Hypnobirthing worked for me on many levels, but I did not have a completely pain free experience. At the same time I was not seeking a completely pain free experience and so I was not disappointed in the results. I used the Hypnobabies program, which is a home study program.
The classes last about six weeks. You read from a manual and then listen to a CD every day. You can slow down the classes by listening to the CDs for a longer amount of time. After you complete the class you are supposed to follow a maintenance program, which has you listen to a CD every day. The CDs teach you how to relax and help you form imagery to make the birth experience a positive one.
To be honest I was not very good with the maintenance part of the program. My focus was not on eliminating pain, but on not being afraid of the pain that comes with childbirth. I wanted my pain to be manageable. In this way I feel that the CDs were acceptable. There was only a short time when I felt like the pain was out of control. It lasted about ten minutes. I lost control right after my water broke and I went into transition.
My water breaking was one area that I was extremely nervous about and I should have completed several free release sessions (a CD will guide you through these) about my water breaking. When my water broke I really lost focus of all the techniques. However I was able to get back on track when it came time to push.
I did not actually use the CDs during the birth, which is one option that many people choose. I was planning on using them once I got to my hospital room. However when I arrived at the hospital I was only one and half centimeters dilated. The nurse had me walk for an hour. I was handling the pain very well, and so she was surprised when she checked me again that I was at five centimeters. We went to my room and shortly after that my water broke. I delivered my baby twenty minutes later.
The program provided a birthday day guide CD, which gives you imagery and relaxation techniques to help you through actual labor. I had listened to this every day for nearly two weeks before I gave birth. While I was walking the halls I used the imagery from the CD as I coped with my labor.
My favorite part of the program was the Pregnancy Affirmations CD. This provided positive affirmations about my pregnancy and the way that my baby was growing. I had a very enjoyable third trimester. I did not experience the chronic backache that I usually have (with or without pregnancy), my energy level was high and I had a very positive attitude. This CD alone made the entire program worth it.
While I did not have a pain free experience, my birth experience was all that I wanted it to be. I was able to handle the pain and get through transition. I felt so good after the birth that I was ready to go. My entire recovery has been wonderful, and I know it is because I was able to go natural. Hypnobirthing gave me the tools I needed to have the courage to do it.
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