Elisa: Arnie ended up being 13 days overdue, it felt like a hard waiting game. I decided to be induced on Day 12. We definitely had some apprehension but having been through it all, we’re keen to share our story and hopefully ease some worries because actually, it’s been a very positive experience.

On the day of my induction, I went to the hospital early in the morning and was then able to go home. It was really lovely being with George and in our own space, so that was definitely a positive.

Four hours later, I was back at hospital and four centimetres dilated. Things went from nought to a hundred pretty quickly.

George: It was a really relaxed setting. They had strung fairy lights around the walls. You could turn most of the lights down and it was quite dim and cosy. Those sorts of things really help change the atmosphere as it can otherwise feel quite clinical.

Aleesha our midwife that night was with us almost the whole time and her calm and good vibes did an equal amount for the atmosphere. Not having people in and out all night, just having her quietly with us working away and making conversation and being really chilled was what held it all together and gave us a calm atmosphere (and of course my clear-headed support…) 

Arnie arrived at 1.59am after a relatively straightforward labour. Elisa found the gas and air a big help but was also really focused on her breathing.

Hypnobirthing helped us prepare mentally for it all. Elisa’s breathing was really incredible throughout the birth, that’s what did a lot of the work. Hypnobirthing helped us create a positive mindset and also particularly given the situation it helps you focus your mind on what’s important, the things that you can control. We’re not saying it was pain-free but it really did help centre us and think okay this is happening now and helped Elisa breathe through the surges. 

The Happy Parents. Happy Baby. course provided a really balanced viewpoint of so many aspects of pregnancy and labour and everything that comes after that. Our friend had done another course and said there were so many things that just weren’t explained. It was so helpful having Will the obstetric doctor and having the midwife and all the other experts to cover all sides of things. It gave a really good insight and made things not as daunting and scary. Things like actually seeing a pair of forceps before they might be on the table in front of you makes sense. But actually a key thing for us was the focus on our mental wellbeing during pregnancy, during labour and postnatally – such an important thing to discuss and make a good point of which is a huge part of the course.

We used hypnobirthing during labour and the breastfeeding expert was amazing and we’ve since had a follow up with her. All of it has come in to play. Obviously also meeting everyone on the course and going through the whole course with them.

It’s often considered such a female experience – pregnancy, labour and all the postnatal stuff. But actually having the mixed group on the course and what’s app groups makes sure everyone’s involved and in it together. 

Tell us about your family…

We are Finn & Noel
Our twins Hugo & Rory are 9 months old
We also live with our 15-year-old Chihuahua Dagmar

Describe your household in three words

Fun, chill, loving

What is your favourite thing about being a twin parent?

Watching identical twins grow and develop their own personalities, mannerisms, and facial expressions is fascinating. They make us laugh every day.

What are your top tips for preparing for a twin birth?

Although such a momentous occasion, the actual birth is such a small part of parenthood. I took a "go with the flow" approach. If I had only had one baby, I would have wanted a water birth but this was not possible (or not easy) with twins. I decided to follow the recommendations of the professionals. In many ways this cut down on the stress. Another thing I would keep in mind is that you might be in the hospital for longer than you anticipated. I was in for 10 days as one of the twins battled jaundice. I would recommend preparing for this scenario. In terms of preparing your body, I didn't do anything really. I just tried to be mindful and as relaxed as possible leading up to my induction.

Tell us about your birth?

I was induced at 36.5 weeks. The first application of hormone gel worked, and I was 10 cm dilated about 13 hours after being induced. I opted for the epidural, which I'm glad I did because Hugo required some intervention (they tried forceps, then did the suction cup). Rory was born 58 minutes later, without intervention.

Did it differ from what you planned/expected?

I didn't expect to have such a short labour. I also didn't realise that you can still feel pressure and move your legs when you get the epidural. I liked that I could tell when I was having a contraction so I knew when to push. I also knew that pushing would be tiresome, but it took every ounce of strength I had to do it twice! I didn't know that a lot of women are sick afterward.

What are your top tips for giving birth to twins?

Prepare for a longer stay in the hospital than a single birth. Bring an iPad or laptop for watching something that will take your mind off things. While in labour, speak up for yourself, as it can get quite chaotic once the pushing starts. At one point after the first baby came out I felt myself getting close to passing out but no one would listen to me. And while you should speak up for yourself, at the same time don't be too rigid when it comes to your birth plan because things can change quickly and you need to do what's right for you and the babies. Lastly, prepare for the most insane emotional rollercoaster in the few days after giving birth. At one point I thought I would never stop crying (good and bad tears). Your hormones are going crazy, and that's normal. Don't fight it! Oh, and one more thing: the nurses and midwives will each have their own advice and sometimes it contradicts what another midwife might tell you. I found this confusing at times, so maybe prepare to receive different pieces of advice from different people.

How were the early weeks with the twins?

I'm sure I'll have the most common answer which is that it's such a blur. I remember feeling overwhelming joy every time I looked at them, and just being in complete awe of them. The lack of sleep takes its toll, but I had mentally prepared for it. Because I was mixed feeding from the beginning, my partner was able to do one of the feeds so that I could get some extra rest (I highly recommend that). The hardest part of those first few weeks by far was breastfeeding. I didn't produce a lot, and was constantly stressing about how much I was pumping/feeding them. I think society puts an enormous amount of pressure on women to breastfeed, so when I couldn't produce enough for the twins, I was very upset. It took me a while to be okay with supplementing formula.

