Welcome to the first episode of our podcast series on Hypnobirthing!

In this episode, we'll be discussing the foundational principles of this incredible approach to childbirth.

Hypnobirthing is a powerful method that can help you achieve a more comfortable, positive, and even enjoyable birthing experience. By focusing on relaxation, visualization, and self-hypnosis techniques, Hypnobirthing can help you tap into your innate ability to birth your baby in a calm and confident way.

But; it's so much more than that and to get started we'll explore each of these principles in depth, sharing insights and tips to help you apply them to your own journey towards childbirth. Whether you're a first-time parent or have been through labor before, there's something in this episode for everyone.

If you're ready to approach childbirth with a new sense of confidence and empowerment, then Hypnobirthing could be the perfect tool for you. So don't wait – tune in now to learn more about the principles of Hypnobirthing and start your journey towards a positive and joyful birth experience!

Remember, the principles we'll be discussing in this episode are just the beginning of your Hypnobirthing journey. If you're ready to dive deeper and learn even more about this amazing approach to childbirth, be sure to tune in to our future episodes. And if you're interested in learning even more right now, come on over the www.duedateclub.co.za/ for additional resources and support.

Midwife Karen

Congratulations! You've just found out that you're pregnant – but now what?

The journey of pregnancy can be a rollercoaster of emotions, from excitement and joy to discomfort, anxiety, and overwhelm. In this episode, we're exploring the importance of trusting your body during this transformative time.

Pregnancy is a time of incredible physical and emotional changes. It's common to experience discomforts like morning sickness, back pain, and fatigue, as well as anxiety and overwhelm about the unknowns of childbirth and motherhood. But despite all of these challenges, your body is designed to carry and birth a baby. By trusting in your body and its natural processes, you can approach pregnancy and childbirth with confidence and calm.

In this episode, we'll cover:

Remember, by trusting your body and its natural processes, you can approach pregnancy and childbirth with confidence and calm. If you're looking to deepen your knowledge and practice of trusting your body during pregnancy, be sure to check out our course of the same name in The Due Date Club. I created this course because every other pregnancy course is all about birth - but what about all the stuff in between?

You need information right now and in this course you'll learn

So don't wait – enroll now and take the first step towards a comfortable and confident pregnancy and childbirth journey.

Thanks for listening, and be sure to tune in to our future episodes as we continue to explore the wonderful world of pregnancy and childbirth.

It's part 2 of the Vagus Nerve and how you can "switch it on" to assist you during labor. 

In this episode you'll learn about 

As usual, there's lots of laughs and sex just always seems to come up but hey! that's how we roll!

The Due Date Club is a midwife led mother directed online community. Communities are awesome. They are the single best way for you to gather the support you can’t get on your own, especially in these chaotic, rapidly changing times. In the Due Date Club you'll find tons of free resources and courses to prepare you for an informed and empowered birth. 

Relax into Birth with Doula Charlene Yared West

Let's take a trip into your body and learn about the longest nerve in your body and how it can guide and assist you during pregnancy, labor and birth. The vagus nerve is your body’s superpower and it’s used to counteract your fight/flight system. Now you definitely don't want to be in fight or flight when you are in labor. The vagus nerve helps you to remain calm when you are stressed and to know when you are no longer in danger. It helps you to stay in  “rest and digest” which is a lot more conducive to progressing labor. 

In this episode you'll learn what the vagus nerve is, how it works and why it's important. In our next episode you'll learn some valuable techniques to stimulate the vagus nerve and why comfort measures like breathing, massage and toning work. 

The Due Date Club is a midwife led mother directed online community. Communities are awesome. They are the single best way for you to gather the support you can’t get on your own, especially in these chaotic, rapidly changing times. In the Due Date Club, everything you need to know about pregnancy, birth and babies is in one place along with tons of free resources or upgrades for personal support.

Relax into Birth with Doula Charlene Yared West 

Hermine Hayes (Opening Keynote)

Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an international birth rights lawyer with extensive experience advocating for the human rights of birthing people, around the U.S. and internationally. From 2007-2012, Hermine taught international law at The Hague University in The Netherlands, where she was also the Director of the Bynkershoek Institute Research Center for Reproductive Rights.

From 2012-2017, Hermine organized 6 international conferences on the topic of Human Rights in Childbirth. Since 2017, Hermine has focused on direct legal advocacy to advance reproductive justice in maternal healthcare. She has represented midwives in administrative, civil, and criminal legal proceedings, and advocated for their right to work with autonomy and security in many states and nations.  She also advocates for birthing people who have experienced informed consent violations, racism, and obstetric violence during childbirth.

VIDM page:  https://vidm.org/hermine-heyes-klein/

Hermine Hayes (Opening KN)

Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an international birth rights lawyer with extensive experience advocating for the human rights of birthing people, around the U.S. and internationally. From 2007-2012, Hermine taught international law at The Hague University in The Netherlands, where she was also the Director of the Bynkershoek Institute Research Center for Reproductive Rights. 

From 2012-2017, Hermine organized 6 international conferences on the topic of Human Rights in Childbirth. Since 2017, Hermine has focused on direct legal advocacy to advance reproductive justice in maternal healthcare. She has represented midwives in administrative, civil, and criminal legal proceedings, and advocated for their right to work with autonomy and security in many states and nations.  She also advocates for birthing people who have experienced informed consent violations, racism, and obstetric violence during childbirth.

VIDM page:  https://vidm.org/hermine-heyes-klein/

One of the routine blood tests that you’ll have done in early pregnancy is a test to determine your blood group. Unless you’ve had major surgery or needed a blood transfusion, you might not know. But in pregnancy it’s important because your baby’s blood group may be different to yours. 

In this episode you will learn 

Recommended reading and resources 

Dr Sarah Wickham on Anti - D 

https://www.sarawickham.com/anti-d/

Rhogam Injection information 

https://www.rxlist.com/rhogam-side-effects-drug-center.htm

https://duedateclub.co.za/

https://www.instagram.com/theduedateclub/

https://www.facebook.com/theduedateclub

https://www.facebook.com/thevirtualmidwife

Choosing your birth environment is more than deciding whether you will be giving birth at home, in hospital or at a  birth center. In this episode we talk about creating a safe sanctuary to welcome your baby into that goes beyond the aesthetics of your chosen place of birth and includes the preparation of your space and the people you bring into it. 

More about Charlene here 

More about Karen here 

Join the Due Date Club here 

Transition is the final phase of the first stage of labour and marks the cervix opening to its widest diameter and the descent of the baby's head. It's physically and emotionally intense and is often the time when you think you can't go on anymore. Karen talks about the 4 D's of transition - denial, despondence, defiance and desperation and they share examples of these from recent births. Charlene highlights the importance of making sure partners know what to expect with transition so they can step in and support you rather than freaking out when you most need them!

More about Charlene here 

More about Karen here 

Join The Due Date Club here 

I have a love/hate relationship with birth plans so we thought it would be a great topic to bring to our weekly chats about everything pregnancy, birth and beyond. In this episode we chat more about why birth plans became popular and the importance of using the right language when creating one so that what you are really creating is a birth day wish list. Essentially everything that you do leading up to your birth is part of your birth plan and involves preparation - which is the part that I love. The more you prepare, the better the plan. 

Drop us a line if you have any questions. We love feedback and if there is a subject you'd like to hear us natter about then let us know. 

More about Karen here 

More about Charlene here 

Get Relax into Birth here 

Sign up for the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Summit here