Hello Spring!

Spring is most definitely here, and don't things feel brighter and more positive when the sun is out?! I have been loving the sunshine and the new hope and optimism it brings, and I feel well and truly ready for warmer weather in the summer months to come. That being said, I'm not wishing my time away as I have some exciting things coming up over the next few months. My May group Hypnobirthing course starts on the 9th and my next free Hypnobirthing Taster Session is on Wednesday 9th of June at 7.30pm. This will be on Zoom & booking is open for this on my website or you can grab your space by clicking the link below. If you want to be super organised, dates for my July group Hypnobirthing course are on my website, again you can book via my website. I only have 1 space left in May for a private Hypnobirthing course, which I'm so pleased to say will be able to be taught face to face. Hypnotherapy and Traumatic Birth Recovery 3 Step Rewind sessions are also available on request. My Doula services are currently fully booked until mid June. Don't delay with getting in touch if you are interested in booking me as your Doula. Head over to my Instagram and read all about World Doula Week that happened back along. I posted some wonderful testimonials too!

Postnatal Prep Workshop - Group Offering

20th May 7.00pm - 9.00pm on Zoom

My 2 hour Postnatal Prep workshop is specifically designed to focus on and prepare you for the Forth Trimester. It is designed to be delivered antenatally, so that you have everything you need ahead of the postnatal period. Learning as a group is an alternative option to my private offering - this allows you to connect and meet other expectant parents and also get the workshop at a reduced rate compared to the private option. See below what is included in this workshop, and click the link to book you place. What is included in the workshop:

.⭐Immediately after birth – the first 24 hours and following days

⭐Womb to World - environment and changes

⭐‘Bouncing back’ - setting realistic expectations. Healing.

⭐The Settling in period - what is it, and how to plan for it.

⭐Bonding –Skin to skin, baby wearing, expectations.

⭐Feeding – Breastfeeding (initiating breast feeding/self-attachment/colostrum), Latch, Positioning, Expectations, Safe formula feeding, Signposting.

⭐Sleeping – Expectations V's The Facts, Safe sleep guidelines, Bed sharing safety, Signposting

⭐Self-care –What will YOU need? Delegation, visitors, Release the pressure that society puts on you, mental wellness, Making a Postnatal Plan

⭐Recommendations and sign posting.

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The workshop comes with a handbook (PDF) outlining all that was covered during the session and also has space for you to make notes and start your postnatal planning. Also included is 2 specific relaxation tracks for the postnatal period.

As always, my social media is the place to keep up-to-date with all my upcoming events and courses. I also offer lots of free content including tips, tools and pregnancy and birth information, as well as it being a place to read some wonderful birth announcements and birth stories. I'd love to connect with you on my Instragram (@cornwallhypnobirthing) and Facebook accounts. If you have any queries or questions, don't hesitate to get in touch. email: info@cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk

"It felt so good to have a birth plan and know what we wanted at every eventuality."

On my Hypnobirthing course you will learn relaxation and breathing techniques, but... you will learn so much more than that too. We will go in to detail about the importance of a birth plan, and looking at your options and choices for all eventualities. This knowledge really can make all the difference to your antenatal preparation as Charlie's story shows. Here we have Charlie's wonderful birth story. I met Charlie when she was pregnant with her 3rd baby and I worked with her and her husband Angus, doing some private antenatal classes and hypnobirthing. Charlie was determine to have a calm, gentle birth this time around and wanted to birth in water. She made sure she was not taking anything to chance, and her and Angus invested in a course with me. Charlie tells her story below:

Welcome to the world Margot Ruby Rumbold 17/01/2021 01:45am 8lbs 8oz Truro Birth Centre

"I had always dreamt of having a waterbirth it was third time lucky for us. Our first 2 births hadn’t gone exactly according to plan so when I found out I was pregnant with our third child one of my first thoughts was another chance for my dream waterbirth!

