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Hypnobabies: Home Study Course
home study course for hypnosis during a painless childbirth.
- GenresParentingNonfiction
171 pages, spiral bound
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 4, 2010
Unfortunately ended up with an emergency c-section (frank breech at 37 weeks), but I did use the techniques to stay calm and comfortable during the laboring. I think remaining relaxed is the key ot any birth, no matter how far it deviates from your envisioned experience. Will use it again the next time around, hopefully for a VBAC.
December 6, 2023
Did this with the full hypnobabies tracks as well but just reviewing the book. VERY informative and offers a lot of insight if you are wanting to try for either unmedicated or just want to gain some calming techniques for whatever birth you chose.
Its not a book purely on self hypnosis, its rather a complete birth guide - I really appreciated how it went through each stage of birth, hormonal changes at each stage, baby positioning, positions to help progress the birthing process, truly every part to prepare for including hospital prep and partner support.
There is definitely an underlying tone of unmedicated natural birth is best but I still learned very valuable techniques that I’ll be using no matter how this babe comes into the world 💚
Its not a book purely on self hypnosis, its rather a complete birth guide - I really appreciated how it went through each stage of birth, hormonal changes at each stage, baby positioning, positions to help progress the birthing process, truly every part to prepare for including hospital prep and partner support.
There is definitely an underlying tone of unmedicated natural birth is best but I still learned very valuable techniques that I’ll be using no matter how this babe comes into the world 💚
November 4, 2020
2nd time reading this completely through and once again a believer 100%!! 3rd baby was born in my bathroom unintentionally 30 minutes after my water broke following a morning of inconsistent but manageable pressure waves.
March 15, 2017
I will wait to write a full review after my baby is born. ☺️
December 2, 2014
I would highly recommend Hypnobabies as a birth prep method in conjunction with another one like Birthing from Within that takes a more realistic view of labor pain, which is what I did. The scripts say things like "I deserve to have a completely easy and comfortable birthing" which is just ridiculous. But It definitely helped me avoid negativity and fear during pregnancy. I enjoyed the excuse to give myself 25-35 minutes a day to practice hypnosis in a quiet calm room by myself. I also listened to the joyful pregnancy affirmations 3-5 days a week and felt so confident about my ability to give birth, despite a number of health issues that popped up for me.
I was able to self-hypnotize through early labor (I found chanting "loose and limp, limp and loose" in my head to be really helpful). I even slept between contractions a few times during that early stage. I listened to both the Deepening track and Hypnotic childbirth 2 track when things started slowing down. The midwife told me what I thought was false labor on Sunday was active but early - I think hypnosis helped me experience that pain less intensely. For instance, my husband and I were in bed together and I never woke him up through 9 hours of contractions, 10 min apart.
When I was in active, hard labor the next day, the hypnosis did not help with contraction pain, but it did help me remain calm and un-afraid between contractions. I still used my hypnosis keywords like "peace" during contractions, but didn't feel hypno-anesthesia anymore.
By the time I started feeling the need to push, I was completely using Birthing from Within techniques, specifically "centering," which is where you look the pain in the face, get to know it intimately, and embrace it as productive. One of the nurses said I seemed so collected and self-possessed when we arrived that she didn't believe I was fully dilated and ready to push (I don't know what she was talking about because I was definitely groaning and making a ruckus during contractions - I was quiet and myself between though). And I'm pretty sure without the positivity I learned during hypnosis, I wouldn't have made it through the long walk from the midwives office to labor and delivery, when I was all but crowning.
Even if it wasn't pain-free, hypnosis helped me to be free of fear and anxiety, and helped me know that I could make it through anything birth could throw at me.
I was able to self-hypnotize through early labor (I found chanting "loose and limp, limp and loose" in my head to be really helpful). I even slept between contractions a few times during that early stage. I listened to both the Deepening track and Hypnotic childbirth 2 track when things started slowing down. The midwife told me what I thought was false labor on Sunday was active but early - I think hypnosis helped me experience that pain less intensely. For instance, my husband and I were in bed together and I never woke him up through 9 hours of contractions, 10 min apart.
When I was in active, hard labor the next day, the hypnosis did not help with contraction pain, but it did help me remain calm and un-afraid between contractions. I still used my hypnosis keywords like "peace" during contractions, but didn't feel hypno-anesthesia anymore.
By the time I started feeling the need to push, I was completely using Birthing from Within techniques, specifically "centering," which is where you look the pain in the face, get to know it intimately, and embrace it as productive. One of the nurses said I seemed so collected and self-possessed when we arrived that she didn't believe I was fully dilated and ready to push (I don't know what she was talking about because I was definitely groaning and making a ruckus during contractions - I was quiet and myself between though). And I'm pretty sure without the positivity I learned during hypnosis, I wouldn't have made it through the long walk from the midwives office to labor and delivery, when I was all but crowning.
Even if it wasn't pain-free, hypnosis helped me to be free of fear and anxiety, and helped me know that I could make it through anything birth could throw at me.
February 29, 2016
Well, this was my third birth with no pain medications, but my first time reading and listening to hypnobabies while pregnant. There are a lot of good things here and help keep a positive mind about pregnancy and childbirth, but I was glad I had already experienced childbirth before listening so I didn't get too caught up in the "painless childbirth" mantras. Guess what? Childbirth is amazing and not a medical anomaly and can be a great experience, but it's not painless! Kudos to you if you had a painless experience.
I felt like I was falling asleep during the hypnosis cds, but I really liked the affirmations cds. I didn't listen as often as the program told me to though.
