Calm Births empowering families!

A word we use a LOT at Calm Births is empowerment.

One of our main drivers is to empower families to achieve positive, calm births. Our other goal and passion is to empower people to share their skillset and become amazing hypnobirthing teachers themselves, who can then in turn empower people in their own communities. It’s an amazing cycle!

The two processes are surprisingly not that different - with parents-to-be we are educating them in the process of birth, and giving them specific techniques that they can use in any situation where they feel anxious or out of control. We offer them support specific to their individual circumstances and hold their hand until they are holding their baby in their arms.

With teachers-to-be, with fully educate them in birth, hypnobirthing and antenatal education. We give them a specific syllabus to use that works, we give them specific tools that work to build a business and we hold their hand all the way along their journey to becoming successful in their new businesses.

In both areas, we are people’s cheerleaders, we’re giving them accurate, evidence based information and arming them with it, and holding their hands on their special journeys.

It’s what makes us tick and we love it!

To find a hypnobirthing teacher near you just look here. Or to learn more about becoming a hypnobirthing teacher look here x

Hypnobirthing in Dorset - an interview with Dr Michelle Irving

We are very proud at Calm Births to have a teacher as experienced in the birth world as Dr Michelle Irving. She is a Mum of 2, an experienced practising Midwife with a PhD in Midwifery, and lectures at Bournemouth University. Michelle offers one to one or group Calm Births hypnobirthing courses in and around Poole, Dorset. I recently caught up with Michelle to chat about her journey to hypnobirthing:

All of our teachers have different journeys that bring them to hypnobirthing, what was yours?

My journey into hypnobirthing started as a midwife working with women who were using hypnobirthing and having incredible births, they were transformed and empowered and therefore equipped to be effective parents.

What's your favourite thing about being a hypnobirthing teacher?

I love being able to teach women/couples and help them become empowered - teaching about how their bodies work, what they can do to achieve calm and understand the process of birth, birth hormones and biomechanics and the birth environment.

How do you think Covid has affected pregnant people?

I think for many people the pandemic has made them feel vulnerable and isolated. I have spoken to people who felt somewhat abandoned by the maternity services and anxious about not having their partners present for scans, appointments or early labour. People tell me they are cautious about face to face contact, but also miss real world interactions.

What would your top tips be for preparing for birth for parents to be?

Join a childbirth education/hypnobirthing class

Fix your fears

Achieve and maintain health through nutrition, activity and mindfulness

Make informed decisions about your care - know about the medical interventions, their pros, cons and alternatives

Find your support

Stay active and relaxed in labour

Use water and massage

Those are great tips! What would your top tips for preparing for parenthood be?

Keep it simple - eat, sleep, relax, repeat

Plan a babymoon - stay home and rest and recuperate with your baby

Keep your baby close

Ask for support

Thank you so much Michelle, and how can people find out more about you and your courses?

I have a website www.bestbirths.co.uk where people can find out more about me as well as being on Instagram and Facebook.

You can also find Michelle’s profile on our ‘Find your teacher’ page.

Hypnobirthing in Reading, Berkshire

With 40+ Calm Births Hypnobirthing teachers around the UK and four just in the Reading area alone, we’ve got you covered! We are super lucky in the Reading area to have four qualified Hypnobirthing instructors ready to take you on your journey to achieve a positive, calm birth.

Calm Births is very privileged to be one of only three hypnobirthing companies in the UK who are accredited by the Royal College of Midwives, so you can rest assured that our teachers are trained to a very high standard and give you good, evidence based knowledge based on science (and passion!)

So let’s introduce you to your hypnobirthing teachers offering courses in Reading:

Katie (far left in picture) - is a Mum of two gorgeous girls, also a certified Life Coach and teaches parents in and around the Spencers Wood area. Katie began her hypnobirthing journey when she joined Calm Births classes as a Mum-to-be herself. Using the Calm Births techniques empowered her to have two wonderful, relaxed and positive births and she is now very passionate about sharing these skills with other parents-to-be in the area. Katie teaches both 1:1 and groups both live and virtually. You can see Katie’s website at Mind Body Mother Hypnobirthing.

Sarah (second from left in picture) - similarly to Katie, Sarah began her journey to hypnobirthing with her first pregnancy during which she took Calm Births classes. Sarah went on to have two very positive birth experiences and now loves to share this knowledge with parents in and around the Aldermaston area. Sarah is also a Paediatric Nurse and practising Health Visitor, and so comes with a real wealth of wisdom and knowledge about all things baby! You can get in touch with Sarah by email at: hello@islandbirthco.com

Linda (third from left in picture) - Linda has 20+ years experience in the birth world as an antenatal educator and Doula, empowering and supporting parents to be with education and passion. Linda also runs the very popular Reading homebirth support group which you can see here. She runs classes from her home in Woodley or virtually for those further away. You can see Linda’s website at Woodley Hypnobirthing.

Hannah (far right in picture) - Hannah is the founder of Calm Births, having used her 10 years experience as a Midwife and subsequent career as a Hypnotherapist as the basis for the creation of the course (that and having her own three babies!). Hannah teaches from her home in Burghfield Common, or happily via Zoom to people further afield. She now also trains other passionate people to become Calm Births instructors around the country. To see some more information about Hannah just see her page here.

So you see - any pregnant people in Reading looking for hypnobirthing classes are pretty well covered by our amazing team! For a full list of instructors around the UK you can click here.

Mum & Baby Yoga classes in Reading

Calm Births Mum & Baby Yoga classes are back in Reading! Following a rather prolonged hiatus due to Covid, we are now able to resume face to face classes safely.

