Birth Story Hypnobirthing, Saint Albans (2026)

30/03/2026

This 👆🏻is a membrane sweep. As you edge closer to meeting your baby your midwife may bring a ‘sweep’ up in discussion but what exactly is a sweep and should you accept one?
🧹WHAT IS A SWEEP?
A sweep is also known as a membrane sweep or cervical sweep. If you consent to a sweep, your midwife puts a gloved finger into the va**na. They then use a circling motion to ‘sweep’ the cervix open. This action should separate the membranes of the amniotic sac surrounding your baby from your cervix. This separation releases prostaglandins encouraging labour
💭 IS A SWEEP OPTIONAL?
Yes! You will be offered a sweep by your midwife around 39-40 weeks and another at 41 weeks - the key word being ‘offered’. Without membrane sweeping about 6 in 10 will go into labour naturally and with a sweep just over 7 in 10 will go into labour*. Before you choose to accept or decline a sweep, it’s good to understand the benefits and risks…
PROS
✅ SOFTEN CERVIX: The release of prostaglandins can help soften and ripen the cervix
💊 DRUG-FREE: Although it’s intervention, it is not classed as a medical intervention
🤰🏽CAN BRING ON SPONTANEOUS LABOUR: However, a sweep will only work when the cervix is in a favourable position - at 39 weeks it can still be too high and in a posterior position
CONS
😐 DISCOMFORT: Sweeps can be uncomfortable - tap into your hypnobirth breathwork to negate any discomfort
📈METHOD OF INDUCTION: Did you know sweeps are a method of induction? They’re often offered prior to the pessary or gel
🩸 SPOTTING: Light spotting, light bleeding or cramping sensations may occur after a sweep
💦 PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES: This can occur is rare cases and may lead to induction if you don’t go into spontaneous labour.
⏱️IRREGULAR SURGES: Tap into oxytocin boosting techniques to keep surges effective and regular
It’s important to remember that you have the ✨CHOICE✨ when it comes to a sweep, it’s all about making an informed decision. Natural nudges, boosting oxytocin help prepare the body for labour and remember…’baby will come when baby is ready’ 👶🏽
Were you offered a sweep?
| *NCT

26/03/2026

HI! 👋🏻 It’s been a while since I last popped up on the grid, so let me re-introduce myself… I’m Nicola, founder of Birth Story Hypnobirthing, certified hypnobirthing teacher and mum to daughter Sasha. I absolutely love guiding parents-to-be how to positively prepare for labour, birth and beyond and I’ve had the pleasure of teaching a myriad of amazing couples across the world since launching Birth Story six years ago
Having successfully used hypnobirthing myself to swap birth nerves for a newfound feeling of confidence, I understand that every birth is unique. I’m passionate about shaping courses to suit expectant couples needs to ensure you’ll feel educated, equipped and excited to have the right birth on the day. Plus, I’ll be right beside you to support you at every step of your journey from class to check-in calls 🤍
Here’s how I’ll help you positively prepare from pregnancy to parenthood…
📞 WELCOME CALL - Join me for a complimentary welcome call and we’ll take time to chat through your pregnancy to date, explore how best we can tackle any previous birth trauma, eliminate first-time fears & tap into personal wishes when it comes to shaping YOUR birth story
🤰🏽COURSES FOR ALL BIRTHS - Be it safe-space support in your first trimester, one-to-one courses to confidently guide you through a physiological or gentle caesarean birth or even preparation for inductions or breech babies, we’re here to prepare you for every kind of birth
💬 24/7 TEACHER SUPPORT SERVICE - Morning, night or noon I am here to help. Whether you’re seeking post appointment support, a bolster with breathwork throughout labour or simply fancy a chat, I am just a call away
🔄 REFRESHER SESSIONS - Just prior to your EDD we’ll recap relaxation techniques, refresh breathwork for birthing & prep your birth partner
👶🏽 POSTNATAL CHECK-IN - Alongside helping you work up a postnatal plan, once babe is here, I’m on hand to check-in and share a myriad of trusted experts to help solve sleep issues, feeding salvation and more
START YOUR BIRTH STORY… Drop me a DM or email at birthstoryco@gmail.com to get started
pregnant