What have been your biggest challenges?

Breastfeeding, as I mentioned above, was probably the greatest challenge for me personally. Another challenge is just the wide range of advice you might receive on any given subject. Every opinion/experience differs, and it took me a while to find my own path. Weaning has also been challenging - it's the ONE thing I had a concrete plan for, and of course it did not work out. I wanted to do baby-led weaning but we've had to do a more traditional approach with purees.

What have been your biggest triumphs?

The fact that the boys are happy and healthy is enough of a triumph for me! And a close second is that they have been sleeping through the night for a few months now. One of them just naturally started sleeping 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and the other just need some very mild sleep training (it only took one night) to get him to self-settle. I thought it would be difficult (and that we'd have to "cry it out") but that wasn't the case at all. I think maybe we were very lucky and have some naturally good sleepers. We also got rid of the dummies around 6 months which I'm also glad we did early on.

What products have you not been able to live without?

The Love to Dream swaddles I think helped the twins sleep. We used them religiously until they started to roll over. Our Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep machine - we bring it on trips with us! It comes in extremely handy if you're using formula. In the first few months, a good twin pillow really helped. I could put it in my lap and feed them both at the same time, or it could be a good place to put them because they each nestled into their side (the one I had looked like a giant "m"). A temperature gun is a good tool to have, because you can take their temp without going into their ear or in their mouth. There was also a muslin we got in a newborn sensory kit that they loved - it was black and white and had animal faces on it. They loved to stare at it, and it would often calm them instantly.

Any other resources you would recommend for twin parents?

Honestly, I found the internet overwhelming. I even deleted the Wonder Weeks app because it stressed me out about their development. Twins are often behind normal development schedules. I do think that joining Twins Trust is helpful. They have loads of discounts and other resources.

What were your favourite things about your HPHB course?

First and foremost it introduced me to a wonderful group of mums who still meet up once a week! I don't think I would have survived those early weeks without our WhatsApp group. We're constantly (pretty much daily) sharing advice and supporting one another. I also really appreciated the hospital bag checklist (seems like such a small thing but I would have been majorly unprepared without it!)

Tell us about your family…

We are Rayaan and Kamal.

We have identical twin girls Kehlani and Kalia who are 6months old but arrived at 32 weeks.

Describe your household in three words

Energetic, crazy, united.

What is your favourite thing about being a twin parent?

How special and unique we are, and how much attention and help you get for it.

What are your top tips for preparing for a twin birth?

Get everything ready early as twins tend to come early. Be organised and prepared. Understand the reality of a premature baby, and what that means for you. Research NICU so you are aware of what this will mean for you, your mental health and your family. A small baby is not the same as a premature baby. Make sure you have a few premature clothes as well as tiny sizes will be too big.

Tell us about your birth?

My waters broke unexpectedly at 31 weeks. I was admitted to hospital and managed to keep the girls in for a further 9 days, they were born at 32+2 weeks. I decided to go natural and did 4 hours of labour and got to 5cm dilated. Twin 2 was breech so was always going to be a risk. Sadly their heart rates dropped and it then became and emergency C section. They were born 30 seconds apart and weight 2 and 3 lbs. We spent a month in NICU.

What are your top tips for giving birth to twins?

Be organised. But also don’t compare to friends of singleton babies you already have your hands full. Don’t be hard on yourself just go with the flow. Invest in a milk maker it saves time and a double pillow for when you need to feed at the same time.

How were the early weeks with the twins

For us it was different to expected as they were in NICU. the first weeks of being at home felt like being in a dream. We were in a love bubble with them, but also had no idea what we were doing and we were sleep deprived.

What have been your biggest challenges?

Biggest challenges have been when I’m home alone and they both want to feed at the same time. As they are still so young and can’t sit up or yet, and in the early days where they couldn’t hold their own heads up. Feeding at the same time was very difficult.

What have been your biggest triumphs?

Having our babies and still smiling lol.

What products have you not been able to live without?

Sleeping bags & Tommee Tippee bottle maker.

Any other resources you would recommend for twin parents?

Twins Trust and Twins and Multiples organisation.

Tell us about your family…

We are Tori and Fraser.

Our twins Jamie and Skye are 18 months old.

We also live with our cat Llywellyn.

Describe your household in three words

Disorganised, happy, busy.

What is your favourite thing about being a twin parent?

I love that my twins have each other, as they are getting older they are such little pals and play together, run around together, push each other. Its so nice that they are never alone.

People always say to us 'ooo double trouble', but we don't think of it like that at all. In fact, it really annoys us when people say this now, just because they are a pair doesn't make them trouble! It takes a lot of energy with two babies, but there is nothing better than seeing the two of them toddling along together.

They have learned patience and waiting their turn naturally and always want to make each other laugh now.I think because of having each other, they have really good social skills with other adults and kids, they like to engage with people and adjust to new people easy. Settling into nursery was much easier than others because they were together and happy to be around new people too.

One baby is cute, but two babies are even cuter :)

In difficult times (both kids upset, midnight wakes), we keep reminding ourselves that we can and will get through it - everything is just a stage.

What are your top tips for preparing for a twin birth?

