Category: Pregnancy

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Positive Birth Affirmations

Free positive birth affirmations to support you in your hypnobirthing journey.

Positive birth affirmations are also know as positive self-talk or statements for a positive birth.

Positive birth affirmations help to programme your subconscious to tune into your natural ability to give birth, your strength and resilience. Letting go of fears and to build your body-confidence is a big part of your hypnobirthing experience and helps you work towards a more positive birth experience. Remember, your job is to focus on your comfort and the birth you want and your midwives are there to support you and your baby.

You can write your own positive birth affirmations on cards or sticky notes and put them up around your home to look at, take in and practice daily. Make them colourful and engaging to look at or make keep them all the same. It’s up to you! Your body, your baby, your birth experience!

I have designed a few different styles of affirmations for you to download for free.

Feel free to print them to put up around your home. That way you are creating a wonderful, safe, inspiring environment for you to enjoy your pregnancy and prepare for the birth of your baby!

Top Tip:

Print or make two sets of Positive birth affirmations. One for keeping around your home and one set to place in your birth environment or on a portable vision board for birth!

When it is time for your baby’s birth, take the affirmation with you in the birthing space. Every time, you notice one of these affirmations, or your partner reads them to you, they will trigger to help you relax, feel resourceful, welcome your contraction waves.

Every time you spot an affirmation in your home, look at it and take a moment to slow down, breathe and connect with your body and your baby!

positive birth affirmations
positive birth affirmations
positive birth affirmations
positive birth affirmations
positive birth affirmations
positive birth affirmations

You can download these positive affirmations for FREE and print them here:

Colourful-Affirmations-for-ChildbirthDownload

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Bonding with your baby in pregnancy

Bonding with your baby in pregnancy

Bonding with your baby can begin in pregnancy, while your baby is still growing in the womb. It is a perfect time to start the bonding process during pregnancy. Attachment is very important for your babies development when they are born.

What can babies experience in the womb?

Sound

From around 18 weeks of pregnancy your baby will begin to experience sounds. They can hear all the gurgling noises inside your body as well as your heartbeat. They still find your/a heartbeat comforting and familiar after they are born! From around 26 weeks of pregnancy, your baby may start reacting to sounds from outside. You can start playing music to them or your partner could read them a story! This is a great way to start bonding with your baby when you are not the pregnant parent! Your baby will recognise their parents’ voices (and any other people you live with or spend a lot of time with) when they are born. As well as remembering certain sounds from their mother’s language, babies may remember certain music played to them in the womb.

Sight

Your baby will open their eyes around 22 weeks of pregnancy and will be able to recognize light. However their sight will continue to develop after they are born.

Smell & Taste

Your baby can take in smells and tastes via the amniotic fluid. Your baby’s taste buds are mature from as early as 13 weeks of pregnancy! Their sense of smell will start working around 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Touch

Around 18 weeks, your baby likes to sleep in the womb while their you are awake, as your movement may rock them to sleep. They develop the sensation of pain around 22 weeks, and at 26 weeks they may move in response to a hand being rubbed on your belly.

Language development

From about 32 weeks of pregnancy, your baby may start to recognise certain vowel sounds from your language. Some research suggests that very early language development may begin before birth.

How to start bonding with your baby during pregnancy

Some ideas to help you to start the bonding process with your baby during pregnancy:

  • Talk and sing to your baby, knowing they can hear you. – Top tip: Use a cardboard tube, point it at the mother’s belly and talk through it to read a story or sing to your baby to slightly amplify your voice.
  • Relax, look after yourself and try not to stress. Evidence shows that if a mother feels calm and relaxed during her pregnancy, the health outcome for your baby is better. Your partner or a close friend may be helpful if you need someone to talk to.
  • Gently rub or massage your belly and press against your baby’s kicks to respond to them.
  • Play music to your baby. Some mothers like to place headphones on their belly. Choose calming music such as lullabies or music that mimics a heartbeat (around 60 beats per minute).

Bonding for fathers, dads, partners, non-pregnant mothers and parents

  • Massage the bump if the pregnant mother or person is happy for you to do so.
  • Feel the baby kicking as often as you can.
  • Attend antenatal appointments and antenatal classes together to prepare for the birth and life with your baby.
  • If you’re planning to be a birth partner, go to the prenatal classes such as hypnobirthing, as well. It is important that you both explore and understand your options so that you can make informed decisions during the birth.
  • Read a story to your baby in the bump, so they get used to your voice.

Bonding with baby for older siblings

By preparing your toddler or child for the upcoming birth, you can help them to bond with the baby. Have a look at my other post ‘Pregnant again’ for some tips for siblings!

Although you may not fall in love with your baby as soon as they are born, starting the bonding process during pregnancy can help your baby to bond with you. Your love for them and bond with them may appear later, once you got to know them a bit better.

References

Schaal B et al. Human foetuses learn odours from their pregnant mother’s diet. Chem Senses 2000;25:729-37.

Lecanuet JP, Schaal B. Fetal sensory competencies. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1996;68:1-2.

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What to pack in my hospital bag for childbirth?

Hospital Bag for Childbirth Homebirth Bag

Top tips on how when and what to pack in your hospital bag for childbirth.

You can pack your birth bag whenever you like but ideally would like to have it ready at least 3 weeks before your due date.

If you have a birth partner, get them involved in packing the hospital bag. That way they know where things are for the birth!

Use one large bag as your hospital bag which will contain your ‘overnight stuff’. Then pack three smaller bags to fit into you large hospital bag for childbirth!

Hospital Bag for Childbirth Hombirth Bag
Top Tip for your Hospital Bag: Pack Smaller bags into one larger bag or suitcase!

