Hi Ladies, I used hypnobirthing to help achieve a VBAC. When I found myself absolutely petrified at 30 weeks, having not processed my daughter’s birth 19 months earlier, a couple of friends suggested I give hypnobirthing a go. I struggled with the visualisations, but practised anyway – some days it drove me crazy, other days it sent me off to sleep, either way the mantras, and a lot of colouring in when my daughter was asleep, got in there enough to get me to a labour ward rather than an operating table! I definitely didn’t achieve a state of hypnosis in labour, nor did I use the visualisations. What I did use were: the breathing techniques (so important); the mantra ‘I have chosen the right birth for me, my baby and my family’; a comprehensive birth plan that I went through with the Supervisor of Midwives ahead of time, and was respected totally by the midwives on the day and remained I mindful that I wanted it to be as straightforward as possible, so that I could be back with my daughter ASAP (it was our 1st night apart). The midwives were brilliant, totally protective of my labour – I didn’t see a doctor until my son’s paed checks, the breathing was amazing – I could actually feel my son moving down, which is an immense feeling and a great motivator, as is having another child at home who you desperately don’t want to miss out because you have had to have another c-section! He was born within 2 hours (or so) of established labour (5cm dilated), I had gas and air when I needed help to keep the breathing focused – I recognised this as transition, because my head was in the right place – but no other pain relief, and stayed upright (on knees, arms over the raised back of the bed) for as long as poss, despite CFM. He was 9lb 3oz, and I am tear and stitch free. It can be done, and it can work for you, even if you struggle to go deep into hypnosis.