Pure Natural Pregnancy

Lynsey

Eilidh (Ay-Lee) Venning shares her two beautifully peaceful home birth stories. Originally from Scotland, she now lives in Cape Town, South Africa, where the birthing "norms" are very different. She was determined to have a natural home birth both times, and she did it well!

Dr Stephanie Barto is a crazy busy women. She's a mum of 2, with a third baby on the way, she's a prenatal & paediatric chiropractor and business owner.  In this episode we discuss the importance of self care throughout pregnancy and into motherhood. Stephanie & myself also veer off into the extremely important discussion of expectations. The people around you (and their views on pregnancy/birth) can make or break your outcomes, so choose them wisely!

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This episode is a MUST LISTEN for anyone in the UK. The face of birth is changing - midwives are currently regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (an oxymoron in itself!), who are proving themselves to be unfit for purpose.  Rather than being responsible for assisting the wants of the women they are providing care for - which has always been the duty of a midwife - under the new regulations, midwives are instead going to have their practice ruled by what their employer (the NHS trust or the private company who they work for) wants them to do. Why does this matter? Well, if you want to give birth outside of the "norm" for that employer then you may be told you're not allowed.  For years, I've seen memes that pronounce "You're not allowed to tell me I'm not allowed" and "My body, my baby, my birth".  Under the current changes, this has the potential to all change. Listen to Katherine explain the situation much better than I can! It really is an eye opening episode.

