Mindful Mamma hypnobirthing and mindful birth antenatal workshops in the Oxford area
I just wanted to inform you that I gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby girl last Thursday weighing a perfect 7lb 2oz. All natural with some gas and air in the final hour and in a birthing pool. It was just how I planned! I just wanted to thank you for opening my mind and helping me through one of the most amazing experiences of my life! – Katie
My own and other parents’ experiences have taught me that while every birth is different, using self-hypnosis and mindfulness enables us to get the best out of whatever situation we find ourselves in during labour and birth. My aim is for parents-to-be to feel empowered by the knowledge and skills they will gain from the Mindful Mamma method, confident to trust in their body’s natural ability to birth, their own resources, and their instincts for birthing and parenting.
I have experienced three very different births with my own children, with an emergency caesarean, a hospital VBAC, and a home birth with a birth pool. I used the Mindful Mamma method for my third child’s birth – it works!
Very, very useful. So pleased we moved beyond just the book and mp3s – feel it will really help.
I’m a clinical psychologist and worked in the NHS for 14 years, nine of them at the National Spinal Injuries Centre where I became interested in how mindfulness meditation can help people find acceptance and manage chronic pain. Running Oxford Sling Meet and Library for many years as a volunteer ignited my passion for working with pregnant couples, parents and babies, and I began my diploma training with NCT for work with new parents. When I came across Mindful Mamma I knew this would be a fantastic way to bring my interests together and share these skills with expectant parents. As well as an Accredited Mindful Mamma practitioner I am an NCT postnatal practitioner and voluntary lay breastfeeding counsellor. I recently completed Oxford Mindfulness Centre’s Foundations course in Mindfulness Based Childbirth and Parenting, and have also trained as a birth and postnatal doula, and studied infant development with the Tavistock. You can find out more about the other things I do at New Moon Birth & Baby.
I highly recommend the hypnobirthing workshop with Guin Webster. The workshop helped prepare me mentally for the birth and equipped me with the tools to allow me to cope with labour. Despite being induced, I was able to use the relaxation techniques and had a straightforward birth without the need for pain relief. My husband who also attended the workshop was able to help me throughout labour and was an invaluable support. As a clinical psychologist, Guin has an intelligent and scientific approach. The morning session was very informative and focused on the practicalities and perception associated with labour. In the afternoon session we learned and practised simple yet effective relaxation techniques. The workshop was a worthwhile investment of time and certainly value for money. – Jacqueline
I just wanted to get in touch to say how extraordinarily invaluable hypnobirthing turned out to be. The music and the meditations were central to the early stages of labour and made such a difference to how I managed the pain; to the extent that pretty much all the midwives and doctors I encountered throughout labour were continually surprised by how far I had progressed as the techniques I used kept me much, much calmer than I would have expected. Just wanted to say how effective it was! A million thanks from us all. – Victoria
Mindful Mamma workshops are usually run in central Oxford. Please contact me at guin@mindfulmamma.co.uk if you would like to discuss any special requirements.
The ideal time to attend is between 25 and 36 weeks pregnant – this allows you time to practise the techniques, without being too long before the birth. Don’t worry if you can’t get to a workshop at that time though – the techniques can be very effective even if you attend much closer to your due date. You will be sent some Mindful Mamma hypnobirthing mp3 downloads on booking a place, so you can start to gain some benefits by listening to this before the workshop if you wish to.
Next class dates:
2018 dates
Oxford is a fantastic place for expectant parents and those with new babies, there is so much on offer. Some of my favourites:
Positive Birth Movement Oxford
Physically Fit Pre/Post Natal Pilates
MYoga private pre and post-natal yoga classes
I am often asked for recommendations of local doulas. When choosing a doula you are choosing someone you feel comfortable and relaxed with, someone you instinctively like and who you feel is on your wavelength. There are many wonderful doulas covering the Oxford area so I encourage you to contact several and you are sure to find someone you click with. In the following list are doulas whom I know personally, you could also try searching on DoulaUK or Nurturing Birth’s Doula Directory:
Bella Aris 07970 083 095
Donna Tweddle donnatweddle@gmail.com 07770 461452
Karen Rossiter karen.rossiter@gmail.com 07788 516583
Kristal Rees kristal@rosedoulaservices.com 07507 649998
Liz Nightingale lizbirthfriend@gmail.com 07986 493454
Rebecca Knowles Bevis beccaknowles@yahoo.co.uk 07773323052
Suzanne Smith munglers@aol.com 07787 127732
Sarah Boyd sarah@birthbabybalance.co.uk 07909 545484 and Charlotte Osborn charlotte@birthbabybalance.co.uk 07920 774705
Brilliant independent midwives covering the Oxford area:
Meg Miskin, Sarah Ifill and Liz Nightingale at Oxfordshire Midwifery Practice
Lou Pouget at Undisturbed Birthing
These are great websites for reading positive birth stories:
Mindful Mamma stories on this site
Mindful Mamma Oxford stories on my website
Positive Birth Movement positive birth stories
And the podcast The Birth Hour
As well as the books ‘Spiritual Midwifery’ and ‘Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth’ by Ina May Gaskin, and ‘Adventures in Natural Childbirth: Tales from Women on the Joys, Fears, Pleasures, and Pains of Giving Birth Naturally’ by Janet Schwegel.
And great for information and suggestions:
Infant Sleep Information Source
I am registered with the Health & Care Professions Council
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