East Yorkshire HypnoBirthing & Fertility Practice

26/02/2024

In modern Western culture, most women and families know about induction of labour before they even become pregnant.

They know that induction is suggested when it is felt that it would be safer for the baby to be born than to stay inside its mother.

Many people also know that one of the main reasons for recommending induction of labour is because pregnancy has lasted for a certain number of weeks and the baby is perceived to be ‘overdue.’

Other reasons for offering induction include that the woman is older than average, that her waters have broken early and/or that she has a health problem or condition.

These days, induction is often suggested where someone has a high BMI, or has been told they have gestational diabetes.

But aren't necessarily evidence-based practices, as I write about in my books.

And there's a big focus these days on telling women when they are deemed to be 'at higher risk,' but not so much on explaining the downsides and risks of interventions like induction.

There are pros and cons to everything!

Some people think induction is oversold.

Some are concerned about how a lot of the 'official' information is geared to promoting induction and doesn't give the bigger picture.

There are many other aspects to the induction decision. That's one of the reasons that I wrote my book, In Your Own Time.

If you'd like to know more, I have a popular blog post which helps explain that bigger picture.

My blog post is called 'Ten things I wish every woman knew about induction of labour.'

I've just updated it, and I hope you find it useful.

It's at https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/induction-of-labour/

26/02/2024

Monday February 19, 09:30-11:00

25/02/2024

🩷🩵Next course starting on Wednesday 13th March at 6.30. Available places are limited please contact me for more information or to book your places.🩷🩵

08/02/2024

12/11/2023

They straight up told me it was 100% a vitamin when I had my last child. The nurse looked like she really believed it was a vitamin too. Smh that was the beginning of the rest of our lives as we watched him regress one bad western medicine decision after the next! He was immediately lethargic and bumps raised all over his body. Know better do better. I share with you because nobody shared this with me.

06/11/2023

https://www.kimiyahealing.co.uk/post/5-facts-about-the-womb-heart-throat-connection

Did you know that there is a fascinating connection between our womb, heart, and throat? These three areas of the body are interconnected in ways that may surprise you. From the way our emotions are stored to the impact of our thoughts and beliefs, the connection between these areas can have a profo...

02/11/2023

If you or anyone you know would like the knowledge to have an empowering birth, look no further. This antenatal course goes above and beyond what is normally offered. Enjoy a comfy environment to relax and learn everything you and your birth partner needs to know for a birth you won’t want to forget.

17/09/2023

I GO ON HOLIDAY AND LOTS OF BABIES ARRIVE, ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL BOY 🩵

I have used Hypnobirthing for both of my pregnancies and births and would highly recommended it to anyone. I have been to Sandra at East Yorkshire Hypnobirthing both times.

The course gives you all the information you need to understand what your body is doing and the options you have so you can make informed decisions about your care. Practising the relaxation tracks everyday helped me during pregnancy both times and have helped me with relaxation other times as well. This time my daughter did the tracks with me and would often fall asleep before the end.

I had been hoping for a home birth but when I went I started to have regular contractions I was informed that they were too short staffed to send anyone so I needed to come in.

In the midwife led unit I was able to use a shower and I had a massage sat on a birthing ball to help me in the early stages of labour, I listened to the magic carpet relaxation on repeat. My labour progressed quickly and soon I was ready to get into the birthing pool. Being in the water really helped, especially when things became more intense and it was harder to relax between contractions.

We had written a birthing plan and this was great because our midwife knew what we were trying to achieve, gave us the space to do what made us comfortable but she was there when we needed support.

My waters broke at 11:15, I listened to my body and knew that with every contraction I needed to push. I’d got myself into a kneeling position in the water, so gravity helped. My son was born 5 contractions later at 11:38pm, in water. I’d had an episiotomy the first time (when I wasn’t able to have a water birth) but this time I didn’t even need any stitches.

Yes there was some screaming and loud cursing during the final stages of my baby being born but I was able to give birth using water as my only pain relief. I have generalised anxiety disorder and apart from during transition ,when I did doubt myself, I was able to remain calm and in control during labour. I credit this to Hypnobirthing and to the support I received from my husband and the midwife that looked after me.

My first birth wasn’t what I wanted but this birth was an amazing experience and a happy memory I will cherish.