[et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"] Feeling like a failure after my caesarean I recorded this episode off-the-cuff sitting in a hotel room early on a Sunday morning. Myself and my beautiful friend MaryAnne (from the You're Doing Great Mom podcast) had planned the weekend away as a bit of TLC. We need that time as busy mums to rest and recharge, so that's what we did. After a couple of large glasses of Rioja, we got talking about my first birth with George. It was a planned home birth that turned into an emergency caesarean at 33 weeks. MaryAnne knew bits and bobs about my birth, but she didn't know the full depth of it. She had no idea that I felt like a failure after my caesarean. I told my family that I felt like a failure, that my body let me down, and most of all that I didn't deserve to have children. My feelings were invalidated and dismissed, because I had a "healthy baby". That's not how it should be. Clearly this had been on my mind all night, because I woke up with the urge to record a heartfelt episode to go in depth into the birth trauma and associated feelings that led to me having PTSD. Challenging core beliefs "As a chiropractor, one of my greatest fundamental beliefs is that the body is just perfectly designed, and here I was with a body that wasn't perfectly designed… that had failed me… that had made it so that I couldn’t have a baby naturally. It really challenged every single belief that I have" I really struggled with coming to terms with what happened, and how I felt about it. Not just the birth, but the initial feelings toward my beautiful baby. As pregnant mums, I think we all sit and visualise how our lives will be, and what kind of parents we'll be too. Nobody sits and thinks to themselves, "I think I'll get separated from my baby and not even coo over a photo of him". But that's the reality for many of us. It wasn't this overwhelming surge of love and affection that I thought it'd be. I was scared. Petrified in fact. It wasn't how birth was meant to be. It wasn't how my birth was meant to be. Working through the feelings Once I finally accepted that I needed help, I went for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) through Essex mental health services. It really helped me to shake the feeling of failure after my caesarean. I also self-referred for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) when I was pregnant the second time around and a lot of the fear cropped back up. It's not the easiest thing to open yourself up to the vulnerability, and I struggled at first, but it's honestly the best thing I did. Letting go of the stigma There's SO much stigma surrounding mental health anyway, but although people talk about PND, I'd never even thought that you could get PTSD unless you were a soldier or the victim of a horrific crime. I believe that it's so important to share stories of birth trauma, PTSD, PND and any other mental health issues surrounding birth & pregnancy. While I'm totally in support of positive birth, sometimes things aren't rosy, and we need to validate that. I've since discovered that feeling like a failure after my caesarean is pretty common. I wish I'd known at the time. Learn more Listen to my interview on MaryAnne's You're Doing Great Mom podcast here Read more about my feelings following George's birth in my post: I had a baby, but I didn't "give birth"   [/et_pb_text][et_pb_cta admin_label="Call To Action" title="Share this and let those who are struggling know they're not alone!" url_new_window="off" use_background_color="on" background_color="#edf000" background_layout="light" text_orientation="center" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid" custom_button="off" button_letter_spacing="0" button_use_icon="default" button_icon_placement="right" button_on_hover="on" button_letter_spacing_hover="0"] If you know that someone out there could benefit from hearing this episode, or reading this post, please share. It's a lonely place, and I want to change that, for someone else out there, by letting them know that they're not alone. [/et_pb_cta][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Child development is something every parent is concerned about - we all want our children to be the best! As with many health-related issues, we often wait until something is wrong before seeking help. When we wait until school age tests to be certain how our child is developing, it's often past the critical period to be able to see the biggest change to their brain function. In this episode, I talk to Dr Marty Rosen who teaches internationally on the topic of how skull movement affects brain development in babies and children. Often babies have small but noticeable asymmetries in their skulls, which can alter the way the child's brain develops. This is sometimes due to a traumatic delivery, like forceps pressure, sometimes due to sleeping positions, but often the baby's positioning inside Mum's tummy has a big effect too. As a baby's brain begins to develop before he/she is born, by the time of birth, the foundations are in place for this growth and development to continue through infancy. A whopping 80-90% of brain growth occurs within those first two years, so this is a really important episode for all parents to listen to. One of the biggest things I hope to do with this podcast is to encourage change before things "go wrong", and Marty is absolutely on the ball with that message too. But be warned, Marty is an absolute wealth of knowledge, and he talks fast.... really fast! So you may have to rewind back a few times, but I promise you, it's worth it. What this man doesn't know, is not worth knowing. About Marty Rosen Martin G. Rosen, DC, is a 1981 graduate of Life Chiropractic College.  He lives and practices with his wife Nancy Watson, D.C and his daughter Erin Rosen, D.C. in Wellesley, Massachusetts.  Dr. Rosen taught his first chiropractic seminar in 1979 and has traveled the world teaching SOT®, pediatrics, cranial adjusting, practice management and chiropractic philosophy and neurology ever since.  For over 33 years, he has been at the forefront of chiropractic pediatric and specifically pediatric craniopathy.  He has written multiple books and research studies as well as run a successful family chiropractic practice.   Dr. Rosen has dedicated his life and inspired thousands of others in the pursuit of excellence in the application in the art and science of chiropractic.  His "Pediatric Chiropractic Care" book is a "must have" book for those chiropractors looking to become experts in the care of children. He is widely active on social media, and you can find him on Facebook in many forms: his personal page, his office, his paediatric page and he's also on twitter. In this episode, we discuss: How a baby’s brain begins to develop before he/she has even been born The formation of synapses (connections) between different parts of the brain begins in utero! Foundations are needed to build the basis for the baby to grow on, and reach developmental milestones At birth we have almost all the raw materials to develop upon 80-90% of brain growth occurs in the first 2 years The survival part of the brain (cerebellum) grows 240% in the first year of life Social developmental milestones are reached as a result of the nervous system growth Psychologists describe the first 2 years as the period for most dynamic growth Why it’s so important to identify children at risk of neuro-developmental delay within the first year A lot of the issues we are seeing in children at school age actually occurred within the first year of life The health of our future generations is declining due to the onslaught of environmental insults Children need a nervous system that is able to deal with the insults in order to develop appropriately, which is the aim of the chiropractic paradigm Environmental insults can be physical (falls, bumps to the head, junior sports), chemical (air & water pollution, electromagnetic fields from mobile phones and iPads, food), emotional (lack of bonding) & sometimes spiritual The nervous system usually adapts, but sometimes compensates The three parts of the nervous system and what they control within the body: central, peripheral and autonomic How a stretched spinal cord (from forward postures such as children playing on iPads, or even from a straightforward birth) affects the developing brain and body, as a result of changing the tone of the nervous system Compensatory patterns - what they are and how we get them - if we have too many things to compensate for, then we can’t develop as well or as quickly as intended How nerves from the upper neck feed directly into the brain, and while glitches may not show up immediately, as different areas of the brain begin to develop, differences are noticed How an overloaded nervous system can begin to balance once subluxations are corrected Different children with different personalities will show their inability to adapt in different ways, but it all comes down to the same thing - an overwhelmed nervous system How the skull is designed to allow the brain to grow, but with altered movement in the skull bones, the whole system down to the coccyx is affected - this changes the speed of nerve reaction times Slower nerve reaction times may result in slower learning The younger you are, the better the ability to adapt Symptoms aren’t a good indicator of whether a child needs to be checked How birth affects the infant’s nervous system Marty’s preference is to check all babies within 7-10 days Final thought: “It is imperative to have your child’s spine and nervous system checked by a competent chiropractor as soon as possible to make sure that you give them the greatest opportunity to develop their optimum potential: neurologically, immune system, socially, emotionally & physically” Further research: Pediatric Chiropactic Care by Martin Rosen, DC www.drmartinrosen.com Journal of Vertebral Subluxation McCoy Press International Chiropactic Pediatric Association SOTO-USA  SOTO-Europe

