GentleBirth with Emmelena Cullen

20/02/2021

https://www.babygaga.com/mindfulness-pregnancy-postpartum-tracy-donegan-interview/

BabyGaga spoke to Tracy Donegan about practicing mindfulness in pregnancy and postpartum.

17/12/2020

I attended a rally outside the Coombe Hospital this week to highlight the ongoing restrictions affecting pregnant women and their partners.

📰👉https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40191690.html

I welcome the fact that partners are now allowed to attend 20 week scans and active labour, but more measures need to be lifted.
Parents should have a right to be at their child’s birth. They are managing it in other countries. Why not here?

"Pregnant women should be allowed to have one person alongside them during scans, appointments, labour and birth. The chosen person should be regarded as "an integral part of both the woman and baby's care" - not just a visitor." This is the position taken by the NHS in England: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55330549

The families affected appreciate that public health is a priority, but at this stage the restrictions are having a significant negative impact on the mental health of new mothers and their partners.

Almost two weeks ago, a petition with over 50,000 signatures was handed in to the Government on this issue.

Expectant parents don't have an organised lobby. They need us all to speak out so that the Government will listen.

04/12/2020

This is shocking. I'm not surprised but I am disgusted at the lack of respect for the expectant women of IRELAND. Fathers not allowed in to scans yet producers wander around The Rotunda maternity hospital, Dublin ???

*Received from a follower early this afternoon*

I’m sat in the hospital currently and a ‘producer from [name omitted by admin]’ as she identified herself just walked into the waiting room and asked if anyone was due January. When one woman says she was she began the spiel about the show they’d be making etc... meanwhile I’m waiting here alone for my 13 week booking appointment and scan, my husband is strolling around Henry Street and with a history of miscarriage we’re both very much hoping all is well on scan... so the hospital must mean no camera crew but producers may be found strolling around onsite... it’s really offensive and it’s morally wrong 😑

29/11/2020

Inductions happen for many reasons.

For some parents they are an unwelcome disruption to their plans for a spontaneous start to labor.

For some they are a welcome relief.

But for ALL parents their reasons are not anyone else’s concern.

And ALL parents deserve to be supported to have the most positive, empowered birth experience possible.

Learn more about how to have a positive induction in the free 300+ page book in the GentleBirth App.

26/11/2020

Take a pause and enjoy a few moments !!!

Take your mind on a positive journey with this easy guided meditation. Visit donothing.uk to learn more about mindfulness and the Oxford Mindfulness Centre.

24/11/2020

As Covid-19 continues to have an impact on mental health, a leading doctor has revealed that babies are being born "anxious" due to pandemic- related stress faced by mothers during pregnancy.

24/11/2020

Are you thinking of adding a little mindfulness to your day? ❤️
Try this technique and practice S. T. O. P 👇

Thousands of studies have revealed the power of mindfulness not only for our individual health, but for our success in relationships as well as careers.Research has shown over and over the positive…

20/11/2020

Wonderful post from a fellow GentleBirth instructor. Words of wisdom and truth!!! Neuroplasticity is so interesting and incredibly relevant in pregnancy. TFS Nicole M. Vazquez Miralla

It’s ironic but true: The best thing for your nervous system is another human and the worst thing for your nervous system is another human. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett tells us why.

20/11/2020

When 51 participants took 10 weeks of compassion training, their anxiety levels went down.

18/11/2020

Imagine if epidurals were all of sudden banned due to an adverse event that may or may not have even been to do with an epidural, would we discount all the thousands of safe epidural births that happened before? Then without any investigation, the decision is made remove the right for any woman to have an epidural supported birth.

NATIONWIDE EPIDURAL BAN!!!

Now even though they’re continuing to safely provide epidurals in other countries, Ireland announces a complete ban with immediate effect and with no guidance on when or if it will be reinstated.

How do you think that would be received by the people of this country?

Well birth pools are known as 'the midwives epidural’ for a reason. They alleviate pain, pressure, prevent tearing, decrease time in labour, lower episiotomy and tearing rates, lower rates of postpartum hemorrhage, promote healthy safe outcomes and yet what I described above has happened to Waterbirth in Ireland.

