Hypnobirthing

C

Cici

Registered User
Hi
My younger sis has just signed up for classes with Annerly with hypnobirthing. She gave me a website showing all the plus benefits. Since I've never had these classes before (all of mine were just the normal antenatal classes), can anyone new mums give a feedback on whether its worth her signing up for this or shall I tell her just to go for the normal antenatal classes?
much appreciated.
 
i tried hynobirthing, but not w/ Annerly, cos I didn't know they offered hypnobirthing then in 2004.

anyway, i was determined to have a drug free birth, so i bought the CD & the book from the internet. I read the book & practiced the breathing technique. i was lazy so i didn't listen to the CD everyday and meditate accordingly. and i was practicing by myself, so there were parts i didn't understand. & i didn't do the perenial massage.

anyway, turned out i started labour at 10.30pm, managed to sleep until 730am until the 7mins-apart contraction woke me up. i managed to fool my way around the house until at 10am until i asked my husband not to go to work cos it MAY be it, but no one else knew i was in labor (i live w/ my in-laws, so there were 6 other adults in thehouse besides me & my hubby, & i didn't want anyone to panick). i finally went to the hospital at 12 noon when my contractions was 5 mins apart. but even the midwife at the maternity ward at matilda couldn't tell i was in labor & asked me to go to the canteen & have lunch first. when she checked me at after my lunch at 1pm, i was already 3 cm dilated. the midwife was shocked! she said she's never seen someone with their first pregnancy still so calm at this stage. the point is, i was only practicing the breathing technique properly, which worked wonderfully.

unfortunately, i think it was because i didn't meditate everyday, my baby was positions wrongly & i had severe back labor. i did take epidural but the whole thing went smoothly.

i know that when i have my next child, i'm DEFINTELY going to sign up for proper hynobirthing technqes, so that i can go drug free & have an easy birth.
 
Thxs joannek, wow-you must have a strong pain threshold-I remember screaming for an epi-dural for my first one- unfortunately my younger sister was the only one with me at that time (hubbie was on a biz trip), so it kinda put her off going natural. HOWEVER, saying that, the website on hypnobirthing really sounds good, so I've trying to get her to explore the different possibilitys and that maybe her birthing process wouldn't be as traumatic as mine (had a really bad tear as well).
She's also brought the Epi-no just in case
 
i squint on the prick of a needle, so i'm no pain tolerant person. it's the hypnobirthing breathing technique that helped, i'm sure.
 
I did the hypnobirthing course with Annerley, and delivered my baby last September at QMH.

It was excellent.

My water broke at 7.30pm, contractions started 2hrs later, didn't need to do anything for the first couple of hours as it was very mild.
As the contractions became more intense, I made myself comfortable and began the relaxation exercises.
Went to QMH at 3am, had discomfort while they poked and prodded me, but once they left me alone I was able to relax again.
Baby was born at 7.35am.

The only thing that REALLY HURT was the crowning, but it only lasted a short time and I had no tearing.

Another girl in my course went into labour and because she wasn't due for 3 weeks, didn't realise it was labour!
She had what she thought was an upset stomach for 8hrs, then ended up making a mad dash in an ambulance to QMH and didn't make it!

I guess regular antenatal classes prepare you for what can go wrong, while the Hypnobirthing course teaches you what to do to make it a good experience.
 
Never knew of hynobirth until 9 mths ago, a friend in KL did hynobirth at home with NO midwife. She was able to make baby turn and come out "smoothly". Quite amazing.

Rgds

e
 
HypnoBirthing? The Mongan Method

Just read a recent post by JennyB (on another thread about Queen Mary Hospital) who used HypnoBirthing. Anyone else completed the course offered at Annerley Midwives? What was your experience compared to prior births?

I was in going bonkers during labour with my first child - (during the part when I wasn't even dilated!) I ended up admitting myself to QMH too early and was on the ward for 19 hours until I finally reached 2cm and they transferred me to the labour suite beacuse it was empty!

Needless to say, as soon as I was in the labour suite I requested an epidural!

I now live in DB and as I have a two year old son. I don't want to go admit myself too early again, but would like to maintain some kind of control at home, so my toddler is not upset by my reaction to labour pains.....
 
I have just finished the HypnoBirthing course at Annerley but haven't had my baby yet. This is my second baby and my first delivery was an induced epidural so this time I want to be more involved in the process.

I really enjoyed the course and everything they said made perfect sense. They also emphasise that you should be in control and have the birth you want. Obviously, as I haven't delivered yet, it's too early to say whether it worked or not but I am feeling more prepared and more in control - the course also dispels some of the myths of childbirth circulated by some Hong Kong medical practitioners which I found reassuring.
 
When are you due Mrs P?

I just spoke to Louise at Annerley last week and the hypnobirthing classes are pretty much all full, so she's had to lay on extra to deal with the demand.

Anyone else completed the hyponbirthing classes with Louise at Annerley and then also had her as their doula? That's what I'm trying to arrange, if I can try to get into a class. As I'm due the end of October.
 