Mum & Baby Yoga classes are designed specifically for Mums and their non-mobile babies, the Yoga is for Mum to very gently regain her pre-pregnancy strength and core balance, and we entertain the baby along the way. This is a wonderful way to bond with your baby in a fun environment. Our classes are small, relaxed and friendly - lots of wonderful friendships have been made between parents (and babies too!). We have plenty of time to chat about the important things, to look after you emotionally as well as physically.

We know that babies will need to be fed, cuddled or changed at various points and that is all fine. There is no judgement of any kind, I encourage you to do what your baby needs you to do, and to join in with what you can.

I am a qualified Birthlight Yoga teacher with a background in Midwifery, and I am also a Mum of 3 myself - so I fully understand how important it is for you to take a little time to honour and look after your postnatal body and mind each week for your full and thriving recovery from birth. It’s so important to be able to connect with other new Mums to share your experiences and support each other too.

Classes run on Friday mornings from 10-11.15am in the Grazeley Green Village Hall (RG7 1LD). Due to number restrictions booking is essential, and the cost is £10 per class - for block bookings of 4 the cost is £35 (£8.75 per class).

To book your slot or for more information please simply click below or get in touch by email: hannah@calmbirths.uk / call: 07852 954122

I look forward to meeting you and your baby! Hannah x

Can I do hypnobirthing on my own?

This is a really commonly asked question - it may be that you have a serving partner in the military who will be away for the birth; you are going it alone and don’t plan to have a birth partner with you, or that you don’t feel that your birth partner is on board with hypnobirthing.

If you know that your birth partner is going to be away, or if you are planning to solo parent, it is still so valuable to have a birth partner with you on the day - this could be a friend, a sister, a Mum - just a friendly face to hold your hand.

I have taught lots of people over the years who, for varying reasons, have chosen to have such a birth partner and have brought them along to the classes with them so that they can understand the hypnobirthing techniques to support the birthing person.

However, if this is not an option for you, or your birth partner is not on board with learning the techniques then please don’t despair! Yes it is beneficial to have someone present who can support you in the techniques, but it is also possible to do it alone.

The idea behind hypnobirthing is that you train your mind to reach that deep state of relaxation (more about that here) in order that you can float through labour and whatever is happening on the day without feeling frightened, anxious or out of control. Yes having a birth partner helps this, as they will learn how to help you reach that state easily and quickly, but it is also possible, with lots of practice and guidance from your teacher, to learn how to get there yourself during labour.

Our teachers all develop beautifully supportive relationships with their clients, and are there for them all the way through until they can meet your baby afterwards! To find yours just click here.

Why pregnant people should NOT eat pineapple.

Ok, so that’s a bit of a sensationalist headline isn’t it?! But when you’re pregnant you are constantly bombarded with these messages of ‘you MUST do this’ or ‘whatever you do, DON’T do that!’ which can feel somewhat overwhelming and scary - who do you listen to?

This is why our course is carefully created from accurate, evidence based information, accredited by the Royal College of Midwives. But enough of that - what about the pineapple?

So there are many old wives tales about what you should and shouldn’t eat in pregnancy, and pineapple is often one that comes up.

It’s usually cited as something you should eat to help you go into labour, when I ask my clients which methods they have heard of for naturally inducing labour, pineapple, curry and sex are always top of the list.

Pineapple is thought to contain an enzyme called bromelain, which is known to stimulate the prostaglandins in the body which in turn soften the cervix. It is difficult to find any hard evidence on this, but it is widely believed that the bromelain is contained in the core of the pineapple, which needs to be fresh as the bromelain is lost in the canning process.

It is also widely believed that the levels of bromelain are low, meaning that you would need to eat approximately 7 fresh pineapple cores in order for it to work its magic!

So, it’s not looking great for pineapple to be a natural induction tool. However, what we ALSO know, is that in the last trimester of pregnancy, the bowel slows down a lot due to those pesky hormones - this can often lead to constipation and the awful haemorrhoids (piles) and so in fact eating lots of fresh fruit is really helpful for that.

In conclusion, if you really feel like eating 7 fresh pineapple cores there may just be a chance that it might soften your cervix a little, but it’s not going to do enough to warrant the awful indigestion and diarrhoea that will be involved in the process!

There are lots of other natural methods that we can use to safely help bring on labour, they are discussed in the Calm Births book here, or discussed on a course with any of our teachers.

Can you use hypnobirthing with induction of labour?

So a question I’m often asked is if hypnobirthing can still be used if you need to be induced. In a word? YES!!

In actual fact, in my humble opinion (formed after 10 years service as a Midwife, 6 as a Hypnobirthing teacher and being a Mum of three) hypnobirthing techniques are actually even more valuable in a birth where there is an induction, or indeed any other clinical intervention.

The reason I know this to be true is that the whole purpose of the Calm Births course is to provide birthing person and partner with the full set of knowledge and skills needed to know how to override feelings of fear, overwhelm or stress and replace them with calm, positive ones. Once we are able to do this, our body responds accordingly, making the process happen so much more easily.

In a birth where we might need intervention such as induction, it can feel like our birth is being taken out of our control, and that we are helpless in this situation. This is not how we envisage giving birth, or indeed how we want to feel during it. And so with our help, you will fully understand the process, and will hone your skills to flick that override switch at any time you need to, allowing you to sail through the process smoothly and positively.

Having written and taught this course since 2015, and now with 40+ teachers across the UK, our feedback in this scenario is consistent - you can read about two of our clients journeys here and here.

So in conclusion, YES! We know and can say, hand on heart, that hypnobirthing definitely does work for induction!

How does hypnobirthing work?

It’s the question that many ask, and it’s a good one, and here I will try to answer it! The very short answer is that Hypnobirthing (the way Calm Births teach it) is a full antenatal preparation course which includes hypnotherapy techniques to ensure that both birthing person and partner feel fully prepared, informed and excited about their baby’s arrival, and that the birth experience feels positive and calm no matter what happens on the day.