Although I had done hypnobirthing before, my husband Angus hadn’t, and we decided to do a private course with Terri. Learning about birth rights was eye opening and talking over birth plans was invaluable for us as we were divided on a homebirth vs the birth centre. After our session with Terri we were able to get clarity on what was best for both of us and made our birth plan. I wanted a natural birth as far as possible. It felt so good to have a birth plan and know what we wanted at every eventuality. It made me feel calm and relaxed as the birth was approaching. I also regularly listened to Terri’s hypnobirthing tracks (especially when I couldn’t sleep towards the end of pregnancy!)

I started getting a few mild cramps around 5pm on Saturday and thought I could be in early labour. We didn’t want to take any chances following the last rapid birth so spoke to our midwife Amy who was amazing and phoned the Truro birth centre to let them know we would be coming in, although I wasn’t in established labour. When we arrived at 7pm it was like walking into a spa, fairly lights, quiet and a feeling of calm. The staff were so lovely and were very understanding of why we were there so early. I was offered an examination if I wanted on, which I accepted as I wanted to know if this was it. I was 2cm dilated and we were shown to ‘the Nook’ to see how things went. I was just so happy that we weren’t being sent home and that we could actually have chance to relax and enjoy the start of labour. I spent the next couple of hours bouncing on a birthing ball with my clary sage oil whilst watching old Gavin and Stacey episodes with Angus massaging my back. I was having mild surges every 7-10 minutes. We were left undisturbed other than to check if we needed anything. Around 10pm my surges started getting closer together 3-4 mins apart and we were offered to move to the birthing suite…yes!!

The birthing suite was lovely, loads of space with fairy lights and the pool. This was the moment when I thought this is going to happen for me this time! Angus unpacked everything I might need, and we got settled in. Although my surges were much closer together they weren’t much stronger so I was happy bouncing around and eating snacks. At around 11pm our midwife Amy arrived. I was so lovely to see her as she had been my midwife the whole way through and we had had so many conversations about the birth and how I wanted it to be. I felt a could relax now Amy had arrived. My surges started getting closer together and I put the TENS machine on and got comfortable on the ball leaning over the bed and using the breathing techniques I had learnt with Terri. Angus was amazing encouraging me, bringing me coconut water and massaging my back. My waters broke around this time and my surges began to get stronger.

Once I started feeling pressure Amy said I could get in the pool, it felt so amazing to be in there. Angus put on music from our wedding day and Amy put lavender oil on a towel I was leaning on so I felt comfortable and relaxed, exactly what I had pictured. As I entered the transition phase Angus and Amy were literally cheering me on the whole time which helped massively as this was the point when doubt crept in for me. I was so glad I had practised the breathing techniques. Having Angus supporting me with this was invaluable. I felt my body bearing down and I knew I had to trust in my body and surrender to the birth journey. What felt like only a few minutes later baby Margot was born at 01:45am and I was able to lift her out of the water and onto my chest. It was a magical moment and exactly how I had envisioned the birth being.

One of the best things was that Angus (previously a birth phobe) said afterwards ‘that was amazing’ and it really was! Thank you Terri for your support in helping us have the birth I had always wanted."

Are you ready to take control of your birth experience? To work towards the birth that you want, feeling prepared, educated and with a tool kit full of useful techniques to help you on your journey?! Then sign up to one of my Hypnobirthing courses. I start my May course this Sunday 9th, and I have one space remaining in May for a private hypnobirthing course, and 2 in June. My next group course is in July and you can find out more about this or book your place on my website. My Hypnobirthing course really is a game changer - even if you have done a hypnobirthing course before (like Charlie) I can guarantee that you will still get some much out of my course.

My first words were ‘is he really mine?’ I couldn’t believe it.

This is Connie’s birth story. Connie did Hypnobirthing with a different provider (she won a free place) and I was her Doula. Connie talks us honestly through her birth journey - the ups, the downs, and everything in between! But what this story shows is courage, strength and an open mind to change. It was an honour to support Connie through the twists and turns that unfolded. All the way through she asked so many questions, took time to think and process, and made decisions that were right for her and her baby.

“From the beginning of my pregnancy, I knew that birthing alone was going to be one of my biggest challenges in life. I started obsessively watching One Born Every Minute, reading horror stories online and filling my brain with the idea that birth is a painful and stressful thing. As time went on, I started to follow different ideas and opened my eyes up to the world of positive birth and hypnobirthing. The word initially scared me and I wasn’t sure if I would be the right candidate for it as a young single Mum to be.

