Class #6 in the Hypnobabies Home Study course is really where you start your “Maintenance Program” – what you'll do for the rest of your pregnancy. It was very exciting to get to this point for several reasons. First, I've gone through each class and learned all of the cues and techniques I need for my Hypnobabies birth. I've also been practicing for many weeks and have many of them incorporated into my days.
It was also exciting because the maintenance program brings some freedom and variation. At the time of this writing I've actually been doing maintenance for a few weeks. The first week I did it “by the book”, but in the past couple of weeks I've substituted another Hypnoabies (affiliate link) track for some of the days (Visualize Your Perfect Hypnobabies Birth – more info below).
I've loved both the freedom and review of maintenance.
Maintenance Assignments
During the maintenance period, from the end of Class #5 until your baby is born, you're encouraged to review anything in the workbook you found helpful or feel the need to refresh yourself on.
You can also continue to review the Quick Reference Guide, and that's something I need to sit down with and go over a few times before our baby arrives.
Class #6 also recommends you keep up your good diet and exercise. I didn't do as well with exercising last week, and I indulged fast food a couple of times… so I need to get back on track with all of that. I know it's especially important now, since I'm in the last month of pregnancy. My baby's brain is growing rapidly and needs the nutrition, and the exercise helps my body and encourages good baby position. So this week I'll be foregoing the fast food and getting back to my exercise routines!
You also need to keep listening to your daily pregnancy affirmations. I've been doing well with this. We actually got a little Bluetooth headset for my phone (to make it easier for me to teach my weekly teleclasses), and that has made it much easier for me to listen to my affirmations. I just put it on after lunch, which the kids are doing chores, and listen then. I can hear it even with them being noisy :p and if Scott happens to be home I don't feel like I'm annoying him with it, heh. For the record, he would only tease me about it and wouldn't have a problem with me listening to them, but I know pregnancy affirmations aren't his favorite thing to listen to 😉
There are a few pages instructing how to go over and practice your Hypnobabies techniques as you wait on your baby to arrive, and a page with info on Hypno-doulas. There are also some important reminders to go over. Compared to previous weeks, however, there's a lot less to read this week! It's a good week to review and really dig into the Quick Reference guide so that's familiar.
CD Tracks
As I said above, this week starts the Maintenance Program. There's a recommended CD schedule at this point. I enjoy each of the tracks in the schedule.
I remember being annoyed with some of them the first I did Hypnobabies, and I think there have been some changes with the revision of the materials and CD tracks. For instance, there's a focus on deep, slow, relaxed breathing, but there's no counting along with it as there was originally. I didn't like the counting because it felt forced and not relaxing, so I'd get irritated right there at the start of a track. In the revision, that's gone and I truly look forward to that initial relaxation.
So, with the exception of the Fear Clearing Track I discussed last week, I really enjoy every CD track and I've been happy to go back over them in the maintenance program.
I've also liked the freedom to move tracks around. As I said above, I've substituted on some days with my Visualization track and I really love that one!
I love both Hypnotic Childbirth #1 (Wednesday) and Hypnotic Childbirth #2 (Saturday), so I always do those. I also tend to do Special Place (Monday) because that one is lovely. I will sometimes substitute for Deepening (Tuesday/Friday) or Easy, Comfortable Childbirth (Thursday) for the Visualization track. I have been using the old version of Fear Clearing on Sundays, though last Sunday I truly felt peaceful so I just listened to the Visualization track.
Visualize Your Perfect Hypnobabies Birth
I'll admit, I LOVE this track. It felt a little uncomfortable at first. I'd already been visualizing my birth and had a lot of it thought out so it felt weird to have the guided suggestions on the audio. But once I got used the pacing of the audio and how she highlights each point in birthing, I was able to enrich my own visualizations. I didn't change anything, but added some detail.
This track is not scripted and rigid at all. She gives suggestions for how you could imagine yourself, but really leaves it very open for you to create the “picture” you want of your birth. You're guided through creating those pictures at various points in your birthing.
There's one point where she suggests you're on a birth ball, but at that point I am already picturing myself in the birth tub… so I just go ahead with my own visualization at that point. Again, it doesn't feel rigid or forced at all. I did apply the birth ball suggestions earlier in my visualization, since I think I will probably use the birth ball early on.
I really appreciate all the reminders she gives to use Hypnobabies cues, because now I've incorporated all of those powerfully into my visualization. Between that and daily practice of my cues (especially “Peace” and “Release”) I feel sure I'll be able to really use these tools during my birthing time.
All-in-all this has been a GREAT track. I would highly recommend it to start using once you're at the maintenance point in your Hypnobabies Home Study Course!
Note that I receive a small affiliate commission if you order Hypnobabies through my affiliate link – thank you for your support! 🙂
Going Through Hypnobabies with “Riceball”
- Starting Hypnoabies!
- Class 1 Review
- Class 2 Review
- Class 3 Review
- Class 4 Review
- Class 5 Review
- Maintenance and Visualizing Your Perfect Birth
Photo by Rob Elis'