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Dr Greg Venning is a husband, a father, the author of the book Thrive!, founder of Peak Chiropractic and developer of Upgrade Your Life. He’s in demand as an engaging speaker and powerful coach. Dr Greg has helped people of all ages to improve their levels of well-being and lead richer lives. Unlike other doctors he’s interested in creating health and not treating sickness. Supporting families through the circle of life from pre-conceptive care to pregnancy to post partum care and back to pre-conceptive care are a big part of Greg’s life. He loves looking after newborns and centenarians alike. Dr Greg has studied, taught and practiced internationally, holds a Masters Degree in Chiropractic, is a Certified Wellness Professional and practices in glorious Cape Town, South Africa. Human potential and personal performance are Dr Greg’s driving passions and he believes you were born to be brilliant. By reconnecting with your in born potential you can transform yours and your family’s life. In this episode: WHO codes pregnancy as a disease within their classification How Greg came into family health, after seeing paradigms in his sporting career that didn’t make sense with him – performance enhancement was ignored in favour of getting people back on the field as soon as possible The “inside-out” approach to health, and what that means Innate intelligence of the body works for health every time Fever in the body – when you should be concerned Disconnection during pregnancy and birth Masculine view of controlling pregnancy, which came from the “enlightened movement” in the 1600’s The history of lying on your back for birth Where science took the body, while the church took the mind/spirit, which allowed science to discover more about the body How the mind-body are connected more than we realise Where hypnobirthing and the use of language affects the body at a deep level and allows mums to connect with baby Positive birth experiences require an inside-out approach, and not a fear based choice pushed upon us by someone else The importance of congruency when making birth choices How I created my own positive birth choices The gratitude that a negative birth experience can foster later in life Basic principles of epigenetics, and how this affects our health How genes are passing down through the generations Birth experiences create different gene expressions, separate from the micro biome Why pregnancy is literally and metaphorically a balancing act Pregnancy is a time of introspection Perinatal mental health If pregnancy guidelines were positive rather than fear based… Releasing fear = releasing blockages Creating a space in which you can connect with your baby Be here now! Further Research: Has the medicalisation of birth gone too far? BMJ 2002;324:892-5 Developmental Programming, a Pathway to Disease. Endocrinology. 2016 Apr;157(4):1328-40. The Placenta Harbors a Unique Microbiome. Sci Transl Med 21 May 2014: Vol. 6, Issue 237, p. 237ra65 Move your DNA by Katie Bowman Seeding and Feeding the Microbiome podcast episode with Toni Harman Suicide: the leading cause of maternal death Why perinatal depression matters by Mia Scotland Thrive by Greg Venning

