GET PREPARED FOR BIRTH
Relaxation + Knowledge = Power
You're pregnant...what now?
You’ve peed on a stick and you see two lines, or the word ‘pregnant’ on a tiny digital screen.
This may be your first baby, it may be your fifth. It may have been a long road to get here or you may be surprised by the news.
Being informed and educated about pregnancy and birth is going to put you in a strong position when it comes to meeting your baby.
In the UK in the past 10 years:
Ceasarean section increased by 10%*
Induction of labour increased by 10%*
Spontaneous labour decreased by 18%*
Understanding how to navigate maternity services, how to connect to your instinctive birthing body and how to work with your hormones, birth partner and environment can have a huge impact on your birth experience.
Birth is unpredictable, and as such it is important to understand some of the events which can occur during labour.
Arming yourself with knowledge so that you are aware of the benefits and risks before making decisions about your care is hugely useful.
Understanding what is happening with your body as you navigate contractions.
Understanding how to utilise movement and positioning to remain as comfortable as possible, all whilst giving your baby the opportunity to move and remain in an optimal position.
Understanding what your hormones will be doing and how to ensure they work as efficiently as possible.
Knowing what the hell is going on when you’re dilating, so you can breathe through those feelings or navigate your options for pain relief.
Knowing when to transfer to the hospital or how to inflate a birth pool at home.
What to pack in your hospital bag and what your placenta actually is and what’s it been doing for the past 40ish weeks?!
How to relax deeply and quieten down your inquisitive mind, so you can step into your instinctive birthing body and allow yourself to let go of any fears which may hold you back during labour.
A full antenatal education will provide you with the above (and often more!). I work exclusively on a 1:1 basis with couples/birth teams. This ensures you have time and space to really open up about any fears you may have and any past experiences you need to navigate.
Private workshops take place over 2-4 sessions and last 10-12 hours in total.
Rapid workshops take place in 3-hour sessions and are perfect if you are short on time or need a refresher.
(private and rapid workshops include MP3s, downloadable content and a course book for you to work through)
Birth plan workshops are 1.5 hours long and we work together to create a birth plan/s for you and your birth team.
Pregnancy Relaxation
A weekly session designed for you to take some well-earned time out to focus on you and your baby.
I will guide you through breathing exercises, we will sit and discuss a different topic each week, and I will take you through a deeply calming guided relaxation. We end the session with warming tea and biscuits.
You will meet other parents to be in the local area which can be beneficial for building a network of people going through shared life experiences. The people I met during pregnancy classes have remained lifelong friends and we have all supported each other throughout many different ups and downs.
£8 pay as you go or £45 for a six-week course.