A question about Hypnobabies courses

sbevmc09

I know I want to take a Hynobabies course this time around and lucky for me there are two options in my area. 

Option 1: Course hosted at the hospital I will deliver at.  Cost is $135 (including materials).  It's a 5 week course of 2 1/2 hour classes.  Class size is capped at 12 couples and it's taught by "a staff member certified by Hypnobabies" (I wasn't able to get any more info about the instructor).  Course runs early October-early November.

Option 2: Course taught by a private instructor.  Cost is $375 (including materials).  6 week course of 3 hour classes.  Class size is capped at 5 couples and the instructor is a Hypnobirthing mama herself that loved her experience so much she decided to recently become certified to teach it to others.  Course starts is mid-August (she also runs back to back courses, so if I don't take the August course there would be another one starting in late September/early October).

I'm not sure which course I want to take.  Obviously there is a considerable price difference, but there are also differences such as class size and number of hours.  

I have mixed feelings because I feel like the private course is probably a little higher in quality, but I'm not sure if it's worth the extra money since I've never taken a class like this before.  Obviously both are teaching the same materials and both instructors have been certified through Hypnobabies.  

So, what are your thoughts?  Has anyone else taken a Hypnobabies course through their hospital?  What was your experience?  Which would you pick?  Do you think the private class is worth the extra money?

Just want to make sure I'm making the best decision possible when all things are considered!

laurenluor

I am currently taking the hypnobabies course through a private instructor. My class has 3 couples and a doula taking it. I love the small class as it makes me feel more comfortable and I know I have plenty of time to get all my questions answered. It's hard not knowing more about the hospital instructor, maybe you could call and talk to her on the phone. My instructor has used hypnobabies with both of her births and is very passionate about the topic, which is contagious. I would not want to take the class from someone who has not personally used the techniques. If price is a factor for you though, that is great you have the hospital option.

SparkleK

We had a private instructor come to our home to just teach DH and I.  It was 5 one hour classes.  It was around $350 for that, but it was worth the convenience of not having to leave the house.  I think a smaller class size would be better because we did a lot of one on one practice.

During labor, I used what I learned until around 8 cm.  8-10cm was pretty much a free for all of thrashing around in the hot tub at the hospital, lol. 

Sudonk

A few things to consider in making your decision, from someone who has learned and used multiple childbirth hypnosis programs and now teaches Hypnobabies... First, option 1 is clearly not a Hypnobabies class, so you will not be getting anything close to the same information from the two classes.  A few clues that make it obvious that option 1 isn't Hypnobabies - it says the instructor is "Hypnobabies certified", it does not say that the class is a Hypnobabies class.  In fact, I would guess the instructor is actually certified through HypnoBirthing, not Hypnobabies, based on the other information in the description.  I suspect the person who told you the instructor was certified in Hypnobabies simply doesn't know that HypnoBirthing is a totally different course.  Some ways to tell it is not a Hypnobabies class... Hypnobabies classes are always limited to 5 couples, maximum, so that the instructor can be sure  to have enough time to answer everyone's questions and be able to observe how the moms respond to the hypnosis practice.  No Hypnobabies instructor accepts 12 couples into a class - ever.  She would lose her certification if she did.  But some HypnoBirthing instructors do.  I'm not sure there is a limit for their classes.  Also, all Hypnobabies live classes are 6 weeks long, with at least 3 hours of instruction each week.  There is no way to teach all the information in Hypnobabies in 5 weeks, and definitely not in only 2.5 hours per week.  There is just way too much information to pack it into such a limited time.  Getting it all into 3 hours is a challenge!

Second, you get what you pay for.  If you're looking for some simple relaxation techniques to help you stay a little more calm during your birth, the $135 class with 22 other people may be a good choice.  If you're looking for a comprehensive childbirth education with medical-grade hypnosis techniques that will help you to learn to create endorphins any time you need them and remain calm, comfortable and focused throughout your birth while being as mobile and interactive as you want, then the $375 class with 8 other people is the way to go.   Also, you may want to call the instructors and find out what materials you get.  Hypnobabies includes a 200-page workbook, a birth partner script booklet, a Quick Reference Guide, a Birth Partner Guide, more than a dozen handouts, 7 CDs for mom and 1 CD for the birth partner (and a cute bag to hold it all).  I would be very surprised if Option 1 provides even 1/2 of that, given the cost, which would barely cover the materials for a Hypnobabies class. 

I took a HypnoBirthing class during my first pregnancy, and then went on to learn Hypnobabies for my second and third births.  There is very little in common between the two classes, once you get beyond the first 5 letters of their name.  Depending on what you want from a class, HypnoBirthing may be a good fit for you.  We wanted to know as much as we could about birth, and be totally prepared for anything.  My husband and I were very disappointed in the HypnoBirthing class, and had to really scramble to find additional information and skills in order to handle our birth, because the class left us very uninformed and ill-prepared.  Now, there are some good HypnoBirthing instructors who do prepare their students by adding a great deal to the core curriculum.  But there's no way to tell in advance if that instructor is one of them.  Hypnobabies instructors, on the other hand, all provide the same materials and instruction, so you know that you are getting everything you need, no matter which instructor you choose. 

To give you a better idea about the differences between the two classes, to help you decide which one provides what you want for your birth, here is a comparison from a mother who has learned, used and taught both courses:

https://birthnaturally.org/hypnosis-for-childbirth-.html#hypnobirthing