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 paediatric 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 possible, despite continual foetal monitoring. 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.