Essentially we know that if a person is anxious, fearful or worried about their birth experience, it has a profound physiological effect on the process - whether that is for a vaginal birth or a C-Section. So through a variety of different ways, we work with you to alleviate those anxious or fearful thoughts, to allow the process to be smooth and positive. This is done through a combination of personalised support from the teacher, home learning and the Calm Births syllabus.

So to look at that in a little more detail we can break it down into 3 sections: The Physical, The Practical and The Relaxation techniques.

The Physical

Being pregnant, being in labour and giving birth are all miraculous, amazing things that the body does for us, or sometimes that healthcare professionals help us to do in the instances where we need clinical help. All of these are huge physical undertakings and so much is happening to the body that it can feel frightening and overwhelming.

Therefore our aim in hypnobirthing (specifically in Calm Births classes) is to give you all the information you need to know about what is happening to the body at every step of the way. This means that you will feel fully informed, in control and prepared about what is going to happen and there will be no surprises along the way. This reduction in fear or anxiety about the process makes a fundamental difference to how the body responds during the process itself.

With us you will also learn physical tips such as how to help the baby into the optimum position, how to avoid perineal damage during birth, or how to prepare for a planned C-Section if that is your journey.

The Practical

In much the same vein as The Physical, we know that the more you know about the process, the more prepared and calm you’ll feel, in turn affecting the actual birth.

And so we prepare you practically for birth, including what to pack in your hospital bag, how to get your body into labour, how to know when it’s labour, when to call the Midwife and what happens after you’ve had the baby.

The Relaxation Techniques

This is where the ‘hypno’ bit comes in - and it’s really nothing scary or ‘woo’ - it’s simply learning a really good way to relax whenever you want it. The scientific explanation of this is that you will train your brain to reach the Theta level whenever you want it to - the Theta is where our brain is at when we are just dozing in front of the TV, or engrossed in a film or book, or absorbed in a daydream. We are completely aware all of the time, but just feel really happily relaxed. Now wouldn’t it be great if you could feel that way whenever you wanted?! That’s what we teach you! So that leading up to the birth you will spend lots of time learning this and practising it (which is giving the baby some seriously calming times, which is why hypno babies are generally very chilled!) - then when you’re in labour you can just take yourself away to that lovely place whenever you want to, by yourself and sometimes with the help of your birthing partner.

There is so much more to it, but in a nutshell, that’s what hypnobirthing is! If you feel like it might be something for you, please do reach out, we’d love to help you x

Hypnobirthing for elective C-Section.

We are so excited to announce the arrival of our new course - Hypnobirthing for elective C-Section.

We know that the use of hypnobirthing techniques during pregnancy has huge benefits for both the parent and the baby - there’s a really interesting TED talk about relaxation during pregnancy here which explains how if we are able to relax, it actually wires the baby’s brain to have lower stress receptors - it’s fascinating!

So we know the benefits are huge during pregnancy for both parent and baby , but what about the birth itself if you’re having surgery?

Did you know that the use of self-hypnosis during surgery is proven to:

• Reduce anxiety

• Reduce blood pressure

• Lower heart rate

• Increase haemodynamic stability (less blood loss)

• Lower perceived level of pain

• Lower the risk of complications during surgery

Anecdotally, it is also believed that recovery time after surgery is also quicker.

The techniques that we teach are to prepare you to feel calm and in control in ANY situation - yes for birth, but also for major events such as surgery, a visit to the dentist, flying, PARENTING a newborn! Entering a hospital and being in theatre can feel very anxiety inducing, and so these techniques are designed to leave you both feeling fully prepared, calm and in control for a really positive, wonderful experience.

Something else we feel is very important to be included in this course is the techniques for early labour, as although a C-section is booked we do know that some parents can go into labour ahead of this. This can be a source of anxiety if you don’t know what to expect or how to cope with those early surges. So on the course we run through exactly what is happening to the body, and what you can do to remain feeling calm and in control until you are taken to theatre.

We run through exactly what it will look like on the day you have your baby, so that you are fully prepared and know what to expect. We then teach you how to use those relaxation techniques during this time to make it go more smoothly and for you to feel more calm and positive.

Early feedback from clients has been wonderful - they have been left feeling ready and excited:

I’m excited! I am nervous of corse, but I also am confident that my partner and I will be able to follow through with all the techniques we have learnt, and it is going to be a wonderful experience! I am looking forward to having a happy positive birth!

So please be assured that hypnobirthing is for ANY kind of birth, including yours. So all Calm Births teachers are now able to teach this 4 session course - to find your local teacher simply click here x

Meet Clare Lowing, the Postnatal Doula.

2020 has been a ridiculous year for everyone, and for those who have had or are having lockdown babies it is particularly challenging. Gone are the support groups of new Mums that you would normally have, gone are the friends and families popping round and helping you out. I feel for you, it’s a tough time.

But there are people out there who are helping, such as the wonderful services offered by postnatal doulas. A postnatal doula is someone who will offer you personal support both practically and emotionally after the birth of your baby.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Clare Lowing, a postnatal Doula with many years experience and this is what I learned:

1. Hi Clare, please do introduce yourself and tell us a little about you!

Hi Hannah, Thank you for inviting me to chat with you. I’m passionate about birth and parenting and work with parents to make their early experience of parenting as positive and peaceful as possible. I’m originally from this area and it’s lovely to be back; having met my future husband at Henley College, our youngest is now studying there herself. This year I’ve especially enjoyed walking and swimming in the beautiful countryside and time for myself has included sewing, baking or writing. A perfect day would include an outdoor swim, a home-cooked meal and a board game with my family.

