I would like to share my story to highlight the importance of using the B.R.A.I.N framework when things don’t go according to plan and making sure we had our birth plan ready to adapt to any birth experience and make it a positive one. Birth Preparation I had quite a smooth and easy pregnancy. The only two things that really affected me was the pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and braxton hicks. My PGP started around week 14 and got quite intense during the beginning of the third trimester but somehow it got better after week 33-34, maybe due to some shifts in baby position. My braxton ..read more

    Although I had a healthy pregnancy and was very lucky to go without complications until the very end, this was a very difficult pregnancy for me. From the start, I was dealing with a lot of emotions after learning we were having twins and about halfway through the second trimester I became extremely uncomfortable, until the last month of the third trimester in which it was just downright painful most of the time to be pregnant. I had a really great experience with my first birth, after doing the PBC course and I was really looking forward to manifesting an even more wonderful bi ..read more

    Preparing for my birth After a recommendation for The Positive Birth Company course from a family member at 12 weeks, my husband and I got into prep mode and spent every weekend watching the course videos, making notes and practising the techniques. We found it so empowering to gain this knowledge about the physiological and instinctive nature of birth and would tell all our friends excitedly about what we’d learned. I’d listen to the tracks every day and used the Freya app early on to practise breathing and receive the beautiful affirmations. Early on we decided a home birth w ..read more

    *Trigger Warning* - premature rupture of membranes (PROM) (38 weeks) and no contractions. I planned a home birth with my first and despite giving birth in hospital, I really enjoyed the planning process so decided to give it another go second time around, knowing that a positive birth can be achieved with the right tools in any setting. My pregnancy was completely low risk and I was lucky to have no complications. Pregnancy is not my season, I very much survive not thrive and I had a toddler and house move to contend with this time around so needless to say I felt very negative ..read more

I had IVF whilst living abroad where the hospital system was privatised & obstetrician led. There was early talk about induction due to the ‘’foetal risks of going beyond 38 weeks.’’ I initially accepted this as ‘the way it had to be’ although I was very fearful about hospitalisation and the induction process due to past medical trauma (to the extent all my IVF procedures had to be done under general anaesthetic). A friend recommended this hypnobirthing course which was a game changer for myself and my husband. Upon completing the course, we decided to return to Australia to pursue an unme ..read more

Firstly, I want to say that my husband as my birth partner and my amazing midwife whom I’d seen during pregnancy were both absolutely incredible. Couldn’t have done it without their calming presence and support. I always felt that because my baby was small, she would come early. How wrong I was! To cut a long story short: we are emigrating back to our home country, South Africa at the end of July after living in the UK for 18 years. We always thought we’d have a June baby with plenty of time between birth and our flights at the end of July! ? I had a smooth pregnancy apart from growth scans du ..read more

*Trigger Warning* - use of the word contractions, suspected big baby ?? Pregnancy: My pregnancy was low risk, thankfully no sickness or any medical issues apart from headaches in the first trimester and low iron. I had a toddler to chase around whilst my partner worked away 1 week and 1 week at home so it was exhausting but still very smooth sailing! I decided I wanted a home birth after my first birth didn’t go to plan. There was no real trauma with her birth, it was the unnecessary intervention with my daughter that led to mistrust in the system. I applied for the community midwifery program ..read more

    *Trigger Warning* - Previous trauma, consultant led, GBS+, contractions. Sharing my story for all those second time parents who may have struggled with a previous birth. Darielle’s first birth My first birth involved induction (waters had broken 18 hours before with no contractions) with staff not believing how far along I was which meant limited pain relief. I ended up with episiotomy and suffered badly with pain and then PTSD as well as a struggle with breastfeeding. This left me incredibly anxious about birth which is why I purchased the PBC course to help me. Second time rou ..read more

*Trigger warning* - hyperemesis, gestational diabetes, growth scans, forceps delivery, episiotomy, contractions, pain, induction I have an eight year old daughter from a previous marriage and had a very traumatic birth with her, involving forceps delivery and episiotomy after a prolonged second stage. I unexpectedly fell pregnant again this year and had an awful time with hyperemesis throughout the whole pregnancy and gestational diabetes managed with metformin. Because my firstborn was 9lbs and also because of the diabetes, I had to have almost weekly scans to track baby’s growth in case she ..read more

*Tigger warning* - Use of contractions not negative to me I am very lucky to have had 2 truly amazing birthing experiences thanks to the PBC. My first in 2021 a water birth on a midwife led unit. It was fairly quick for a first labour 6 hours from contractions starting to birth. My son was born at 39 + 5. This time round they had said it was likely to be quick as second babies often come quicker but nothing prepared me for this quick!! I opted for a home birth at my 38 week midwife appointment as I was low risk and wanted to experience a different type of birth. At 39+ 6 my contractions starte ..read more