So if you’ve been hanging around here for a while you’ll know that what I love is truthful information that can inform and empower you, as well as busting myths and misconceptions about pregnancy, birth and motherhood. So lets talk about the taboo of poo. Once you become a parent you’ll have two main topics of conversation with other new parents - baby’s sleep and baby’s poo. Never has poo been such an everyday or opening topic of conversation! But when it comes to poo and birth it’s a rather more taboo subject for many. But shit happens. Literally. Women are often really worried about poo ..read more

Did you know that the cervix can ‘recoil’ or ‘un dilate’ (ie close in) during labour as well as dilate (open)? Well it can, although it’s definitely not something that we want to happen. Because your cervix needs to dilate to give baby an exit pathway out into the world. But recoiling can happen, and it can be really disheartening (to say the least). It can also cause your healthcare team to want to intervene / interfere. But actually the opposite of this would be FAR MORE helpful. That’s exactly why I’m writing this piece, so that you can be informed should this happen to your cervix, can un ..read more

I love to explain how baby moves down through the pelvis in labour on my Antenatal & Hypnobirthing Courses. Because when you understand how there is so much more to labour than ‘pushing the baby down and out’ it can help you feel less fearful and more intune with your body by having a greater understanding of the process. And then you can feel you’re working with your body not against it. It’s not simply a downward movement, there is lots of rotational movement too. And know that labour is not all about dilation (open of the cervix) and downward movement means that you can be less worried ..read more

Something that people get really worried and scared about when it comes to birth (and I often get asked about this on my Hypnobirthing & Antenatal Courses ) is their baby being born with their umbilical cord around their neck - which is also known as a 'nuchal cord'. I get it. It’s one of those fears that sounds really scary, but in reality it’s actually not something to worry about. It’s another of those ‘birth myths’ that I really love to debunk. So here’s more about it so you can remove your worry by understanding what it is, how common it actually is, and why it’s not an issue. wha ..read more

As you probably already know, I always like to keep you up to date & informed. Making sure you have the latest information and guidance so you can make the right decisions for you and your baby. Because that’s super important. This one is all about breastfeeding, and about a recent update to the Mastitis protocol. It’s important as it actually turns-on-it’s head a lot of the previous recommendations for Mastitis. Also because the NICE guidelines have not yet been updated, and also many GPs have not been updated either (who are the first port of call for folks with mastitis). Why the chang ..read more

Lets talk about water birth So let's talk water birth. Its probably something you’ve heard about, often people think they might like a water birth, but also understandably you probably have questions (there’s always lots of questions on my hypnobirthing and antenatal courses). You might not know quite what it entails, where you can birth in a pool, or what all the benefits are. So I’m going to shed some light on all of that. As well as telling you a little about some of the research about water births (because I’m a research and science geek!). Because sometimes there's some myths or outdate ..read more

Make self-care simpler! I know that finding the time for self-care is not easy - especially as a mother. You need to grab little pockets of time for yourself where you can. I often struggle with what I’m going to ‘do’ in these times, and can spend the time that should be for me instead searching for the thing to do - and then basically wasting this precious time. I know other mothers in my classes talk about this problem too. Before you know it the child has woken from a nap, or you’ve just mindlessly scrolled on your phone for half an hour! (yes I’ve been there too) - and that pocket of self ..read more

The benefits of wearing your baby in a sling Why wear your baby in a sling? Well there are so many brilliant reasons… ~ Firstly we are basically ‘cling mammals’. To keep our offspring safe we carry them around. Just like primates carry their babies - we’re made to do the same. Baby primates cling into mums fur, bur as were less hairy a sling comes in handy! ?And no this does NOT make your baby ‘clingy’ - there is no such thing. ~ That means baby’s feel safer, less stressed and so happier, when they are on our chests - and a sling facilitates this. It’s helping with their nervous system regu ..read more

Lets talk unsolicited advice, and how to deal with it Unsolicited advice. It comes thick and fast once you’ve had a baby (and even in pregnancy too). Everyone has an opinion, and they really want to tell you about it! So I wanted to share some ways to deal with all that advice (that you never asked for) that can leave you feeling overwhelmed, confused or somehow ‘not good enough’. This is something that we spoke about in both my pregnancy yoga classes but also particularly in my mum and baby yoga classes and my baby massage classes a few weeks ago - unsolicited advice. And how people just ca ..read more

Knowing your right in pregnancy and birth Just because you are pregnant or giving birth doesn’t mean your human rights evaporate! Being treated with the same respect, dignity, privacy and care as any other human being in our country is important. Not having your human rights (as defined in law) respected can affect you during your labour and birth, and also long after the event if your rights are not respected and the laws of the country not upheld by your health care professionals (midwives, doctors - all of them need to obey these laws). If you feel that anyone providing your healthcare is w ..read more