April is a doula, birth after caesarean coach and 2 x caesarean and 1x vba2c mama herself. She founded the Empowered Birth After Caesarean online antenatal programme, April feels passionately about women's choices, rights and birth experiences after caesarean. She feels it's her calling to support and educate mums so they can have a truly empowered birth after caesarean, no matter how their baby is born. April is a mum to 3 boys, she loves tea, chocolate, yoga and reading any birthy, feminist, personal development book she can get her hands on. Yes, she really lives and breathes her work! TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode, we do discuss some aspects of our caesarean experiences, which could potentially be upsetting if you have had a traumatic birth. In this episode What is an empowered birth Birth after caesarean VBAC clinics Discussing options with Supervisor of Midwives Declining consultant appointments - it doesn’t mean that you will never be allowed to see a doctor ever again Choosing the right kind of care for you, just like if you were having any other health care! Language around birth Relative risk of uterine rupture (the big “risk” with VBAC) Reframing previous experiences, in order to take away the positives Your current birth is different to your prior births Taking control of your experience Creating a “plan C” for a more positive caesarean if your birth takes that route Things you may not be told about caesarean Protecting your own mental health Making peace with whatever happens, through shaping your experience in advance Ways to let go of your fears and previous birth experiences Debriefing previous birth experiences - officially and unofficially Support for caesarean mums April’s online Empowered Birth After Caesarean course Further Resources: “Birth after previous caesarean birth” Greentop Guidelines Gentle caesarean research Birth preferences download (my own personal birth preferences for birth after caesarean) Pandas Doula UK Caesarean Support UK Empowered Birth After Caesarean course online

Amanda Burleigh Amanda has been in Midwifery practice for over 27 years. Although most of her practice has been in Leeds, she also worked as a Midwife in New Zealand, experiencing a very different model of Midwifery care. Over ten years ago Amanda began to challenging the practice of immediate cord clamping after realising that this common routine practice had absolutely no evidence base and deprived babies of valuable stem cell enriched full blood. Amanda has campaigned for a change in practice from immediate cord clamping to delayed cord clamping and has seen all national and international guidelines change their guidance to recommend this. Amanda is a co-inventor of the award winning Basics/Lifestart trolley which enables vulnerable babies to be ventilated whilst the umbilical cord is kept intact to ensure they receive their full blood benefit. Amanda has written many articles and talked at numerous events about optimal cord clamping and changing practice and fully harnessed the power of social media by participating in an international network of midwives, doctors, birth-workers and parents who share and disseminate the latest in research and education regarding optimal cord clamping. Amanda has been nominated and won several awards for her work in this area including Midwife of the Year 2015, British Journal of Midwifery and Midwife of the Year 2012, Yorkshire Evening Post. She works with and supports midwives in other countries to enable them to give informed choice and practical guidance in optimal cord clamping. In This Episode: Where immediate cord clamping originated and why The evidence behind immediate cord clamping (hint: there is NONE!) Babies lose 30% of their blood volume with immediate cord clamping The amazing composition of cord blood and why your baby gains more benefit from the full cord blood at the time, rather than bank the blood for later use Where Amanda’s interest in cord clamping came from Immediate cord clamping linked to autism The gradual change in guidelines - slower than ideal Differences in active and physiologic 3rd stage (placenta delivery) The movement toward a physiologic 3rd stage in a non-complicated birth Why the NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) were reluctant to change their guidelines Where some hospitals are better than others in catching up with implementing the new guidelines The difference between delayed and optimal cord clamping How to optimise your baby’s transition from in utero to the big wide world Guidelines vary throughout the world, and hospital policies are different even within the UK Oxytocic drugs to deliver the placenta, as well as immediate cord clamping, are interventions for which informed choice needs to be made How we as parents can make a change to practice!! This is a global problem, not just a UK problem Special circumstances: prematurity or poorly babies (those who bandit most from delayed cord clamping) The LifeStyle trolley which allows babies to be resuscitated with the cord intact, reducing many health problems in compromised babies My fundraising brain wave to allow every hospital to have a LifeStyle trolley to help more babies receive optimal cord clamping Current understanding of the negative effects of immediate cord clamping Further Resources: Amanda's Optimal Cord Clamping: Wait for White Facebook page Andersson, O., Domellöf, M., Andersson, D. and Hellström-Westas, L. (2014). Effect of Delayed vs Early Umbilical Cord Clamping on Iron Status and Neurodevelopment at Age 12 Months. JAMA Pediatrics, 168(6), p.547. Andersson, O., Lindquist, B., Lindgren, M., Stjernqvist, K., Domellöf, M. and Hellström-Westas, L. (2015). Effect of Delayed Cord Clamping on Neurodevelopment at 4 Years of Age. JAMA Pediatrics, 169(7), p.631. Mercer, J. and Erickson-Owens, D. (2012). Rethinking Placental Transfusion and Cord Clamping Issues. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 26(3), pp.202-217. (ONLY ABSTRACT IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE) Farrar, D., Tuffnell, D., Airey, R. and Duley, L. (2010). Care during the third stage of labour: A postal survey of UK midwives and obstetricians. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 10(1).

