I used my TENS machine throughout my early labour phase (which lasted 36 hours!) and well into my active labour phase, right until I stepped in my birth pool. My TENS machine was an ABSOLUTE lifesaver! Whilst it didn’t take away the sensations completely, it made them more manageable and took away the intensity. When …
Perhaps you’ve already heard of the importance of the pelvic floor. It acts like a hammock for our internal organs. It holds up our uterus, bladder, intestines, (basically all your abdominal organs) in place. Throughout pregnancy with your uterus and baby growing and becoming heavier extra strain is placed on the pelvic floor. A weak …
Something is happening! I love reading birth stories, and especially those of home births. So thought I would share the story of how Sienna arrived earthside! My surges started at 2am on Sunday. I had had a brilliant evening beforehand when my cousin came by for dinner – our first post-lockdown get-together. We ended up …
One of the most common concerns for women is the thought of tearing during childbirth. In fact, a quick google search using the keywords “how to reduce the risk of tearing during birth” shows about 380,000 results in 0.47 seconds! Occasionally, during the crowning of the head or birth of the shoulders the skin and …
Collecting colostrum is sometimes termed colostrum harvesting. This is when you hand express colostrum before your baby is born. In a survey in 2016 (by Gestational Diabetes UK), a whooping 77% were not happy with the information and support giving around colostrum harvesting at their hospital. This is one of the reasons why I talked …
There is a growing trend in eating your own placenta for health benefits – this is called placentophagy. You may have heard of some people eating their own placenta and raving about the benefits. Or you may get squeamish at the thought of eating an organ that your body has made! In my last instagram …
What is optimal cord clamping? And why does it differ to delayed cord clamping? Your placenta is an amazing organ that feeds your baby with nutrients from your own oxygenated blood. It also removes your baby’s waste products. At birth, a third of your baby’s blood is still retained inside the placenta and it takes …
I am starting to think of the essentials to pack for my hospital birth bag. Whilst doing research I have come across some common items, which in my opinion are a mistake to pack. Keep reading if you don’t want to make these common mistakes when packing your hospital bag. I’m planning to have a …
During pregnancy yoga, we do several exercises to stretch the sides of your body to give more space for your lungs. We also practise using the breath to help focus the mind and body in labour. This regulates our breathing rate and ensure we are getting enough oxygen to your lungs and to your baby. …