Don't get lots of maternity clothes. Tummy balm every night to reduce stretch marks. Sleep as much as possible. Enjoy feeling all the movements of both babies. Get more baby clothes and in different sizes. Bring them ALL to the hospital + lots of nappies/socks/pre-made formula in case it’s needed.

Tell us about your birth?

We had a planned c-section - everything went so smoothly and I couldn't recommend it enough.

What are your top tips for giving birth to twins?

Don't be shy asking for ALL the help in the hospital. We were in for about 3 days after the birth in peak covid so I didn't want to ask too much, but I wish I had asked so much more from nurses, midwives and doctors. The first 2 days are pretty overwhelming being a new parent with TWO babies. I wish I'd ask for more help with every feed and even changing them, getting ready myself.

How were the early weeks with the twins?

Survival - not a lot of sleep. But then worried when the babies WERE sleeping it felt strange with the quiet... enjoy any quiet time possible. We also got out of the house as much as we could (again, peak Covid), but we would go for drives/walks just to get some fresh air.

What have been your biggest challenges?

It was really challenging once they both started crawling/wanting to walk. Everything felt dangerous! We spent a lot of time as soft play centres... Once they were both walking it was easier again.

What have been your biggest triumphs?

Doing so much travel with them - we have traveled to the US 2x in the past year and around Europe/UK. It takes organisation but we feel it's good for everyone to do new things. It's always been important for us to still be 'us' so we try to bring the twins along to all activities we want to go to (and get a babysitter for the non-baby ones!).

What are your ultimate twin hacks?

Keep them on the same schedule!!! Especially feeding and then trying with naps. But feeding is essential. If one wants fed, the others gets it too (even if you have to wake the other up). Schedules are essential. I think single-baby parents can get away without a schedule, but it actually made life easier since we all had a routine (honestly, in the first year I think I had it easier than a lot of single-baby mums because of the schedule). They share everything - water bottles, spoons, even dummies. Most clothes are gender neutral. Keeping things separate is silly at this stage.

What products could you not live without?

Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep machine, lots of bottles, microwave steriliser. Twin pillow (looks like a '3') for bottle feeding, baby chill time/nap time in early days. Twin breastfeeding pillow (I used Piglet & Peanut - highly recommend). Mountain Buggy Duet.

What other twin resources have helped you?

Twiniversity (Insta). Other than that we just used 'normal' baby books, insta etc.

How did HPHB help you prepare?

The pre-birth prep was really useful (especially the relaxation/hypobirthing). I knew I was going to have a c-section, but it was good to be able to process everything calmly. All the classes were really interesting and relevant too - like the ones for post-birth, and the one with the doctor.

Tell us about your family…

We are Abigail and Ric and we live with our twins Iona and Wren who are 9 month old non-identical girls.

Describe your household in three words

Loving, fun, welcoming

What is your favourite thing about being a twin parent?

Ric - it's much more hands on and it's nice to know they've got each other.

Abi - it's the immediate family, sharing all new experiences and being our own gang each day.

What is your top tips for preparing to be a twin parent?

Listen to your body and respect what it's telling you. Enjoy the feeling of two babies moving around inside you and wonder at your growing body, For the birth, I would say go with your gut feeling and don't let other people push you into decisions you're not quite happy with. Also, it is of course possible to breastfeed twins - don't let anyone doubt you!

Tell us about your birth?

We were all set for a vaginal birth all the way until we went into hospital for an induction and had the scares put on us by a doctor. We went for a planned c-section 3 days later. I wish now I had gone with my original choice - I had such a healthy pregnancy, I really wanted a chance to do it my way. Stick together as a couple and agree in advance of any appointments what you want to happen. It's of course important to listen to the medical professionals, but you know your own body and stamina. Our twins were born at full term, full size and no NICU, but there will be some really important advice from twin parents whose babies were born early.

How were the early weeks with the twins?

Intense! Exhaustion, shock and trying to recover from serious abdominal surgery dominated how I felt the first few days. The midwives and staff at Kings all did their best but they were seriously understaffed and because of this, I didn't have enough help to latch both babies and a bottle of formula was introduced very early in hospital but my intention was to breastfeed only. A rocky few weeks followed, where we were encouraged to give bigger and bigger bottle top ups so the post-natal midwives could dismiss the babies, but then I was left with a huge bottle top up plan to try and reduce. I was determined to breastfeed, and we are still breastfeeding 9 months later. We were both very emotional, we had a real journey to becoming pregnant and I think it all affected us once the babies were born. We were totally in love, totally in awe and really needed the support of our family and friends. They were there for us fortunately, but I would definitely advise any twin parents-to-be to gather their 'village' around them before the birth and ensure they can ask for help and rely on them for so many things.

What have been your biggest challenges?

Tiredness! Self doubt and needing to discuss and agree on so many things but rarely having the patience or wherewithal to do that without arguing (at first - we're in a really good place now)

What have been your biggest triumphs?

Seeing our girls' faces light up when they see us, for Abi, breastfeeding almost exclusively with no sign of stopping. Having two beautiful children who we love to pieces.

What are your ultimate twin hacks?

For the first few months, when one wakes in the night, feed them both, but from about 4ish months, let them have their own sleep patterns. We took the side off a massive cot bed and strapped it to our bed to make a twin-sized next to me crib. Let the babies be individuals! And join twin networks to get lots of doubles of equipment!

