This meditation is for the breastfeeding mother who finds herself at the intersection of myriad emotions and responsibilities. If you're feeling sleep-deprived, anxious about your baby and your milk supply, overwhelmed by the profound shift in your identity, torn between the roles of mother and wife, grappling with the loss of freedom, experiencing financial strain, succumbing to societal pressures to look a certain way, or feeling compelled to share every moment on social media, this...

This is it my lovelies - the last episode of the podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we're exploring the conscious and unconscious mind – two aspects of our thinking that can have a significant impact on our childbirth experience. The conscious mind is the part of our thinking that is aware of our surroundings and makes rational decisions based on our current circumstances. The unconscious mind, on the other hand, operates beneath the surface of our awareness and can...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we're talking about brain waves – a key aspect of the Hypnobirthing approach. Brain waves are the electrical activity that occurs in our brains, and they can affect our mood, perception, and overall state of consciousness. By understanding brain waves and how they relate to childbirth, we can use Hypnobirthing techniques to tap into our body's natural ability to birth our baby with ease and comfort. In this episode, we'll...

We're nearing the end of this series so I thought I'd answer some of the most frequently asked questions that you may have about this approach to childbirth. I'll also address other common concerns and misconceptions about Hypnobirthing, providing insights and tips to help you make informed decisions about your childbirth journey. Remember, Hypnobirthing is not about achieving a certain type of birth – it's about empowering you to make informed choices, advocate for yourself and your baby,...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we'll be discussing how to use hypnotic anchors – a powerful technique for deepening your relaxation and entering a hypnotic state during childbirth. Hypnotic anchors are a way of associating a physical sensation or object with a relaxed state of mind. By using an anchor during childbirth, you can quickly and easily enter a deep state of relaxation and tap into your body's natural ability to birth your baby in a calm and...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we're discussing how to strengthen your intuition during pregnancy. Intuition is a powerful tool that can help you make informed decisions and approach childbirth with confidence and clarity. By learning how to tap into your intuition, you can enhance your birthing experience and create a deeper connection with your baby. In this episode, we'll explore: What intuition is and how it works The benefits of strengthening...

In this episode, we're discussing how to use visualization effectively – a powerful technique for preparing your mind and body for childbirth. Visualization is a way of creating mental images or scenarios in your mind's eye. By using visualization during Hypnobirthing, you can tap into your subconscious mind and create a positive and empowering birthing experience. Visualization can help you reduce anxiety, stay relaxed, and focus on your goals during childbirth. In this episode, we'll...

Cognitive biases are a natural aspect of the human brain, but they can sometimes lead us to make inaccurate judgments or decisions. By understanding the different types of cognitive biases, we can learn how to recognise them so that they don't get in the way of your birth preparation journey. In this episode, we'll cover: What cognitive bias is and how it works The five types of cognitive biases and how they can impact your childbirth experience: Techniques for recognising and...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we're discussing how your beliefs and expectations can impact your childbirth experience. Your mindset plays a crucial role in how you perceive and approach labor, and by cultivating positive beliefs and expectations, you can achieve a more comfortable and joyful birthing experience. In this episode, we'll explore: How your thoughts and beliefs affect your body during childbirth Techniques for identifying and...

In the second episode in our series on Hypnobirthing , we're diving deeper into the concept of the Mind-Body Connection – a fundamental aspect of the Hypnobirthing approach. The Mind-Body Connection refers to the relationship between the mind and body during labor and childbirth. When we're in a state of deep relaxation and using Hypnobirthing techniques, we can tap into our body's natural ability to birth our baby without tension, pain, or fear. By harnessing the power of the mind-body...

Welcome to the first episode of our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we'll be discussing the foundational principles of this incredible approach to childbirth. Hypnobirthing is a powerful method that can help you achieve a more comfortable, positive, and even enjoyable birthing experience. By focusing on relaxation, visualization, and self-hypnosis techniques, Hypnobirthing can help you tap into your innate ability to birth your baby in a calm and confident way. But;...

Congratulations! You've just found out that you're pregnant – but now what? The journey of pregnancy can be a rollercoaster of emotions, from excitement and joy to discomfort, anxiety, and overwhelm. In this episode, we're exploring the importance of trusting your body during this transformative time. Pregnancy is a time of incredible physical and emotional changes. It's common to experience discomforts like morning sickness, back pain, and fatigue, as well as anxiety and overwhelm about...