Today's episode is all about releasing fears during pregnancy, so that you can enjoy a fear free childbirth. It surprised me to learn that there are so many thousands of women for whom pregnancy and birth is something that creates massive fear. To the extent that marriages break down and women are having abortions, because they are so petrified of birth. Alexia specialises in helping women to overcome these fears, so that they can enjoy their pregnancies! It was a pleasure chatting to her, and I have already signed up for her Head Trash podcast too. In this episode: Tokophobia - the fear of childbirth - and it's possibly surprising prevalence The most common fears that women have surrounding pregnancy and birth itself Alexia's own fears during pregnancy How she overcame them and changed careers to help other women learn the tools to create their own fear free pregnancy and birth Using these tools in day-to-day life Further Research: Alexia's Fear Free Childbirth website and podcast has a wealth of information, and also many freebies for you to download The Head Trash Show    

About Me Currently juggling breastfeeding, nappy changing & swashbuckling pirate adventures, I also find time for the odd rant on the blog, and a little bit of pregnancy reading too. I’m a chiropractor on maternity leave, spending my CPD studying babies and how to best care for them from a chiropractic perspective. I’m mum to two boys, born at either end of the scale. I am on Facebook and Twitter, and you can also follow my day to day life on Instagram if you so desire! (I did have snapchat for a bit, but soon decided it was too much like hard work!) Todays show I decided to do things a little differently today, and to just talk. I really believe that birth preferences and creating a dream team is what made the difference for me in terms of my mental health second time round. Whilst my birth was beautiful, I had to contend with a hospital stay from day 2-7, which could easily have tipped me back into my PTSD. Thankfully, it didn't, and I'm convinced that the major factor was my prior planning a.k.a the birth preferences. In this episode: Find out why birth preferences are so important Understand how they were make or break for my mental health during pregnancy, following the birth trauma related PTSD I suffered first time around What it takes to create a dream team Why your birth partners should be chosen with care Resources: Take a look at my birth stories - my EMCS with George and my HBAC with Freddie Coming soon (please check back!) will be my actual birth preferences 

Gordana studied acupuncture at the University of Westminster in London and graduated with the BSc Hons Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). She also holds a Masters Degree (MA) in Music Performance from City University and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London and Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy from the New School of Counseling and Psychotherapy (NSCP) in London Waterloo.   As a traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturist, Gordana has a special interest and extensive postgraduate training in use of acupuncture in reproductive medicine, gynaecology, male and female fertility and pre and post natal care. In her clinical practice, Gordana always combines the best aspects of eastern and western medical practices to achieve positive treatment outcomes as she believes that this is the most effective method for resolution of modern health issues.   Gordana also held a position of Assistant Clinical Supervisor at the Student Polyclinic at University of Westminster until 2012 combining her 25 years teaching experience and clinical supervision of acupuncture students. She is a Senior Associate member of the Royal Society of Medicine, and The Acupuncture Society. I recorded this interview at 38 weeks pregnant, little did I know I’d have another four weeks before my baby came! Gordana is an incredible woman with a passion for what she does, and an amazing ability to inspire you to create health. In this episode, we discuss: Acupuncture for labour preparation Optimum timescales for labour preparation acupuncture What you can realistically achieve with acupuncture How your emotional state affects your outcome Fear and the sympathetic nervous system How balancing your body with acupuncture will improve every body Postpartum effects of acupuncture including speedier recovery, more energy & improved breastfeeding outcomes A shift in paradigm – health promotion rather than sickness treatment! The importance of being able to be the best expression of yourself Issues with lack of studies showing efficacy for acupuncture Difference between choosing acupuncture and dry needling in reproductive health Acupressure points for pain relief during labour – a great hands-on way to involve your birth partner