“Beginning of November 2020, the HSE restricted water birth services in Ireland without prior investigation or notice. This is a drastic step and it is further limiting the maternity & midwifery services in Ireland. This suspension has been executed in an undemocratic way, without a conducted review or public discussion and is taking away a birthing option from expectant women. It is hurting the women’s right of autonomy in childbirth. It should be the right of a pregnant woman to determine the environment in which they will feel the most secure during labour. Especially when the service has been proven to be safe and gentle for both mother and baby. Furthermore, in times of a pandemic, where giving birth is already connected to uncertainty and limited choices, the suspension on water births further restricts maternity services.

With this instance of restricting a nationally and internationally recognised service for delivering babies, the Irish health system is getting further away from the 2016 released “National Maternity Strategy” that states that “there is a lack of choice for expectant mothers (…).”
We need to step forward to stand our ground to get this birthing option back that was in place for 12 years so far.Also, we have to support our qualified and well-trained midwives whose services are being undermined by this suspension.

We - mothers,expectant mothers,partners,midwives and many more - need to get vocal in order to get this choice back and even further advance the birthing rights in Ireland by applying pressure on HSE and the government.”

Whether you would avail of a waterbirth or not, please sign this petition. Sign it for a future pregnancy or your sister, daughter, wife, partner, cousin, friend, client. If this did ever happen to epidurals, I would sign it in a heartbeat because removing birth options makes birth dangerous for all birthing people.

PLEASE SIGN & SHARE 🙏🏻

https://www.change.org/p/hse-return-of-water-birth-service-in-ireland

18/11/2020

What is your morning routine? Do you practice gratitude as part of your daily practice?

Waking up is like the sun rising. At first it's mostly dark, as glimmers of consciousness begin to light the shadows. Emerging into full wakefulness.

10/11/2020

Aisling and Glen have kindly hosted my workshops in recent years. Wonderful treats to eat and beautiful gifts to purchase at WB's and the Sligo Oyster Experience. There also is nothing like the unique Oyster tour with Aisling. A truly wonderful host ❤️ This is a must for all visitors to Sligo!!!

www.wbscoffeehouse.ie
www.sligooysterexperience.ie

Aisling and Glen Hunter run the Sligo Oyster Experience and Oyster bar and as well as offering a culinary experience and oyster town tours, they also make simple but eye-catching candles (€6) from recycled oyster shells. sligooysterexperience.ie 👏👏👏

Looking for a perfect gift? Jewellery, textiles, toys, beauty, art, food, and more, all made in Ireland

09/11/2020

Source: Breastfeeding Mama Talk

03/11/2020

Firstly I offer:

One to one life coaching sessions for business owners.

Why would you need this?

I've been running my own business for years and it can sometimes be a lonely affair. I know firsthand the benefit of having another person, outside of the business, with an objective mind to brainstorm ideas with, to help identify what is working and what needs to change and to explore how to go about making those changes. It's so important to have someone on your side, to help you make those all important decisions.

Life coaching is just as effective over the phone or an online format (zoom, skype etc). Just get in touch to book your session

02/11/2020

Looking forward to my next download from Audible. The audio version of Tracy Donegan's new book is out now!!!

29/10/2020

Looking forward to holding a live meditation in the GentleBirth parents group at 8pm. See you there. ♥️

20/10/2020

Did you know our national team are continuing to offer doula support throughout Level 5 restrictions?

We offer all of our services both VIRTUALLY and IN PERSON depending on your preference

We create Bespoke Packages for our clients so you can choose the perfect support for your positive and empowered journey

✔Antenatal Courses
✔Putting together your Birth Preferences
✔Empowering your birth partner with knowledge and skills
✔Helping you to get into a good headspace
✔Breathing Tecniques & Mindfulness
✔Labour & Birth support
✔Parenting Courses
✔Sessions to answer questions and bounce ideas
✔Practical hands on support in your home
💕And much more...

You do not have to feel alone and isolated during these times. Our team are here to support you every step of the way

Email info@doulacare.ie

20/10/2020

Looking forward to starting this Bressie mindful moments podcast with my little people. Thanks

‎Education for Kids · 2020

20/10/2020

Settling into a basic sense of okayness is a powerful way to build well-being and resources in your brain and your being, says Rick Hanson and his coauthors.

20/10/2020

Join our weekly Wednesday Wellness sessions each Wednesday through December.