2. How long have you worked in and around birth and parenting? What brought you to it?

When my first daughter was born I went to a Baby Massage course purely to meet other mums; I was in deepest rural Devon and felt pretty isolated. As an Aromatherapist I felt I knew about massage but I had lots to learn about babies and went on to train as an Infant Massage Instructor with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). That was about 18 years ago and I still love running these courses now. The key is that the course is about more than the massage; it’s about creating a space for mums to get-together, share and support one another. (By the way, dads and partners are very welcome to the sessions). I find it genuinely rewarding and along the way I’ve taken courses in Breastfeeding support, become a Postnatal Doula and worked as an NCT Practitioner for 10 years. I also set up Exeter Homebirth Support Group, which is one of the things of which I’m most proud.

3. What is it that you aim to do for your clients?

I say that I know I’ve been successful when my clients don’t need me anymore! As a postnatal doula, I’m ‘mothering the mother’ and what that looks like depends on what each family is looking for. I’m often providing nurturing home-cooked meals, helping with feeding issues like positioning and attachment and demonstrating, either ways to wear a baby carrier or massage for colic relief. At other times, I am taking an older child for a walk with the dog so mum can have some alone time with the baby or I’m giving dad a shoulder massage. At the end of my time with a family they should feel connected to other new families and sources of support in their area, including my Mums Group or Walk and Talk.
I started running Walk and Talk groups with the aim of providing an environment where parents and parents-to-be would find it easier to make conversations and boost their mental health. I love nothing more than listening to parents give suggestions to other parents, I’ve learnt that each mum or dad is the expert on their baby. My role is often just about helping them realise that, rather than giving them lots of advice, although there is some of that too!

4. Who are your clients and at what point is it best for them to get in touch with you?

It’s great when pregnant women and their families get in touch whether it’s for antenatal information or because they are planning their ‘peaceful postpartum’. Today we often plan carefully for birth and neglect those important early days but by planning before the birth we can make the whole new parenting experience positive and relaxed. I’m also often contacted by new parents interested in Baby Massage and Walk and Talk and they could get in touch anytime. The ideal time to start offering massage is about six weeks and my courses welcome pre-crawling babies.

5. How do you feel that COVID has affected what you do and how you offer it? Is there more need for your services in this time?

I was blown away by the response when I created a closed community Facebook group for new and expectant parents back in March. Connecting with other parents was and is more important now than ever. I moved my services straight on to Zoom and haven’t looked back. It’s not the same as face to face but in Mums Group we learnt to use breakout rooms as the group grew and we started sharing songs and games for babies. I’ve found that there are even advantages to running Baby Massage courses on Zoom - if you don’t like singing or feel your baby is too noisy, just mute! Discreet feeding and nappy changing is easy. Plus there’s none of the stress involved in getting out of the house on time. So that the mums can meet face to face, we’re meeting for socially distanced walks, which works as there is a maximum of five families in the group. I do miss baking for new mums though and look forward to re-starting face to face groups in 2021.

6. What piece of advice would you like to give to pregnant Mums right now?

Trust your instincts, know your rights, gather your support group. Plan for the early days as much as for the birth; download my free Peaceful Postpartum Planner here!

7. And finally, how can people get in touch with you to find out more?T

hank you Hannah. People can have a look at my website: www.birthbabyparent.com or find me on Facebook www.facebook.com/birthbabyparent. I’m more than happy to chat through what support or course might work best.

Hypnobirthing teacher training in Covid times.

Well, the world has certainly changed a bit since the arrival of Covid 19. But the world is still turning, women are still pregnant and babies are still being born.

So we have been continuing to train new Calm Births teachers throughout this rocky time, in fact more than ever have joined the team since January 2020. Being able to teach online has opened us up to teachers who previously couldn’t have made it, we’ve had breastfeeding Mums on maternity leave who can easily join us online, we’ve had teachers far and wide geographically with young families - and we’ve been blessed with so many more teachers than we could have taught before.

“I really enjoyed the Calm Birth's Teachers course. Hannah was a great teacher, taking us through the content at a pace that allowed us to digest and discuss the information thoroughly whilst keeping momentum on all the content to cover. Hannah made me feel at ease and excited about putting all my learning into action in my own business.”

So what does the course look like now?

Should you choose to become a Calm Births teacher, your materials will all be sent to you with in the post and access to your pre-course learning module given. And then we simply meet on Zoom instead of face to face! Groups are working really well this way, we still have fun and connect in a really great way.

If you are not a Midwife, you’ll be invited to take the pre-course module designed to give you lots of information and suggested reading about pregnancy and birth, in order that you feel confident in working with pregnant women.

Over our two days together, you’ll learn:

• Hypnotherapy basics

• Hypnotherapy and it’s affect on birth

• The Calm Births syllabus and how it works

• Business building - how to set up and run your business

The course is relaxed, informal and jam packed full of information. I always aim to make the learning fun!

“The course was very enjoyable, relaxing, collaborative and time flew. I can’t wait to get started!”

Once trained you are invited to teach a case study client to consolidate your knowledge, and work closely with me to build up your business for as long as you need support doing so.

Our team are a wonderful bunch of passionate, positive women who’s main goal is to empower women in their communities in having positive, calm births. We have a thriving online community of teachers and meet (virtually) once per month for an informal get together.

“I really enjoyed the teacher training! A relaxed and friendly environment and a strong, well rounded course content that I’m excited to start teaching!”

And don’t forget - our course is fully accredited by the Royal College of Midwives so it is high quality, evidence based information that we are teaching.

Courses usually run monthly and are available to all, no matter what your professional background.

Click here to learn more and to see dates and prices!

