Hypno birthing

Hi Everyone
I am due to have bub number 2 in 3 and a bit weeks and have been attending hypnobirthing classes.

Has anyone done it for their births and what was your experience like. My birth with DS was quite traumatic for me (thats a whole other thread though) so therefore I have been actively seeking ways to avoid this again.

How often did you practise your CD's, did the slow breathing help with your waves/surges (contractions), how did birth breathing work for you? Did you listen to the CDs whilst in labour or just relax and go in to yourself without them? Did you end up having any pain relief?
Sorry for all the questions just want to get some other peoples perspectives? I am enjoying the techniques and am confident that my birth this time will be much more positive but am still keen to hear about other's experiences good or other wise.
thanks :)

I'm basically in the same place you are.
But I do practice the breathing etc everyday, I listen to the CDs and affirmations all night, every night - the lappy beside the bed on repeat. I also got a copy of extra scripts from Diana because I cannot stand Marie Mongan's voice - reminds me of the old lady from Titanic... lol Anyway, I also really enjoy it and feel completely peaceful and confident about our birth - I can't wait! lol

It does help me that I used some of these techniques for my previous labour, DH is a hypnotherapist so I was able to use and understand these techniques and NLP techniques for DD1.
He is loving the deepening scripts, and has been really active in participating and is such a positive force of affirmation in my ability, I am so glad he 'gets' it all and is actively learning as well.

Good luck for your birth, I will let you know how I go if I go before you! :)

Thanks LimeSlice, good luck to you also :) Are you planning on listening to your cd's whilst labouring?

LOL about Marie Mongan sounding like the old lady from Titanic i thought exactly the same thing! Funny

I practised it daily before birth. I even got to the point where Marie Mongan's voice instantly relaxed me. During labour (once I got past the long latent stage and it was getting owchy) I concentrated on the breathing with every contraction, until I got so relaxed I didn't have to think, I was able to just breathe. I had the CD on repeat for my labours too (once or twice a midwife asked if I wanted it off, I think it was driving them nuts, lol!) I kept it on though, used it like a crutch. I really think it got me through and my births was drug free and fairly painless.

Hi Kimmy... are you still waiting?

I did a weekend Calm Birth class at about 35 weeks. I listened to the CDs every 2 days and then every day for a few weeks. I ended up having an induction, and a pretty awful experience. Though, the guy who came in to give me an epidural remarked "wow you could use this music for analgesia". Everyone really liked the CD. It was piano music - "atmospheres" by Deuter.

Good luck.

Hi Meela
Yeah still waiting, am hoping its anyday now, i have just been listening to my CDs over and over so fingers crossed by little one arrives soon :)

Thanks everyone else for your replies

i did calm birth for DD2s birth; similar to you i had a traumatic time first time around so i decided to immerse myself in all things gentle and loving :)

i practised on and off (not diligently mind) in the last month or two, but got really serious from 39 weeks, where i would pop on my ipod withe the tracks and do a bit each night. i found this helped me relax and visualise and basically give myself some time to revel in the moment... otherwise tricky when there's a toddler running around the house lol :lol:

during the early labour i did the slow (calm) breathing through each wave, but not because they were painful but because i like the immediate 'happiness' that the feeling of the breathing would initiate (i guess the power of association :)). i also found that it helped me to relax and 'open up' so that each wave was welcomed and exciting.

after my waters broke and i finally realised that i was in fact in labour (prior to that i still thought that it was just a bit of prelabour :lol:) i used the deeper (birth) breathing. then when the waves were quite long and i needed help to escape the outside world, that's where the visualisation and breathing became fantastic. all i had to do was visualise my 'safe' place for like a second and it was enough to shut of the concious brain and just enjoy and be immersed in teh subconcious happenings of opening up and relaxing.

for me, the calmbirth was AMAZING. it worked a treat and the best bit was that it allowed me to be totally 'present' for the labour: nothing else existed and it was amazing! a very healing time...