HypnoBirthing: Classes / Books / CDs / DVDs

This is my first pregnancy and I wish to have natural birth but I'm not sure how to prepare myself. I heard of HypnoBirthing and I'd like to learn about these. Anyone heard of it and practicing it? Is it useful?

Questions:
1. I am living in Sydney North Shore. May you recommend any HypnoBirthing classes that is good and not that expensive? I found this: Welcome to EnergyFlow HypnoBirthing - Hypnosis for Birth on the North Shore of Sydney. It will cost more than $400. It is considering costly for me, unless it's really helping a lot so that I can justify the cost. Recommendations and any opinions will be helpful.

2. If attending a cost is too much expensive, do you think I can pick up the techniques just by reading from books/cds/dvds? What books/cds/dvds should I buy? I'm totally new to this. I googled around, but not too sure what are needed.

Thanks for your help!

Hi, I'm still TTC but I also heard about hypnobirthing and am curious to learn more.

Hi there,
Can I suggest you do a search of previous BB hypnobirthing threads. I've posted in a few over the past 18 months, and you'll probably find some helpful information there.
Suffice to say, I'm a hypnobirthing convert. Practised it with DS and while I'm slow to get moving on the self-affirmations/relaxation this time round, as soon as I stop work this week I'll be dedicating the next 6 weeks to preparing mentally for bub #2.
I found the breathing, plus being focused on relaxing as much as possible during surges (contractions) is what helped me birth my son reasonably quickly and reasonably easily.
Good luck with things.
Andie

I have found these two books great in offering advice in preparing for a drug free birth. They are not specifically about hypnobirthing.

Active Birth by Janet Balaskas

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

take care

hello
i also wanted to do hypnobirthing or calm birthing, however a midwife recommended i read 'Birth Skills' by JuJu Sundin and i have been completely converted... it is co written by sarah murdoch who practised what she learnt from JuJu with her birth... the book gives you SO MANY different things to try during contractions to get you through it, i really cannot rave enough about it.... i was booked in to do a calm birthing course but after reading the book felt i really no longer needed it... from what i can gather i think it is quite different from hypnobirthing, however it explains the physiology of birth and why you need to keep moving etc etc, and everything in it just MAKES SENSE.
i got mine online from dymocks...

good luck whichever way you choose, i think just having a strategy no matter what it is, is a huge help than going into it unprepared (like my first birth which was a nightmare).

Hi

I don't know much about it myself, but, I was reading an article on hypnobirthing and it reccomended this website

HypnoBirthing UK - self hypnosis - labour - natural childbirth classes its a uk website.

:)