Hypnobirthing techniques and Coronavirus

Well. What can we say. These are strange and scary times for everyone as we are faced with a health pandemic unlike anything most of us have witnessed in our lifetimes. Add to that the fact that pregnant women are placed in the vulnerable category and anxiety levels are high.

Firstly it’s important to say that the reason pregnant women are placed in the vulnerable category is not because the evidence suggests that they are more likely to get the disease, but simply because we don’t yet know and so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

At a time like this it’s really important to focus on the things we can do, rather than fret about those things that we don’t know or that we can’t control. We need to just take things day by day. And there are things we can do to lower our stress levels.

Please never underestimate the power of the breath. Slowing the breath and breathing fully into the abdomen really does have a huge impact on our systems.

When we feel stressed our breath becomes more shallow, when we breath this way a message is sent to the brain to inform it of a perceived danger or threat. The sympathetic nervous system wakes up and jumps in to protect you by triggering the fight/flight/freeze mechanism (the SNS cannot differentiate between a real or an imagined threat). Once that f/f/f mechanism has been triggered, our muscles constrict, our oxygenated blood is concentrated to our vital organs and limbs, our heart rate and blood pressure become raised. This in turn makes us feel more hyper vigilant and anxious and so the circle continues as more adrenalin is released.

We can override this system though. One of the simplest ways to do this is with the breath. If we choose to use long, deep, diaphragmatic breaths it will send the message back to the sympathetic nervous system that the danger has passed, and so it will in turn halt the f/f/f mechanism and everything will calm once more.

You can see a tutorial I made on how to use the breathing techniques here. It walks you through how to use two specific techniques which will lower the stress receptors and bring us back to a state of calm.

Calm Births teachers across the UK are also here for you, we can all chat online and even teach the hypnobirthing course completely online. So if you’re pregnant and looking for some techniques to help you feel calm and in control, you can take the full Calm Births hypnobirthing course online with a teacher. Simply find a teacher, get in touch with them and go from there. Alternatively the full course is available online - this is useful if you are nearing your due time and don’t have much time left to take the online classes. We’re all here to help.

We’ll get through this one day at a time, just remember to breathe x

How do I choose a hypnobirthing teacher?

So you’re pregnant and have done your research, you’ve discovered that hypnobirthing is definitely something you’d like to explore. You probably have a little Google search for ‘hypnobirthing near me’, you have a little look on Facebook or your friend tells you about her amazing local hypnobirthing teacher. Great. But then you see that there are four different teachers in your town - how do you choose?!

It can be really difficult so we thought we’d give you a few pointers to look out for in trying to make that choice.

Midwife led Hypnobirthing Classes

One of the most important things in our mind is this - are the hypnobirthing classes run by a Midwife? No? That’s fine - they don’t have to be, but is the course they are teaching written by a Midwife and/or approved by the Royal College of Midwives?

See the thing is this - around 50% of the Calm Births teachers are not Midwives, but they are amazing and excellent teachers (who are usually Mums who have hypnobirthed themselves) and they teach our course which is not only written by a Midwife, but also fully accredited by the Royal College of Midwives. So we know that we are giving all our expectant parents around the UK good, sound, clinically correct information. You are safe in their hands.

Is the teacher actually teaching?

Something I’ve noticed recently is that although there are several listings on Google for hypnobirthing teachers in different towns, once you investigate, those teachers are no longer practising. I’ve had clients make a few different phone calls before they’ve come to me and not had any response from those others (and when I’ve investigated, it’s been because they’re now closed down). So check carefully!

What is she saying on social media?

So great, I’ve found a few hypnobirthing teachers near me, they’re all in business and they’re all Midwives. NOW how do I choose? We suggest taking a little snoop at their social media pages, are they on Facebook? Instagram? Are there any videos of them talking? Do you feel aligned to their message? Which leads us to:

Do you feel aligned to her?

Although all Calm Births teachers are teaching the same content, we are all very different people from very different backgrounds, and so therefore you will be more drawn to some than others. And that’s great - sometimes it’s as simple as that! Do you like what she’s saying and how she’s saying it? Can you trust your birth preparation journey in her hands?

When are her classes?

And finally, down to simple logistics - when are their classes, do the dates fall in with your weeks of pregnancy? (Ideally somewhere between 20 & 34 weeks) And does the day / time of the week work for you? Or does she offer private classes that you can make the days work?

So I really hope that helps a little - ultimately any hypnobirth preparation classes are going to be helpful, but even better if you get the right teacher for you!

To check out where your local Calm Births teacher is have a look here.

Why should I join a Hypnobirthing group?

When you’re expecting a baby it can be a pretty scary time, the more you find out the more you realise you need to find out and so it continues until you’re in a cold sweat of panic. You can attend the classes and learn the hypnobirthing, you can work with your partner to achieve a positive mindset for birth - I’ve totally got you for that. But what about when that baby is in your arms?….

What about when the dust has settled and it’s just you at home with this baby, when you take your first solo expedition to the shops with the baby, or want to try a new baby group. It can feel really overwhelming and sometimes it’s easier to just shut yourself away with the baby.

This is why hypnobirthing groups are amazing. Of course we’re just throwing random groups of people together so, let’s be realistic, you’re not always going to gel with your group and that’s just human nature. But often you will, and like my groups pictured here sometimes it really does work.

Something really magical happens when you gel with your antenatal group, you make friends and you go through a life changing event together which binds you in such a special way. You have a group you can Whatsapp at 3am because you’re feeding the baby and wondering if anyone else is, or you really want to try this new baby yoga class but want to go with someone else, or you just want a cup of coffee with someone who’s going through the same thing as you.

