This preparation workshop is very much a practical session with you and your birthing partner, aiming to provide focus, knowledge, support, encouraging you to work as intuitively and instinctively as possible.

Preparation work will support you and your partner during the last few weeks of your pregnancy, learning empowering birthing techniques, gentle yet effective massage techniques and other Eastern practices that can support you in the run up to your birth. This session is designed to give you the tools, practical knowledge and confidence to support your body and your baby during the changing stages of labour and birth.

Giving some time and thought to your labour and birth is really worthwhile investing in. Allowing your whole physical and emotional body to prepare for this beautiful time of transition can play a huge part in your overall experience, comfort and connection with the birth of your baby.

We run private partner sessions in order for our work together to be totally bespoke to your own needs, and how the dynamics of your own experience needs to be supported. The sessions are around 3 hours, with lots of practise time and handouts are given so that you can go away and continue to practise the techniques together at home.

A brief overview of the structure of the workshop may include:

Acupressure: Acupressure work is now used and recognised widely as a beneficial method in supporting the body during this time of transition, and can be incredibly effective in supporting you during birth. By using specific acupressure points and working with the extraordinary vessels, we will work through which points to consider, how to locate, and how and when to use effectively.

Holistic massage: Massage can be very soothing for labouring women and is often preferred during the first stage of labour when we need to encourage the body to be relaxed, calm, spacious and accepting. Massage will also have a direct impact on increasing the body’s endorphins (which are the body’s natural pain relievers and feel good hormones). Your birthing partner will learn relevant massage techniques during the first and second stages of labour, giving consideration to when and where best to massage, working together with you and your needs.

Clinical aromatherapy: Here we explore how aromatherapy can support the physiological, physical and emotional body during all stages of labour and into the immediate postpartum stage – the oils we explore and use here are those specifically for labour, so you would have not experienced these with me during any antenatal care. Remedies can also be a wonderful support in aiding your immediate postnatal healing.

Environment: The type of environment will affect the process of labour, therefore considering your own environment is an important part of your whole birthing experience – making it truly holistic. This is especially beneficial within a clinical setting, creating a 'home from home environment.