During the first half we'll have a labour Q&A including tips and strategies for a positive birth during Covid and we'll end with a short meditation.

Zoom details posted in our GentleBirth group.

For the privacy of our participants calls are not recorded.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/273661266056860

20/10/2020

As we settled into the ‘new normal’ of the Pandemic several months ago and realized just how serious it was most of us adopted a stiff upper lip attitude and got on with it – what choice did we have?  Most had the mental reserves to suck it up and ‘push on’ through the many changes su...

18/10/2020

Mindfulness means simply being present fully moment, after moment, after moment. That gives you a lot of information about the world outside you and inside you. And it also gives you more control over your attention. Our experiences are continually changing the brain for better or for worse. So it's really important to be able to pull your attention away from what's not useful for you or others and to rest your attention on what is beneficial, what is enjoyable and useful to grow more of it inside yourself.

https://www.rickhanson.net/teaching/just-one-minute/

16/10/2020

I apologise for the length of my story but I cannot shorten it any more.

I gave birth in August 2020. Our little boy was conceived after the one and only shot at IVF we could afford. We had been trying for three years.

My husband was able to attend our 12 week scan but none afterwards. His exclusion was tough on both of us but we both agreed as it was for the protection of our baby we would just have to deal with it.

Due to gestational diabetes, I was told I would be induced early, which terrified me as it would mean at least a couple of days in hospital alone. Our one hope as my due date approached was that the restrictions would be eased enough to allow my husband to be with me. By my scheduled induction date, partners were allowed to come in to the hospital for limited evening hours as well as during active labour. We tried to convince ourselves this would be enough and we should consider ourselves lucky to even have that.

I arrived to the hospital on the morning of my induction, terrified but trying to be positive. I had been told not to worry about being alone, that the medical staff were a huge support to labouring mothers during these times and that they would help me through this process. My husband left me to the hospital doors, tears streaming down both our faces. I was admitted to my ward by a business like but warm midwife, the induction process was started pretty quickly and so I was tentatively positive, thinking that maybe I would be OK.

Unfortunately my experience went downhill from there. The induction failed as did subsequent efforts by the hospital staff to break my waters. On day two a male student doctor examined me quite roughly and tried to break my waters again. Whether he was just inexperienced or just didn’t care, he was unsuccessful and it was excruciating. He made me feel as if was my fault.

The lovely midwife that admitted me comforted me afterwards and told me she was sorry for the way he handled me.

My waters were eventually broken the next morning, day three. After all the unsuccessful procedures I had already been through, I was in a lot of pain and needed gas to get through it. Once they broke, the doctor told me I would be moved to the labour room within a couple of hours and to call my husband to get to the hospital by 10am. I was happy that I would finally have support and was looking forward to meeting my baby.

10am came and went. My husband sat patiently outside the hospital waiting for me to call him. My contractions had started and I was sure it wouldn’t be long. A new team of midwives took over in the ward who seemed unaware of how long I had been admitted for and how many procedures it had taken to get my labour going. When I enquired at 2pm as to when I would be moved to the labour ward, I was told my turn would come. The midwife coldly told me to get on with it. My husband had been sat outside for four hours at this stage. I was in too much pain to walk. I lay in my bed crying and trying to communicate with my husband through the pain. The midwife just closed my curtain.

At 5pm, after my husband sitting outside for more than seven hours, I was told I was being moved to a labour room. Due to high temperature/heart rate my baby boy was born by emergency section that evening.

My time on the post natal ward was even worse than I ever could have expected. I tried to breastfeed my son in the hours after his birth but the effects of the drugs from the surgery made it impossible. I was left alone holding him while I was nodding off, I remember desperately trying to stay awake so that I didn’t drop him.

Early the next morning, his blood sugar was checked and was so dangerously low that he was whisked to the NICU. He was understandably bottle fed, ending all hope I had of breastfeeding. I tried desperately to express colostrum for him but no staff were available to assist me.

As soon as I was lucid enough the next morning I asked could I visit my baby. A midwife advised me to wait and be brought by wheelchair as I was only just 12 hours after surgery, she asked a medical student to bring me. This student was unimpressed at having been asked to do this, told me to walk, that it would do me good and it wasn’t her job to es**rt me, it should have been a porter. When the head NICU doctor saw that I was walking she was horrified and insisted I be brought back to the ward by wheelchair.

