Natural birth/hypnobirthing info?

Stephij1

I'm planning a natural birth this time around (DD1 was with an epi) and I'm the type of person who likes to get as much info as possible, so I know I have an arsenal of options at my disposal. I really wanted to take Hypnobirthing classes (LOVED the book), but I can't find one in my area that's less than $200 and we're really pinching pennies here. With that in mind, what are some book/video/CD/whatever-you-think-would-help suggestions? It doesn't have to be hypnobirthing. Preferably methods that don't require a lot of interaction from DH (he's supportive and wants to do what he can, but he's also a medical student and has limited free time). Thank you!

hiphopdancer2007

We are doing hypnobabies home study course. It was $150 I think and came with everything needed for the course and it's very educational and informative on interventions and really everything about the labor and delivery process. We are really enjoying it.

My husband is taking the course with me but it also comes set up that if you don't have a partner you can still be successful.

sschwege

As pp said you could try Hypnobabies since it's a home-study course, I'm sure you could find a used version. 

Hypnobirthing is not meant to be a self study course, so reading the book and listening to the CD(s) is considered incomplete information.  If you feel you really want to continue with Hypnobirthing I would recommend getting the Rainbow Relaxation CD as well as Comfort Zone, but again it's not a substitute for the class.

Have you contacted your insurance company?  Sometimes they will cover the cost of the class. 

Stephij1

I didn't even think about contacting my insurance! Great advice!

LilTiger15

I took the hypnobabies class for my first, but know that the home-study course is just as successful and useful.  I would suggest the hypnobabies self study course as others have already mentioned.  Three of my friends are doing the home study course.  You can also buy it used on eBay for under $100.  I would buy a used version.  No need to buy brand new.

misterdonut

i just read the book and found it to be helpful--didn't come with the audio though, as i bought it on my e-reader 

margaritachikita

OP do you have a doula? If you end up doing hypnobabies you could try to find a hypno-doula in your area to support you. Having a doula is a great way to achieve your goal of an unmedicated birth.

Stephij1

margaritachikita said:

OP do you have a doula? If you end up doing hypnobabies you could try to find a hypno-doula in your area to support you. Having a doula is a great way to achieve your goal of an unmedicated birth.

I wish I had a doula, but I just can't afford one.

megorlando

So - I tried Hypnobirthing with my first baby five years ago, and, frankly, didn't get anything out of it. I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few blogs and Amazon reviews on Hypnobabies, however, from women who said that they also got nothing out of Hypnobirthing, but that Hypnobabies was AMAZING. Check it out, see what you think. I can't personally vouch for its effectiveness; ask me in 22 weeks! But used kits abound on ebay - just watch out for the ones from Macedonia - I don't trust overseas ebays...anyhow, you can buy them for between $100-125 used on ebay, and then resell them for the same in a few months after delivery, so net you're not even out anything.

The Hypnobirthing class itself didn't impress me. The book was inspiring, and the CD was relaxing - but I get to the birth, I'm at 10 cm, and the midwife says okay, time to push. I say...THIS HURTS...and what about Hypnobirthing? (Since SHE recommended this $250 class...) She goes "if you want to be here for ten hours, sure, breathe that baby out, but seriously? no just push" and that sucker HURT. I think because of Hypnobirthing I wasn't mentally prepared for that, and pushing took me an hour and a half when really, it could have been twenty minutes, if I'd just pushed instead of fighting. 

Hypnobabies is a different perspective, from what I've seen so far. It gives you the tools to relax your body and let the uterus contract, without fighting it from doing so - the idea is that the intense pain comes from that, which I can see. I was definitely fighting the contractions. And, it doesn't promise that you won't feel a thing, which is nice because it's unrealistic, IMHO. They do say that the pushing stage can be intense, but with self-hypnosis, it's much better than otherwise. At least that's what most of the reviews say!

On amazon there are a few that say that it didn't work for them during delivery, but they still generally like the program, if for nothing else than the fact that their sleep was much improved while doing it in the last trimester. 

sarasarat

I love hypnobabies, and find the home study course really useful. It does work best if you practice though - you need to be able to easily and quickly get into your hypno state and that only comes with practice!

One more note, if you buy it used you are hurting the people who dedicated their time and resources to produce this valuable content. It's sad to see people want to save $50 knowing that the people who created Hypnobabies aren't able to receive any support from that re-sale. Perhaps that's why it costs "so much" (I think it's well worth it) in the first place.