You may well have heard about the 'transition' stage of labour.  The 'I can't do it' stage!  It's the scene we've become familiar with in films and TV where labour seems dramatic and the woman appears to be out of control.  Often talked about in antenatal classes and between friends, the prospect of this stage can be daunting and worrying for many people.  It's so commonly talked about, but not why it happens and how you can be helped through it! So first off. . . why? Well in the first stage of labour as the cervix is opening up, oxytocin levels are high to maintain regular and effi ..read more

Louis George Aubrey Batt 6th June 2018 11.03pm 8lb 3oz It’s been a whirlwind 11 weeks and despite the normal teething problems of adjusting to life as a family of 4, we have been having a bloomin’ great time! Louis is a joy to be around and brings us so much happiness. He’s loved beyond words( especially by his big sister). This time around, as well as planning for my birth, I spent quite a considerable amount of time formulating a ‘postnatal plan’ as my postnatal period after having Matilda was fraught with anxiety and just a bit of a shambles in all honesty! I’m going to share in ..read more

With my second baby due any day now, I thought I would share a little about how and where I plan to give birth. . . And why. . . Where you choose to give birth is something that is focused heavily upon in my courses and a decision which I feel should be made only after very careful consideration and after researching all your options. So why then, after my years of research, my overwhelming opinion that in the majority of cases, birth is NOT a medical condition which needs to be treated in hospital and definite preference for this baby to be born in the comfort of my own home, am I ..read more

Yep that's right.  In June 2018 3 will become 4 in the Little Hearts household!  We are so excited and I can't wait to travel this journey alongside the couples I teach. Here's to a wonderful Christmas and an even more wonderful 2018! Emma, Francis, Matilda and Bump x ..read more

Hi Emma, Just wanted to thank you for all you taught us in hypnobirthing and update you with our story... My waters broke (in true movie style) in bed at about 00:45, I hopped into shower and contractions started straight away, after a while on the bed I decided to have a bath, it didn't take long for things to ramp up so we arrived at the Princess Ann at 03:15 and 9cm dilated!!! In the pool on gas and air for abit then on the bed breathing through and our little boy was born at 05:08 on the morning of 21/11/17 (2 days 'early') weighing in at 8lb 10oz. I focused on my breathing thr ..read more

               There are so many myths and misconceptions about what Hypnobirthing is or        isn't.  Most are completely harmless and with a bit of information, can easily be         busted (like it only being suitable for people who want a hippy, drug-free                         homebirth!)  But recently I have seen more of a rise in potentially quite                            damaging rumours circulating about what Hypnobirthing teaches and the kind           of expectation it puts on women and their partners.  I'm going to cover a few of           the most common ones and help to hope ..read more

Have you ever thought about planning for AFTER your baby is here?   This post covers that all important period in time where YOU'VE DONE IT! (Labour that is!)  The huge, massive and important task which is growing and giving birth to a WHOLE HUMAN BEING. . .  But then the heady highs of those initial couple of days are replaced by a new reality, the reality that this human is yours and you now have to look after them for at least 18 years! Planning for your baby's birth is talked about all the time and it's positive effects are well known,  but planning for the postnatal period is v ..read more

​A dilemma which I am sure many parents-to-be face is what to invest in. . .  No, I'm not talking stocks and shares, I'm talking about the thousands and thousands of 'essential' items of baby paraphernalia.  I still remember vividly my first trip to Mothercare with my lovely friend Katie when I was around 6 weeks pregnant.  What was supposed to be an exciting, light hearted trip to check out cute baby clothes ended in about 10 minutes with Katie turning to me and asking if I wanted to leave as she could see the look of sheer horror on my face.  I was so overwhelmed with the amount of ..read more

If you've loved your Hypnobirthing experience and the courses you attended with me, then why not pass on the positive birth vibes by referring a friend?!  Or if you're looking in to a course but would like a bit of moral support, then book in with a friend and you can both benefit from a special offer.  Choice of Mamas and Papas, Amazon or Love2shop gift voucher ..read more