Hi Jo,
I am a midwife in the New Territories and offer birth coaching as part of my services. Hypnobirthing is great but remember that there are many other tools to take with you into labour! Hypnobirthing is based on Dr. Dick Reid's work and the Mongan method has evolved from that. I personally love the work of Robert Bradley and coach many clients in the Bradley method. I would suggest you purchase the book "Birthing the Bradley way" from Amazon and have a good read of it. The book will cover hypnobirthing and more. From what you have mentioned with your first labour, I think you will find Bradley very insightful.
I personally have had three Bradley births and the last one was at home in Hong Kong (unassisted) 14 months ago.
I am unable to help you as I am in the West New Territories and only take on a selected few clients each month (busy with four children of my own), but feel free to email me at [email protected] and I am happy to have a phone chat with you about ways you and your partner can get ready for your baby's birthday!
Bradley is about "partner assisted" birth, so you and your husband work as a team.
It is not for everyone as BOTH parents need to be dedicated, but for a dad that wants to be involved it is super.
I have also given a pretty full on description about my birth in another thread titled "homebirth" so you can find out a bit more about how is worked for our birth.
Good luck and enjoy your baby's birthday.
 
Am really interested in this. Has anyone had real experience with hypno birth? Does it work? I am not very good with meditation etc. so am not sure if I can go through hypnobirthing, any thoughts?
 
First time mum hypno-ed in London

Hi - I did the hypnobirthing course in London 3 months prior to having my first child, I feel it definitely helped; I had a dreadful pregnancy and comparatively had a very good birth - 6 hour labour (just pethadine) with no tears stitches etc; My waters broke with meconium so I wasn't allowed to try a water birth and had to be linked up to the monitors permanently, with my hind waters artificially broken (all according to UK policy). However I fought against (and won!) an epidural and drug inducement for dilation; Certainly the monitors and artificial bits are contrary to the hyno idea and hindered my relaxed mindset but I had no choice; I still felt 'pain' very strongly and got tired (hence the pethadine), I was useless and couldn't do the breathing; In retrospect my husband probably should have done a lot more preparation as he had no idea how to help me (not that I was very friendly or relaxed) and that was a factor - make sure you have a fully committed informed partner and helpful midwife; Plus be aware that hospital policy may hinder you. I feel I allowed myself to get tired and allowed myself to get all adrenalined up but certainly the hypnobirthing mindset really helped - plus sit on a gym ball. As with everything in life be open and try it - even if you just read the book; Best of luck
 
For Hypnobirthing to work, you just have to BELIEVE it is going to work, and PRACTISE the relaxation exercises so that they become second nature.

For those who don't know how it is supposed to work, Hypnobirthing philosophy believes that childbirth is usually more painful than it should be because we are TENSE and TERRIFIED of pain. With my first baby, I remember tensing and bracing myself for a contraction, thinking "oh no, here comes another one". Whereas a contraction is supposed to help the cervix dilate and ease the baby downwards, if we are tense then the contractions are pushing against an obstacle, and that's what causes most of the pain, and/or many common medical interventions such as inductions, forceps or caesareans - yes, Hypnobirthing claims to reduce the chance of all of those being needed.

By listening to the CDs (one is a relaxation CD, one is positive affirmations) daily for several weeks, we can reprogramme our minds to relax more easily and have a more positive mindset about labour. If you are relaxed and have nothing to fear, it will definitely be an easier experience than otherwise. The breathing technique is also excellent.

I did listen to the CDs daily, but still I didn't find it easy to relax. I'm quite a tense person normally. Some people using Hypno manage to sleep through most of their labour, but I wasn't that lucky! Even still, my labour was a breeze, and the midwives at QMH couldn't believe I was in labour until about half an hour before the baby appeared, which was great because the medical staff left us alone!

Up to the last hour (8cm?) I was still talking and walking between contractions. I stayed relaxed by listening to relaxing music and letting my husband do all the talking/negotiations with the hospital staff. I also used the EpiNo which helped me to have tremendous confidence that the last stage would not be painful, which it wasn't.

You can order books and CDs online, but they save the best CD for course participants (although I'm sure you can get it on Ebay!) and it's great to have the support and encouragement of Louise, who is great at dispelling skepticism and self-doubt.
 
It worked for me. I had another beautiful boy on Tuesday morning at home.

I took the course with Louise at Annerley. When you attend the course the philosophy and princples are explained, you get to practice some relaxation and self-hypnosis in the sessions. There's an official hypnobirthing book, extra phamplet produced by Annerley and two cd's. I read the book, listened to the cd a minimum of once daily after taking the course. To be honest though, I was still a little skeptical about if it really would work. As I've never been one to do meditation or relaxation excersises.

I had a really positive empowering, drug-free birth. I felt "pains" but they were managable.
 
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hello, I am 37 weeks this wednesday and am trying to find the hypnobirthing book with the cd's. but i can't find it in any of the bookstores in HK! and now i am panicking. i was wondering if maybe i could buy the book and cd's from you. i was going to order it but by the time the book got here i'm afraid i will have given birth. i discovered hypnobirthing a little late. this is my second pregnancy and my last one was very painful because i had back labour. do you you think you could help me out? sorry for the imposition. jacqui
 
Thanks Rani! but unfortunately they book is not in stock in the HK warehouse and it will take 2-8 weeks for it to arrive. My due date is in 3 weeks. That's why I'm going around asking to buy it off or borrow it from someone in Hk who might own it. I will call Annerley later to see if they have something I could buy from them as it is too late to be taking any courses.... not that I can afford the course anyhow. Thanks again.
 
whoops . I misread, it's 8-10 days but I doubt how much i would benefit if I started reading it that late coz in 10 days i'll be over 38 weeks. I wish I could have found out about the book earlier as this is my last chance to 'do it right,' my husband and I have already decided not to have any more children after this one.
 
Actually you will receive the book in a week. We order books from our US warehouse every Monday and they arrive in HK in a week.
 
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