NCT and Hypobirthing

[MellowYellow]

Another pregnancy post!

We are enrolled in NCT classes but I'm reading lots on Hypobirthing and it sounds really good. Does anyone have experience of it? Would you recommend it?

I'm unsure whether I'd benefit from it on top of NCT? Can I learn what I need from a book? Or should I also enrol in classes?

Again thoughts and advice welcomed x

[Convex]

hello,

i found NCT better for meeting people, i would recommend you do both if thats an option for you.

obviously its dependent on your group and whether you hit it off with them, and people have varying degress of succcess on that front, but i had a great group. for my 2nd pregnancy i did hypnobirthing instead and didnt manage to meet people, i wish i had done NCT again.

there is also an independent midwife on here who runs antenatal classes if you want to look into alternatives to NCT. i cant remember her name though!

[MellowYellow]

That's really helpful insight thank you. I'm pleased we are on the NCT now! I might look into one or two hyponobirthing sessions as well x

[sillywoman]

I would say that the two types of antenatal education are complementary. Convex is right - NCT is great for meeting other people at the same stage of pregnancy as you, and also understanding the bigger picture of what happens and when. Hypnobirthing would give you a very effective tool to manage the intensity of the contractions - a tool that can be used in all sorts of stressful circumstances, not just for labour (e.g. a baby that won't stop crying, painful breastfeeding, or even at the dentist - my favourite use for it). It's pricey, but if you can afford both I would strongly encourage you to consider it.

[akd]

Hello, if you're able to do both, I would strongly recommend it, for all the reasons listed above! I did hypnobirthing second time round, having done Nct first time. Nct will give you lots of facts and hopefully a nice group of people to hang out with, but in terms of managing labour - whatever course that takes, hypnobirthing was incredible. Check out London hypnobirthing - Hollie does classes in ED and is a brilliant teacher.

Good luck!

[Convex]

Yes I did mine with Hollie I thought she was really good.

I have met people who have managed to learn the hypnobirthing techniques from book and cd, but the classes are excellent. you can ask questions and also I found it good for getting my husband on board with it.

I wouldn't say I had a hypnobirth as labour was so fast I couldn't get in the zone, but the techniques helped anyway, so it's win win.

(Also use the breathing for all sorts of situations from eye exams to toddler tantrums)

[MellowYellow]

Haha thank you! It's Hollie I've been in touch with so that's really good to know!

[leenorris78]

As a Dad, I would wholly recommend both. NCT has its uses but Hypnobirthing gave me some jobs to do, making me part of the birthing process too. We did it with Holly too.

Go for both, you both (Mum and Dad)will benefit.

Lee

[se15mum]

Just wanted to second / third / fourth all the above

NCT is great for facts and meeting people

I then found Hypnobirthing great for a real understanding of what's happening to your body and how you can work with your body to birth your baby. I used Hypnobirthing for both mine and even though first labour was over 36 hours I still went drug free.

As others have said it can also be used for other situations (my husband still reverts back to some

Of the techniques now if he's stressed at work!!)

Try and do a class a) to get husband / partner involved and b) to motivate you to do it - I would never have learnt so much / believed just by reading the book

Good luck :)

[MarianaTrench]

Our NCT group didn't really gel and hasn't really survived past a few cursory meet ups. I did hypnobirthing for my second birth and really wish I had done it for my first. Giving birth is such a life event, it's worth investing in, a bad birth will stay with you forever.

[Convex]

in terms of meeting people...

i also recommend doing the seasonal 'bumps clubs' on here - a thread usually starts at about 6 months before due date. i met lots of really nice people through that - we used to meet weekly for pizza in the lead up so by the time we had our babies i knew a few people pretty well.

[sillywoman]

Though it is worth remembering that the NCT/ private antenatal classes cover a lot more than just managing the labour. Their remit should cover ALL the common birth scenarios (Induction, Assisted birth, and Caesareans) as well as breast-feeding and practical baby care along with other early-days-baby-life stuff.

In the interests of disclosure I should add that I am an East Dulwich NCT/ Bump and Baby teacher, but I really do think that hypnobirthing is money well spent. I just think that it's ideally done as a complement to antenatal classes, as these cover a much broader remit than just managing the labour (which HynoB is brilliant at).

Sorry to hear that your group didn't gel MarianaTrench, a great shame for you and the others within it, I would second Convex's recommendation for the EDF baby clubs. Being a new Mum for the first time can be a lonely old place to be.

[MellowYellow]

Thanks sillywoman I've been in touch with the club already to register my interest for your Feb brunch and hypo meet :) both myself and hubby are now convinced and will be investing in NCT and Hypo classes...many thanks all for the advice x

[MarianaTrench]

@sillywoman I met loads of nice ladies that I still hang out with thru the forum so luckily I didn't get lonely!

[hammondhypnobirthing]

Hi there!

I run local hypnobirthing courses and as well as a Full Hypnobirthing course, I also offer a Hypnobirthing Essentials course for those who choose to take NCT (or other antenatal) classes. The Essentials course is only ?150 and ensures you don't have repeated content from the other antenatal classes - see my website for more details and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

I'm also running the Hypnobirthing event with Bump & Baby Club in Februrary, so hopefully will get to meet you there if not before!

Lizzie Hammond

Hammond Hypnobirthing

www.hammondhypnobirthing.com

[Forster]

Hi there,

How do they compare cost wise? Also, how did everyone manage to contact Hollie from

Hypnobirth? I'm having my 1st baby in May, so hoping to come along to one of the next coffee morning's! Annoyingly though I can't make it this weekend. Thanks.

[MellowYellow]

They are similar in price for NCT / hynobirthing.

Hollie is booked up so we are going to do the NCT and an essential hyponobirthing course by Lizzie of Hammond Hypnobirthing

Good luck with yours! X

[Forster]

Does anyone have hollies contact details? Or another hypnotherapist they would recommend?

Thanks.

[Northeastview]

I used the hypnobirth CDs which were great, and had a fantastic birth using the techniques. Didn't bother with n t as Kings had 3 antenatal sessions (we kept in touch and met up) and a day breast feeding workshop where I met my best friend (does this still run? It was legendary). Good luck

[AnyaJoeli]

Just throwing my two-penneth in, I did NCT first time round and found it brilliant for info and preparation of getting head around having a baby, although I didn't end up with "lifelong friends" and don't see any of my group at all now (nearly 5 years on) it's great for meeting people to share poo discussions with in the first few months. Second time round I met a great group of mums from the edf Winter Babies group and we're still going strong on whatsapp a year later.

My lovely friend Zoe is a hypnobirthing teacher, she trained after she'd had a difficult first birth ending in emcs and for her second she had a hypno home birth so she's absolutely proof of the pudding. She also helped me with some techniques to manage my anxiety in my second pregnancy and was brilliant with her calm positive manner I still use her affirmations day to day, I would totally recommend her for hypnobirthing she's based in SE15 and her website is http://www.hypnobirthingandbeyond.com

x

[scareyt]

Emily Austen is hypnobirth teacher based nearby, she's a friend of mine who I met after having my son so I can't comment on her classes, but I can confirm that she's lovely and I'm sure would be a brilliant teacher. There is another thread on here with her details.