Birth Preparation

"Childbirth is a profound rite of passage, and the essence of birth preparation is self-discovery. The purpose of birth preparation is to prepare mothers to give birth in awareness, not to achieve a specific birth outcome."
- Birthing From Within

Simon and Oshi

As your childbirth mentor, I offer birth preparation workshops with insights into how birth is your own hero's journey. These workshops include self exploration, how to be actively involved in the birth process, and focus on how the birth partner can support and assist the labouring mother. They include process art, simple Shiatsu massage techniques, acupressure points for pain relief, birth positions, breathing and visualisation. These can be very effective in supporting birthing women both physically and emotionally.

I do not follow a rigid, pre-planned agenda. Instead, I will respond to the emerging needs and styles of you as parents in the workshop; this means that we can focus on cultivating confidence and a flexible mindset. I do not favour, promote or focus on achieving a particular outcome. Your birth, your choice.

Birthing partners that I have worked with have commented on the usefulness and security of receiving a set of tools they could use to help support the mother, and to be able to be more involved in the birthing process.

1:2:1 birth preparation sessions will be tailored to your needs, and may explore themes such as

homebirth
waterbirth
breech / optimal foetal positioning
twin birth
vaginal birth after a previous caesarean (VBAC)
how to have a positive caesarean birth
mother blessing
pregnancy loss and grief
previous birth experiences
birth after previous trauma

We will work together to find powerful tools to assist you on your birthing journey, drawing on themes from Active Birth, shamanism, shiatsu bodywork, and techniques from Birthing from Within such as using myth and art to explore your feelings and ideas around birth. These will help you as a couple find mutual support by exploring attitudes and beliefs about birth and learning practical tools to empower you on your journey.

It can be really helpful to look at the stories of your own birth and menarche (first menstrual bleed) as they can shed light on your experience of your menstrual cycle and births, and I am happy to explore these story patterns with women as part of birth preparation, or as separate healing sessions.

Birth preparation sessions can take place either at your home (within a few miles of Frome, Somerset) or a nurturing treatment space in Frome.

I am also available to be your doula if you feel you need my support during birth.

I also offer a listening or debriefing service for women who are survivors of abuse and sexual violence or who have had traumatic birth experience, as well as birth planning sessions to help people identify their potential triggers or stumbling blocks so they can find a workable birth plan. This is a reflective listening service rather than counselling or psychotherapy; if people need more support than I can provide, then there are other local therapists that I can refer to. This service is for donations only.

Please feel free to contact me if you feel this may be of benefit to you.

Investment

Birthing From Within Antenatal Sessions - a deep and life changing course to emotionally and psychologically prepare for birth and parenting.

A course of six structured birth preparation sessions (a total of twelve hours) which take parents on a journey of self discovery and empowerment on their birth journey. Each session has a different theme and will include birth physiology, mythology, mindfulness practices and birth art.

The investment for the couples Birthing From Within Antenatal Course is £299.

Antenatal Preparation Sessions - for people looking for antenatal preparation without birth support.

Three structured bespoke birth preparation sessions tailored to your specific needs. Each of these sessions are two hours long and may include birth physiology, debriefing from a previous birth experience, preparing for a caesarean birth, massage techniques, birthing positions, how to have a positive caesarean, mindfulness techniques and elements of Birthing From Within birth preparation.

The investment for these Antenatal Preparation sessions is £199.

Individual Birth Preparation Session - individual sessions to look at specific situations and needs.

A two hour long bespoke birth preparation session tailored to your specific requirements (please contact me to discuss your needs).

The investment for an Individual Birth Preparation Session is £75.

"As first time parents we had little knowledge about the birth process. In Fiona's classes we learned very useful techniques for my partner to use during birth to help me to ease the pain, for him to be more involved in the process to feel part of it and to know what to expect and how to be helpful. These classes gave me an empowering and assuring feeling of female strength and capabilities. I learned how to position my body, how to breathe during contractions and how to stay within this beautiful process of giving birth. With Fiona's strong calming appearance and knowledge she has about birth we feel ready to have a home birth and welcome our baby."
- Alice

Independent Midwife Mary Cronk, MBE with Fiona and Kylie Pattnaik at the breech birth study day, September 2011