What products could you not live without?

Slings, mountain buggy, bouncers, TrippTrapp highchairs.

What other twin resources have helped you?

Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets UK Facebook and Instagram (run by Kathryn Stagg), Twins Trust (though we've not really used them much yet, I think we will in the future), our local breastfeeding cafe, 'Sweet Sleep' and "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding' books by La Leche League, 'Why Love Matters' - can't remember who by!

How did HPHB help you prepare?

All the experts were very open minded - the sessions were great. We've met some great fellow local parents too.

This was my second pregnancy. My first was pretty ‘textbook’ in terms of mine and the baby’s health and I had a natural delivery. Emotionally however, the labour and start to motherhood left me a bit shell shocked and so I wanted to attend an antenatal course that would be both informative and give me a confidence boost! I found HPHB did just that during my pregnancy. I was particularly interested in learning about the benefits of hypnobirthing - a concept which I’d previously dismissed as ‘airy fairy’ - but I was really sold on the simplicity of the concept and enjoyed trying the techniques during the pregnancy. They were instrumental in helping me stay calm and positive, particularly when the labour started. My husband and I also found the session on medical care during labour especially useful - even though we’d been through it once before with our first baby – we felt far better informed about our options.

After my first baby, I remembered the labour as stressful, painful and utterly exhausting. However, my second labour couldn’t have been more different; both were pretty ‘straight-forward’ medically-speaking, however this time round I felt so much calmer and confident. I know some of that might be down to ‘experience’, however I think my takeaways from the hypnobirthing were key to my positive experience: I knew how important breathing was in managing the contractions. So, when my waters began to leak shortly after I’d gone to bed, I calmly took myself off to the living room and set myself up with a relaxing environment (classical music, supportive cushions to help me stay comfortable in a UFO position) and breathed my way through the contractions. Unlike in my first pregnancy, this time I understood how important it was to keep the oxygen and oxytocin flowing and ended up finding the contractions completely manageable. I had also been reminded of how important it was to conserve energy and stay calm, so I really focused on staying comfortable and calmly ‘riding it out’ trusting that my body knew what it was doing. After about 3-4 hours, the contractions were becoming more frequent and intense so I put a TENS machine on. This was a life saver! Each time a contraction came, I used the ‘boost’ option and found the vibrations brilliantly distracting - it also gave me a real sense of control. Things then picked up pace, I felt a heaviness in my pelvis and knew I needed to get to the hospital! By the time I made it to the delivery ward I was already getting the urge to push. I had been keen to try a water birth and the midwifes dutifully started filling the pool, but admitted that it probably wouldn’t fill in time before the baby arrived! I was also keen on the pethidine injection but it was too late for that too. So, with gas and air alone, but a focused mind and calm breath, I delivered our baby girl. I was very lucky in that the pushing stage lasted a mere 10-15 minutes.

I’m not sure I know how to describe how I felt when I first saw our baby girl. Everyone talks about this euphoric moment in which the mother is overcome with love - I think I felt amazement at seeing this perfect little baby that I had so quickly and confidently brought into the world. As she was my second baby, I immediately sort of recognised her as, my husband and I quickly agreed, she looked so much like her brother at birth. I think I immediately felt very protective and keen to soothe her first cries and maximise on the ‘Golden Hour’ and encouraging her to nurse, which went really well. I think it important to share though how this joyous experience was quite different to that of the first moment with my first born; I think a lot of new mums think they should feel a certain way after childbirth, but after my first born I just felt exhaustion and relief that I’d finally done it, but a bit of a disconnect initially with my baby. Again, I was so glad I’d done the HPHC course second time round because it really helped me approach the labour with so much more confidence and positivity which, in turn, got us off to such a positive start with our baby girl.

Perhaps it was largely down to the surge of ‘happy’ oxytocin hormones you get after the birth, or maybe it was thanks to the amazingly supportive and complimentary midwives, or- indeed- the confidence I’d gained from the HPHB course or- most likely- an amalgamation of all of those things, but I left the hospital a few hours after giving birth feeling like an absolute superhero who could take on the world! I really remember just how amazingly powerful I felt; I couldn’t believe how positively the labour had gone and how strong and well I felt in my body. This I really think helped set me up for those first few days and weeks. Yes, I was exhausted from feeding around the clock and yes, my body had some healing to do, but I’d felt so empowered from the birth experience that I had a confidence that made everything feel manageable. I was very grateful for the knowledge I’d gained from the lactation expert during the course, so felt well prepared to deal with the discomforts of my milk coming in, and how to establish a good latch and milk supply. Our course host Hannah, who was also a mum of two had given us some practical tips for managing a newborn and a toddler - this really helped ensure I got some much-needed rest and sleep. The course had also instilled in me just how important it was that I looked after myself both physically and emotionally, and didn’t rush anything, so I was much better able second-time-round to embrace the whirl-wind of it all, go with the flow more, and enjoy the fuzzy days and weeks as a new family of four.

