For Modern Mothers: Empowering Women - Pregnancy, Birth & Motherhood

04/09/2025

Here's a little reel for all the pregnant folk
Because making decisions in pregnancy is not easy.
When you're offered an intervention like induction or caesarean you want to know it's the right decision for you and your baby. Especially when all the data can feel intimidating or scary when you're thinking about yourself and your baby. It's emotive to hear certain language - like increased risk, 'higher risk' or 'doubles the risk'
But asking for the actual risk numbers, known as the
'absolute risk, can be so helpful when making decisions.
It completely changes what the 'relative risk' (the double/higher / more etc) means.
Along with this knowing what other options are available to you is important.
As is knowing what the risks of the intervention being offered itself (there's not a single intervention that has no risks
Unfortunately this doesn't happen nearly enough. I hear all the time that women feel expected to follow a certain pathway of care, as if they were sheep I, not individual humans with different needs and wants.
Yes pregnancy and birth have risks - all of life does. But it's the risks and how they feel to you that's important.
That you had full information, numbers, and a nuanced conversation with your doctor or midwife about you.
Then YOU get to make the decision. Based on anything you like - their research, other research you've found, your gut feeling. Whatever is important to you.

We look at all of this in detail on my course. It's vital to know this stuff. So you can make the best decisions for you.
I have no agenda. Simply that you have the tools and techniques to make this choices, and navigate your way through pregnancy and birth in an empowering way
All the details in my bio.
Susan x

PS please do share this reel with any pregnant folk you

02/09/2025

Do you know where these parts of your own body are?

If not, you are not alone. I read that in a study, most people in the UK can’t name all the parts of v***a. The study found that half of Britons couldn’t identify the urethra, while 37% mislabelled the cl****is (regardless of gender), only 49% identified the l***a, and only 18% correctly identified the perineum. 45% of women couldn’t accurately label the va**na.

Is it surprising when female anatomy is so little discussed? We may be familiar with diagrams of the female reproductive system from school - the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. But not the external genitalia.

In contrast I reckon most folk could identify a p***s & testicles on a diagram 🍆

This says SO MUCH about the state of women’s healthcare and health education, and our reproductive health in particular. We are just not taught this stuff.
If we don’t know our body, feel embarrassed or ashamed then it can make both preparing for birth and our postnatal recovery, healing and getting support for problems much more difficult.

It also raises HUGE questions about women’s ability to consent in labour & after labour. You need to understand what an episiotomy is, what an postbirth exam actually is.

As the researchers say
“If a midwife/doctor is going to examine you, or suggest any kind of treatment, you need to fully understand what’s going to happen, and the risks & benefits, to be able to give permission. If people aren’t understanding basic anatomy, or what’s even wrong with them, how can they properly consent to treatment?” Exactly.

If we don’t know our bodies and what’s normal & not then we could suffer for years with solvable problems postnatally like pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, sexual disfunction and ongoing pain.
I hear this a lot from women I teach. It’s not on.

It’s why I created my ‘What Nobody Tells You About Your Pelvic Floor - But You Need To Know’ online course. And have done specific training in Birth Injury recovery support.

Let’s break the taboo. So all women can be seen, heard and heal both body & mind
Susan x

Study in International Urogynecology Journal

01/09/2025

Oh my
Possibly the most brilliant and beautiful thing I’ve ever seen 🥰

57 days a mom 😮❤️😍🥰👀 this is beautiful 👌🏻

01/09/2025

Pregnancy Yoga - we start back this evening!

Come and join me and the most friendly and supportive group of mothers-to-be in town 😊

Open to everyone. Absolutely no yoga experience necessary. All body shapes and sizes. You are all so warmly welcomed 🥰

More info and booking online just here
https://www.formodernmothers.com/pregnancy-yoga-1

Any questions please just let me know

Susan x

31/08/2025

Join me for a supermassiveliedown!

Kids will be back at school - time for a recharge!! Goodness knows we deserve it 😮‍💨

Join me on Sunday 14th September for my Slow Sunday mini retreat.

An afternoon of rest, relaxation and real self-care 🥰

Come and press pause
Reset your nervous system
Take time for yourself

Info and Booking link here
https://buytickets.at/formodernmothers/1712073

See you there
Susan x

31/08/2025

New tern starts this week!

Come and join me for lots of super friendly and welcoming pregnancy and Mum & baby stuff

All the info & booking here:
https://www.formodernmothers.com/

Can't wait to see you all

Susan x

30/08/2025

☎️Today, we spoke with the Minister for Early Education, Stephen Morgan, about next week’s roll out of 30 hours childcare.

We took your voices - the ones that told us the system isn’t properly funded, and having impacts on your family finances and career progression - to let the Department for Education know that while the intention may be great, the details just aren’t working for far too many families.

In our recent research, you told us that fees continue to rise. Families aren’t having more children because of the cost of childcare (yet let’s not forget that we’re supposed to be having MORE children everyone!) And there’s a huge impact on women’s career progression - with parents returning to work earlier than planned, or even actively avoiding promotion in order to remain eligible for support.

Meanwhile, childcare providers are on the brink - unable to make the system work because it just isn’t funded properly.

💰We are continuing to ask the government to fund the system properly, and make sure it works for all families.

🚨Important! Parents can apply before 1st September as long as their children will be 9 months old before the deadline - so if you haven’t yet, check your eligibility through the link in our bio.🚨

30/08/2025

Why wear your baby in a sling?

Well there are so many brilliant reasons.
~ Firstly we are basically ‘cling mammals’. To keep our offspring safe we carry them around. Just like primates carry their babies - we’re made to do the same. Baby primates cling into mums fur, bur as were less hairy a sling comes in handy! 🐒And no this does NOT make your baby ‘clingy’ - there is no such thing.

~ That means baby’s feel safer, less stressed and so happier, when they are on our chests - and a sling facilitates this. It’s helping with their nervous system regulation. 😊🧠

~ So babies in a sling will cry less. In one study carrying babies for 3 hours a day reduced crying by nearly half.

~ Slings also help babies regulation of temperature and heart rate. 🌡❤️

~ babies who are carried spend more time in a state known as ‘quiet alertness’,l. Meaning calm but awake and taking everything in. This is an optimal state for learning new things. So it’s great for their developing brains 🧠

~ Carrying may reduce the risk of babies having a flat head (plagiocephaly).
Because as they are spending time not lying with the back of their head flat down.
~ You get to be hands free. Massive win ! 🙌☕️
~ They keep you warm like a mini hot water bottle in cold weather 🥶
So carry abd cuddle your baby as much as you want to. It releases oxytocin for both of you. We are so used to seeing imagery babies being put down in prams, in cots, Moses baskets etc

But modern societal norms often are not aligned with biologically normal baby behaviour, needs and their expectations!
You are their safe space. They feel calmer when they can smell you, hear your voice, feel your heartbeat and be near food!

More about baby wearing and what to expect with your baby in my brilliant online Postnatal Course - The Truth About Motherhood. You can buy it (£75) or it’s FREE to everyone on my Hypnobirthing & Complete Antenatal Course.

We have an amazing resource if that you can get information, support and try out lot if different baby carriers. Do head to see them & feel more confident

Susan x

28/08/2025

And finally....

Don't call us - we'll call you

Any more? Let me know your best fourth trimester door signs

Susan x

27/08/2025

Fourth Trimester Door Signs....

Lasagne drop off point
(this one is probably my fave!)

Susan x

26/08/2025

Fourth Trimester Door Signs....

Seriously print them out, ready for unexpected and unannounced visitors :)

More coming in the next few days

Susan x