Curious - Hynobirthed babies

btm013 · October 2015

Awhile back we had a thread about those who practiced hynobirthing leading up to delivery. Did anyone succeed in birthing this way?

I labored the entire time using the techniques/meditations (Marie Mongan Method) but after 8hrs of pitocin (being upped every half hour) and only progressing 1/2 cm I got an epidural! Needless to say, 17 hours later and only progressing 2cm THE ENTIRE TIME it all ended in a csection - plus he never descended into the canal. But up until LO's first breath I used hypnobirthing. I have to say he is the most mild mannered, content baby ever. So many people comment about how happy he is and how lucky I am. He rarely cries and is a good sleeper. He rarely fusses. I am convinced it's because he is a hypnobirthed baby. Of course babies can just have this personality without being hypnobirthed but I want to believe it was because of that haha.

Did anyone else experience this? I'd love to hear your stories.

lovethatcolosun · October 2015

My first birth I was a dedicated hypnobabies student and made it 33 hours in labor using the techniques. I eventually got pitocin and an epidural. (Total labor 45 hrs-with a midwife). This birth I had 3 days prodromal labor and 38 hours of total active labor. At the 18 hour mark I opted for the pitocin and epidural because I wasn't progressing. I'll admit I didn't put the time in and the commitment wasn't as strong with this LO because I pretty muck knew I wanted drugs. DS was a super chill baby and toddler (up until a few months before his 3rd birthday) and LO is mellow and "easy" too. I'm a pretty mellow and optimistic person and a SAHM so I think my go with the flow parenting style has something to do with it. I was friends with a helicopter mom who was a nervous nelly and over protective and her sons personality was more needy, demanding, and sometimes aggressive. I'm not sure if they are linked, but I like to think my calm energy while pregnant, in labor, and as a parent helps with having a chill baby/toddler. After 3 years old all bets are off though. A switch flips in their brain and they turn on you.

Kidding.....kinda.

wheresilenceismusic · October 2015

(Lurking from the July 15 board)

I delivered my LO at a birthing center using hypnobirthing techniques. I had a medication-free, intervention-free labor and delivery.

Hazel is now 10 weeks old and I'd say she's pretty average. She was incredibly alert and responsive in the immediate hours post-delivery. She was fuss- and cry- free for her first month. But after two months? She's a pretty normal baby.

I, on the other hand, tremendously benefitted from hypnobirthing. It was most useful for putting me to sleep during my 8th and 9th months of pregnancy. It was a lifesaver during our two-hour car ride to the birthing center. Hypnobirthing is a labor technique that I would recommend to anyone, but I do not believe it affects my baby's long-term personality or happiness.

iamthewalrus2 · October 2015

I practiced hypnobirthing during pregnancy. The best part for me was the affirmations and help relaxing and sleeping during pregnancy. I went into my induction with an open mind just planning to do whatever felt right at the time and trusting my docs and nurses. I also got an epidural but didn't really think much about the hyonobirthing techniques specifically during labor. It was all amazing and beautiful regardless. I haven't thought much about hypnobirthing since delivery but like the OP I do find my baby to be easy going and I think me staying relaxed must have a lot to do with that. I think the positive aspects of the hyonobirthing philosophy (DO visualize an easy and enjoyable experience, DO focus on your breathing, etc) can be applied to all aspects of life. For me it has been very helpful to let go of the exclusionary aspects of the philosophy (100% natural is the only way)

mindaa · October 2015

I agree that the CD's were really valuable towards the end of pregnancy, helping with the anxiety and fear about labor that really sets in.

So, the week before labor I had high blood pressure and was scheduled for a sweep on my due date. I spent the entire weekend listening to the "day of" track (plus all the other things that are "supposed" to naturally induce). It worked.. my water broke at 1a.m. on my due date. Baby arrived less than 5 hours later.

Funny thing about labor.. I had planned on having the "day-of" hypno tracks on my phone, so I could listen to them by headphone, but failed to figure out how to get them loaded right (pregnancy brain). Then DH's iPad broke, so the only option left was our laptop.

I had already tasked DH with getting that playing when we arrived at the hospital, so I had it playing while laboring.... not realizing that by time I got there, I'd be pretty much ready to push. So the track was just playing out loud for the whole team to hear. By that point, I so far "in my head' that I was barely aware of it. What did really help, surprisingly, was when DH used the "forehead press" thing.

I think LO's behavior is more based on temperament, but babies do pick up on a parent's stress/anxiety, so agree that it's very possible that mom's who manage their stress (or are just naturally relaxed) would have more relaxed babies. Maybe they need to create a "part 2" hypnosis set for mom's of newborns! I agree with pp that the visualization and positive thinking techniques can be applied anywhere. Every night I say a prayer for LO when I put him down to sleep that he is healthy and strong, will live a long life, etc. Gives me some closure and keeps me from waking every hour to make sure he's breathing.