I had done an NCT course with my first baby but was really drawn to HPHB due to the fact you get to speak to a whole set of experts. I was especially interested in the hypnobirthing but equally didn't want to commit to a highly expensive long course specific to it, so found HPHB great as it covered the basics. With my first baby, I'd found breastfeeding really difficult and encountered difficulties that I didn't really feel prepared for, despite taking an antenatal course which covered breastfeeding. But with HPHB, I was able to get information and advice on the lactation expert that truly helped me get off to a great start with nursing. I also really wanted to do an antenatal course that would put me in touch with other mums for the social support. HPHB is great for encouraging that during the course, and so I'm enjoying the local new mum friends! 

Top Tips:

In terms of preparing for the labour: trust that your body is amazing and knows what to do, but the more informed you are of the labour process, the better you'll be able to assist it in its journey! So, chant those positive birth affirmations to yourself throughout your pregnancy and practice the simple, calm breathing. Have every confidence that you will have a positive, empowering birth, but also be open to the labour not going to plan. And that means more than just 'going with the flow' when the labour actually starts, but informing yourself beforehand of the realistic options. For instance, we hoped I wouldn't need a caesarean, but we were so grateful for HPHB for talking us through what such a procedure would look like and how we could take some control of it and find it to still be a positive experience.

You can get FREE resources tailored to each stage of your pregnancy by subscribing to our newsletter here

You can book your place on one of our award-winning antenatal classes here

Follow us on Instagram for all our latest news and FREE hypnobirthing relaxation sessions

I had a fabulous pregnancy, no sickness, no complaints, just love for my baby and respect for my body.

My partner and I were very keen to do a course together to prepare for baby. HPHB prepped us for all sorts - normal baby poo's, first aid and what a c section might look like. Things that could cause worry and stress if you're seeing them for the first time in the moment.

My fiancé and I were hoping for a natural drug free home birth. I had been practicing breathing techniques each day, watching positive birth videos on You Tube and listening to positive affirmations morning and night. Essentially brain washing myself with all the positivity surrounding birth, fully trusting my body by understanding how it naturally made changes and got ready for birth. My take home message was to stay relaxed and allow my body to birth my baby.

I cannot recommend hypnobirthing enough, it's not as hippy trippy as it sounds. The HPHB Hypnobirthing Masterclass was the perfect prep for our birth experience.

My waters went at 4:30am. I got up for a wee and it was like someone tipped a pint out of me. I was so surprised I burst out laughing... I tried to go back to sleep but water kept coming, so I crept down stairs for breakfast knowing I probably wouldn't want to eat when the surges kicked in. I called my midwife, let her know my waters had gone and sat eating breakfast watching Netflix until 7:30am when my fiancé woke up. Surges were regular but very mild. We were so excited that baby was coming! At 8:30 we went for a walk. Very slowly and stopping when I needed to breathe through the next wave.

By 9am things were getting more intense.  The time at home was so chilled. I kept swaying & moving slowly round the house. I tried to eat again at 10am but was sick straight away. We waited one more hour for my surges to get longer and closer together before we left for the birth centre. I was 4cm when I was examined at 11:40am. I got into the pool as soon as it was full - it felt amazing.

I had a natural birth with just a bit of gas and air as the head was coming out. It was an intense experience but not painful like if you cut yourself or get injured. For me it felt like a huge build up of pressure. My partner was amazing and I clung to him throughout.

I did my best to stay calm and let me body do its thing. I never actually pushed, but my body was sort of convulsing towards the end, each surge my body tightened and pushed her a little further down. At 1:50pm Cora was born. I had done it! No drugs and had the water birth I had wanted.

Unfortunately, it was a very short cord that snapped when I birthed her body... and my placenta wouldn't come out. I ended up in theatre with an epidural to have it manually removed. I'm grateful for the medical interventions that were necessary, but am not focusing on it.

I still feel like I had a positive natural birth experience and I gave birth exactly on my due date!

When Cora’s little body was passed to me for skin to skin I was totally overwhelmed with emotion. I'd had a short labour so wasn't exhausted, just instantly in love and a bit in shock that I had done it, that this tiny human had grown inside me and now she was here and we could see her; I cried and was shaking from the adrenaline.

Because I had to go to theatre to have my placenta removed , I had to stay in hospital for 3 days while they monitored my blood pressure and Cora’s temperature. Every 2 hours! I had a catheter which was uncomfortable and made sleep difficult the first night.

Putting the hospital stay aside and focusing on being a mum, the first few days were actually bliss. Just a huge love explosion, learning how to look after my beautiful tiny daughter, learning how to breastfeed and hold her properly, just staying in bed and cuddling her all day. It was wonderful.

When we came home altogether it was how it should be. I was extremely tired (sleep on a maternity ward is a rare thing!) but it was just so exciting starting this new adventure as a family.

My fiancé totally supported me. He cooked and did everything as I was busy feeding baby a lot. I recovered quickly.

The HPHB course meant I had a support network of local mums. Some who had already had their babies and others still pregnant. Everyone is very supportive of each other and it's great to get knowledge from those a few weeks ahead of you in their parenting journey.

I have already recommended the HPHB course to friends. They cover a wide range of topics and it's great to have different tutors for each specialist area.

It provides a safe space to ask questions and learn with other first time parents.

Top Tips:

• I would say do your research. Learn about your body and what it has been designed by nature to do. It's truly amazing and fills you with womanly empowerment.

• Take a HPHB course. Listen to podcasts, watch positive birth videos. Surround yourself with positivity and don’t watch One Born Every Minute or other shows that are designed to dramatize birth.

