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.

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

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.

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. 

The Hospital Bag.

"What should I pack in my hospital bag? "

This is a question that looms in the minds of many Mums to be  - there is so much information out there about what you absolutely must have in your hospital bag. There are lists on Pinterest, there are pages on websites, there are helpful friends and family telling you what you MUST have - it can all feel a little overwhelming and can become quite a thing to fixate on and worry about.

The struggle is real..

In my years as a Midwife and after three babies of my own (who were born at home, but still all had a hospital bag packed from 37 weeks just in case) I have learnt what is actually essential in your bag - it's so easy to get carried away with this, with all the various lists out there on the interweb! So thought it might be helpful to share my basic hospital bag list - this is the stuff you need, everything else is just extras. Keep it basic, you're not going to Outer Mongolia. 

For Mum:

Your handheld notes - you will definitely need these.

Maternity Pads - these are the massive surf board ones - it's very important to use these and not the regular sanitary pads as they are designed for the Midwives (and you) to be able to monitor your blood loss after birth, if it's all absorbed in a pad it's more tricky. 

Comfy PJ's / Nightie that you can snuggle into after birth, preferably ones that you can snuggle baby into the front of too for some lovely skin to skin cuddles (and to breastfeed if you are choosing to)

MASSIVE comfy pants - literally buy a size or two bigger than usual of pants like you're Granny would wear. You'll appreciate it trust me. It also helps to house those massive pads!

Normal toiletries (shower gel, deodorant, toothbrush/paste, hairbrush/band) - even if you plan to go straight home after baby has been born (you'll be recommended to wait at least 6 hours), a shower and a teeth clean will feel like heaven afterwards.

Lip balm - it's really normal for your lips and mouth to get really dry if using gas & air.

Snackage - This should be the first priority in my mind!!!! But seriously, do take little snacks that might take your fancy during labour to keep your energy up, like jelly babies or snack bars, and also juice cartons or energy drinks. Don't forget, you're not planning on going to the Moon to have your baby, so there will always be a little shop/vending machine you can use if you need to! 

Nipple cream - obvs only if you're planning to breasfeed! But buy a good one like Lansinoh because in my experience nothing else even comes close.

An open mind - this is so important. To enter into labour and birth with an open mind and a 'go with the flow' attitude will serve you so well. Trust in the process and your body, trust in nature to take it's course and be open to however it all pans out. There is no right or wrong way to give birth. There is just birth. 

For Baby:

Nappies - obvs. Put a whole pack in. Trust me on that one.

Clothes - obvs again, but don't underestimate how many clothes a small thing can get through in a short space of time! To be totally safe take 5 or 6 of: vests, babygrows and hats.

Muslins - again you will not believe how many of these you might get through, put at least 5 in.

Baby wipes/Cotton wool - it is known to be better for baby's skin to use cotton wool and warm water to wipe their bottom and the hospital will have top and tail bowls for you to use for that. However the first few meconium poos are a nightmare to wipe, and in those instances baby wipes are much easier! 

Vaseline - if you cover baby's bottom and bits with vaseline after each clean, it makes the poo not stick to the skin and therefore much easier to clean. You're welcome.

A boob / A bottle - If you're not sure how you're planning to feed, you will already have a boob with you and you can always send someone out for formula! (This is where those muslins come in handy for dribbly feeders and also modesty)

Phone charger - to keep the juice on your phone for those all important calls & social media announcements!

Love - to give in abundance.

For Birth Partner:

Change - for car parks or vending machines

Toiletries - you might be there for a while and want to freshen up yourself, so pop in a spare toothbrush, deodorant etc.

Spare t-shirt - it gets REALLY hot in hospital, and you might feel a bit gross if you're there for a while!

Snacks - hell hath no fury like a pregnant woman when you've stolen her snacks. Keep your own stash!!

Phone charger - because you'll be taking a zillion photo's of your new baby!

Encouragement - telling your partner that they are loved, safe and doing an amazing thing will really spur her on and help her. You can't say these things too much in my opinion.