  In this episode: When a baby is born, two amazing things happen. There’s the arrival of a new human into the world which is a momentous, beautiful, incredible event. But most people don’t know that also happening at the same time is the critical transfer of bacteria from mother to baby  – this is the “seeding” of the human microbiome. Even more amazing is that there are special sugars in breastmilk that are designed to “feed” the bacteria in the baby’s gut newly arrived from mum. This “seed and feed” process is a hot topic of scientific research right now especially as the latest science is indicating that whether a baby is born vaginally or by C-section, and whether the baby is breastfed or formula fed, these could have ramifications for the child’s lifelong health. Toni and I discussed the importance of the micro biome for developing our future health. It was really interesting to talk to Toni and find out all about her experiences and what led to the discovery of this important part of health. Some of the things we discussed are: What are microbes, the micro biome, and why should we care? How can we alter our micro biome - for better or for worse? How we unwittingly consume antibiotics, without ever taking them from the doctor How the microbes from a vaginal birth are different than a caesarean section, and also the differences when baby is breastfed or formula fed How you can improve yours and your baby’s micro biome if you have had to take antibiotics or have had a caesarean Could the micro biome have an effect on the non-communicable diseases which are on the rise Balancing the “forest” ecosystem in your gut Oligosaccharides in breastmilk Resources: Huffpost Microbiome article Microbirth the film (available to stream online immediately!) The Microbiome Effect book

Chantal has been practising as a holistic therapist since 2007 offering massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, and various types of massage. Her interest in pain management guided her to do my BSc in Acupuncture which she completed in 2012. After having twins in her final year at uni, an interest in fertility, pregnancy and labour developed.  Now as a mum of 4, she wanted her children to enjoy the benefits of acupuncture so completed her paediatric oriental medicine practitioner training in March 2014. She can be reached through Facebook or her website Before coming across Chantal on Facebook via a mutual friend, I had very little knowledge of acupuncture. I’ve followed Chantal’s page – Dragonfly Acupuncture Leeds – for a while now and I really enjoy what she has to share. It made perfect sense for the person that introduced me to the principles of acupuncture to introduce them to you too. (Although I do sheepishly have to admit I still haven’t yet experienced a session!) In this episode: What’s covered on an acupuncture degree course The difference between traditional acupuncture and dry needling, which may be offered by a chiropractor, physiotherapist or osteopath Why people might visit an acupuncturist Breech birth and moxibustion – how it works Reasons why breech babies sometimes don’t turn, no matter what you try How the seasons might affect the energy of babies How meridians link different areas of the body How Chantal’s four year old twins describe their Mum’s job!!

Catherine Holland Catherine teaches adults to breathe fully, and thus to heal unresolved trauma that affects them in their day-to-day life. They may not be conscious of this link with the time of their birth. The name Rebirthing Breathwork came about because about 80% of clients remember their birth as a time of stress and change. Much of this is caused by Western birth practices (such as cutting cord before baby is breathing) but also by the fear of the adults present as the baby is learning to breathe. These foundations can all be rebuilt. She has had 3 natural drug-free births, 2 of them home births. She breastfeed long-term including tandem nursing, and was a breastfeeding counsellor for 19 years. Most of her work is 1-2-1, and she is also offering breath workshops to birth professionals “A day for healing your own birth experience”. She’s available via her website, Twitter, and Facebook In this episode, we discuss: What is rebirthing and breath work? Why your brain pays attention to certain things more than others How the energy or “vibes” in the birth room is picked up by the baby How the way we learn to breathe as a baby can impact our future How babies learn about their environment through their senses Why rebuilding your foundations isn’t about putting a veneer over your past, but accepting a new conclusion in the present A demonstration of how you can use breath work immediately How the time immediately following birth shapes health for life! New workshops that Catherine is releasing for birth professionals Resources: Dr Eva Detko Holistic path to Health podcast interview Alexia Leachman Fear Free Childbirth podcast interview “Before Breath, Before Birth” blog post What is breath work? A4 info sheet download Website explanation of Rebirthing Breathwork: http://luann.machighway.com/~oxfordpa/catherineholland.co.uk/rebirthing.html Website excerpts from Catherine’s Rebirthing book Youtube videos: including 20 breaths exercise, breastfeeding,  and breath meditation