Bag for mum/birthing person

  • Your birth plan and maternity notes
  • Comfy, lose-fit dressing gown
  • Nighties  (ideally ones that opens at the front for breastfeeding access)
  • Comfy loose clothes – big baggy jogging bottoms, zip-up hoodie, tops that undo down the front for skin-to-skin/feeding
  • Slippers that you can slide your feet into rather than pulling on – if you have a Caesarean Birth bending over is tricky.
  • Socks – often women get cold feet during labour
  • Slip-on shoes
  • Flip-flops to wear in the shower
  • Hand Sanitiser
  • Wash bag including shower gel with a hook, so you don’t have to bend over in the shower, hand cream as constant hand gel use makes hands very sore,
  • lip balm as air is dry
  • Packs of waisted Bridget Jones massive cotton knickers in case you have a Caesarean Birth – dark colours are best and a couple of sizes up from your usual
  • Arnica and/or witch hazel for piles and bruising relief
  • Maternity pads packs
  • Nursing bras
  • Large pack Breast pads in case of boob leakage or washable ones
  • Pillow and/or pillowcase from home
  • Towel – hospital ones are scratchy
  • Eye mask (it’s never dark!)
  • Face mask (if you’d like your washable ones)
  • Earplugs (it’s never quiet!)
  • Hairbands
  • Headphones
  • Phone with labour playlist downloaded (you’re usually allowed to take your phone into theatre and can play music via Bluetooth)
  • Small tripod to prop up your phone/camera
  • Phone charger
  • Phone Power Bank
  • Snacks. If having a Caesarean Birth maybe apricots/prunes to ease constipation – you may not have a bowel movement for several days, and it can be a strain
  • Peppermint Tea Bags. In the case of a Caesarean Birth, it helps to get rid of wind caused by the operation.
  • Sports drink
  • Books/magazines/puzzles – in case you have to stay in hospital beforehand, or after.
  • Tissues for all the crying
  • Photo of your partner for times when they cannot be with you or maybe something that they have given you i.e. love notes
  • Photo of older children
  • Photo of you pet(s)

Bag for baby

  • Muslins 
  • Nappies – newborn size 1 fits most babies – newborns go through approx 12 nappies a day
  • Cotton wool pads/balls
  • Baby clothes – at least vests,  sleepsuits/babygrows,  jumpers/cardigans, hat  including a going home outfit
  • Baby blankets  (cotton or cellular or wool)

Bag for partner

  • Change of clothes
  • Snacks
  • Phone & Chargers or power bank
  • Change for vending machines (shops may not be open for as long) and car park
  • Phone list (if you’d like to tell people right away)
  • Car seat to take your baby home. Practice putting in/out car beforehand!
  • Maybe keep a book/magazine in the car in case you have to wait in the car until after mother’s initial assessment (This is a ‘new’ thing which started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not all hospital trusts will still operate that way. Ask your midwife/trust to check).

I hope this list is useful for some of you and please if you have anything to add or adapt contact me and I’ll add it to the list!

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Pregnant again

pregnant again

Congratulations! Being pregnant again is especially challenging when the next older child is still very young. Having a toddler and being pregnant can be very hard work! You are of course tired because you’re pregnant but also, you cannot nap in the day as easily. The best thing for you and your family in this situation is to accept help. If you are lucky enough to have family or friends offering to look after  the older one(s), take it! If your older one(s) is/are in school or nursery, rest when you have some time to yourself.

When and how are you going to tell your older child or children?
Well, everyone is different. Some parents tell their children as soon as they know, others like to wait longer. There is no right or wrong. Sometimes it depends on the age of the older ones. If you have a toddler to explain the situation to, it might be a good idea to get a baby doll for them. They can then explore how to treat a baby and get used to the idea of having a baby around.
There are some things you can do to prepare yourself and your toddler or child for the new arrival:

  • If you are thinking of moving older siblings to new rooms, it may be easier for them if you do it before the new baby arrives. They may be less jealous if your new baby was not the most obvious reason. Maybe saying you are moving to a big-boy/girl-room now…
  • A new baby could give older siblings (especially if they are very young) a present to start off on a good note 🙂
  • Maybe you’d like the older sibling(s) to get involved in packing your birth bag?!
  • Think about who would be able to look after older siblings, while you are pregnant and need a rest, when you give birth and for the early days
  • Only because you feel like you don’t give your second child as much attention as you did your first one, that does not mean that you are less attached to one or the other.
  • It is okay to sometimes use the TV or other electronic devices to keep the older child or children occupied while you are resting and once your new baby is born 🙂
  • Eat healthily and get plenty of fresh air and sunlight that will help with the tiredness, while you have to limit your caffeine intake.
  • Look after yourself and remember to take folic acid from the time you start trying to conceive and until at least 12 weeks of pregnancy.
  • Practice your breathing and relaxation techniques for labour and birth daily.
  • Try to gently exercise / go for a walk regularly; this will keep your energy levels up!
  • Maybe you’d like to watch some birth videos with the older sibling(s). I suggest that you watch them by yourself first and then choose one or two to watch together. I have created a library of birth videos. There is even a section of other mammals giving birth!
  • You can also book a private 1:1 antenatal session with me for you to prepare yourself and your partner for the birth. In addition to that, I have my lovely Mamamor dolls, which I can use to demonstrate vaginal as well as caesarean birth to children or adults (see demo videos below).

If you are pregnant again and your previous birth was traumatic, it may be beneficial to speak to a doula or perinatal educator who is trauma informed. A non-jugemental approach to your new pregnancy and birth experience to help you to achieve a positive birth experience this time round. My wonderful colleague Sheryl (@simplynatal) calls it your Healing Birth.

You’ve got this!!