25/03/2026

WHAT’S YOUR CRAVING? 🍕🫒🥞 Sweet, salty, frozen or flaming hot - let’s chat pregnancy cravings! Plates of pleasure prior to pregnancy suddenly become banished in your first trimester. Some women even notice a strange sour or metallic taste in their mouths - dysgeusia, or a change in your sense of taste, is extremely common and often caused by pregnancy hormones
But what do our pregnancy cravings mean?
🥦 Broccoli: Broccoli is a great source of calcium and folate (vitamin B12) so if you crave it you could be lacking in these. Broccoli is also rich in vitamins A, C, K, B6, calcium & fibre.
🥒 Pickles: May reflect low sodium levels, but be careful to not consume too much salt. Snack on pickled cucumbers or olives or even eating roasted vegetables seasoned with salt and herbs.
🥜 Peanut Butter: My #1 craving! Nut butter craving could signal a need for vitamin B or protein. Slather on apple slices for a quick and tasty snack
🥑 Avocado: If one of your cravings is avocados in the third trimester, your body may need potassium. This mineral known to ease leg cramps, which are common in the later stages of pregnancy
🥩 Red meat: A common craving, red meat has high levels of protein and iron. During pregnancy, blood volume increases by almost 50%, so it’s even more essential to increase iron stores to ensure oxygen is transported efficiently around the body
🍨 Ice cream / Yoghurt: Gone off milk? Cheese giving you the ick? Need to top up your calcium? You may find yourself reaching for tubs of ice cream or yogurt, especially in your second trimester when your appetite for sweeter foods emerge
🍝 Pasta / Noodles: Spaghetti or soba noodles - a common first trimester craving and a source which releases serotonin — a feel-good chemical that the nervous system. Craving carbohydrate-rich foods may be because your blood sugar is low
🍚 Rice: Rice is an energy-rich carbohydrate and a source vitamin B6, which helps the body use and store energy from food. Try opting for brown rice - low in GI it can help regulate blood sugar levels to help you maintain steady energy levels
Which foods did you crave in pregnancy?
| 📷

24/03/2026

COUNTER PRESSURE & LABOUR 🤚🏼 Did you know asking your birth partner to apply counter pressure on the lower back during contractions is a game-changing support technique for labour?
Many birthing women often experience back or hip labour due to either baby’s position or the muscular motion of a contraction pulling on uterine ligaments. Such a surge of tension can lead to birthing mum craving the application of pressure. Applying deep pressure around the sacrum and hips not only can decrease tension in the ligaments but also helps to calm the nervous system, counteract the intensity of contractions, encourage the pelvis to open and baby to comfortably move down the birth path. Plus, working with our birth partners creates a strong sense of safety and support ❤️
Here’s 3 of our favourite counter pressure exercises birth partners can use from the start to the close of a contraction…
✋🏻 SACRAL COUNTER PRESSURE: Apply strong, steady pressure with the heel of your hand directly to the sacrum - the triangular-shaped bone on the back of the pelvis, above the tailbone

🫱🏻🫲🏻 DOUBLE HIP SQUEEZE: Firstly, allow birthing mum to lean forward - sitting, standing or learning over a birth ball or on all fours, ensure she is the most comfortable she can. Place your hands on their hip bones, forming a ‘W’ shape with your thumbs pointing towards their spine. Use the flat or heel part of your hands to push up and in on both sides together toward the mother’s shoulders, giving steady pressure. Use the double hip squeeze from the start of each surge until it ends

🫲🏻🫱🏻 PELVIC PRESS: Feel for the top of the hip bones. Then placing your palm on each side of the hips, with fingertips facing down, press directly inwards. Go gently - this can be best for latter labour as baby moves lower into the pelvis

BIRTH PARTNER POINTS TO REMEMBER…
💬 Constantly check in to ensure pressure is the right spot and not too intense
⏰ Apply pressure during the contraction and release in between
🎾 Tennis balls and warm compresses are also great props to use when working with counter pressure exercises

18/03/2026

ARE YOU DUE A SUMMER ‘25 BABY?👶🏼 ☀️
If you’d love to feel calm, confident and in control from bump to birth, we’ve got you! Our array of hypnobirthing courses will prepare you for a positive birth experience however you chose to welcome your baby into the world - be it physiological or gentle c-section, twins or taking time to refresh your hypnobirth skills as you expand your brood. Across our 4 guided classes you’ll learn tools, techniques and tips for both birthing mum and birth partner. Plus, sign up and you’ll gain exclusive access to our 24/7 teacher support service 💬 from qualified hypnobirth instructor and Birth Story founder Nicola Wilson
We’re nearly fully booked for April but excited to share that ✨BOOKINGS ARE OPEN✨ for May 2026. Head to our website at birthstoryco.com to explore our full range of hypnobirthing courses and check out our course date availability below…be quick as dates are already booking up fast!
MAY 2026 AVAILABLE COURSE DATES
🗓️ Sunday 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th May
🗓️ Weds 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th May
🗓️ Thursday 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th May
Book your complimentary discovery call with Birth Story founder Nicola and together we’ll get you started on your hypnobirthing journey - email birthstoryco@gmail.com