17/09/2023

Got baby cuddles today, meet cute little Zeke 18 days old. Little brother to big sister Jasmine. Zeke came into the world at home in the calm bliss of warm water. A beautiful hypnobirth. 💙

16/09/2023

I absolutely love getting birth stories. Here is my most recent one, enjoy xx

The Story of Olive Sally Booth 🩷

👶🏼 Second baby
🩷 Surprise Girl - Olive Sally Booth
🗓 Due Date - 31st August 2023
🗓 Born - 6th September 2023 (40+6)
🕰 11:32am
⚖️ 8lb 3 1/2oz
🏡 Planned Hospital Birth (MLU)
🏥 Actual Home Birth

On Tuesday 5th September in the late afternoon around 2 o’clock my stomach began tightening with mild pains, to which I thought was either braxton hicks or the early onset of labour. This continued into the evening. My husband Mikey put our son to bed and I sat on on my ball in our bedroom to try get comfy.
I had to wake Mikey who had fallen asleep with Felix. We came downstairs and I had a small bowl of corn flakes and a raspberry leaf tea.
Mucus plug and bloody show came at 21:20
I went to bed around 22:30 to try get as much rest as I could. I was continuing to have surges all throughout the night and attempting to sleep in between them as best I could. They were ramping up and becoming more and more intense. I slept for roughly 4.5 hours.

In the morning we took our son Felix to nursery as normal and came home to continue labour. Rang the MLU and they were happy with me continuing labour at home until things ramp up. I had a small bowl of cereal and drank plenty of fluids all while cuddling my pregnancy ball in the living room. Mikey went upstairs to run a bath for me whilst I sat managing the surges on my ball in the living room. I spent around half an hour in the bath with Mikey pouring warm water over my bump and then back as the surges came on. I ended up laying on my side in there to get comfy.

Once our the bath the surges continued and started to become slightly more intense. We remained in our bedroom and Mikey started rubbing my back and applying pressure to my hips as they intensified. I ended up on the floor and as a surge came through it felt different to the rest, I wrapped my arms around Mikey’s neck and as I breathed out my surge my waters burst. This happened at 11am. I used a bin to catch the remaining waters and made my way with the help of Mikey to the bathroom so I could sit on the toilet. At 11:10 Mikey rang the MLU who confirmed we were ready to go into hospital and have our baby. We got ready upstairs while managing my even more intense surges now as they had really ramped up. We made our way downstairs and I kept telling Mikey how we needed to hurry up and be quicker as I needed to get there. Mikey was in the middle of packing up my food, drinks and gathering any last bits necessary. He took me out to the car where I lined the seat with a towel. More and more surges rushed over me as I held onto the car door, unable to sit due to the intense pressure. Mikey had finished loading the car, sat in the drivers seat and started the engine. He told me to get in but I couldn’t. I told him I needed to go inside the house and I had to push. He told me I can’t and that I had to get in the car. I told him I needed to push and to get back in the house now. As soon as the door was open I began taking my clothes off and leant over the sofa seat on all fours and began to push. Mikey rang for an ambulance and had grabbed the towel of the passenger seat. The call handler talked Mikey through how to deliver our baby as the head was already crowning. After 2 pushes babies head was out. Mikey kept shouting for the ambulance to hurry up as there was a lot of blood loss from me and he was about to solo driver our baby and needed their help. Another 2 pushes and he caught our baby girl in his hands. He shouted to me ‘Zoe we’ve got a girl’. Baby girl was born at 11:32am.

He passed our baby through my legs to me while he went to find a towel, as he did that my placenta came out, this happened 30 seconds after our baby girl was born. Mikey placed a tea towel over our girl to keep her warm until the ambulance arrived. Two crew ambulances arrived 3 minutes later. They congratulated us on the safe arrival of our baby girl. Mikey went to get some more towels to cover me and baby with to keep us warm. We sat there on the laminate floor of our living room and I was just laughing and smiling in shock of what had just happened. They asked if we wanted to go into hospital or stay home and I said stay home if we can but I would like to be checked over to make sure I hadn’t torn. MLU said we needed to go in as there was no one available to send out. Short ambulance ride to hospital all the while our little girl was latched on and having her first milk at 11:59am. She was so alert with her eyes open all the way to hospital.

Medical checks done on both of us and Mikey cut the cord after our delayed cord clamping. I required stitches for a couple of minor tears. Mikey enjoyed skin to skin while this happened. A little while later I went for a shower while Mikey enjoyed more cuddles. Me and baby girl had to stay in overnight for observations.

Grandad brought Felix to meet his baby sister from 18:00-19:00 then took him back to our house and put him to bed. He was so excited to meet his baby sister and immediately asked to cuddle her. He’s been obsessed with her since and keeps coming over to observe her and stroke her.

Despite again this story not being the MLU pool birth we had planned, I honestly wouldn’t changed it for the world. What an out of body experience that was, I’ve never felt more proud of myself and my husband than in those 5 minutes of birthing our baby girl alone together on our living room floor.