I used this book in conjuction with a class to have a natural, beautiful birth. My review of the book: presents a nice history of birthing, understanding of the method and includes a CD to use. Introduces people to specific techniques to use while in labor. It does provide a place to start, but I found the class really supplemented the book and provided a lot of the more useful techniques we used while in labor. For a brief review of hypnobirthing, my labor wasn't anything like the videos I watched (although I know some women do report totally serene and pain free births), but I did have a natural, drug-free labor using hypnobirthing. I wouldn't call it pain free, but it was definitely manageable and hpynobirthing provided the support I needed! If you are wanting to do natural childbirth, I would highly recommend looking into this method.

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Hyponosis in childbirth, even practicing visualizations and guided meditations or touch relaxation can be a very positive and empowering practice for the laboring mom and her partner(s) in the birth room. My only issue with the Mongan Method, and Hynobabies as well, actually, is the use of the word "anesthesia" as part of the scripts. For a mom, such as myself, who was exploring hypnosis for my second birth, after a nonmedicated first birth, I *knew* I didn't need any Anestehsia! I found it really presumptious and distracting, so I subsitituted "Great Calm" or some such (same word everytime) as I used this book, and later (also second pregnancy) with Hypnobabies scripts. Worked fine. Please note, that while both Hypnobabies and Hypnobirthing claim to be "complete childbirth education," as a Certified Childbirth Educator, I really object to this claim. My suggestion would be to take an Independent (out of hospital) Childbirth Ed Series (through ALACE/ International Birth and WEllness Project (IBWP) or CAPPA or Bradley, for examples)*before* working with the Hypno-whichever curriculum/books, as an "Early Bird" student and then begin the Hypno in the second or third trimester. The big thing with any relaxation/hypnosis practice is just that -- PRACTICE. If you do not "program" yourself to relax with daily practice-- WITH your birth partner(s) some of the time,it is unlikely that hypno or visualizations, etc. will be very helpful in the birth room from Transition on. Having said that, many women find this sort of "programming" very helpful in early labor and in prodromal ("practice" labor than can last, yup, days, prior to "true" labor kicking in) labor as well. Best wishes for joyous birthing!
Maura Jo, MA, CD, CCBE

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LOVE this book. Makes perfect sense, and it reassures me that my childbirth experience does not have to be awful. This book explains that it is the fear of childbirth that creates tension, and therefore pain. If one can actually learn to do self-relaxation, then the tension is eased and so is the pain. Thousands of women have already had a wonderful childbirth experience using Hypnobirthing, and I plan to be yet another. A must-read if you are expecting.

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