I made my antenatal class friends over 10 years ago and we are all still very good friends, I count myself very very lucky to have made such amazing friendships. We have been through lots together, including the early days of leaky boobs, second and third pregnancies, the juggle of returning to work. I couldn’t have done it without my amazing group of Mums, we all learnt together what we were doing (well, it’s an ongoing process!!)

So when I designed the Calm Births course I tried to make really sure that it encouraged new friendships, the classes are informal and light hearted, with lots of group activities and breaks so that you can get to know each other (in a non-cheesy, cringey way!!) . I know a lot of people go for the traditional antenatal classes because ‘that’s where you make friends’ - but we’re proving that you can do that with hypnobirthing too. There is a choice!

Become a Hypnobirthing Teacher!

Are you a Midwife, former Midwife or experienced Doula? Or perhaps you are simply passionate about normal birth and empowering women? Are you looking for a way to make a living from teaching families how to achieve positive, calm births and see them get amazing results? 

Then join our team!!! 

I am so excited to share my Calm Births Course with new instructors, I have been teaching Hypnobirthing full time since leaving my role as a Midwife in the NHS in 2014. I have taught hundreds of families and have been utterly overwhelmed by the consistent positive births that are being achieved by them.  The Calm Births Course is a combination of essential practical tips and techniques for positive birth and Hypnotherapy techniques - think NCT meets Hypnobirthing and you'll have an idea.

If you would like to share this message and teach this practical, no nonsense course to families in your area and make a GOOD living from doing so then I will provide you with:

*Face to face training*

*Course Materials*

*Help & guidance in setting up and running your own business*

*Support designing & setting up your own website*

*A family of like-minded teachers like you*

*Regular meet-ups to help & support each other *

The great news is that you can earn £3k + per month teaching something that you love. YOU decide when you teach. YOU decide where you teach. YOU decide how you teach. YOU are your own boss, with the Calm Births family here to support you. 

Your course will include: 

An introduction to Hypnotherapy

Hypnobirthing origins and how it works

The Calm Births Course content

How to teach Hypnobirthing

An introduction on how to set up and market your business

You will leave your course with everything you need to feel like a Mum boss who can run her own Hypnobirthing business and be part of something amazing, changing the lives of families all around you. 

The investment for your training course is:

Midwives / Doulas / NCT Teachers : 3 day course from 9.30am to 1.30pm, £899

Existing Hypnobirthing Teachers: 1 day course from 9.30am to 1.30pm, £499

If you are new to birth education, an extra online course will be required before the full 3 day training - the cost in total will be £1350.

If you would like to find out more or bagsy yourself a place on a teacher training course have a look here for more info, or please email: hannah@calmbirths.uk.

I can't WAIT to work with you! 

xx

Pregnancy Pamper Day!

The Calm Births Pregnancy Pamper Day is here!! On June 23rd 2018 prepare for a day of ultimate pampering in luxurious surroundings. Allow our lovely, friendly team of specialists to treat you like a Queen for the day, and leave us floating on a cloud of blissful relaxation and empowerment. On this day in the wonderful  Regency Park Hotel and Spa in Berkshire,  your day will look like this:

• Arrival & Welcome with welcome Tea, Coffee, Pastries

• Blissful Pregnancy Relaxation Session

• Time to relax in the Spa and Pool

• Refreshments

• Choice of two of: Indulgent Pregnancy Massage with Linda; Glamorous Make-over with Samantha or Stunning Bump Photo Shoot with Allison

• Lovely healthy Lunch

• Birth Preparation session with Hannah, covering Hypnobirthing, designing the Perfect Birth Plan and all you need to know for a Positive Birth.

• Refreshments

• A super calming Relaxation session to finish.

Meet the Team!

Hannah Barnes - owner of Calm Births, former Midwife of 10 years, Hypnotherapist, Doula & Hypnobirthing Teacher.

Linda Cook - owner of The Celtic Touch, Holistic Treatment specialist for Pregnancy, Labour and the Postnatal period & lovely Doula

Allison Dench - owner of Magic Photography, wonderful experienced photographer specialising in Bump, Newborn and family shoots.

Samantha McChesney - owner of Samantha Melanie Hair & Make up,  experienced Make up Artist to leave you feeling AMAZING.

After a full day of pampering and birth preparation you will leave us feeling like the Queen that you are, ready to birth your baby in an empowered, positive way.

For the full day from 9am to 5pm including ALL of the above, the cost is just £199 per person!! There are just 20 places available on this amazing day on June 23rd, so if you'd like to book yours please click here or email: hannah@calmbirths.uk for more information! 

But I have a Toddler - how can I find time to do Hypnobirthing??!

So you have a two year old, you're pregnant with your second, and it's really, REALLY tiring. Remember the first time around when you could just nap when you needed to and maternity leave meant vegging on the sofa eating Haribo, watching daytime TV? Not so much the second time round and it's really bloody hard right? And then there's me telling you that you need to find time to relax? And you think 'really lady?!!'. 

Calm Births Hypnobirthing

I know lovely, I've been there too - when I was pregnant with my third baby, I was dealing with a 3 year old and a 2 year old and, quite frankly, it sucked a lot of the time. I was just permanently knackered and they were just permanently crazy. It was relentless. I literally forgot I was pregnant for a lot of the first two trimesters - one memorable occasion a lady at a toddler group asked me when I was due, and I actually asked her 'when's what due?' She must've thought I was batsh*t crazy as five seconds later I remembered I was pregnant and told her when I was due.  BUT. I knew that I had to do something, I knew that I had to make time for this poor little baby who hadn't asked to be the third down in the pecking order. I knew how important it was to create space, time and love just for him or her.

