Hypnobirthing? - Orem,UT

I did it with both of my kids. I was induced with the first and still gave birth naturally (because I had an AWESOME OB who was totally on board with my desire to not have drugs, so my induction was far from standard and was done in a way that tried to mimic natural labor). It was a great experience and I loved being in control of my body. With my second, it was an even better experience because it was natural labor.
If you are considering this, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to make it a positive experience.
- Practice, practice, practice. This makes all the difference. You have to be able to use the techniques in a stressful situation and that's not gonna happen if you haven't practiced them well.
- Consider asking a mother or sister -- someone you know is calm in stressful situations-- to also be your coach. My husband was there, I practiced with him a few times, but my mom was the best coach ever. She knew what natural birth was like and knew that when it got a bit hard (I was tired) that I was also pretty close to the end (I was). Whoever you choose to be your coach, make sure you practice with them often. I was practicing 4 times a week with my mom at the end of my pregnancy.
- Make sure that the people around you are on board with your choice to do it naturally and won't be pushing for you to take drugs. In some cases those drugs may be necessary, but if your doctor/midwife is on board with the natural birth then if they say you need them, you probably do.
- Write up a birth plan for the hospital (if you are giving birth there). But keep it short (less than one page). If it is longer they won't read it, and if they don't read it they won't follow it. Bullet points are highly recommended.
- Don't let people tell you how "awful" child birth is. Women have done this for thousands of years and still chosen to have more kids. It's not awful. It's lots of work, you will have tired/sore muscles. But it's nothing worse than a really intense workout.

My birth experiences were great experiences that I cherish. I loved being in control of my body and being able to feel all the things my body knew it wanted to do. If you have any specific questions, feel free to message me.

I took a hypnobirthing class and really liked it. I thought the classes were very relaxing. For me this was a major plus since I'm a naturally stressed person. I did not have a pain free labor, but I felt more focused and the pain wasn't unmanageable. Unfortunately my labor ended with a c-section, but up until that point I thought the hypnobirthing was very helpful. If you are interested, I don't see any reason not to take a class.

I used to teach HypnoBirthing. The term is owned by the Mongan Method, other types of birth hypnosis are out there, but they aren't HypnoBirthing. It's a great class that really focuses on the natural process and building your confidence in that process. Every student that I had, no matter what their birth outcome, told me that they felt they had benefitted from the class. I'd suggest visiting the official HypnoBirthing website and contacting any instructors in your area who can give you specific information on their classes and answer your questions personally. Good luck!

Hypnobirthing is a good start, but I VERY highly recommend Hypnobabies--you can google it, there are instructors all around Utah County. It is based on the same concept but much more comprehensive and was way easier for me to grasp and to follow.
I have four children: I had an epidural with #1 and it was pretty rough (especially the recovery). I used Hypnobirthing with #2 and it was much better than #1. Then I took a Hypnibabies course for Hypnobabies for #3 and had an amazing birth experience. I remember very minimal pain and feeling so great afterward. I was even better prepared for #4 (and I did a reviewer course of Hypnobabies) and I can honestly say that I ENJOYED the birth experience and felt amazing afterward. My neighbor saw me walking around at home with my baby a few hours after he was born, feeling great and called me a rock star. :-) I truly look forward to doing it again, if I'm blessed with another baby.
I have to give a small disclaimer: it might not be as effective for everyone as it was for me, but everyone I know who has used the method has only positive things to say about it. I followed the program very closely, and it was a lot of work, but it really wasn't hard work. I would recommend it to anyone! (okay, I'll get off my soapbox now :D)

It makes a huge difference. My first birth I went with the Bradley method and OMG my labor hurt!!! With the second one, I did hypnobirthing and everyone thought I was aspleep. I was just super focused. I was definitely uncomfortable, but not in excruciating pain.

I went Bradley myself (times 3) but took several meditation classes while preggers - so not quite "hypnobirthing" per say. I think the combination of techniques, a knowledge of the tools (birthing ball, rockers, direct pressure, rice packs, alternating hot/cold thearapy, etc) available and a great birth team - my loving hubby and an awesome birth doula - were what helped me manage the pain of labor the best.

Do what is best for you and your body - no one technique works for everyone, everytime. Stay open minded too.

Here is to your best birth experience! Cheers!
~C.

I did hypnobirthing with baby number 4. I was a skeptic and it was actually my husband that helped me stick to it and really give it an honest effort. I have heard that being induced and all the pain….is or can make it a lot harder so I’d avoid the induction as much as possible. The day of delivery I took two baths with lavender to help me relax. Apparently you can have your baby with no drugs or assistance from a doctor or nurses…he was born in the car on the way to the hospital. Good luck…O and do take a class, it was very helpful for us.