FAQs

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ARE YOU STILL PROVIDING SUPPORT DURING THE PANDEMIC?

YES! I’m still here, working hard to ensure that women and families have loving, nurturing support available to them.
All Hypnobirthing Birthing Programme, courses (group and 1-2-1) will be conducted over computer screens using Zoom. BONUS: You don’t have live in Norwich or Norfolk to join my courses!
All other bespoke birth preparation sessions for the immediate future will also conducted over computer screens using Zoom, including Pregnancy Relaxation.
Doula in Your Pocket distance support available for ultimate pregnancy and birth support.

HOW DOES THE ZOOM THING WORK? 

If you’re using Pocket Doula, distance Hypnobirthing Birthing Programme, Pregnancy Relaxation or Trauma Release, you’ll be using Zoom to do this.

When you’ve booked your session, I will send you a Zoom invitation to our class or meeting. This will include a link for you to follow on the day and when you do so, voila! you will see myself and your class mates (if it is a group class). We will all be able to hear and see each other. We can have discussions, ask questions, show demos, I can screen share any videos with you and I can send you files etc. All as if we were in a room together. It may feel a little strange at first, but once we all relax into it, my hope is that you will discover that it's actually a really great way to attend a course. 
For those on the Hypnobirthing Birthing Programme, I will also post you your work book so that you have your course materials.

Downsides: 
No hugs...I'm a hugger.

Benefits: 
No travel time for you. 
You can snuggle up on your own sofa with your own favourite coffee blend. 
You don't even have to get out of your jammies (total #win).
You don’t have to be local to me…open to everyone in the UK!
You'll be safe from COVID-19. 

Being flexible:
Each week we'll take stock of the current situation. When things change and become a little safer for everyone, then we can reassess and decide to meet in real life or continue over Zoom.

UPDATE 01/08/20:
Any 1-2-1 sessions (Hypnobirthing, bespoke antenatal, doula antenatal, Trauma Release) have the option of being conducted live and online (over Zoom) or in my teaching room in Coltishall just outside Norwich, Norfolk.

HYPNOBIRTHING

HYPNOBIRTHING IS FOR A ‘NATURAL BIRTH’

Birth is not a competition, you birth your baby whether she arrives through the front door or the sun roof. Hypnobirthing cannot guarantee you a birth without intervention although it is often a happy side effect of using the techniques that you will learn. Those techniques will make you feel confident, empowered and knowledgeable to make the choices that are right for you and your baby, no matter what those choices might be. In fact, I teach a hypnobirthing programme specifically for mamas planning a c-section (Confident C-Section). Hypnobirthing is not about natural birth, it’s about owning your birth.

HYPNOBIRTHING IS FOR HIPPIES

Errr, nope! You do not need to be a ‘certain kind of person’ to do hypnobirthing (other than pregnant, obviously!). Hypnobirthing is based on a foundation of human biology and psychology and is therefore accessible for everyone regardless of whether you hug trees at the weekends or not (trees need love too though).

I’LL BE ‘OUT OF IT’ IF I USE HYPNOBIRTHING

So hypnobirthing uses self-hypnosis. I will not be swinging a pocket watch in your face, making you pretend to be a chicken or do any other ridiculous act. You will learn ways of becoming deeply relaxed. So deeply relaxed that your conscious analytical brain can kick back and have a little holiday whilst your subconscious brain takes the helm. Have you ever day-dreamed? Been utterly engrossed in a book? Passionately made love? Well then, you’ve been self-hypnotised. This is as ‘out of it’ as you will get using hypnobirthing. You are still in full control of yourself and able to switch in and out of that state of relaxation just as when day-dreaming, reading or making your baby ;).

HYPNOBIRTHING MEANS ‘PAIN FREE’?

Nope, sorry! Pain is such a relative sensation that no one can guarantee a pain free experience. I won’t bore you with all the ins and outs of the constructs of ‘pain’ but suffice to say, you will feel your birth. Birth sensations vary greatly from woman to woman and birth to birth. It is NOT true that “birth is always painful”. Many women describe a total absence of ‘pain’ in labour and birth and some even experience euphoric or orgasmic sensations! My aim is that the tools you will learn in hypnobirthing will help you to relax so deeply that you can ride the waves of sensation, whatever those sensations may be.

WHEN SHOULD I START MY HYPNOBIRTHING BIRTHING PREPARATION COURSE?

You can start your birth preparation whenever you wish. The ideal time is when you are between 20 – 34 weeks of pregnancy allowing plenty of time for practice.

