Can I learn hypnobirthing on my own?
Hey, hypnobirthing hopefuls!
Asking the question: can I learn hypnobirthing on my own is a great one because it rolls several commonly asked questions into one. 1) Can I listen to hypnobirthing tracks on YouTube and is that considered "doing hypnobirthing?" (Answer: Maybe) 2) Can I do a hypnobirthing course online? (Answer: Yes) 3) Do I need to enroll in a class with a live instructor to get the full benefit of hypnobirthing? (Answer: Probably)
So let's break down each of these detailed questions so you can make a fully informed choice for your hypnobirthing journey!
Can I learn hypnobirthing on my own by listening to tracks on YouTube?
So maybe this already has an obvious answer. But in case it doesn't, let's get to the point here which is that hypnobirthing sessions will not be very effective if they're interrupted by ads. Sure, there are some lovely hypnobirthing meditations on YouTube. You might even find 1 or 2 where the voice doesn't annoy the crap out of you if you search hard enough!
But how effective are these listening sessions? If you happened to find the right combination of content that you'll need within a session, then yes, you could do hypnobirthing by listening to YouTube. But that's a pretty tall order because you need the session to teach you something you can actually use during labor. That's what HelloBirth sessions do. The only way to access HelloBirth tracks (and therefore, techniques) is to take a class with an instructor.
With that being said, we've reviewed two YouTube tracks and given them a rating from 1 to 5 in 4 key areas, with 1 being the worst and 5 the best.
HD Hypnobirthing Bedtime Meditation for a Peaceful Pregnancy and Beautiful Birth!
- ads: 5 (none)
- voice: 2
- technique you can use for birth: 0
- content summary: relaxing for sleep, creation of a special place, birthing confidence
- length: 34:32 (only the first 20 minutes has talking, the rest is music)
Hypnobirthing guided Meditation to help while in Labour
- ads: 5 (none)
- voice: 4
- technique you can use for birth: 0
- content summary: confidence for labor, meeting your baby, birthing affirmations
- length: 1:09:50
Can I do a hypnobirthing course online?
So yes, Hypnobabies has a home study course. The tracks within it do teach you the techniques you'll need. However the layout of the course isn't great and it's confusing to students as to which tracks you should listen to and when. If that's not going to distract you from doing your daily practice, then this is a good option. Here's a mom blog review of the course.
Do I need to enroll in a class with a live instructor to get the full benefit?
This is our top recommendation. Read Are hypnobirthing classes worth it? for a more detailed answer. The main benefits of taking a HelloBirth class with an instructor are:
- Simple, straightforward practice schedules are provided if you choose the happy medium of HelloBirth (other courses have rigid schedules or none at all)
- The teaching techniques embedded in the audio sessions give you the skills to take this approach to the real world
- All of the physical birth knowledge (stages of birth and baby positioning) that's a little harder to get if you're taking an online course without any synchronous classroom time
- Camaraderie with classmates!
- The benefit of connecting with your instructor who can provide you with local knowledge of your area's birth community to support your journey
So while you may have decided the answer to the question can I learn hypnobirthing on my own is YES, that doesn't necessarily mean that you should have to! Having the guidance and high-touch care of other people in your corner and ideally, in your community is more important now than ever! That's the one thing covid probably managed to teach us all. So we invite you to sign up for a HelloBirth class for a comprehensive, supported approach to learning hypnobirthing.