Meet the other participants and our course Professionals, Lucy and Liv.

During this session we will explore your previous experience of pregnancy and birth, your expectations of the course and any concerns that you may have.

We will discuss any issues you have had in your pregnancy journey so far and your hopes for birth.

We will provide you with some guidance for your third trimester such as sleep, exercise, nutrition and work. We will also have a presentation from an experienced Osteopath to provide you with guidance on positioning and movement during the significant body changes of pregnancy.

In this session we will explore the evidence and benefits of hypnobirthing and breath work during pregnancy and labour.

Alongside this we will show how closely this is linked to mindfulness, which can support any worries and low mood that may be affecting you in your pregnancy, but also to provide you with skills postnatally.

There will be the opportunity to discuss any mental health concerns you may be having. This can either be done during the session or discussed privately after the session if you do not wish to discuss this in front of others.

At the end of the session we will lead you through a guided relaxation to hopefully demonstrate the benefits of what we are teaching.

This week we will teach you the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and birth. By doing this we hope that you will understand why things happen.

We will discuss the physiological changes happening in your body whilst you are pregnant so that you understand why certain symptoms occur during pregnancy.

We will also discuss how the body changes to prepare for birth and the physiological processes that occur during labour.

We also want to explain the anatomy of the breast and how hormones impact the production of milk to help to support you on the start of your feeding journey.

By understanding what is typical we hope this will empower you to know when there might be issues.

We will cover different body positions and the influence this can have on your baby’s positioning in the womb to prepare for birth.

We will explain how you hold your body and movements that can have an impact on your birth and progression of labour.

We will look at techniques to help with pain during pregnancy and birth and also discuss the process of Rebozo to ease tension in the body.

Finally, we will look at the importance of caring for your pelvic floor, covering why it is important to undertake your exercises and how to perform these effectively.

During this session we will go through the stages of labour, explaining what to expect and what to do if you have concerns.

We will explore your birth environment and the choices you can make to have a safe and supported setting.

We will look at different pain relief options, both medical and non-medical and discuss the pros and cons of each option.

So you feel prepared for any eventuality, we will also discuss instrumental deliveries and both planned and emergency caesarian sections.

We will talk through the importance of the birth partner and their role. Ensuring that they feel empowered to advocate for you and be the gatekeeper in decision making if you feel unable to do so.

We want to make sure you know signs of early labour and when to seek help but also to recognise if there is anything amiss that might need input from health professionals earlier.

We will discuss items for you to take in your hospital bag to ensure that you feel ready for labour, birth and after your baby has been born.

Whatever feeding journey you decide to pursue, we are here to inform you about all of your options.

We will discuss colostrum harvesting, how to do this and the benefits.

We will explore bottle feeding, whether this is using expressed milk or formula. If you are wanting to express we will talk about different pumps and flange size to maximise your output and, most importantly, ensure you are comfortable.

With breastfeeding we will talk through a good latch and different positioning for your baby. We will help you recognise when there are issues with feeding and how to seek the necessary help and support.

We also will ensure you are aware of the warning signs and symptoms or mastitis, how best to manage this and when to seek further help from a healthcare professional.

We wanted to ensure that you not only feel prepared for pregnancy and birth but that you also understand what to expect in the weeks (and months) as a new family.

This week we will look at those initial few weeks after birth. We will be focusing on normal newborn behaviours, bathing babies, nappies, cord and skin care, safe sleeping and baby wearing.

We also will hav a session from an Osteopath who will discuss cranial osteopathy with you and the benefits that this can offer for your newborn.

A period that often gets forgotten and neglected, but is so vital to understand.

Hopefully, by having a chance to explore what happens during the fourth trimester, not only to mum and baby but also to the whole family, you will feel better equipped to handle these new experiences but also have the confidence to know when something isn’t quite right and how to seek the necessary help and support.