I loved this discussion with Susanne - be forewarned, it’s the equivalent of eavesdropping on us in a coffee shop. It’s not an information overload episode, it’s a chat about our experiences. We both have been diagnosed with PTSD following different circumstances, and our experiences are vastly different, yet remarkably similar. We both agree that there needs to be more awareness of how this can affect a pregnancy - not only for the woman, but for her partner, and her care givers. Midwives and obstetric consultants should also listen to this for a valuable insight into the mind of a pregnant woman dealing with PTSD. In this episode: The importance of language and some examples of what to be aware of when talking to someone with PTSD - especially trigger words  What a PTSD episode can look and feel like (of course everyone’s experiences are different) so you know you’re not alone if you’re experiencing these weird and wonderful emotions Very basic ways to support someone who’s dealing with PTSD before you can find professional help Very basic EFT - aka tapping Recognising that you need help and how to ask for it Why a healthy baby is not all that matters A little about KG hypnobirthing Resources: Positive Birth Movement online catalogue of in-person groups and fantastic articles to read Katherine Graves' hypnobirthing book "A healthy baby is not all that matters" article by Milli Hill We also discussed my own birth that led to PTSD, which you can read here

Sally Beare: Sally Beare is a nutritional therapist based in Bristol. She originally trained at the UK College of Nutrition and Health in London, following the discovery of a new level of health, which emerged when she changed the food on her plate. She is registered with the Nutritional Therapy Council and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, which set the highest standards for nutritional therapy practice in the UK. Sally has written books, and also worked with the Natural Health Clinic, taking nutrition workshops to schools in Bristol as part of a project called Engaging Minds. She is also a member of Mums Say No to GMOS, who are campaigning to rid our supermarket shelves of GMO products, as a proactive protective move, rather than wait and see what effect these GMOs have on our population's future health. As if that isn't enough, as well as being a mother of two, she has recently released her latest book, The Stacking Plan, which guides readers through a ten week plan to stack healthy habits on top of one another to optimise your diet and optimise your health, and will soon be the resident nutrition columnist for Juno magazine.   In this episode: We had a great chat, and discussed an awful lot given the restrictions of time. Sally is hugely knowledgeable and I really learnt a lot from talking to her. She's not prescriptive in a one size fits all approach, and offers many ways in which the mother to be can improve her nutritional profile to help her enjoy an energetic and vitality filled pregnancy, along with providing the best nutrients for her growing baby.  Overview of the differences between the scope and practice of a nutritional therapist and dietician Common nutrient deficiencies seen in pregnancy Omega 3 deficiency and post natal depression Probiotics and the micro biome Choosing a quality probiotic supplement and how fermented foods can help Why locally sourced organic food is a better choice if available to you The “cocktail effect” of pesticides and how the body stores them in your fat cells How to prioritise your organic purchases Why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the feed of non-organic animals should be a concern to us as consumers Why Mums Say No To GMO’s are campaigning for Glyphosate to be kept out of our food chain How GMOs are sneaking into our supermarkets Sally’s book, The Stacking Plan   Resources: Nutritional Therapy Council Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council Probiotic brands - Cytoplan, Biocare, Megafood PAN Network Clean 15 & Dirty dozen Mums say no to GMO Beyond GM GMO Education

In this episode, I speak to a wonderful chiropractor who I had the pleasure of meeting during my training with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) certification programme in London. For those of you who don't know, I'm a chiropractor (currently on maternity leave) and I'm working my way through this specialised paediatric chiropractic training. When I met Ron, he was so passionate about what he does, and so eloquent in his explanations, that I knew I had to get him on the show. Apologies for the sound interference 18 minutes in - and if you listen closely, you’ll hear my son, George, shouting Mummy at one point too! Oops. Ron Castellucci  Ron has been practicing Chiropractic since graduating from Logan College of Chiropractic in 1988. Following his graduation from Logan, he practiced in Missouri and Massachusetts before settling in Horse Shoe, North Carolina. Dr. Castellucci is associate professor of clinical and chiropractic sciences at Sherman College of Chiropractic and was twice named faculty member of the year. He is a frequent lecturer at national chiropractic symposiums and teaches chiropractic care for children worldwide with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.   In this episode: What does it mean to be a vitalistic chiropractor? What a vertebral subluxation is What's different about chiropractors who see adults and babies Why children should be seen by a chiropractor who has specialised training in pregnancy and paediatric chiropractic care How to find a specially trained paediatric chiropractor Where to find research about chiropractic for children and babies Further Research: ICPA Find a Chiropractor ICPA Research into Chiropractic care for children