HYPNOBIRTHING

lmudra

Have any of you done this type of class before?  I'm terrified of labor or a c.  I hear this class can calm you down.  Thoughts?

halfthetree

Doula here chiming in... What are you scared of with labor? What exactly about it worries you? 
Hypnobirthing is wonderful for moms who like to go inwards, who want a birth where they turn off the outside world and like tools/meditations/music to help them get there quickly during labor. It does require practice to fully benefit, so if you will practice the meditations, go for it!! 

If you plan on hiring a doula, hire one that teaches a birth prep course too!

lmudra

Oh man what doesn't scare me!  I'm a very anxious person to begin with so basically I think about worst case scenario a lot.  I'm hoping something like this will help me calm my nerves (unless they let you have Valium during labor lol).

mombod

I took a course which combined hypnobirthing, bradley, etc. I found the meditation and breathing techniques incredibly helpful. I also found the more I read about what to possibly expect including positive, calming birth stories (not what is in movies) it helped me feel more prepared and less anxious. 

halfthetree

@lmudra Have you thought about reading Ina Mays Guide to childbirth? Or even Birth Without Fear blog would be a good start. Normalizing birth, hearing first hand accounts of positive birth experiences can really help alleviate the fear. Also watching YouTube birth videos, home birth in particular, can help. (important to note that vocalizing during birth is so very normal and actually helps take some of the pressure away, so while some moms are very loud, they're still coping and handling it just fine!)

alm52386

I'm terrified of the pain!!!

lmudra

@halfthetree thanks I will look into the things you mentioned.  It's just such an unknown to me and I'm finding pregnancy just weird in general as I'm not a first time mom, since my son was adopted.  It's so weird seeing things from this perspective.  

sevenn

I am very interested in this too. I know that a huge tool to have a med free birth is preparedness, and so I want to give myself my best shot! At @halfthetree can you recommend how to find a doula? Not sure if there are certifying organizations you can search, etc. I'm not sure I want someone there throughout my labor necessarily but definitely am interested in medications or classes

silliegirlie143

To answer the original question:
I used HypnoBabies when I had DD
I swear by it! I've used the techniques to help with sleep issues, dentist visits, nausea... All kinds of things beyond the birth.

It takes practice and work with your Birth Partner between classes and leading up to the actual day. The doula I hired was my Hypno instructor. She and O had already worked together in classes and knew how to communicate with each other. This course was fantastic for reframing your thoughts surrounding birth. It's also big on removing words with negative connotations from your vocabulary.

We will be using this method again for this birth. We will start a refresher process in April so we have enough time to practice without rushing.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have on the process, too!!

MotherofDragons

I did hypnobabies. 

Im sure it's unrelated but when my labor was just starting, during a contraction I let out a huge deep breath and said, "let my pressure waves open my cervix and bring me my baby." My water suddenly broke. 

My husband and I laugh about how I "made my water break." 

I found the meditation helpful. I have anxiety and this post reminded me I should start it up again for other facets of life as well. 

halfthetree

@alm52386 It's not easy that's for sure, but it's a build up. It doesn't usually start right into intense transition type surges, but rather a slow build in intensity. Like I suggested above, I found YouTube videos can be so helpful in alleviating that fear for some! Especially seeing how women are after the birth, they're ok, they're talking and laughing/crying... it's such a normal event, seeing it more and more helps reduce anxiety over it! 

@lmudra Absolutely makes sense! It's an incredible process, filled with so many weird and humbling happenings haha

@sevenn You can call your doula at any point in your labor, or not at all if you don't want to. You would still have to pay her fee, but most won't be offended if you're in the moment and choose not to call her. That said... when you find the right doula, the connection won't be like a stranger in the room. She will be a part of your birth plan, a support for your husband and for you. 
You can try through DoulaMatch.net , or organizations directly: CAPPA, DONA, Birth Arts International etc. 
I would think about what support you would like (keep in mind we are not medical professionals), and interview a bunch. Everyone is different, offers different things with their services (birth education classes, placenta encapsulation, breastfeeding education, postpartum doula support, birth photography etc). 
I've been hired by many families solely to help the husband be the absolute best support he can be, those are usually pretty amazing births to witness.

flyingncmama

I practiced hypnobirthing methods before my attempt at a vbac and I loved it.  I failed to progress after 24 hours of labor and ended up with a C-section so I didn't get to put it into practice during the actual delivery but I found the meditation so calming and it was very helpful during my pitocin labor pains.