However, are the best person to judge how you will use your time and what would benefit you the most.

The following questions might help guide your thoughts to find what is right for you:

Do you like to be prepared? Would you like ample time to practice your tools and hone your new skills? Do you suffer from anxiety? Would you like to feel positively throughout your pregnancy? If you answered yes to one or more of those questions then look to starting your course closer to 22 weeks.

Will you struggle to find time for regular practice? Do you forget things if you have a big gap between learning and applying? Are you a bit of a last minute kind of person? If you answered yet to one or more of those questions then look to starting your course closer to 34 weeks (you'll finish your course at 38 weeks) so that it's fresher in your mind.

WHO ATTENDS THE COURSE?

The course is typically attended by Mother or Pregnant person and their Birthing Partner. The Birth Partner is the person who will be by your side during your birth. They could be your intimate partner, your baby’s daddy or parent, your sister, your mum, your doula etc. If you are a gestational surrogate then you are welcome to be accompanied by your birthing partner and/or the intended parents.

HOW BIG ARE YOUR GROUP HYPNOBIRTHING CLASSES?

I like to keep my group courses quite small, 4 couples max. Experience has taught me that most people feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and asking questions of a personal nature within small groups. I am committed to creating a safe space in which you can share and discuss anything related to your pregnancy, birth, body, relationship and parenthood.

DO YOU OFFER A PAYMENT PLAN?

Yes of course. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss a suitable plan that is right for you.

DOULA

WHAT IS A BIRTH DOULA?

A Birth Doula is a non-medical birth professional, specially trained in the art of giving emotional and practical support throughout pregnancy, labour and birth. By providing you with unbiased information, you can make informed, confident choices and feel in control of your birth regardless of what kind of birth you choose to have. They ‘mother the mother' through gentle words and acts of nurturing care both. They provide reassurance and guidance to the birth partner and enhance the birthing team.

WHY SHOULD I HAVE A DOULA?

Maybe you've suffered trauma in the past, or you've been through a long journey of fertility, or you have a fear of birth, or you have a slightly more complex pregnancy, or you just want more support, more care, more understanding and more love. Whatever has prompted you to land on this website or piqued your interest in a doula, you can be certain of one thing, “I've felt too supported” is not a phrase anyone is ever likely to say.

WHAT TRAINING HAVE YOU HAD?

I trained as a Doula with Developing Doulas and am a Recognised Birth Doula with Doula UK (you can find my profile Here). Being a 'Recognised' Doula simply means that I have gone through the post training mentorship programme with Doula UK. This programme ensures that best practice is carried out by a Doula - we practice debriefing, we develop reflective practice and we implement ongoing professional development. I believe that continuing professional development is crucially important and I attend a number of further courses, workshops and conferences every year.

DO YOU OFFER A PAYMENT PLAN?

Yes of course. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss a suitable plan that is right for you.

WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE?

EXPERIENCE:

• Hospital Birth

• Assisted Birth

• Maternity Unit Birth

• Home Birth

• Water Birth

• Vaginal Birth After Caesarean

• Emergency Caesarean Section

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:

• BA and PGCEm

• Developing Doulas Doula training

• Doula UK mentorship programme

• The Wise Hippo Perinatal Instructor

• Closing the Bones with Maddie McMahon

• The Birthing Awareness 3 Step Rewind with Birthing Awareness

• Mindful Rebozo with Sophie Messager

• Gathering in the Knowledge with Sara Wickham

• Doulavation

• Biomechanics for Birth workers to Advanced level with Optimal Birthing

• LGBT+ Competency training with The Queer Birth Club

….and a whole bunch of regular skills enhancing training including a number of courses, study days and conferences covering topics such as infant microbiome, infant brain development, VBAC, maternal mental health, birthing for blokes, when survivors give birth, online safety for lone workers, etc.

WORK:

• Birth Doula (DUK Recognised)

• The Wise Hippo Perinatal instructor

• Birthing Awareness 3 Step Rewind facilitator

• Doula UK Norfolk Representative

• Developing Doulas doula training team

• Founder of Home Birth Norfolk Group

• Home Birth Norfolk Birth Pool Hire Scheme

• ABM Breast Feeding Peer Supporter

• Active user representative for Maternity Voices Partnership at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

• Admin for several community groups on Facebook providing peer support for pregnancy and parenthood

You can find out more about me and read some kind words from my clients HERE.