My birth ended up being too quick to really use much hypnosis, but breathing and putting myself in another state of mind really helps me up until the pushing phase. :)
My take: good stuff here but take it with a grain of salt because you most likely won't have a zen, quiet birth once you get to "transformation" and pushing that baby out, but you can do it and have a beautiful experience anyway.
Also, if you care about punctuation, just know that the manual is full of strange punctuation, errors, and annoying use of bold, underlined, or all-caps words.
I felt like I was falling asleep during the hypnosis cds, but I really liked the affirmations cds. I didn't listen as often as the program told me to though.
My birth ended up being too quick to really use much hypnosis, but breathing and putting myself in another state of mind really helps me up until the pushing phase. :)
My take: good stuff here but take it with a grain of salt because you most likely won't have a zen, quiet birth once you get to "transformation" and pushing that baby out, but you can do it and have a beautiful experience anyway.
Also, if you care about punctuation, just know that the manual is full of strange punctuation, errors, and annoying use of bold, underlined, or all-caps words.
April 21, 2012
This was more of a skim since I read it thoroughly with my last baby. I'm sure I'll be referring to it over the next few weeks too. Although I don't agree with everything in this manual I think this is a great approach to childbirth. I'm glad that they really stress that the birthing process needs to be what you want it to be and that you need to make choices instead of going along with whatever your provider/hospital tells you is procedure. It incourages you to become as knowledgeable as you can about childbirth.
I had a great experience with this method my first time around. My nurse didn't really believe me when I told her I was ready to push since I didn't seem to be in very much pain (and I wasn't). I think I'll be even more prepared this time around. I'm excited to try this method again!
I had a great experience with this method my first time around. My nurse didn't really believe me when I told her I was ready to push since I didn't seem to be in very much pain (and I wasn't). I think I'll be even more prepared this time around. I'm excited to try this method again!
July 23, 2012
This was a great refresher course for my birth and much more in-depth than Hypno Birth. I have a hard time practicing (even worse last time) but it seems to be much more "individualized" than HypnoBirthing was. There are lots more options and tools and I'm looking forward to seeing how my experience is different or the same this time around. Reading all of this stuff on Birth Hypnosis has inspired me to read more on the subject for my other "issues" such as anxiety and OCD. Hence the NLP book on my shelf right now.
April 14, 2016
Helpful if your spouse & birth care providers are in the know to help you out when the time comes. Also get started on this program sooner rather than later. This is not something you can cram in the last few weeks before birth. While I did not have a 100% "pain free" birth I believe the program helped keep me calmer & have a shorter delivery.. Helps let go of the fear that has been drilled into our heads.
Would use this again if we had another child.
Would use this again if we had another child.
December 6, 2011
I'll wait to review until after baby comes, but at this time, I'm super calm about birthing. And I've slept much better since starting the hypnosis sessions even though I have to go to the bathroom 5-6 times a night.
January 4, 2012
I have finished the course materials with the handbook, but I'm continuing with the maintenance program until my baby is born. I'm excited to put what I have practiced to use when my birthing time is here. I have enjoyed the meditation and relaxation that this program has helped me to achieve.
March 3, 2012
I'll write a more complete review after my baby's birth, but I am on week 3 right now and I LOVE the program. I feel very calm and confident when I think about my birthing. Practicing the tracks every night is doing wonders for my general stress level and it is helping me sleep better, as well.
May 17, 2013
I seriously wanted to love this program. I got it in hopes it would help with my home birth experience but for some reason listening to the CDs gave me anxiety. I loved the affirmation cd and listened to that one very often. But for some reason I couldn't get into the hypnosis portion very well.
April 22, 2009
The hypnosis CD's are fabulous!
June 14, 2012
Just can't do it...
April 12, 2017
Terrible. PLEASE READ AND SAVE YOURSELF THE AGGRAVATION I EXPERIENCED!!!
I ordered hypnobabies, received the download cards. The downloads are so big that they would 'time out' each time I tried to download and then - since they are one use only (because the company is so afraid that you will share them) my codes would be useless and I would have to get the codes reset to try again. This took days of frustration - Eventually I requested the company send me the CDs - which they did.
I received the CDs and started the program. Once I got to week 2, I realized they neglected to send me week 2's CD. So I had to contact them again (at 31 weeks pregnant at that point) to send me the missing tracks. They were cold , and never even so much as acknowledged - let alone - apologized for the inconvenience or my repeated trouble with their program. They sent the week 2 cd. I settled in, put all the bad experience vibes behind me and started to listen to the track.... the CD skips....
I am BEYOND disappointed that I spent money with this company. I will never really know if this program works or not because they are incapable of getting the program to me in good order - after I spent $170!!!!
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME, PEACE OF MIND OR MONEY! Find a local hypnotherapist and work with them directly.
I ordered hypnobabies, received the download cards. The downloads are so big that they would 'time out' each time I tried to download and then - since they are one use only (because the company is so afraid that you will share them) my codes would be useless and I would have to get the codes reset to try again. This took days of frustration - Eventually I requested the company send me the CDs - which they did.
I received the CDs and started the program. Once I got to week 2, I realized they neglected to send me week 2's CD. So I had to contact them again (at 31 weeks pregnant at that point) to send me the missing tracks. They were cold , and never even so much as acknowledged - let alone - apologized for the inconvenience or my repeated trouble with their program. They sent the week 2 cd. I settled in, put all the bad experience vibes behind me and started to listen to the track.... the CD skips....
I am BEYOND disappointed that I spent money with this company. I will never really know if this program works or not because they are incapable of getting the program to me in good order - after I spent $170!!!!
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME, PEACE OF MIND OR MONEY! Find a local hypnotherapist and work with them directly.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews