This baby, this birth

Congratulations! You're having another baby. I'm sure you've already realised that this pregnancy is probably a little different from your previous. And you know what? Your labour and birth will be different too.

If you had a difficult, medicalised or managed first labour, it doesn't mean that will happen with your second. Equally, if you had a wonderful, calm home water birth it is sadly not guaranteed for subsequent births. You can't always control what happens in our labour, but we do have control over how we handle it and how we use our bodies and breathing techniques to help control ourself whatever is happening around us.

You wouldn't enter a marathon without doing any training, whether you had completed one before or not. You should view birth no differently. You must prepare for THIS baby and THIS birth. An Active Birth workshop is the best way to get your mind and body ready for labour. It's your training for the big day.

At our Mummas and Beans Active Birth workshops you'll learn specific breathing techniques that will help keep you calm and in control. You'll get a refresher on the basics of labour and you can discuss your wishes and needs with your birth partner so that you're on the same page. One dad recently said he learnt more in the first hour than he did in the whole 5wk course in their last pregnancy!

Our workshops will also teach you how to play an ACTIVE ROLE in your labour. When you understand why things may be happening and why your labour is moving down a certain path you can rationalise, understand and feel informed about what is happening.

I have heard from mums who have had, (on paper) the most normal/easy birth, but how they have felt about that journey has left them feeling traumatised, it didn’t go how they “planned” or they felt abandoned or left alone too much during labour. They may of felt they weren’t part of any decision making process! On the flip side to this, I’ve had birth stories from mums where almost everything has gone “off plan” but they have felt empowered and had the most positive experience!

Birth is the biggest, most amazing journey you will ever go on but it's different every time. I want women to feel empowered and confident each and every time which is why I cannot reiterate enough just how important it is to approach each birth as its own unique experience and to prepare accordingly.

EXCLUSIVE for Come Along Too members: receive a £20 voucher for postnatal Mum & Me classes when you book a refresher course. Find out how...

Nicky Woodhatch is a Founding Member of Come Along Too and owner of Mummas and Beans, a hub for ante and postnatal classes and workshops for mummas, families and babies. For more info check out their website www.mummasandbeans.co.uk.

#motherhood #antenatal #childbirth