Just in case the thought of getting everything together is a bit stressful, I've put all the things you'll need for labour and the immediate postnatal period together in a convenient bag for you! You can read about your pre-packed birth bags here. x 

Ask the Midwife

It is a sad but true fact, that in many NHS Trusts throughout England, maternity services are unable to offer women the continuity of care they need and deserve due to lack of staff and funding. I'm pretty sure I can speak for all Midwives when I say this hurts them as much as it hurts you, as they all know and understand the benefits of continuity of care, but for reasons beyond their control, are unable to offer it. I say this as a former Midwife, who loved nothing more than the picturesque ideal of 'Call the Midwife' where we could build a close relationship with the women in our care, and be with them at the births of their babies understanding their worries, needs and wants.  What happens now, in most areas (although there are a lucky few areas who have amazing community teams who can actually offer the ideal) is that women see a different Midwife at each antenatal appointment, and yet another one (or more) at the birth of their baby. 

This could very easily turn into an essay on how damaging that is for a Woman's experience of birth, but I am not here to slate our NHS - our Midwives, support staff and Gynae staff do amazing jobs under really shit conditions.

There is a problem for our women though, in that due to that lack of a close relationship or easy access to a Midwife, many women are sitting at home fretting about what they deem to be 'silly' questions about their pregnancies. There are dedicated phone lines in the maternity units, but women often feel daunted by calling them as the lines are busy, or they feel that their question is too small. This can really ruin a woman's experience of pregnancy, particularly for those who are anxious. 

Something I have discovered recently though is the most amazing tool for women designed by Midwife Hannah Harvey. Her very clever app: 'Ask the Midwife' is designed to combat this - it is a tool for women to ask any question they need to about pregnancy to an actual Midwife and get a very quick and evidence based response. I had a chat with Hannah recently and this is what she said:

Can you describe the Ask the Midwife App to me Hannah?

"Ask The Midwife is the UK’s first health advice app designed and run be registered midwives for women and their families. You can download the app, ask any questions you have about pregnancy, birth and beyond and get a fast, professional and friendly response from a registered midwife."

Can you tell us a bit about you and how you came to do this?

"I have been a Midwife for 5 years, and have always had an interest in digital health and how it can benefit women and families. A study showed that 84% of women use the internet for health advice in pregnancy, and most of the time this isn’t from credible sources. I wanted to create a solution that would mean everyone had access to professional advice online, to dissuade people from using Google and parenting forums as a source of information. In my local trust I developed Facebook groups and a Twitter page to improve maternity user experience in our NHS Trust, and won an innovation award for it in 2014. Following on from that, I wanted to be able to offer digital health services to users across the whole of the UK, and hopefully internationally at some point as well. This is how Ask The Midwife was born!"

Why do you think this App is needed right now?

"We live in a time now where everyone has smart phones, and people use social media and digital services like apps and web sites all the time. Digital Health is a brand new phenomenon, but one that is taking off at a drastic rate, because it is fast, easily accessible and credible. We have already been able to offer reassurance and guidance to so many expectant parents, and it is becoming evident how much a service like this is needed, by how quickly the app has taken off and how many people are using it."

Is any question too small or silly?

"No question is too small or silly for us. We actually get lots of questions that I have never been asked as a Midwife in clinical practice, which suggests to me that there are questions that women feel are too silly/small to ask face to face, so it is really great to see them being asked via the app. It means we are providing a service that is really needed, and people are able to get their anxieties and worries out to a professional and have the reassurance they need. If you think your question is silly, it isn’t. We will always be at the other end of the app waiting to answer any questions you have, bog or small."

 

How can people get the App, and what will they pay for it?

"The app is free to download on iOS. We are planning to launch Ask The Midwife on Android and on our website in 2017. Once you have downloaded, you get one free question and then after that you can pay anything from £1.99 for an Ask - up to £24.99 for one months unlimited use."

 

You can find out more at the Ask The Midwife website - and take advantage of the January sale, with unlimited access for £17! 

 

How to save your baby's life..

Your baby choking... turning blue.. your worst nightmare right? And one of those horror stories that we have all heard about happening - would you know what to do? 

