How to choose an antenatal course that’s right for you. An important read for all parents to be…

Pregnancy, hypnobirthingSusan BradleyMarch 29, 2024antenatal class, antenatal course, birth preparation, hypnobirthing, maternity care, hypnobirthing york, matrescence, pregnancy class, NCT

What if we nurtured mothers?

How so many things could be different if we nurtured mothers…

Pregnancy, matrescenceSusan BradleyMarch 1, 2024antenatal class, antenatal course, birth preparation, hypnobirthing, maternity care, hypnobirthing york, matrescence, motherhood, pregnancy class, pregnancy yoga, real motherhood

Q is for Questioning

Why asking questions of your health care professionals could be the most important thing you do…

Birth, labour, hypnobirthing, PregnancySusan BradleyFebruary 9, 2024induction of labour, induction, antenatal class, antenatal course, birth preparation, hypnobirthing, maternity care, hypnobirthing york

Baby Carriers & Slings

Baby carriers and slings can be one of the best things to buy for you and your baby. But the choice can be a minefield! So here’s some tips and guidance.

motherhoodSusan BradleyJanuary 26, 2024baby carrier, baby slings, stretchy wrap, newborn wrap, caboo close, sling library york

Why making decisions is NOT only about statistics & data.

Why decision making in pregnancy and labour is NOT all about statistics and research - so says a maths professor! This is so interesting and SO important for all pregnant folk and their partners to know.

motherhood, Birth, hypnobirthing, PregnancySusan BradleyDecember 30, 2023motherhood, empowered motherhood, pregnancy, decision making in labour and birth, birth choices, pregnancy choices, birth and data

W is for Waiting

Approaching the end of the third trimester? Waiting for your baby to arrive? Worried about induction of labour? Want to feel more positive and have some techniques to try? Then this post is for you…

BirthSusan BradleyOctober 21, 2023induction of labour, induction, overdue, EDD, estimated due date

BMI & Birth

Health professionals often talk to pregnant folk about BMI being a risk factor for birth. For women with a higher BMI than average there can feel like a lot of pressure is put on them to make certain choices (and a lot of blame and shame too sadly). But a very recently published book has looked at the research and evidence around BMI in pregnancy and birth. It’s rather a revelation.

BirthSusan BradleySeptember 29, 2023bmi, bmi in pregnancy, bmi in birth

Reframing working over the school holidays

The long school Summer holidays are about to hit, and that’s always something I find tricky to navigate as a working mother. Here’s some ideas to help you think about the juggle of the school holidays and see work in a different way.

motherhood, matrescenceSusan BradleyAugust 1, 2023motherhood, matrescence, real motherhood, empowered motherhood, working mothers

K is for Vitamin K

Did you know that it’s standard practice to give babies a dose of vitamin K just after birth? Do you know why it’s offered? Do you know why you might accept or decline vitamin K for your baby? Well here’s some info all about it.

BirthSusan BradleyJuly 17, 2023hypnobirthing class, birth choices, empowered birth, antenatal class york, hypnobirthing york, vitamin K, vitamin K injection, vitamin K drops, vitamin K choices

D is for Delayed Cord Clamping

When your baby is born, around a third of babys volume blood is still in the placenta and umbilical cord. But it will quickly make it's way to baby via the umbilical cord. Unless of course the cord is cut before the transfer is complete. So delaying the clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord is so important.

Birth, labourSusan BradleyJuly 1, 2023hypnobirthing class, birth choices, empowered birth, antenatal class york, hypnobirthing york, birth knowledge, umbilical cord, delayed cord clamping, optimal cord claming, wait for white

The taboo of poo

Lets talk about something that everyone wants to know - but often does not actually get spoken about even by midwives. The taboo of poo in labour.

Birth, hypnobirthingSusan BradleyJune 14, 2023hypnobirthing class, birth choices, empowered birth, antenatal class york, hypnobirthing york, birth raality, birth plans, birth preferences, poo in birthComment

C is for Cervical Recoil

Did you know that the cervix can also close down (recoil) , as well as open (dilate) in labour? Well it can, and this article is all about why it may do that and also how you can help it move in the right direction.

BirthSusan BradleyMay 10, 2023hypnobirthing class, birth choices, empowered birth, antenatal class york, hypnobirthing york, cervical recoil, cervical dilation, first stage of labour, up stage of labour, birth knowledge

Cardinal Movements of baby in labour

A fascinating look at how the baby moves down through the pelvis in labour, through what’s called the ‘cardinal movements’. It’s not all about downward movement - there’s so much more of a dance that baby does than that! Take a look here.

Birth, hypnobirthingSusan BradleyApril 29, 2023hypnobirthing class, birth choices, empowered birth, antenatal class york, hypnobirthing york

N is for Nuchal Cord

Some information for you about baby’s born with their umbilical cords around there necks, and how this is not something to fear and why not. Myth busting pregnancy and birth untruths is something that’s so important! So read on.

Pregnancy What If?Susan BradleyApril 5, 2023nuchal cords, hypnobirthing class, birth choices, empowered birth, antenatal class york, hypnobirthing york

The NEW Mastitis protocol

I like to keep you up to date & informed, so you can make the right decisions for you and your baby. This one is all about breastfeeding, and about a recent update to the Mastitis protocol. It’s important as it actually turns-on-it’s head a lot of the previous recommendations for Mastitis.

Breast Feeding, Fourth TrimesterSusan BradleyMarch 27, 2023mastitis, breastfeeding support, breastfeeding, breastfeeding guidelines

W is for Water Birth

Lets talk about water births. Why you might choose to birth in water, some of the benefits, the research and lots of your questions answered too..

Pregnancy, BirthSusan BradleyFebruary 28, 2023pregnancy, birth preparation, water birth, birth pool, birth preferences

C is for Colostrum

Here’s some information and also a little video about colostrum and also antenatal colostrum harvesting

Pregnancy, Fourth Trimester, Breast FeedingSusan BradleyDecember 12, 2022motherhood, colostrum, breastfeeding, pregnancy, birth preparation

Create yourself a 'Self-Care Box'

Making self-care simpler. Finding the time for self-care is not easy - especially as a mother. You need to grab little pockets of time for yourself where you can. This is a simple yet brilliant idea to remind you to build a little time into your busy life for some simple self care practices and rituals by creating your own self care box.

mothers wellbeing, Post Natal, PregnancySusan BradleyNovember 18, 2022self-care, mothers self-care, self-care box

The benefits of using a sling

Head about baby-wearing or seen baby carriers and sling but not sure why you’d do it. Well this is for you! Because there are so many brilliant reasons…

mothers wellbeing, Post Natal, Fourth TrimesterSusan BradleyOctober 1, 2022baby wearing, baby carring, slings, fourth trimester, postnatal

Lets talk Unsolicited Advice - and how to deal with it

Unsolicited advice. It comes thick and fast once you’ve had a baby (and even in pregnancy too). Everything has an opinion, and they want to tell you about it!

Here are some ways to deal with all that advice you never asked for - that can leave you feeling overwhelmed or ‘not good enough’.

Pregnancy, Fourth Trimester, mothers wellbeingSusan BradleyAugust 1, 2022social media, mental health, perinatal wellbeing, positive social media use, motherhood, comparison, emotional health, motherhood tips, mothers mental health

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