• Stay calm, relax and respect your body. Know what sort of birth experience you want, prep for it and aim for it, but be knowledgeable of other potential decisions you might have to make.

• Be mentally and physically prepared for any birth situation you may find yourself in. Make sure your birth partner knows what you want, they may end up speaking on your behalf.

• Oh and prep freezer meals for the first few weeks/days. Then you can focus on feeding and cuddles!

You can get FREE resources tailored to each stage of your pregnancy by subscribing to our newsletter here

You can book your place on one of our award-winning antenatal classes here

Follow us on Instagram for all our latest news and FREE hypnobirthing relaxation sessions

I was lucky to have a normal and healthy pregnancy, which meant that we were eligible for the birth centre delivery we had hoped for. I learnt about hypnobirthing through the HPHB course; something I previously knew little about. Towards the end of my pregnancy, when I was feeling at my most uncomfortable and having difficulty sleeping, we used the relaxation techniques that we had learnt on the course. My partner would read the relaxation scripts to me at night and we would practise breathing exercises, which were a huge help in getting a good night’s sleep!

I went into labour at around 5am, the day after my due date. I had been woken up in the night by Braxton Hicks contractions before, which had subsisted after getting up and moving around. I knew it was the real deal this time as the contractions didn’t slow down, no matter what I did. My contractions weren’t regular enough to go to the hospital, so we stayed at home and tried to relax to get the oxytocin flowing. We spent the day watching Netflix, having baths, and drinking lots of cups of tea. We also managed to eat a few plain meals. I was able to use the breathing techniques I had learnt from HPHB to help me through the contractions. During labour I also discovered that counting things was a great distraction for me - at one point I counted all the tiles in my bathroom!

My waters finally broke in the early hours of the following morning when I was lying in the bath. With tiredness beginning to set in the next hour was the hardest part of labour and birth for me.

As soon as my waters had broken the contractions stepped up a level, becoming stronger and more frequent. It was time to go to the hospital. This felt like an impossible task as with every contraction, I was sick and my waters continued to gush out. My partner dressed me three times before we could leave for the hospital because my clothes kept getting soaked. By the time we reached the birth centre triage room, I felt I had completely lost control of my body and regaining that state of relaxation was a challenge. My team were able to give me an injection of pethidine for pain relief which made everything from here onwards a bit hazy.

My partner and I lay on the bed together and everything felt much calmer. The lights were dimmed and we played music from my pre-prepared birth playlist, as I had wanted in my birth preferences. I needed to have a catheter which was something I was nervous about, but I was barely aware of it and it didn’t cause me any pain. My labour quickly accelerated from here onwards, and I felt quite a natural urge to push.

The pushing stage was the easiest part for me (though I have no sense of how long it lasted) and I remember feeling so excited to meet my baby and full of confidence that I was nearly there. At 9.52am, our little girl was born!

Thanks to HPHB, I felt well prepared for my birth. I knew about the pain medications available to me and the pros and cons of each, so I was able to make a quick and informed decision about the pethidine. I knew about the types of interventions and even though I had an uncomplicated birth, I was accepting that this might not be the case. Before our Obstetrics session, anything other than my idea of the perfect delivery had scared me, so it really helped me to confront my feelings about the ‘ideal’ scenario. The shopping lists were also a really useful resource for packing the hospital bag and having everything we needed for the first few days and weeks with our newborn. 

Any pain or exhaustion from labour went immediately out the window the moment I first saw my baby. I felt disbelief and amazement! Even though we had been preparing to meet her for the past 9 months, I still couldn’t equate this tiny little human being to a person that had been growing inside my belly! She was also more beautiful to me than I could possibly have imagined. I felt a sense of relief to hear her crying for the first time and an overwhelming rush of love and joy. We sang Happy Birthday to her in the minutes after she was born, which is an idea that came from the HPHB course!

We were grateful to be able to return home with our precious daughter later the same day. I was feeling remarkably well. HPHB had prepared me for the likelihood of some tearing, so I was delighted to discover that I needed no stitches after birth. I found out about the benefits of perineal massage through the HPHB course and I believe it helped prevent the need for any stitches.

Feeding came very naturally to baby Lowri but there were some learnings from the lactation consultant on the course that got our breastfeeding off to a great start. Firstly, we learnt about the benefits of colostrum harvesting which I did every day from 39 weeks onwards. It was reassuring to have as a backup in the moments when we were finding feeding tricky, as well as giving her those super nutrients! I also think because of the hand expressing I did before she was born, this helped with my supply when she arrived and didn’t have any problems giving her what she needed. The other crucial learning for us was the importance of establishing the first feed soon after birth. Although my partner was keen to have skin to skin time with our baby as soon as he could, we learnt that it was more important that she stayed with me until we had our first feed.

The first few days with our baby were a rollercoaster of emotions but the three of us cocooned ourselves in our own little bubble of blissful happiness. We had everything we needed thanks to the handy shopping list in the HPHB manual. As a first-time parent, I think you will always question everything you do but HPHB helped give me a bit more confidence in caring for a newborn and what to expect - including everything from safe sleeping to the correct colour of poo! We also found ourselves a lovely support network through HPHB.