I recently met up with the lovely Rachel Moffatt, who is the founder of Ladybird First Aid - a company devoted to helping parents learn life saving first aid techniques for their children so they know exactly what to do to help their babies. Here is what Rachel said..

The lovely Rachel Moffatt

Can you tell me a bit about yourself, and how you got into your business? 

My name is Rachel and I live in Henley on Thames with my husband and 2 children, Jack ,3 and Ella, 1. I originally trained to be a Paediatric Nurse but didn’t complete my training and switched to a Degree in Biology (2:1 Hons) instead. This was a firm foundation for embarking into the Corporate World.

It wasn’t until I had my own children that I myself wanted to participate in a basic Baby and Child First Aid course.  However, I struggled to find one as I had a baby and toddler in tow and it was at this point that I realised how helpful it would be if the trainer could come to your own home in the evening or weekend to teach the class. I started researching to see if anyone offered this in my area but to no avail and so, with my academic and business background, I thought I’d set up my own business to teach first aid, making it as easy as possible for people to participate. I retrained as a First Aid Instructor and I can now offer an array of Certified First Aid courses, including adult courses, but I specialise in Paediatric First Aid.

How long has the business been running, and roughly how many people do you see each week?

Ladybird First Aid has been running for nearly a year and half now and it varies how many people I teach each week.  Sometimes I can teach just 1 class a week, sometimes 5 classes. There may be 4 people in a class, sometimes as many as 20.  It varies which is nice. Babes in arms are welcome too in classes so, if I’m lucky, I get cuddles whilst teaching which is always a bonus.

Tell me what Ladybird First Aid is all about, and what you do for people.

Ladybird First Aid offers parents, grandparents, carers and parents-to-be, baby and child first aid classes in towns and villages in and around the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire borders as well as in the comfort of your own home.In just 2 hours you learn what to do in the vital minutes whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive.  This includes CPR, recovery position and choking. We also cover burns, head injuries and meningitis plus more… the 2 hour classes can cover babies (birth to aged 1) and children (1 -11 years), just children or children and adults – the choice is yours. The aim of the 2 hour classes is to give parents more confidence and not to scare them; they are nice and friendly and informal! Ladybird First Aid also offers Certified First Aid courses such as 12 hour/ level 3 Paediatric First Aid (Ofsted and EYFS recognised) courses and goes into Primary Schools and Nurseries to teach and as well as running courses on weekends and evenings for Childminders and Nannies.

 What would an average session look like?

An average session is 2 hours and is in someone’s home in the evening when their children are in bed. Often parents encourage grandparents to participate in the course with them, especially if they are helping with childcare and I frequently receive requests from NCT groups getting together to join in the course. The class can adapt to whatever size room is available; as long as there is enough space in which to practice CPR, we are OK. The classes are always informal and questions are encouraged as we go along. Also, if there is anything specific people wish to cover, this can be accommodated too such as anaphylaxis or using a defibrillator. For larger groups we will hire a venue such as a village hall.

Which areas do you focus on particularly? 

In a nutshell Baby and Child Basic Life Support and especially choking as that is what lots of parents fear most.

 Do you suggest that people refresh their skills after a certain amount of time?

Yes, ideally once a year as I’m afraid that people forget First Aid and what to do! I always remind people that if you are in the unfortunate position where you have to call 999/112, the Emergency Services Operators are fantastic and will talk you through what to do, but obviously if you have done the course, you are that one step ahead.

What is the best way for people to get in touch with you to learn more or book on?

Contact me directly by emailing rachel@ladybirdfirstaid.com or calling 07812 164350

Ladybird First Aid is offering any followers of Calm Births a 10% discount on home or local venue 2 hour classes if the class is taken before 2017. I still have day and evening slots available in December so contact me to book.  My next open/local venue 2hr baby and child first aid class is in Henley on Thames on Wednesday 7th December, 10am – 12noon and there are still spaces available.

You can also find Rachel on Facebook or her website which is: www.ladybirdfirstaid.com