Hackney Hypnobirthing was one of the first accounts I followed - and through some force of nature I won her competition for a free course over 4 zoom calls with other parents. I quickly learnt how the world of birth has been so stigmatised and that actually, it’s a beautiful, natural experience and one that should have the Mother’s best interests at heart. From these sessions. I learnt to speak up of myself every time I was told I couldn’t ‘do’ something due to my BMI. It was definitely empowering!

I then started looking into hiring a doula to be with me at birth, as I felt I could potentially be coerced during labour if I didn’t have someone with me to advocate for me. Terri from Cornwall Hypnobirthing was one of my teachers at school and it just seemed so perfectly coincidental - we already had some rapport so there was no doubt in my mind that I would like her to be at my birth. The world works in funny ways sometimes! My birth plan was a natural water birth in the birth centre. I was adamant I didn’t want any interventions or to go to hospital unless me or my baby were sick. I was fully prepared to go over 42 weeks!

At 39+5 I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. I had a gut feeling something wasn’t right that day, I had been feeling very unwell, vomiting, headaches and seeing light spots for about a week. I went to hospital for blood tests and the doctor came and told me he would want to induce me ASAP, preferably that day. It was all so unexpected and I was tired after waiting for blood results for over 5 hours. I decided to decline and go home to think things over. The next morning I woke up feeling worse than ever.

I called triage and they told me to go to hospital straight away.

When we got there, baby was absolutely fine and healthy but my health was deteriorating and I don’t think I could have carried on for much longer so I accepted an induction. I had the pessary inserted, 24 hours went by and by the morning I was having regular contractions. I went up to delivery to see about having my waters broken. I told them I was calling my doula and I didn’t want any intervention until she was here to advocate for me and calm me down as I was very anxious at this point. Once Terri arrived, I agreed to have my waters broken but only with use of an epidural due to personal reasons. The epidural was not a pleasant experience for me and had it not been for Terri I would have definitely not been able to stay as calm as I did. She was on hand to hold my hand and give me water when I needed - it took them about 40 minutes to fit the epidural correctly.

Hours went by and I stayed at 2/3 cm dilated, my contractions were still regular - around 3 in 10 minutes but my body wasn’t progressing how we had hoped. After 49 hours of having the pesssry inserted, to being in delivery and my waters broken, I was still only 3cm dilated. I was mentally exhausted, physically drained and Terri was starting to get tired too!

A c-section was definitely not what I had ever planned or hoped for, and Terri reassured me it was absolutely my choice and if I wanted to decline I could, but I had to be prepared to be in labour for potentially 24 or more hours. Through careful thinking and weighing out the pros and cons with Terri, I decided to accept a c-section. Instantly I felt so much calmer - I was making my own choice and I was going to meet my baby soon.

When we got to the operating theatre my anxiety started to come into play again, and Terri was so helpful in reassuring me and reminding me that baby Ezra would be in the world very soon.

The c-section was pretty traumatic for me - I can’t lie and say it was an enjoyable experience. I felt like I could feel everything and I wanted more pain relief which they couldn’t give me. They told me that my only option would be general anaesthetic if I couldn’t handle the pain. I decided then to just breathe through it as much as I can. Terri helped me and before I knew it Ezra was out and crying the most beautiful cry. My first words were ‘is he really mine?’ I couldn’t believe it. We did skin to skin and Terri took so many photos and I’m eternally grateful for her presence in making a potentially very traumatic experience into a positive one I will remember for the rest of my life.

Hypnobirthing really helped me prepare for birth and I truly think it empowered me beyond belief, I’m so glad I invested in a doula and did my research wherever I could.”

NB - I am currently taking booking for my March and May Hypnobirthing courses, and I have one space remaining for a private course in March and 2 in April. My Doula services are available from the end of April 2021. I do get booked up quite a lot in advance for my Doula services as my availability is limited, so if you are interested in finding out more or booking me as your Doula then don't hesitate to get in touch early.