Gentle Journey

21/03/2022

Hello👋, welcome and congratulations on your pregnancy🥰.

Unfortunately I’m needing to take a little time-out from running courses and taking on new clients at this time.

My workload in my NHS role has been phenomenal over the past 2 years with the pandemic (hence not keeping this page up to date🙈), but the opportunity and time has finally arisen for me to undertake a new and very exciting qualification which will be keeping me busy.

For those of you with more imminent arrivals, I hope you find an alternative course that suits you and I will be back later in the year! 💞

Zoe xx

21/03/2022

11/04/2020

If you breastfed your baby, that’s amazing it’s a big commitment and no easy task, it’s also a beautiful way to bond.
Well done you.

If you bottle fed your baby, how beautiful that Dad also gets to feed baby, it can be very time consuming. It’s also a beautiful way to bond.
Well done you.

If you took a long time off for maternity leave, that’s really selfless to leave your career to stay at home with your baby, it’s one heck of a job and they’re lucky to have you home with them.
Well done you.

If you went back to your job earlier than planned because you had to or wanted to, the juggle is REAL. Good on you for getting on with it and earning enough to give them the things they need, much respect.
Well done you.

If you’re a single mum, you’re honestly superwoman, your child will admire you and even though you may not feel strong you are incredible.
Well done you.

If you’re in a relationship, it’s not easy nurturing a relationship when you have a new baby, getting through those hard early days are tough, but if you come out the other side stronger than ever,
Well done you.

You had your kids close together, that must have been hard on your body and tough to balance the two so young.
Well done you.

You have a big age gap between your kids, must have been nice getting to spend as much time as possible with your firstborn and prioritise some other things in your life first.
Well done you.

You make all their food from scratch, lucky kids.
Well done you.

You buy their food from the supermarket, lucky kids.
Well done you.

There’s more than one way to raise a baby. If you do it with love, then well done you.

Written by our contributing writer Jess Urlichs
Follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/jessurlichs_writer

Artwork: Helenetheillustrator

08/04/2020

NEW POSTER AVAILABLE

With instructions about self isolating, attending appointments alone and news about the increased pressure on the health service, pregnant women may feel reluctant to report reduced movement.

But baby’s movements are as important as ever. Any change in movements should be reported immediately. We need to get this message to all pregnant women.

We have therefore produced these posters to highlight how important this is. You can order them by emailing elizabeth@kickscount.org.uk (please put POSTER in the subject line). You can either order a printed copy or we can send you the PDF for you to download and print yourself.

We want to get these as widely distributed as possible.

There is a fear that stillbirth rates could increase during covid-19, not because of the Coronavirus itself but because pregnant women may feel less able to report their concerns.

Please help us get this message out

06/04/2020

Pleased to share that you no longer need to pay for parking when visiting the hospital at this time.

31/03/2020

Good evening all, I wanted to share with you the news that Luton and Dunstable have suspended both their home birth and water birth support. Please see attached the statement from Giselle who is the Senior Midwife and Professional Midwifery Advocate. Giselle is also a key member of the Maternity Voices Partnership.

I know that this will be a huge concern to some of you during this difficult time and I want to reassure you that we are constantly speaking up on your behalf, to make sure that your concerns are being voiced and that women and babies are at the centre of all that the maternity team do.

You will have questions, Giselle has kindly put her number on the statement, but we've spoken to her today and hopefully can answer some of them. As we are volunteers, it may not be instant so please bear with us.

Both her and the Head of Midwifery have worked hard to make sure that your voices are heard during these decision makings, whilst also ensuring that birth is safe for everyone - mums, babies and staff.

17/03/2020

Are you pregnant, staying in doors and feeling anxious?

The Wise Hippo has been carefully following government guidelines at this time and we are pleased to say that we have adapted our courses so that we can teach you and your birth partner LIVE and ONLINE.

The Wise Hippo education focuses on removing fear and anxiety which is what you need for your emotional well being more than anything right now. Imagine having someone to support you throughout your pregnancy journey during these unpredictable times...a wise hippo teacher can do this for you.

