The 5 things you need for a calm birth

As soon as that little pink line appears it's tempting to start thinking about all those delightful baby outfits, cot, pram and all the stuff your going to need, But before you hit the shops just take a moment to think about what you need for the birth. Its easy to spend hours googling what to pack in your hospital bag (been there, done that, got the t-shirt) but these 5 fundamental elements will help you achieve a calm and positive birth

 They might sound basic but they will have a profound effect on how labour will progress.

Privacy

Anyone who plays an instrument or has ever given a public speech can relate to this. Something that you can do perfectly well under normal circumstances but chuck in a few pairs of gazing eyes and boom.... where do those fingers go again? What is the next line? Birth is no different, privacy is so important. We are after all mammals and what do sheep or cows do when they are going to give birth? They take themselves off where no one can see them and birth in privacy. This is the reason so many babies are born in the bathroom. 

Light

It is said that the perfect atmosphere for making babies is also the perfect atmosphere for birthing babies. When our bodies are exposed to dark quite atmosphere a hormone called Melatonin is produced. Melatonin is important for birth because it boosts Oxytocin. Oxytocin or the 'Love' hormone is a major game player in birth and will help your birth progress.

Safety

When you feel safe your body and hormones will work together but the moment you start to feel stress or fear your body will enter the fight or flight response. The heart and breathing rate increases and adrenaline is released. Adrenaline blocks Oxytocin and will slow labour down, Bright lights will also increase adrenaline.

Support

A good birth partner can offer so much. Knowing that there is someone who has your back and can be your protector is vital. Birth partners can work with the midwives to help navigate you through birth in the best way possible,

Warmth

Babies can't regulate their own body temperature so it's important that when they arrive to keep them warm. Immediate skin to skin will also help to regulate their temperature.

For more info on courses visit my website www.happysoulhypnobirthing.co.uk

Amelia

Why I thought Hypnobirthing was complete Bullshit

There are many things in my daily life that I like to do outside of the box but when it came to being a first time mum I wanted to make sure I was doing everything the 'right' way. Healthy eating, vitamins, exercise.

When someone suggested taking a Hypnobirthing class I dismissed it as total nonsense. I'm the first to admit that the name it's acquired does it no favours. Many people confuse it as some kind of hippy fad or stage hypnosis. Let's face it who wants to run around like a chicken when they're pregnant! I was happy just to bury my head in the sand about birth and imagine my baby arriving by stork all neatly dressed and wrapped in a blanket.

As cynical as I was it couldn't be further from the truth. It is actually a very scientific and logical approach to birth based on research. Hypnobirthing only uses self hypnosis and you will always be in control. I am a complete convert and I cannot believe the difference it has made to my own births and to my life. It pisses me off when I tell people that i'm a Hypnobirthing practitioner. They usually dismiss it straight away and although some of the reactions are priceless I think that women are ultimately being done a disservice in the way we currently think about our antenatal education.

Its all well and good learning the stages of labour and doing tours of the hospital but it could be so much more. Hypnobirthing teaches how to navigate our births confidently & calmly with the essential knowledge of how our bodies birth and most importantly that your voice matters. That you call the shots on your birth. You are enough & you are 'Allowed' to do it your way.

So if you think its not your thang perhaps give it another thought. You might end up an addict like me.

Pregnancy relaxation classes. Coming soon

I am truly in love with my job and although this year has nearly broke me in terms of having a boisterous toddler and a new baby to look after I have loved every minute and met some amazingly inspirational people.

I am super excited that from January I will also now be teaching Pregnancy relaxation classes in Saddleworth. Excited for 2017 and all it has in store.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me it means more than you will ever know :)

Natural,pure, bespoke. Tirion skincare.

This week I spoke to Angie Powers, Founder of Tirion about her amazing range of skincare products. They are seriously beautiful and all hand created with love, care and attention.

To top it all off they are delicate, pure and perfect for pregnancy.  So you can rest assured that you and bump are getting all the goodness of nature with none of the nasty chemicals.

Tirion is a Welsh name meaning Gentle. Specialising in creating hand made products inspired by Nature. All items are made to nourish and protect sensitive skin without the need for harsh chemicals and preservatives.

After suffering from a skin condition for many years I began to make my own skincare products. Up until that point I had used so many products, many of which were costly, ineffective and came with unwanted side effects. I make items to order and offer a refill service to help minimise packaging waste. I use ingredients that I have gathered and processed with time and love, any fragrances used are 100% pure high grade essential oils.

I aim to gradually add to my range based on the requirements of my customers; I wholeheartedly encourage anyone to contact me if they want to discuss their needs before making a purchase.

You can find my products available to buy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Tirionbach and http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/tirionbach

See photos, get in touch and keep up to date with offers here https://www.instagram.com/tirionbach and https://www.facebook.com/tirionbach/

How can Hypnobirthing help?

Pregnancy is an amazing journey but It can also be overwhelming. There’s a lot of information out there and not all of it is accurate.

I started Happy Soul because I wanted to help as many woman as possible achieve a positive birth experience. It’s such a momentous occasion that you will never forget.

So many women enter birth scared and anxious but that doesn’t have to be you. Hypnobirthing can help you in so many ways. It’s so much more than a few breathing techniques.

As a society we are so used to seeing traumatic births on films and hearing negative birth stories. Hypnobirthing uses techniques to eliminate this fear you may have accumulated. It teaches you to tune into your body and will help you to navigate your way through birth.