I would definitely recommend HPHB to any first-time parents. It gave plenty of opportunity for us to ask the experts (obstetrician, midwife, lactation consultant etc) our questions making it a very personalised course and much more comprehensive than any book you can read. There were a lot of takeaways for us, which enhanced our whole birth experience and made life easier in the early days of parenthood. Plenty of time was built in for socialising so we got to know other parents locally

Top Tips:

• Harvest colostrum before birth, if possible

• Use relaxation and breathing techniques to help get to sleep

• Do your perineal massage!

• Enjoy every precious moment with your baby

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I had a relatively easy pregnancy but did have quite a lot of annoying niggles! Pelvic girdle pain, carpel tunnel, heartburn etc. Nothing major, but I was keen for the baby to arrive! I was under consultant-led care as I have an inflammatory bowel disease so was considered high risk, but was signed off for a birth on the Midwife Led Unit as the pregnancy itself was so low risk. I was thrilled as I was desperate to use the birth pool for pain relief! I used to work in a birth unit within a hospital so I felt reasonably clued up about pregnancy and birth but had absolutely no idea about how to look after a newborn! HPHB helped relieve any anxiety about the process after the baby was born, which was a great unknown prior to doing the course.

I started contracting at 2am on Tuesday morning and by Thursday morning (and two nights with no rest in hospital) I still hadn’t dilated more than 1cm. I’d had the pessary and drip induction but the next step was to break my waters. When they did, they noticed they were full of thick meconium. I understood the risks of meconium in the waters and I was concerned that we would be looking at an emergency intervention down the line, especially as my labour wasn’t progressing and I felt absolutely shattered. I requested a Caesarean Section and after some deliberation from the team, they agreed.

The moment I saw my baby for the first time I felt sheer relief that she was out safely! I was amazed at how massive she was!

Recovery from the section was hard and tiring but we somehow survived! HPHB really helped us learn how to look after our baby, as we had no clue beforehand!

I would absolutely recommend the HPHB antenatal course! It felt far less corporate than other baby classes and I really enjoyed the content. Especially the baby care and first aid session.  

Top Tips:

• Although the first few weeks feel tough – you will come out the other side!

• Re: C Section recovery: buy high pants, take it easy, take all the drugs offered and accept help!

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Trigger Warning: Miscarriage

Nick and I had lost a baby previously due to unforeseen complications, at a reasonably late stage in the pregnancy, so we nervously entered this pregnancy not telling anyone until we had had the all clear at the 20 week scan. Joining the HPHB course in Clapham really helped us get excited about our new arrival and helped us feel reassured we were going to get a lovely baby at the end of the process. Learning about the labour really helped put our minds at rest, as we were both so worried about Arlo arriving safely and knowledge really is power when you’re feeling nervous. We had no set plan for the birth, just wanted to be able to go with the flow and ensure his safe arrival.

I got admitted to hospital at 41 weeks due to low fetal heart rate, luckily our bags were packed and ready to go, everything ticked off our list from HPHB - all Nick had to do was go home and pick them up. The next day I was given a sweep and a pessary to get things going. I had the pessary put in at 12.45/1pm and after a few laps of the hospital things got going very quickly. After an examination we discovered I was already 4cm and able to move into our room. As we were taught on the HPHB hypnobirthing masterclass, we had packed everything to make the room a peaceful and calm space however I actually needed to push almost as soon as we had settled in!!! The epidural that I had asked for had gone out the window and it was gas and air for me! At 5.45pm Arlo made his grand entrance. HPHB really helped give us the knowledge/ tools of how to deal with a fast pasted situation like this and most importantly that we had a voice and any worry or concern we didn’t feel silly asking. 

The first moment I saw Arlo I felt so lucky - when the baby was handed to me, I can’t explain the rush of love I felt. It was literally the most immense, amazing experience of my life. I didn’t have any expectation of how this moment would feel and I was just blown away by it - it was absolutely amazing.

We were very lucky in that Arlo fed well from the start. He had a good latch and generally seemed a pretty calm baby. Recovery from birth took me a little bit by surprise. I wasn’t really sure how I thought it would feel, however didn’t expect it I would feel like I had just run two marathons! Haha! I think HPHB really helped Nick prepare for this time, which was basically him doing everything! We had batch cooked food and I would definitely recommend doing this. Those first few days are so amazing and exhausting it’s hard to put into words but just amazing it felt to finally becoming parents.

I feel like HPHB really covers every aspect of pregnancy, childbirth and the 4th trimester. All the experts in each area were super knowledgeable and practicing in that field, which I think really helped.

Top Tips:

• Take your own pillows to hospital.

• Take a fan.

• Make a plan but be flexible and open minded, everything can change very quickly.

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I was fortunate enough to have an uncomplicated pregnancy. I immersed myself in reading lots about birth, watching positive birth videos and finding the right antenatal course. HPHB was brilliant for us - having medical professionals, midwifes and lactation consultants contribute gave us an in-depth insight to what birth and looking after a baby would be like. It was particularly good for my partner Joss, in that it prepared him for his role and he was at ease throughout the birth (as much as you can be!) and was an incredible support to me during those first weeks. My hopes for my birth were to be natural and intervention free, but the course gave us a clear understanding of the options and variables that could happen. We filled out the course birth preferences, packed our bags and I actually felt excited for the birth!