Wise Hippo teachers are knowledgeable antenatal educators that will teach you tools and techniques to manage and reduce the stress and worries that you might be experiencing.

When you join a live and online Wise Hippo course a book will be posted to your door, you will be given access to the website where you can download your relaxation tracks and view over 90 videos in the new video library.

Click on the link below to find your closest teacher to support you, your partner and your baby live and online from your own home.

13/03/2020

If you are pregnant, you may be concerned about how coronavirus or COVID-19 (the illness resulting from coronavirus) will affect your rights to maternity care, if cases increase significantly as expected. The NHS has general information on its website about coronavirus. The Royal College of Obstetri...

13/03/2020

20/02/2020

💜Anybody who knows me knows I’m not a fan of social media. I love reading everyone else’s posts & catching up on what everyone’s been up to, I’m just not very good at posting myself. Not on my own page nor my business page. If I’m honest the last time I posted on here was over a year ago 😳
💚My New Years resolution was to post regularly! ...finally 2 months in to the new year here we are😂

💜Hypnobirthing has made the headlines a lot over the past few days and the more people it can reach the better. Most of my clients come from personal recommendations, however I’ve had loads of extra enquiries about whether I’m still teaching the Wise Hippo, so I thought I’d better come on here & say yes: I’m still here & still loving what I do...just a bit rubbish on social media🙈

💚I’ll update the pinned post with new class details and an updated website is on its way shortly.

💜Well done to everyone who’s helping to make this type of antenatal preparation more widely known👏👏xx

14/12/2018

😂😂

Yes 😂

13/11/2018

Members of our Maternity Team have created their very own ‘Unconditional Love’ photography exhibition that is now displayed on the walls within the Delivery Suite.
'Unconditional Love' is a collection of 10 beautiful photographs depicting love, innocence and sensitivity- the powerful unity of parent and child. The women within the images are all members of the Maternity Team who recently had a baby. The team wanted to bring this personal touch on to the suite to empower our patients.

10/11/2018

29/10/2018

🎃🤣

Happy Hallowe'en week!

27/10/2018

‘...sit back for just a moment, and forget about everything else going on in life. ..take in the beauty of our children, and REST.

Rest our minds.
And rest our bodies.’ ❤️

What if we saw children sleeping on us as a positive? What if we viewed the babies who refuse to go down to nap as a sign that we need to slow down?

What if we changed our perceptions on contact naps, and instead viewed them as an opportunity to relax?

Baby has just fallen asleep on me. I spend a few minutes browsing Facebook and then, my mind wonders towards the dishes piling up in the sink. The pile of laundry stacked up in the bathroom. The dust that has settled on the tv. I start to feel guilty. I start thinking about work that could be done. Or food that needs to be cooked. I try to put baby down, but no way. Baby is having NONE of it.

But what if, just say, WHAT IF this is how it is SUPPOSED to be? Alright yes, we know that evolutionary babies are designed to want to be close to their mothers, but what if that is also meant to work out for the mother to rest too. It’s meant to be for OUR benefit.
To sit back for just a moment, and forget about everything else going on in life.
To take in the beauty of our children, and REST.

Rest our minds.
And rest our bodies.

Childbirth has put our bodies under some serious stress. And there are always a million things that need to be done before the day is over. Perhaps our babies and children needing us to be still with them is natures way of telling us to slow down for just a moment.

Rest mama.
Take the opportunity ❤️

16/09/2018

My youngest turned four today. It’s been quite emotional as I’m desperate for her to not grow up and she’s desperate to grow up. She even finished the day by saying she can’t wait till she’s 5! Slow down🙈 (...& slow that car down too - bumped into everyone!😂) x

09/08/2018

This is a great story and my fellow Wise Hippo instructor Sophie explains beautifully to Vanessa Feltz on her radio show all about this wonderful programme that we teach and how it can help you...
And of course congratulations to the Kane’s on their gorgeous new addition ###

https://www.facebook.com/thewisehippo/videos/969815583221033/

05/08/2018

Love this x

https://www.facebook.com/gatossendogatosoficial/videos/1647902911993943/