Hypnobirthing, The Original Method: Mindful PSregnancy and Easy Labor Using the Leclaire Childbirth Method

by Michelle Leclaire O'Neill

HYPNOBIRTHING THE ORIGINAL The highly successful Leclaire childbirth method - the birthing program for the 21th century that incorporates hypnosis - helps you experience pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, calmly, joyously, and painlessly. Whether you choose a natural birth, an epidural, or a c-section, this is the guide every expectant woman and her partner needs. Developed by Michelle Leclaire O'Neill, PhD, R.N., the only woman and medical professional who has created a complete childbirth education program. This holistic method draws on both modern science and ancient wisdom to present pregnancy as the glorious, instinctive event it should be. The author's systematic approach gives you back control over your mind and body during pregnancy and birth when you may feel it slipping away. Through techniques self-hypnosis, meditation, visualization, and a complete mind/body program - you learn to let go of your fears, ease childbirth jitters, improve bonding between you and your baby, and facilitate your babies' peaceful, painless entry into this world. In addition, the Leclaire hypnobirthing method can prevent unhealthy birth weight, ease the transition to breastfeeding, and create the healthiest possible environment for a new life, a new mother, and a new family. (Book includes free pregnancy/labor audio CD of your choice - see page 240).

252 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2000

Reviews

[Heidi Kuchta · Rating 2 out of 5]

All the advice and details in this book about meditation, mantras, and the unconscious mind during pregnancy are things I see value in and agree with. I am not sure I need to go all the way towards listening to the hypnobirthing CDs now or during birth. There are other resources in my life that can fill this need.

On the whole, this author had good ideas but presented them in a way that did not appeal to me. I agree with other reviewers that said they were put off by use of the "uborn" term (meaning "uterine born") to refer to their unborn child. It just always looked like a typo. Also, it's OK to just call a contraction a contraction. I don't need to call them "rushes" or some other woo woo thing to feel less anxiety surrounding birth. O'Neill makes a lot of broad claims about pain and labor that are not supported by a source. The bibliography is less than two pages long. I really don't appreciate this. Hence, two stars for this book as an overall source on pregnancy.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I skimmed through a bunch of the sections to get to the meditations and tips for labor, which I found to be helpful. The use of “uborn” to describe the baby was weird and I have never noted a patients’ use of “rushes” or “waves” to be preferable to contractions. Fear does play a role in labor, but it is not the only thing that causes pain. This is why I typically prefer Birthing from Within teaching that acknowledges the intense pain of labor and how to cope with it.

[Anlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps the rating should be higher, since I'm mainly accounting for the edition being a little outdated (lots of reference to listening to tapes and etc.). But it did also feel repetitive in manly instances, repeating content from chapter to chapter that I think could have been condensed. Otherwise, very helpful, and I liked that it included scripts and specific examples of visualizations, mantras, etc. The method is also very partner-friendly; indeed, it essentially requires an engaged partner to be effective.

[Sierra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hands down the worst pregnancy book I have ever read. Truly appalling. From "contracting your spine one vertebra at a time" to advising positive thinking to avoid birth defects, this book is a compilation of laughable, if not scary, nonsense. How on earth did this thing get published and did this woman get a PhD?

[Lillian Stickle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a disappointing read. I love her concept, but didn’t like all the negative back stories and hearing about other women’s fears. It put me off. I would of rather read meditations, birthing affirmations, and stuff like that so I could easily flip back to it later on.

[Julia Pavao · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the ideas in this book are interesting, but it was a little too outlandish for me. There are lots of activity prompts that I didn't find helpful. For the right person, it could be super helpful, but it wasn't for me.

[Laura BB · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible. I was immediately put off by how the author referred to babies as "the unborn" (except for the multiple times it was misspelled, leaving me with a "uborn" in my belly).

I put it down for good when I read that morning sickness, post partum depression and an inability to breastfeed (among other things) are caused by a woman "renounc[ing] her participation in any part of her life and remain[ing] a passive bystander". That's it. That's all the author attributes those problems to. Helpful, no? This information can all be found in chapter one under the heading "Return to a Woman-Centered Approach" of course. Because nothing says women-centered like blaming every single problem you can encounter in baby rearing on women essentially having a bad attitude.

All I wanted in buying this book was some straightforward pain management techniques for labour, not some ignorant, low brow, preachy, unhelpful philosophy.

I wish I could get my money back. AVOID.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting concepts to ponder but I don't think this is the birthing method for me. Also, lots of dubious claims that were never cited (ie, studies show that the children born from mothers who had an epidural become drug addicts... what, source please!). My midwives even spoke against this method because it gives women the false hope that labor and birth won't be painful, when perhaps what is needed is giving women the tools to maintain their mental resiliency in spite of the pain.