And so this is how I know that it can be done - you just have to be a bit more flexible with it. In my continuing experience a lot of the relaxation techniques are actually massively beneficial for parenting too. When the children are going crazy and you're feeling the stress rise up, you have the tools and techniques to make you feel calm - and by practising this you are giving your baby some chill time and love too. Win-Win!!! 

When pregnant with second (or subsequent) baby you often just need to fall into bed at 8pm, but there's nothing stopping you falling into bed plugged in to your Relaxation audio, and falling asleep to the positive self hypnosis tracks. 

I KNOW it's difficult, but I also know that it is so worth it and you and this little baby will benefit so much from you just squeezing in any relaxation practice that you can each day. You deserve it, and this little one does too. 

There are some really interesting studies around how what we do during pregnancy shapes who are babies become. There's a wonderful TED talk here, where a scientist explains several studies that have been undertaken which have determined that our babies whole brain structure is altered according to our behaviours during pregnancy! For example how we eat determines how their metabolism is formed, if they perceive that they are coming into a world of scarcity because Mummy isn't eating much, then their body will form so that they store calories when they eat to keep them going for longer. Amazing right?

I tell you this not to terrify you, but to remind you of how important it is to care for yourself, and to just take any minutes you can to sit quietly with your bump and relax each day.  Many of the relaxation and breathing techniques we learn in Hypnobirthing can be done whilst sitting with a toddler who's playing. Your toddler will just think you're Supermum being all calm and chilled - and I can pretty much guarantee you'll notice a change in their behaviour too. 

In practical terms, a Hypnobirthing course is 5 sessions - so this means either finding a babysitter for 5 two hour slots, or having the classes privately in your home after your other child or children are in bed. It is achievable, and it is definitely worth it, I promise you! 

What do I need to have ready for baby?

Much like the Hospital Bag scenario, it's really difficult to know exactly what you really need to have ready for baby's arrival, and what's surplus to requirements! There are so many things that you will be told that you absolutely MUST have for baby, the latest gadgets and gismos to make life easier. 

Everyone is different and chooses to live their lives differently, and that's what makes life interesting, but I personally believe that the majority of those gadgets and gismos for baby actually just make life more complicated and cluttered. 

So what do you actually need? Well a baby needs to be warm, fed, changed, loved and to sleep. Those are the things it actually needs. So with that in mind:

Clothes - well, yes. You'll need lots of vests, babygrows and hats. Depending on the time of year, they might also need a snowsuit to snuggle in for being outside (but this should be removed when they're in their car seat - see some guidelines on that here). It's always difficult to know if baby is warm enough, the best way to tell is to feel their chest or their back, it should just feel the same warmth as you. 

Food - if you're planning to breastfeed you've already got everything you need. If you're going to formula feed then you'll need formula, bottles, teats and a way to sterilise. You can get sucked into gadgetry here but you really don't need to. The easiest way to keep bottles sterile is to buy the traditional sterilising tablets and have a bowl in the kitchen with it in (replaced every 24 hours), and put bottles into it after you've washed them after each use. Then you've always got a sterile bottle ready to go, at the right temperature. If you buy a microwave steriliser, they are great but if you need a bottle NOW (which can happen!!) then it will be too hot straight after use and you'll have to wait for it to cool down. Ever tried explaining to a hungry baby that it needs to wait patiently???!!!!  And I will sound like my Mother now, but room temperature is right for baby as that is how your milk comes if you were breastfeeding. If you ever offer baby warmed milk you're really setting yourself up for trouble - be warned!!!! 

Also in the food category I would say Muslins - you cannot have enough muslins, you'll need one in every room and one in your changing bag. Baby's throw up, often on you when you're out! They also dribble whilst feeding or just after, having a mussy tucked under their chin or to hand to mop up is great. Buy lots of these!!!

Changing - The bag. God people spend £££££'s on changing bags! I've always found that a nice big handbag with lots of pockets is fine, it doesn't have to be an official 'changing bag' to serve it's purpose! 

You'll obviously need nappies (buy shares in these!), some people prefer cloth and some prefer disposable - it's your choice. Warm water and cotton wool is the gentlest way to clean baby's bottom, but this isn't practical when you're out so you will need wipes if you ever want to leave the house. I do strongly suggest buying a tub of vaseline, if you apply this generously to baby's bottom and bits after each nappy change, you will avoid nappy rash - it also means that poo doesn't stick to their skin and comes off easily. You're welcome. 

Sleeping - Again this comes down to choice, but baby is safe to co-sleep with you under usual circumstances, and you cannot spoil a newborn baby. Just because they co-sleep with you for the first couple of months of their lives (or longer), doesn't mean that they'll be 12 and sleeping in your bed. However it is important to be armed with the facts on co-sleeping, and you can find those with the Lullaby Trust. There are lots of options to have baby in your room and very close to you if you prefer not to co-sleep, such as a Moses basket next to your bed.

Baby will need other things as time goes on, but you will discover what you would like to have for him or her as you go along. You'll want a play mat or something that you can lay baby down on, but you won't need this immediately. 

The first few weeks baby will just need to be close to you - slings are amazing for this, and most (but not all) babies will be happy to just be in the sling with you whilst you are out and about. There are lots of sling libraries popping up now where you can try different types out to see how you like them before you buy one. 

When out and about you'll also want a car seat and a pram - this is pretty overwhelming for most of us, just have a play with things until you find the one that works for you. But please don't fall into the trap of carrying baby around everywhere in the car seat, it's not good for them and it's not good for your back! 

And finally: Love. And I'm pretty sure you've got that covered.

How to shorten your labour by eating dates!

So we've been talking about the importance of eating Dates in the last month of pregnancy for several months now at Calm Births. So I thought it about time to actually sit down and take a look at the evidence!