15/03/2026

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY 🤍 Today we’re celebrating all the incredible mothers who we’ve had the honour of supporting from pregnancy to parenthood at Birth Story - wishing you all a very happy Mother’s Day!
I am filled with gratitude for those of you who have allowed me to support your momentous journeys into motherhood. Whilst we’re sharing just a small snippet of mamas we’ve supported - we truly believe you’re all an inspiration ✨
❤️

11/03/2026

Ever wondered what’s really happening inside that amazing body of yours when you’re pregnant? 💭 We talk a lot in hypnobirthing about the physiology of pregnancy, labour and birth. Debunking myths, understanding those biological unknowns and ensuring you feel positive about the journey from bump to birth by learning how to trust your body and baby
Here’s 7 super ways our body is shaping and supporting us as we journey through pregnancy…
🩸BLOOD VOLUME: Your blood volume increases almost 50 percent so that enough nutrients and oxygen can get to your baby.
🫁 DIAPHRAGM & RIBS: Your diaphragm and ribs change position and lift so you can breathe in more oxygen for baby. Whilst you feel short of breath, you are actually able to take in more oxygen while pregnant!
🧬 MUCUS PLUG: Did you know that you’re making a mucus plug? Your cervix creates this barrier in the beginning of your pregnancy, around four weeks, to block bacteria from getting inside
🤍 WHITE BLOOD CELLS: You get more white blood cells to help fight infection and platelets to help with clotting. These numbers increase as you approach labor and endure into the 4th trimester to assist postpartum healing
🤰🏼UTERINE VASCULAR SYSTEM: The volume of the uterus will expand about 500 times during pregnancy (wow!). As a result, your uterine veins and arteries will physically enlarge to help with the extra flow
👶🏻 VA**NA: Your va**na stretches to accommodate the birth of your baby. It’s all thanks to your va**nal rugae—transverse ridges that allow the va**na to be elastic and resilient
🤱🏽BREASTS: Your breasts change so baby can more easily find them - darkening of the ni**le to those pronounced ni**le bumps, called montgomery glands, which secrete a multipurpose oil that keeps things moist and releases a scent that draws baby to the ni**le

09/03/2026

10 C-SECTION RECOVERY TIPS: Be it an elective or emergency c-section, hypnobirthing can be used both for gentle birth preparation and to ease recovery ❤️‍🩹 A gradual caesarean birth recovery can take between 6-8 weeks. Just like birth, every mum has their own path for recovery, both physically & mentally. Our 🔟 c-section recovery tips are on hand to help you heal…
🤍 HYPNOSIS HELPS PAIN: Our calming C-Section Recovery Hypnosis Track offers emotional support and with deep breathwork, alongside prescribed pain relief, for a restorative recovery
😴 REST: One word, but so important - it can be tough with a new-born to prioritise your own needs, but focus on getting enough rest, both physically and mentally to help aid healing
🩲 COMFY CLOTHING: Loose cotton clothing helps avoid incision irritation to super cosy lounge wear, we love adaptive maternity clothing
🧽 ASK FOR & ACCEPT HELP: From chores to cooking, use your bubble as your support network to help over the first 6-8 weeks at home
🍏 FRUIT & FIBRE: Aim to drink plenty of water (about 8 glasses a day) and eat plenty of fruit, vegetables & whole grains to keep any constipation at bay - which can increase discomfort near your scar
🛏 PILLOW TALK: Nursing pillows can be helpful for keeping pressure of baby off of your tender tummy when feeding & wrap it around your belly when you need to sneeze or cough for extra support. We love
🧼 INCISION CARE: Keep the incision area dry and clean and follow care instructions shared by your medical professional. Check regularly for signs of infection
👟GENTLE MOVEMENT: It’s important to keep mobile after having a c-section to help prevent the risk of blood clots - start small and slowly build up to a light walk
✋🏻SCAR MASSAGE: If advised all is safe, from 6 weeks onwards, you can begin to perform gentle c-section massages to heal your wound and ease scaring, try caesarean scar recovery kits
💬 EMOTIONAL WELLBEING: You’re not alone. Feeling isolated? Seek support from friends, family or local groups. Use midwife check-ins to honestly share how you’re emotionally feeling

