This mini review describes intrinsic deuterium isotope effects on ¹³C chemical shifts of rigid hydrogen bonded compounds primarily in solution. The steric effects of intramolecularly hydrogen bonded compounds are dissected into different bond interactions leading either to steric compression or to steric twist. One-bond isotope effects involving CH(D) bonds are analyzed in terms of substituent effects and the question is raised whether isotope effects can be useful in the study of CH-hydrogen bonds.