Thankfully my baby was returned to me that evening. From then onwards I struggled with trying to care for my baby while still dealing with the physical effects of the emergency section. There was little to no help available from the midwives. They were rushed off their feet trying to take care of the ward while dangerously understaffed.

My mental health deteriorated quickly. My baby wouldn’t settle on the ward and would cry when he wasn’t being held. I had to try to wait for visiting hours for my husband to come before I could visit the bathroom. My disposable underwear and maternity pads would be absolutely saturated by this stage but it was that or let my baby cry. I got so little sleep that I ended up hysterically crying one night. A midwife took my baby for an hour and told me to get some sleep but I could still hear him crying. I lay on my bed sobbing. I felt I had failed my baby.

When I finally got home, my husband was so shocked at how mentally broken I was, that it triggered an anxiety attack for him.

I will never have another child. Even if I could conceive naturally, I wouldn’t after my experience in the hospital. I understand limiting visitors but my husband was not a ‘visitor’, he was my support system and without him, I crumbled. He deserved to be there to experience his only child being born and he deserved more than to have his wife return from the hospital as a shell of the woman that went in.

13/10/2020

A Peaceful Arrival for Baby Vida I have to say THANK YOU! Thank you to the GentleBirth Team!! I had the most amazing imaginable first homebirth 2 weeks ago. I downloaded the app around 20 weeks and started doing my own hypnobirthing practice from the beginning on. The app gave me a perfect daily s

12/10/2020

08/10/2020

Mindfulness eases Covid stress and anxiety during pregnancy.

Start your mindfulness practice today - stop and focus on just the sensation of your breath coming in and out of your body and when your mind wanders simply bring your attention back to the breath.

03/10/2020

Pregnancy losses and the resulting grief can often be minimized or invalidated, even by people with good intentions...
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RESPECT. Everyone grieves differently and we all need to be given the time and space to mourn as needed. ♥️
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• October is a month to honor those impacted by pregnancy and infant loss. Today we are thinking of and Baby Jack and holding space for them. We have always admired Chrissy for how open and transparent she is about sharing both her struggles and triumphs with infertility, breastfeeding, and motherhood. We believe the greatest harm is done when we fail to acknowledge the loss of a pregnancy or infant. We must listen, hold space, and openly recognize that this happens. The more we talk about it, the more others can talk about it.
Repost from
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We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before. We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions. It just wasn’t enough.
We never decide on our babies’ names until the last possible moment after they’re born, just before we leave the hospital.  But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack.  So he will always be Jack to us.  Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever.
To our Jack - I’m so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn’t give you the home you needed to survive.  We will always love you.
Thank you to everyone who has been sending us positive energy, thoughts and prayers.  We feel all of your love and truly appreciate you.
We are so grateful for the life we have, for our wonderful babies Luna and Miles, for all the amazing things we’ve been able to experience.  But everyday can’t be full of sunshine.  On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it.

03/10/2020

You see these photos, these beautiful, raw, magical photos of birth on Instagram.. and it challenges everything you know birth to be.. in the movies they just don't look like this.. maybe your last birth didn't look like this.. Where's the hospital bed? Where's the doctor? Where are the machines? Where's the hospital? Where's the screaming? Why isn't she lying down? Where's the fear?

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Sure, the hypothetical births of instagram might look like this, but yours can't, because birth ACTUALLY looks like it does on TV. Doesn't it? You can't have a birth like this because you've got diabetes. You can't have a birth like this because you're having a VBAC. You can't have a birth like this because it's your fist baby. You can't have a birth like this because birth doesn't go to plan. You can't have a birth like this because you want an epidural. You can't have a birth like this because you're not allowed a home birth.

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I'm going to tell you a secret. You. CAN.

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What is this birth? This birth is one where you feel informed and supported in you choices. This birth is one where you feel calm and free from fear. This birth is one where you surrender to the power of your body. This birth is one where you feel like a fu***ng superhero! This is YOUR positive birth experience. (Incidentally, it doesn't matter whether this birth is in a hospital or at home or in water or on a bed or if your baby comes out of your va**na or your abdomen).