So what's all this about eating dates? You may or not have heard but eating 6 dates per day will:

Lessen your chances of needing induction and make your labour shorter.

Woah there! Stop the press! What?! This is incredible news! So there have been a few good studies on this in the last few years and they all reached the same conclusions.

It is thought by Alkoran et al (2017) that date fruit 'probably influenced oxytocin receptors, caused more effective contractions, and better prepared the cervix for delivery'. Our ability to respond to Oxytocin (or, the 'hormone of love' as it's known) increases during pregnancy, and we produce more of it. All that lovely Oxytocin then encourages our uterine muscles to surge in order to ripen and open the cervix. So if dates are enhancing that process, then happy days! 

So as well as women being statistically more likely to go into spontaneous labour, they are also, according to these studies, going to be:

More dilated when arriving at a hospital/birth centre, more likely to have a vaginal birth and less likely to have a post-partum haemorrhage. 

Khadem et al (2007) found that 'date fruit has an oxytocin-like effect, leading to the increased sensitivity of the uterus, stimulating uterine contractions and reduces mean post partum haemorrhage'. 

The evidence is there, and reassuringly all studies conclude that Dates are beneficial for women during late pregnancy, as they reduce the need for intervention and there are no adverse effects on Mother or child. 

So - 6 dates a day from 36 weeks ladies! Ok, so admittedly dates aren't the most visually appealing fruit, and I know a lot of you are thinking yes but.. euughhh!!

So here are a few ideas for you on how to jazz them up a bit to eat them!

1. You can chop them up on cereal for a quick dose in the morning

 2. Some of these smoothies sound delish

3. Sticky toffee date cake? Yes please! 

4. A date and walnut cake, yum.

5. This super healthy Mongolian Beef recipe. 

I'd love to know how you get on with the date eating, has it worked for you? Have you any great recipes for Dates? I'd love to read your comments! x 

Calm Births meets: Allison Dench from Magic Photography

This month I have had the pleasure of meeting up with the lovely Allison, the owner of Magic Photography. I am just wishing I had known Allison when I was pregnant and my babies were small, as she takes the most beautiful (non cheesy) bump and baby photos. She also does the cake smash shoots which I just think are so fun!

Here is what Allison had to say when we met, including her rather lovely Calm Births Discount!:

1) Tell us a bit about you, how long have you been a photographer? Where is your studio based & where do you do outside sessions?

I am a mum of two and have been a photographer for 8 years now, originally doing weddings but now focus solely on portraits. I have a home studio in Burghfield Common, near Reading where I mostly do bump, newborn and baby sessions up to age one. I also do older children and family shoots in the Burghfield area, normally in Wokefield Common and Hosehill Lake near Theale, between April and November. 

2) What kind of shoots do you do that Calm Births customers might be interested in?

Primarily Calm Births customers may be interested in maternity (bump) shoots and also newborn shoots which are very popular now in the UK. As their families grow and get older they may consider a sitting shoot after baby can sit up unaided between 6-10 months old, a First Birthday Cake Smash or a family shoot outdoors.

3) How does a typical maternity shoot go?

I do two types of maternity shoots, either in the Studio or outside on location. I normally do shots of both mum-to-be on her own normally holding her beautiful bump, close-up shots of the bump and I have a whole host of long maternity dresses that she can use to make her look amazing. We also do some couple shots and if they already have children we also include the children in some of the shots. They are free to bring any little cuddly toys or their scan photos to work into their photo shoots, I try to make them as personal as possible. In the studio we can also go for a more natural look or a more dramatic look playing around with the light. Outdoors, it is more of a lifestyle shoot where we use the countryside as a beautiful backdrop.

4) Photographing newborns must be lovely but tricky, how does it all work and what age does baby need to be?

Newborn shoots are always amazing but yes they can be quite tricky at times and they can take between 3-4 hours as we take breaks when baby needs to be fed or changed and there is pretty much always the odd accident! In order to get the babies posed they are best done within the first three weeks after birth as they are still very flexible and normally quite sleepy. I normally try and do some shots of baby on their own, some in props and then some with the parents. They are mostly done with baby being naked or semi naked, I am a bit of a prop addict so I have a lot of little outfits, hats and headbands to enhance the sessions but I try to keep it quite simple as the focus will always be the baby! I normally book babies in before they are born so based on mum’s due date and once baby is born I will be informed so we can book in the actual session date.

5) Those cake smash pictures look brilliant! They must be pretty messy but fun! How does that work?

First Birthday shoots are a big favourite of mine, the babies are so cute and most absolutely love the cake! We sometimes have to be very quick as they can be quite mobile by the time they are 12 months old. We normally plan the session beforehand with the parents in terms of colour scheme or theme so I can then order the cake to match. They don’t tend to eat a huge amount of the cake and we mostly have to help them get messy with it but it is lots of fun and a fantastic way to celebrate a first birthday. We can start off with doing some family photos and classic portraits first, we then do the cake smash and finish it off with a lovely splash in my bath tub prop to clean up.

6) How much can clients expect to pay, and are you offering any promotions at the moment?

I offer a range of digital image packages. Maternity portraits start from  £175, Newborn Shoots start from £375 and Smash and Splash Shoots start from £225. Family shoots start from £325. All the details can be found on my websitewww.magicphotography.co.uk. If clients book both a Maternity and Newborn shoot they get 10% off the Maternity Shoot. I am happy to offer all Calm Births clients a £30 discount on any Full Shoot (Bump, Newborn, First Birthday Shoot or Family Session) or £20 off any mini shoot (Mini Bump Session or Smash and Splash Session). If they book a Maternity and Newborn Session I am happy to offer a 15% discount on the maternity shoot. I can be contacted either via my website, by email at info@magicphotography.co.uk or by phone on 07740929136.