Teaching Hypnobirthing at my home on Sydney’s North Shore has many benefits. Classes are comfortable in my large lounge area, couples learn about becoming a family in a family home and I cook delicious food for the whole class. I am often asked for the recipes so I am sharing them here, making it easy to add a link for this page to the post class email. All of these recipes freeze well, have been favourites for my family for many years and it’s my pleasure to share them with other people as they become a families too ..read more

I recently met with Victoria from Dietary Foundations, a Nutritionist Therapist specialising in fertility and pregnancy on Sydney’s North Shore, offering consults in person and online. More information on Victoria, including how to contact her can be found at the end of this blog. Nutrition Basics for Pregnancy by Victoria Palacios Eating For Two: Why Does Prenatal Nutrition Matter?  The saying “eating for two” implies that increasing our serving sizes is all it takes to support a pregnancy. In reality, building a new life requires an incredible amount of nutrients! This doesn’t just i ..read more

This blog has been written by my wonderful colleague and friend Michelle Papa. Michelle teaches yoga in Sydney and is the co-founder of the Mindful Birth program. More information about her and her work can be found at www.michellekpapa.com Pregnancy is a transformative rite of passage for women. A life changing milestone where women are greeted with variety of physiological and psychological changes weaving in together to support the growing needs of the baby. It was through my fertility and pregnancy journey where I deeply realised the importance of self-care and surrender as I immediately f ..read more

It’s World Hypnobirthing Day! As a hypnobirthing mum myself, a hypnobirthing practitioner and a birth doula, I believe it is fantastic preparation for birth and also for parenting…. This blog explores some of the benefits of this approach. Hypnobirthing is a childbirth method that aims to create a positive and empowering birth experience for both the mother, partner and baby. It involves the use of relaxation techniques, visualisation, and positive affirmations to reduce fear, tension, and pain during labor and birth. A common misconception is that the mum will be in a hypnotic trance during ..read more

I recently attended a workshop hosted by Hazel Keedle on Giving Birth After Caesarean, it was an impactful day full of research, information and stories that led to a better understanding of the unique journey that women who have had a caesarean birth face in their subsequent pregnancies. The workshop included a copy of Hazel’s wonderful book "Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth" and this blog is my review of this work.  The book provides a comprehensive overview of the NBAC (Next Birth After Caesarean) process, including the risks and benefits of different decisions, a ..read more

This blog is one for my fellow doulas… At the start of every year I sit down and think about direction and goals for my business. Part of this process is noting down significant days in the upcoming year that might be relevant for social media and blog posts. Having dates as a pillar for content creation is really useful - now, whether I remember to action some of these content posts is, of course, another matter!  This year I’m sharing the list in the hope that it helps other doulas. The last few years have been challenging for many of us, so lets start 2023 with some positive vibes ;)&n ..read more

Some of my clients plan a caesarean birth. As a doula and hypnobirthing for caesarean educator, my clients ask me all the time what they should be packing and taking to hospital, sometimes I even go through their bags with them. So I’m writing this blog in an attempt to keep all the information in one place, and give you a resource that you can revisit if you need to. I recommend starting to pack your bags around 36 weeks, that way you are all organised before you start to really slow down and approach your birth. If you have a partner then I recommend having them actually pack the bags, that ..read more

Giving birth and becoming a new parent during a pandemic has unique challenges.  This blog is the second in a series that covers preparation for birth and parenting at this time  - because with restrictions in place for many of our health services, the way you prepare matters more than ever. This blog is part of a series focusing on how you can empower yourself ahead of your birth. There are currently restrictions on additional birth support in Sydney hospitals and you can expect staff to be working harder than usual with resources being stretched. You will need to be proactive in ap ..read more

Giving birth and becoming a new parent during a pandemic has unique challenges.  This blog is the second in a series that covers preparation for birth and parenting at this time  - because with restrictions in place for many of our health services, the way you prepare matters more than ever. This blog is part of a series focusing on how you can empower yourself ahead of your birth. There are currently restrictions on additional birth support in Sydney hospitals and you can expect staff to be working harder than usual with resources being stretched. You will need to be proactive in ap ..read more

I write this as Sydney’s current COVID lockdown is extended for a further 4 weeks. This is a familiar but incredibly challenging situation for us all, especially expectant and new parents. This blog is the first in a series that covers preparation for birth and parenting at this time  - because with restrictions in place for many of our health services, the way you prepare matters more than ever. This blog is part of a series focusing on how you can empower yourself ahead of your birth. There are currently restrictions on additional birth support in Sydney hospitals and you can expect st ..read more