Preparing For a Positive Birth

We all want a positive birth don’t we?

• Well listening to Sophie impart her wisdom and advice is a great place to start. On this podcast episode I chat with best-selling childbirth author Sophie Fletcher about how you can best prepare for a positive birth. Sophie, a clinical Hypnotherapist, is also the founder of Mindful Mamma, an organisation that, among other things, runs classes for parents to be to prepare for a calm, confident and positive birth.

• Sophie’s book Mindful Hypnobirthing, is a really great read to help you get your head in a good place prior to birth, and it comes with free downloads! I was reading her book during my second pregnancy last year and I would definitely urge you to get yourself a copy. I spoke to Sophie for this interview during my own pregnancy last year – I was 7 months pregnant during our chat – as I originally approached her to come on to my Head Trash Show podcast.

• This was before I decided to write my own book and start this podcast. But once I had decided to launch the Fear Free Childbirth podcast, I decided to save our chat for this instead. And I’m glad I did as it’s perfect!  Sophie is so knowledgable about so many aspects of childbirth and birth preparation that if preparing and looking forward to positive birth is high on your list, then listening to what Sophie has to say is a great place to start.

• Here are some words from Sophie about the importance of preparing for birth. “The day I can stop teaching my classes is the day that I will be popping open a bottle of champagne. Why?  Because that means women are not afraid anymore, it means that women everywhere look forward to, and are excited about giving birth.  As we should. When I trained to be a hypnotherapist I was told that anxiety is fear of something that may never happen, whilst fear is a spontaneous response to something immediately in your environment.

• In pregnancy there is so much wasted energy being anxious about things that may never happen. Imagine if all that time worrying were instead time connected with your body and the growing baby inside you. Imagine if it weren’t anxiety but awe that flowed through your system during pregnancy and birth.

•   Imagine really knowing how incredible your body is and the magic it performs during birth to bring your baby to you. Imagining it is an important step in experiencing a positive pregnancy and birth. But the first step is making the decision that it’s what you want. Then you need to embark on your journey of discovery.

• Not all birth knowledge is given by medics, it is passed on by women, through women, through time. It is there but sometimes, we have to seek it out, to believe it and to know it deep down within our soul. Learn, read, ask questions of women that have this knowledge. 

• Be challenging not complacent. But knowledge is not just passed down in words, it is within and of us. When you make the decision to embrace birth and open up to that experience, you awaken that sleeping lioness within. You become strong, and you walk your path, emboldened and powerful. Imagine being a baby born to a mother who is awakened to her power. 

• You can do this, you just need to open up to the possibility and allow the magic of birth to unfold.” Such fabulous words. If you like that, then I’m sure you’ll love listening to her.

• During our chat Sophie talks about… some of the common fears around childbirth what happens physiologically to our body during labour and birth how our hormones help us during labour the fear-tension-pain cycle that explains how pain is triggered in childbirth how hypnobirthing can help you as part of your positive birth preparation the importance of preparation in wanting to have a positive birth experience Listen to the podcast Listen to the podcast here.

• To find out more about Sophie Fletcher Visit her Mindful Mamma website here. Resources mentioned during the podcast Birth without fear John Butler - the hypnotherapist who had surgery while being awake Michel Odent. Here is more about his work