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THIS, is a photo of a REAL birth. The photos we share on here are ALL real births! The power, the silence, the roaring, the pride, the love, the strength, the joy, the struggle, the women, the babies.. ALL REAL. The ones you see on TV? Not real!

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How much do you want to feel like this?
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03/10/2020

Whether you lost your baby at 6 weeks.
Whether you lost your baby at 12 weeks.
Whether you lost your baby at 16 weeks.
Whether you lost your baby at 20 weeks.

Whether it is your first loss.
Whether it is your second loss.
Whether it is your third loss.
Whether is is your fourth loss.

Whether you have not had a child.
Whether you already have a child.
Whether you have two children.
Whether you have three children or more.

Whether you lost your baby in your teens.
Whether you lost your baby in your twenties.
Whether you lost your baby in your thirties.
Whether you lost your baby in your forties.

Whether you lost your baby through ivf.
Whether you lost your baby through unplanned pregnancy.
Whether you lost your baby through planned pregnancy.
Whether you lost your baby through surrogacy.

Your pregnancy loss matters.
Your grief matters.
Your tears matter.
You matter.

Words: Yvette Mystakas - She is Sacred
Image: Unknown

www.instagram.com/yvettemystakas

03/10/2020

In 2014 CUMH (Cork) compared the outcomes of 100 parents taking their hospital class and 100 parents taking a GentleBirth class. Their research compared breastfeeding initiation. As you might expect - an approach to the transition to parenthood that focuses on empowerment, confidence and emotional regulation improves many of the measured outcomes including breastfeeding. The authors recommended aspects of our approach be part of the National Maternity Strategy.

It's 2020 - how do we compare now? The numbers speak for themselves.

The GentleBirth app includes a 3 month 'journey' of postpartum content to support parents navigating their way. We recognise that the 4th trimester can be the most emotionally and physically demanding for new parents.

(Data from the Breastfeeding-in-a-healthy-ireland-report.pdf)

03/10/2020

What is mindfulness? Dr. Amishi Jha talks about mindfulness and her research on mindfulness training and building resilience. Amishi Jha, Ph.D., is an Associ...

02/10/2020

She had a water birth at home in her bedroom,
You had a emergency cesarean section,
She didn’t ‘do it’ better than you, she did ‘it’ too.

She got her epidural and things went smoothly,
You had forceps and an episiotomy,
She didn’t ‘do it’ better than you, she did ‘it’ too.

She went into labour at 39 weeks,
You were induced at 42+6,
She didn’t ‘do it’ better than you, she did ‘it’ too.

She had a quick birth, just a few hours,
You had a marathon, 3 long days of surges,
She didn’t ‘do it’ better than you, she did ‘it’ too.

Her baby took to breastfeeding and they fed for a year,
You expressed for a bit, then used formula,
She didn’t ‘do it’ better than you, she did ‘it’ too.

Hers was sleeping, 8 weeks in, through the night,
Yours was co-sleeping at 2, which you liked,
She didn’t ‘do it’ better than you, she did ‘it’ too.

She reads a poem about her and about you..

You think she’s ‘she’...

(She thinks you’re ‘she’ too)

Let her do her,
And you do you.






She: A poem for motherhood, by Megan Rossiter, birth-ed

Happy all 😍

Photo

02/10/2020

Amazing image ♥️ congratulations to this amazing Mama. 💐👏

This moment right here is everything. Even though her faced is blurred out, you can still see her look of "I did it". She took control of her birth and even caught her baby. And it was powerful.

02/10/2020

Pregnant people with bigger bodies CAN and DO have healthy pregnancies and births. BMI is not a rule out for home birth. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The amount of in perinatal care (and medicine in general) is totally astounding. One of the primary ways this comes out is the assumption that fat = diabetes and bight blood pressure, aka . When in fact CORRELATION (higher rates in the population) does not equal CAUSATION (that you will develop a condition because of your size). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So how do you have a in a bigger body? The same way everyone else does - getting lots of nourishing foods and good protein sources, drinking water, moving your body and getting your heart rate up a few times a week, finding joy and relaxation, and educating yourself about your options!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My favorite resource is - they have an amazing guide on their site about what to expect from prenatal care, what fatphobia can look like in provider assumptions and recommendations, and how to choose a size friendly provider.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Photo of .and.pregnant from ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