7425cait · October 2015

I took the hypnobirthing classes, and practiced the breathing and positioning during labor. After eight hours of laboring, and no further dilation, I decided to get an epidural. After the epidural I was able to take a nap and I started dilating without problem. DD was not engaged either, but I was able to push her out in a half an hour. Her heart rate was dropping, and I was determined to try to not have a C-section. Her temperament is very mild, and she smiles a ton. She's great out in social situations, and everybody wonders if she's that way at home. She's also awesome in the car. She does have her moments though. Especially during leaps.

ciennah99 · October 2015

My LO is a pretty relaxed baby as well. I used hypnobabies but my LO ce 3 weeks early & I wasn't prepared nor had I finished the course. Here DH & I are scrambling to get things together for the hospital & I hadn't put the tracks in phone yet either so we just grabbed the cd & laptop. I listened to some of the tracks during labor. Pitocen & 16 hours with no drugs still at 1-2 cm. Got fentanyl after that & using the tracks I wa able to prolong the periods between doses to an hour & a half. My DH & friend said my contractions were more regular & less intense when I was listening to the tracks, they cited see this on the monitor. After 21 hours I was finally at a 3-4 cm & got an epidural. I continued to use the hypnobabies tracks & did listen to the pushing track right before I started pushing. I will say that worked well "visualize the birth canal like a slide" or something like that. LO came flying out in a single push (30 min total pushing) after 31 hours labor. I think it would have worked even better if I had practiced more & finished the course. But I strongly recommend it.

staceyfern · October 2015

I did not do it and my lo is very calm and always happy. He barely cries except when hungry or extremely tired. He is happy with anyone who interacts with him. We cannot believe how relaxed and easygoing he is.

babybean9 · October 2015

I did hypnobabies. I was all into it until I was in actual labour. My water broke and I more or less went straight to transition. I tried calming down and listening to my CD but quickly ripped the earbuds out, it wasn't my thing, which was a shocker for me.

I had a super easy and fast home birth and have a very lax baby now, great sleeper too. I don't credit hypnobabies though. :-)

janat1717 · October 2015

I listened to some of the CD's borrowed but didn't do much. I did do a lot of meditation though and used a lot of that during birth. Made the birth easy and my baby is ridiculously calm. I also had some weird holistic body talk stuff done a lot which maybe helped?

wheresilenceismusic · October 2015

Your temperament definitely affects your LO if you are BFing. I read yesterday that stress hormones in breast milk pass on to baby:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/breast-milk-contains-natural-stress-hormone-9129336.html

Chill Mamas = Happy Babies (?)

virginiaunicorn11 · October 2015

I bought the book and read it, but didn't practice with the CDs or take a course. I used a lot of the visualization a during labor, but did end up getting an epidural.

Both DH and I very consciously and explicitly work to create "an aura of calm" around LO.

Despite all my complaints about how much he wakes at night, he's a super chill little dude. People comment on that to us often, because we take him to weddings, restaurants, etc. (Conversely, my parents said I couldn't behave in public til I was four, lol!)

TL;DR - I only dabbled in Hypnobirthing but I have a chill LO

awolfff · October 2015

**edit because this app sucks and didn't post my whole comment! Wth?! Lol

I did the hypnobirthing. Had a really positive, medication free, short birth experience --was only at the hospital for 2 hours before LO arrived...first check I was 9.5cm!

LO is pretty chill in the sense that he doesn't seem to cry unnecessarily, but not so much in the sense that he is really active!

Glad I did the hypnobirthing because I had a lot of anxieties about having a natural birth experience and the class and practices around hypnobirthing definitely helped!

Interesting about the breastmilk- maybe I need to listen to the rainbow relaxation when I feed lo

KaLikeAWind · October 2015

I did not hypnobirth, tho I did use pain management techniques I have picked up along the way in my life until I asked for the epidural about 3 1/2 hours before LO was born. Almost an hour of that was spent napping... I'd been there ALL day, and it was late. And I don't know if I have a higher pain threshold, or my pain management was working, or what, but I didn't ask for pain meds until an hour before I asked for my epidural.
I also depend on formula to provide probably more of my LOs nutrition than breastmilk. I do bf, true, but at this point I doubt he is even getting a 50/50 split of bm and formula. I'm pretty sure its probably 75% formula that helps him grow at this point.
But. When he is not in a leap or a growth spurt, he is a super chill dude. Even during a leap he will be more cranky than usual, but still fairly chill. I always get comments from people about how calm he is, or how quiet, or how easily he calms down if he starts to cry out of the house.

So... Sorry. I don't really believe either the hypno birthing or breastmilk arguments make for calmer babies. I'll allow it may contribute a little, sure. But I also think @virginiaunicorn11 has a good practice, also, in keeping a calm environment around baby, helps. And I'm generally a sunshine-y person as well, so I think there is some genetics in the mix, too. AND that I just lucked out and he's a chill little dude.

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