Bradley at heart, hypnobirthing in practice

Re: Bradley at heart, hypnobirthing in practice

• honkytonk_kid member

  September 2012

  I would look into Hypnobirthing a little more to decide if it's really for you. It seems like one of those things that you have to really believe in it to make it work.

  It also depends on your husband- is he really committed to natural birth/Bradley? If you are both willing to read up, practice, etc I think you could easily use the Bradley method without taking the actual classes. 

  
  

  
  
  
  

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• Temp76535187505890

  September 2012

  Do you have any general natural childbirth education classes? I'd recommend a great one of those over any specific method. Although I do have to admit that I'm not one who can get into the mindset of most the "method" type instruction. I'm more of a draw on all aspects of childbirth from Lamaze to Bradley to Hypnobirth to just going with the flow and doing what come naturally type of girl. However, I found a general natural childbirth class that went through everything from head to toe was the best thing I did to prepare for my medfree birth...to include hiring my doula.

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• wannabigfam member

  September 2012

  I can't speak to your specific question, but I did the Bradley method (full 12 week course) w/ our first pregnancy.  We had a wonderful unmedicated vaginal childbirth in the hospital that was nearly pain-free (not completely painless, but minimal pain).  With this pregnancy, we unfortunately couldn't repeat the class because our original instructor moved out of state (she allowed couples to repeat the course for free w/ subsequent pregnancies) and we just couldn't swing the cost of repeating the entire course AND paying for a sitter.  We sat in on 2 of the Bradley classes (the ones I thought were the most helpful - first stage of labor and then the relaxation-practice labor class).  While waiting for those refresher classes, I started getting nervous that perhaps I wouldn't be prepared (esp. mentally prepared).  So I ordered hypnobabies and gave it a shot.  I've been doing it off and on, but not religiously.  I just honestly can't get all that into it.  I DO think that it helps me to relax (just by giving my mind something to focus on) and I can see how it would be helpful in labor, but I couldn't get into listening to the same tracks for a week, etc etc etc.  To me, once I figured out how to relax my body when listening to the cds, it felt pointless to practice for 30-45 min each night.  I also didn't think the workbook was all that great, and I really preferred how Bradley method teaches you specific positions to get into in order to relax & instructs husband/birth partner on how to help the laboring mom...hypnobabies missed the mark on that for me (esp. as a been-there-done-that mom who had a successful natural birth - I know what part of Bradley I really used in the laboring moments).  I can say that had I used hypnobabies alone w/ my first birth, I'm not sure I would have been as prepared as I was with Bradley method.

  That being said, w/ your particular situation - that's a tough call.  Could YOU do all of the Bradley classes w/o your husband?  That would be my first choice if you guys both couldn't make it.  Or, could you ask the instructor to do a condensed private lesson or two for you?  When the new teacher in our area heard of our particular situation, she did offer to do a 2-4 hour private course for us hitting the most important stuff, at a fraction of the cost.  Otherwise, go for hypnobabies and I would also read the Bradley books.  Hypnobabies is going to tell you that you shouldn't combine techniques (shouldn't use Bradley and Hypnobabies together) but honestly I disagree that it can't be done and think that hypnobabies alone wouldn't have worked for me.

   

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• qtssima

  September 2012

  I just completed hypnobirthing and have read the Bradley books. I will say that the hypnobirthing was easy for me because I already meditate somewhat regularly, and a big part of the class concentrates on you being able to get to a relaxed state and guided imagery for labor. There is also a segment which gives you a great overview of just birth and labor basics, so you will come out of there with that knowledge, too, and how to help your body "help itself" so to speak.
  

  What I am trying to do now is practice many of the exercises/ positions from Bradley while focusing on relaxing using the hypnobirthing methods. Even just reading both the hypnobirthing book and the Bradley books, they do cover some of the same ground, although Bradley as a pp said, has a lot more information on positions for labor, etc.
  

  I wanted to do Bradley as well but had too many conflicts. While I am sure you would benefit from the actual classes, if you can't make all of them it is just not worth the $$.

   I am seeing a midwife group at my hospital (where I will give birth) and they are familiar with both methods. You could also use the money you would have spent on the Bradley class for a doula who is trained in those methods. Just a thought.
  

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• MSC03 member

  September 2012

  The big thing aboubt Bradley taking 12 weeks is that you actually spend 12 weeks committed to doing the exercises, diet, etc to keep yourself healthy and low risk and fully prepare your body and mind . Their studies showed that spending less time than this drastically reduces the natural birth rate. So if you're going solo without the classes, you might want to get someone to hook you up with the workbook and actually work the program. The books give you an idea of the method, but not the practical routine of birth  practice.

  

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• MSC03 member

  September 2012

  and fyi, I took bradley classes and did the hypnobabies home study. I liked having more relaxation tools in my toolkit, but hypno taught nothing about pregnancy exercise which is essential.

  

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• LindseyJW member

  September 2012

  MSC03:

  and fyi, I took bradley classes and did the hypnobabies home study. I liked having more relaxation tools in my toolkit, but hypno taught nothing about pregnancy exercise which is essential.

   

  This is not true. I teach HypnoBirthing and we do cover exercise. there are toning and fitness exercises in the book and more discussed in the class.  

   

  Also, the studies you refer to above aren't just for Bradley, but for preparation in general of your body and mind. Therefore, one needn't study Bradley in order to have those benefits. 

   

  OP - Bradley and HypnoBirthing have very different philosophies. I encourage you to talk with the HypnoBirthing instructor, ask for the course outline, maybe check out the book from the library and skim it before deciding to invest the time and money in the class. i took Bradley with my first birth, and while i thought it was a great education, i didn't feel that i learned techniques to use in labor to increase my comfort, to help me relax and to help my body move through labor. i absolutely learned a lot about pregnancy and birth, and surely that helped me ensure that my body and baby were strong and healthy for labor, but i didn't have techniques to use during labor. i took HypnoBirthing with #2 and got all of that plus the childbirth education that Bradley teaches. i can't say how all classes are run, but my bradley class was 2hrs long. the first 10- 15 minutes was just updates on how we were doing, then 20 minutes in the middle was break time for snacks, so the class was actually more like 90 minutes. my HypnoBirthing class is 3hrs 5 times and it's instruction or technique the entire time (we eat snacks during class), the actual difference in class time is about 3 hours over the length of the course. 

  a PP mentioned that you have to believe that hypnosis will work for you in labor, and while this is true, it needn't be true for you to take the class. i am also a professional hypnotherapist and i've had plenty of skeptical clients come in and become believers in just one session. it's easy to learn, it feels good and relaxing and the skills and techniques are life skills, not just birthing skills. you'd be surprised at how many male clients come in for anxiety or to quit smoking or lose weight and leave my office with HypnoBirthing skills (of course i never tell them that they could go have a baby now!).

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• Tiger269 member

  September 2012

  Thank you so much for all of your input. I will be researching the hypnobirthing classes more before making a decision (the class would not be until December). I will also ask the Bradley instructor if she does private, condensed classes. I brought up the idea of hiring a doula, and DH was totally against it. He wants it to just be us, and I think he took my suggesting that as saying that I didn't think he was capable of coaching me through labor. I am confident that we are both fully capable, I just want to have as many tools at my disposal as possible. I do yoga already, although aside from the final few minutes of class, I have never really done guided meditation.

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• Jcrab

  September 2012

  Definitely consider Hypnobirthing. I had only heard about it here but my midwives said they saw the most success with it especially in coping with the pain / discomforts. I am more of a logical person but Hypnobirthing worked amazingly well, I got through transition before we even called the MW to come to the house. It was intense but not painful and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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