04/03/2026

Let us introduce to your most powerful breathwork tool for labour - Waves of Relaxation aka contraction breathing 🌊 A breath designed to invite control, calm and connection with every contraction or ‘surge’ as we like to call them in hypnobirthing
The notion of contractions can often conjure ideas of pain and fear. When we’re in this stress state our breath becomes short, sharp and teamed with adrenaline spike increase tension and discomfort. Instead Waves of Relaxation allows us to ease into a slow, stretched, steady breathwork flow, minimising pain and making our surges more effective
↕️ This easy and effective technique traces the breath up and down the body with each surge. Simply breathe in with the vertical muscles of the uterus and as they draw up the horizontal muscles allowing the cervix to gently open
💨This breath floods your uterus with oxygen at a time when you may want to tighten through your body & hold onto your breath.
😌With just 4 of these up and down Wave of Relaxation breaths you’ll comfortably and calmly see yourself through a surge - trust me, I’ve used this breathwork personally for birth and it WORKS!
✨Team this surge breathing with upright, forward and open (UFO) labour positions, positive birth affirmations and light touch massage from your birth partner and you’ll feel calm, relaxed and in control.
⏰Did you know that by working with breathwork during birth you’re also distorting time? This will ensure your labour passes more quickly and more comfortably. So turn those devices around and no clock watching mama!
Want to learn how to work with Waves of Relaxation and unlock 3 more amazing breathwork tools for birth? Tap contact in our bio SIGN UP for our Spring ‘26 courses �.

02/03/2026

NATALIE & LEE’S BIRTH STORY: Starting the week with a wonderful new Birth Story from Natalie & Lee. After Natalie’s waters broke and surges started soon after, she journeyed through much of her 12 hour labour in the comfort of home tapping into breathwork tools, hypnosis tracks and loving support from husband Lee. Arriving at hospital, her team were amazed at how calm Natalie was at 4cm dilated and later that evening she confidently hypnobirthed their baby boy into the world in water with no pain relief 👶
This is what Natalie & Lee shared about their Birth Story Hypnobirthing experience… “We did our 1-2-1 hypnobirthing course with Nicola and she was absolutely amazing. She encouraged us to have an open mind and her way of teaching was brilliant. She made a real effort to include my partner throughout, which made such a difference for both of us
I know I would have been incredibly anxious had I not done the course, but instead I felt calm, confident and in control going into labour, which really helped me have a positive birth experience. We genuinely enjoyed the sessions - they were very relaxing and something we both looked forward to weekly
I had always assumed birth would be full of pain and a scary experience, but Nicola helped me reframe those negative thoughts. The positive mindset she encouraged, along with the techniques she taught, helped enormously. I found the course far more beneficial and practical than the antenatal classes I attended. I went on to have a water birth which I never would have imagined before doing the course
What I also really appreciated was that there was absolutely no pressure or judgement. Nicola prepared us for all possibilities, including intervention or a c-section and gave us tools to cope if things didn’t go to plan. That reassurance alone made me feel so much calmer. There was never any shame around pain relief choices like an epidural, just support and understanding
I honestly don’t think I would have had a positive experience if it hadn’t been for Nicola. I highly recommend Nicola to anyone considering hypnobirthing. Thank you for everything!”

24/02/2026

5 BIRTH BALL POSITIONS FOR LABOUR:
Birth balls are amazing to use at any stage of your pregnancy, however, from around 32 weeks, gentle exercises and movements on the ball can help with and getting your baby in to the correct position for birth, improve posture and alleviate any aches pregnancy may bring. But, which birth ball positions are best when we’re working through labour?
Here’s 5 of our favourite easy yet effective positions…
↔️ROCK SIDE TO SIDE: Sitting astride the ball and rocking your pelvis from side to side or back and forth. This is also great for stretching out any tightness and tension in your back and hips
🔁HUG & ROCK: Getting into a hands-and-knees position by hugging your birthing ball and lifting your bottom up from a kneeling position. You can then rock your pelvis from side to side
🔄CIRCULAR MOTION: Wonderful for helping baby get into the optimum position during labour. Simply sit atop the ball and rotate your hips in a gentle, circular motion
8️⃣FIGURE OF 8: Move your hips to draw a sideways figure 8 (infinity symbol) pattern. Designed to help open the pelvis, reduce lower back pain during labour & encourage the baby into an optimal position for birth
↖️STAND & LEAN: If you find it uncomfortable kneeling or sitting on your birth ball, why not try leaning over your birth ball from standing position with the ball placed on a higher surface
KEY BIRTH BALL POINTERS…
🦶Go barefoot if you can and place your feet flat and far apart on the floor, ensuring your knees are lower than your hips
📏 Buy the right size for your height. Your knees should be about 10cm (4in) lower than your hips when you sit on it
⏱ Be sure to switch up positions every 20-30 minutes to help baby’s descent down the birth path
😌 Go slowly - pace yourself and don’t rush between switching up positions
What was your favourite position when using your birth ball throughout labour?

Birth Story Hypnobirthing

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