat helpful, but I think it would have been better if I had taken the Hypnobirthing class because the book kept referring to the class instructor.

While I that Bradley classes are great, and I teach them, I do think hypnobirthing classes have a lot to offer. I think you can actually get a home-study course that includes the CDs. It seems it does work best if you can actually put aside time each day to listen to the CDs and practice relaxing.

Good luck with this birth - I bet you will love it! I loved my homebirth and would never go back to the hospital if we were to have another baby.
K.

There was an article in Mothering Magazine last month (I think, it might have been the month before) in which a mother described using hypnobirthing for her home birth. She made it sound so great that I am definitely going to look into it for my next one. She doesn't describe it in detail, but reading the article might still interest you.

I hope everything goes well. It must be so exciting to be planning a home birth!

WooHoo you go girl! I had both my babies at home! I never tried the hypnobirth because it was to "new agey" sounding to me:) But I just relaxed in my home and did what I wanted to do. My mid-wife was AMAZING and it was great. The thing that really helped me was the bath tub. As long as your water hasn't broken yet you can be in there. I was in hard labor with my daughter for about 9 hours and I was probably in the bath atleast 6 of those. Talk about a high water bill:):) I liked it so much that I decided to have my son in the water. (At our old house with my first birth it wasn't an option because the tub was to small)And I was only in active labor with him for 3 hours! Being at home you are relaxed in your own element and you make the rules. Home births are the absolute best and I think every one would do it if they realized how awesome it was and got over the fear that society has driven everyone too! I hope you figure something out for yourself and let us know! If you wanna chat more about it, AIM lesliebrown829 or ____@____.com.

I don't see how there can be any negative response, what your doing is wonderfull. Have you asked if your midwife or Doula if they familiar or know someone who is? Sometimes just reading a bood dosn't work since our mind and body get a little preoccupied during birth.

I can't say I followed it to a "T", and I didn't take the "classes" for it, but I did read up on it quite a bit when preg. with both of my babies and the little bit I did use helped TRAMENDOUSLY!!!!!!!!

I had both of my babies w/o an epidural (both were in hosp. but un-assisted by drs. and very satisfactory for me)and the second with no IV pain drugs, just anti-nauseau oral med. b/c with both I felt as though I was very hot and going to get sick until I took the nasuea meds.

I must say the "happy place" thought and the relaxation breathing with low light and musci techniques with my husband(acting as my "coach") talking me through the breathing and relaxing helped me the best!

I plan to have more kids and hope to NEVER have and epidural!!!! Made it through the first two, and supposedly the first is the hardest, right!?
Maybe next time I will actually take the DVD course or read the whole book (both available on the web, ie: amazon).

Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
T.

Congrats on your decision to homebirth! I had a homebirth in January and it was WONDERFUL!

I listened to some Hypnobirthing CDs prior to the birth and, to be honest, it didn't really do much for me. My labor was so fast that I didn't have time to really do anything or use any prepared skills. I pretty much went from "I wonder if this is it???" to "OMG, I can't handle this!" (Transition)...my labor was less than 5 hours start to finish. lol

I have taken Bradley method birth classes, though, and those were WONDERFUL :)