It's part 2 of the Vagus Nerve and how you can "switch it on" to assist you during labor.  In this episode you'll learn about  Breathing techniques to tone the vagus nerve Massage techniques and touch points for the vagus nerve Toning and sound during labor As usual, there's lots of laughs and sex just always seems to come up but hey! that's how we roll! The Due Date Club is a midwife led mother directed online community. Communities are awesome. They are the single best way for you...

Let's take a trip into your body and learn about the longest nerve in your body and how it can guide and assist you during pregnancy, labor and birth. The vagus nerve is your body’s superpower and it’s used to counteract your fight/flight system. Now you definitely don't want to be in fight or flight when you are in labor. The vagus nerve helps you to remain calm when you are stressed and to know when you are no longer in danger. It helps you to stay in  “rest and digest” which is a lot more...

Hermine Heyes (Opening Keynote) Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an international birth rights lawyer with extensive experience advocating for the human rights of birthing people, around the U.S. and internationally. From 2007-2012, Hermine taught international law at The Hague University in The Netherlands, where she was also the Director of the Bynkershoek Institute Research Center for Reproductive Rights. From 2012-2017, Hermine organized 6 international conferences on the topic of Human...

Hermine Heyes (Opening KN) Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an international birth rights lawyer with extensive experience advocating for the human rights of birthing people, around the U.S. and internationally. From 2007-2012, Hermine taught international law at The Hague University in The Netherlands, where she was also the Director of the Bynkershoek Institute Research Center for Reproductive Rights.  From 2012-2017, Hermine organized 6 international conferences on the topic of Human Rights in...

One of the routine blood tests that you’ll have done in early pregnancy is a test to determine your blood group. Unless you’ve had major surgery or needed a blood transfusion, you might not know. But in pregnancy it’s important because your baby’s blood group may be different to yours.  In this episode you will learn  the different blood types what is the rhesus factor why it is important to know blood type and rhesus factor how negative blood type affects pregnancy testing for...

Choosing your birth environment is more than deciding whether you will be giving birth at home, in hospital or at a  birth center. In this episode we talk about creating a safe sanctuary to welcome your baby into that goes beyond the aesthetics of your chosen place of birth and includes the preparation of your space and the people you bring into it.  More about Charlene here  More about Karen here  Join the Due Date Club here 

Transition is the final phase of the first stage of labour and marks the cervix opening to its widest diameter and the descent of the baby's head. It's physically and emotionally intense and is often the time when you think you can't go on anymore. Karen talks about the 4 D's of transition - denial, despondence, defiance and desperation and they share examples of these from recent births. Charlene highlights the importance of making sure partners know what to expect with transition so they...

I have a love/hate relationship with birth plans so we thought it would be a great topic to bring to our weekly chats about everything pregnancy, birth and beyond. In this episode we chat more about why birth plans became popular and the importance of using the right language when creating one so that what you are really creating is a birth day wish list. Essentially everything that you do leading up to your birth is part of your birth plan and involves preparation - which is the part that I...

Waterbirth is known for its pain relieving effects and the benefits do not stop there. Water helps the mother to be buoyant and gives her added capacity for mobility. The water softens the tissues as the baby moves down the birth path and provides the baby with a gentle landing, as it transitions from the amniotic waters into the waters of the pool. The soothing effects of water cannot be denied and we chat all about this amazing option for labour and for birth at home or at hospital, to help...

Charlene had a call from a client in early labor on the morning of recording this episode so we thought it would be a great topic to chat about. Despite the call, we still managed to record this episode and have a few cups of tea and a chat before it was time for Charlene to head over to be with her and the baby was born later that evening.  So in this episode we discuss:  When should you call your doula?  Should you call your doula or your midwife first?  Should you let the hospital...

Enjoy this 1-hour track of soothing music with positive birth affirmations. I recommend listening to it daily during pregnancy  during deep meditation or  as background while doing other tasks.  During labor, you can have it playing quietly in the background or listen with headphones to keep you focused and grounded. Don't underestimate the power of your mind to change negative and limiting thought patterns. Use the affirmations that don't resonate to identify possible blocks.

This week we had a great question from a listener who is concerned about the size of her baby. She sent us a one liner message asking "Is a baby really ever too big to give birth to vaginally?"  As always, we consider both facts and opinions and explore the different perspectives of doulas, midwives, birthing mothers and obstetricians. More about Karen here More about Charlene here Preview Relax into Birth PLUS here