Birthing Bella Hypnobirthing

21/07/2023

Quickly and easily listen to 2020 Baby for free!

23/03/2023

Did you hear the latest episode of the great birth rebellion podcast on ‘small babies, big babies’ where myself and discussed the challenges of growth scans for clinical decision making?

We shared from the research (which you can access if you are on the podcast mailing list) that ultrasounds to assess the size of your baby are ‘accurate’ 70% of the time, but the acceptable ‘accuracy’ and margin of error is +/- 10%…

So, if they tell you your baby is 4000gms it could actually be 4400gms or 3600gms… and that is the accepted margin of error on growth scans. The other 30% of the time, they are even less accurate.

The clincher is if you choose to be induced or have a cesarean section because of the suspected size of your baby, you won’t know how accurate your scan was until your baby is out.

The 2023 Cochrane review on induction of labour for suspected macrosomic (large) babies says that because of the inaccurate nature of growth ultrasounds, we shouldn’t be using them to make decisions about induction for suspected large babies… because, doesn’t matter how good we think we are, we are still too crap at determining foetal size with ultrasound to start using it as a tool to recommend induction.

Just listen to the episode.

10/02/2023

・・・
How to Support a Birthing Mother During Transition

**share this post with your birth support team**

Transition typically describes the time between active labour (first stage) and pushing (second stage), when the cervix is nearing full dilation (10cm). Consider it a major labour hurdle; it's a time of immense challenge and overwhelm when the contractions are almighty in strength and close together. She will be consumed by them.

So what can you do to support your loved one?

* Encourage her : she may say that she doesn't want to do it anymore, that she can't do it and won't keep going. Your answer: You CAN and you ARE doing it. Your job is to emotionally carry her over the line.

* Breathe with her : when she gets overwhelmed by the intensity of transition, her breathing may be short and sharp. Encourage her to keep her energy down by guiding her awareness to her belly. With her chin tilted down, tell her to exhale down to the ground. Do it with her so she can mimic you. Deep inhalations through the nose and long exhalations out of a soft and open mouth.

* Remind her to roar : transitional labour sounds very primal (lots of roaring, groaning and grunting). It's often quite instinctive but if you notice that her jaw and throat is tight with fear and tension and she's screaming (sending her energy up), encourage her to make ooooohhhhhhhh sounds - this sends her energy down and opens and softens her mouth and throat.

* Cool her down : offer her a cold ash washer on her forehead, water to drink and ice to crunch. And if she hasn't gone to the toilet in over an hour, encourage her to wee (a full bladder gets in the way - quite literally - of her baby)

™️

www.birthingbella.com.au

📷

30/01/2023

.bump ⁠
⁠
I’m often asked if it’s true that birthing mothers will experience a pain-free birth with hypnobirthing?⁠
⁠
Hypnobirthing does not promise painless birthing, though many hypnobirthing mothers do report having a relatively pain-free birth or one that they were able to manage easily.⁠
⁠
Hypnobirthing Australia™ founder, Melissa Spilsted, can speak from personal experience having used hypnobirthing techniques for her own 3 births. She says, “I can honestly tell you that when I worked with my body (in a relaxed state), I felt strong sensations, tightening, pressure, but not what could be described as ‘pain’. It was no ‘walk in the park’, it was at times very hard work, but there was no screaming or distress. I was calm, focused and working with my body to birth my children. ⁠
⁠
Pic by ⁠
⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

30/01/2023

26/01/2023

・・・
One of the main ways that women are persuaded to have induction is that they are told that induction lowers the chance of stillbirth.

But there are a number of problems with this claim.

First, it's often not true. It depends on the reason for induction.

When it is true, the difference is often tiny.

For example, Norwegian researchers concluded that the tiny improvement that could be seen in short term stillbirth rates in their induction research "...may not outweigh the side effects or the costs." Haavaldsen et al (2022)

And stillbirth is not the only way to measure deaths and harm.

Induction of labour causes more medium and long term harms and more deaths may occur later after induction than after waiting for labour to start on its own.

The issues here need more space than I can give them in a social media post, so I have written a blog post to explain in more depth.

You can find it at https://www.sarawickham.com/research-updates/routine-induction-in-healthy-women-not-supported-by-evidence

There's also a link to my website in my bio.

It's important to get informed and to consider ALL the pros and cons before deciding whether induction is right for you.

We have more than 25 pages of free induction information on my website and I have written two books about induction of labour to help you decide what’s right for you.

I hope you find them useful.

Yes, you can share/repost, as long as you keep our pics, text and credit intact. Please do not put Sara’s work/words in your own branding.

24/01/2023

New offering just listed from Birthing Bella Hypnobirthing ✨

February and March online course now available to book direct from the website.
Relax at home and let me walk you through the tools, techniques and mindset for a positive, empowered and knowledgeable birth.

Feel prepared. Gather support. Find your tribe. There are no second takes.

Mumma you’ve got this, and I’ve got you 😉💕

www.birthingbella.com.au

™️

22/01/2023

Repeat after me, ‘you are a willing woman working with functional pain.’ 💕
As care providers, we fail women when we do not sit with them through the work of labour. Women do not need rescuing, women need empowerment 🙌🏻
Yes there is pain, yes there is intensity and endurance. But there is also rest, calm and transcendence ✨
You can do hard things 💪🏻 and your birth circle is there to hold you through the work of bringing your baby earthside. Choose wisely ✌🏻

Educate yourself. Define your goals. Find your tribe. Mumma you’ve got this.

www.birthingbella.com.au

29/09/2022

Like I've been saying, doulas are great at connecting people. At supporting families to find the care they need throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey.

What you will see when our new website goes lives is a directory 🥳 carefully curated with some of our favourite supportive people!

Behind the online home the members on our directory will be apart of a wonderful and supportive professional network. Where we can find out the juicy details of each other's offerings, discover referral pathways and connect more deeply so that we can create a nurturing and supportive care community for the women and families in Townsville who are journey through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

This offering is in its infancy ❤️ and I am full of gratitude for the members who have put their faith in me to deliver this offering! Thank you all for your support! I hope that over the course of 2023, this professional network can grow so that our community can reap the rewards of such a connected group of professionals.

If you're a professional in this arena and you would like to know more about this offering... please shoot me an email!

24/09/2022

This is everything Lets Talk Birth 💕🙌🏻

Women often share with me that either themselves or their partners are worried about inviting a doula into their space. That maybe the role they want their partner to fill will be overshadowed by a doula.

In my experience that isnt the case, prenatally i love working with families and guiding dads to learn techniques to support their labouring partners in birth. We talk in depth about what role they want to play, I adore watching dads step up in birth and really care deeply for their significant other! There are moments where a shared glance or a nod from across the room is felt deeply, a familiar face in the birth room, a trusted friend and professional to turn to.

A doula is not a replacement for a father or birth partner, but rather, complimentary. Birth partners are equally as emotionally invested in in the process of birth as you are yourself. Labour can be turbulent and emotional for your birth partner – it is never easy seeing someone you love in pain. A doula applies her wealth of knowledge and experience in the natural process of birth to provide neutral and practical support to everyone.



“In suggesting the support of a doula, our intent is not to diminish the father’s role but to enhance it, to free him up to stand by the mother. With the doula present, the father is never left as the sole, isolated, responsible person caring for the labouring mother. This vital ingredient – the support of an experienced woman – has been lost in modern obstetrical care.” (Klaus et al., 2012)

📸