My labour was fast and intense with the contractions starting around 4am and Arlo arriving at midday. Everything the course taught us, along with a bit of pregnancy yoga and my own research, gave me confidence in what was an overwhelming and unknown experience. I was breathing, groaning and stamping my way through the contractions, but any feelings of self-consciousness went out the window! We arrived at the Birth Centre at 8am and I was already 5cm dilated. The pool was amazing and really helped with the pain. The contractions were so intense I felt too queasy to even try gas and air and somehow managed the whole birth without any pain relief. The Lewisham Birth Centre midwives were amazing. They read and respected our birth preferences and presented any suggestions as options. Despite the contractions still being strong, I wasn't making much progress in the pool so my midwife suggested I get out and try the birthing stool, which helped Arlo get into a better position. Then I moved onto the bed and two more midwives were called in. They took a leg each and with Joss behind me, all cheering me on, Arlo was born!

Seeing Arlo's head emerge from my body was so incredible, I actually screamed in excitement and disbelief - the hardest part was over. A couple more pushes and he was out. There was an intense moment before he took his first breath but as soon as he did, Joss and I burst into tears.

I did so much thinking about the birth, I wish I'd done more preparation for those first few days. However, the HPHB course (and handy booklet!) gave us the guidance we needed to get through. Feeding was challenging but the course session was a great resource, as were the links it provided to additional support. We are just coming out of the fourth trimester now and still can't believe we are parents to such a precious thing!

One of the best things about HPHB has been the support network of other first-time mums that it has given me. Our Whatsapp group and park walks have been essential! Just knowing someone else was up in the middle of the night going through the same thing has been wonderful!

Top Tips:

• Trust in your body, it was made to do this so believe you can do it.

• Sleep when baby sleeps - everyone says it, but I didn't listen. Really wish I had!

• Recovery takes a lot of energy. Aim for one thing a day, if that. Even if it's just a shower, you're smashing it. 

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This was my first baby, and I really wanted to learn about birth, including hypnobirthing techniques, as well as how to care for a baby. It was also really important to me to be able to meet other new parents in our area – Happy Parents. Happy Baby. include all these things on their course.

I had a planned induction of labour at 39+1 as my baby was small for their gestational age. I went into hospital in the evening and had the first prostin gel at around 10pm. Within the first hour I started getting some period-type cramps in my lower abdomen and back, which were eased with a hot water bottle and some paracetamol. My husband and I decided it made sense for him to go home to get some sleep overnight, as inductions can take time to work, so he went home around midnight. Quite soon after that I started getting contractions, which became regular at around 3 in 10 from about 2.30am. I was able to breathe through them and get snatches of sleep in between. I was examined again around 4.30am and was happy to hear that my cervix was now 1-2cm dilated and they would be able to break my waters. I called my husband to come in, and by 6am we were on the delivery suite and I had my waters broken.

At this point I put the TENS machine on, which was massively helpful, and shortly afterwards started with some gas and air. I found the combination of the TENS and the gas and air very effective. My husband was amazing and so encouraging the whole way through, at this stage I mainly wanted to just hold on to him and cuddle him between contractions and he applied sacral pressure during contractions which also helped. I used the birthing ball to stay active to try to encourage the labour along, and discussed the possibility of a water birth with my midwife and consultant, which they were supportive of, so we moved to another room which had a pool.

By midday, the contractions were really ramping up in intensity and I started getting very tired, having not really slept all the night before. On examination I was still only 2cm which I found a bit disheartening, as I didn’t know where I would find the energy for the rest of the labour. The doctors came to see me and recommended starting a syntocinon drip. I had known that this was likely to be needed because of the induction, but I was still a bit disappointed. I was finding the contractions increasingly difficult to deal with, and combined with the fatigue, I made the decision to have an epidural before starting the syntocinon, so that I would be able to get some rest, and then hopefully have some energy for the pushing stage later.

The anesthetist did the epidural so quickly and painlessly, I was amazed, and very soon I had complete relief from the contractions and was able to get some sleep. My impression of the timings from here onwards gets a bit hazy, but I think 4 hours later I was at 6cm. I started to get very shaky and felt cold – I was aware this could be a side effect of the epidural, and the midwife said it can also happen when labour is progressing quickly. At some stage, the team became concerned about the CTG and encouraged me to adopt different positions, and found that lying on my right made the CTG more reassuring.  The contractions continued and at another 4 hours, I was at 10cm. At this point I could not feel my contractions at all, so I had to be coached through the pushing. I tried a variety of positions to push in and eventually it was the lithotomy position that was the most effective.   It was a very strange sensation pushing down and not being able to feel anything, but the midwife and my husband were amazing at giving me so much encouragement and telling me that the baby was coming.

I was feeling very light-headed and spaced out at this point, and kept on zoning out completely and it took all my concentration to “stay in the room” and continue to push. The pushing was so intense – it took me to the absolute limits of my physical capabilities, but I knew I had to get this baby out as the team were getting increasingly worried about her heart rate. The consultant was in the room and told me that they needed to get baby out now, so they did a forceps delivery with an episiotomy. At that point I just wanted her out safely. As soon as her head was out she started crying and I couldn’t believe it. One more push and she was out, and as she was crying so well they handed her straight to me for skin to skin. The relief and elation to see her safely out and to hold her to my skin was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

I didn’t get a full “golden hour” as the paediatricians needed to take Julia to the unit for some antibiotics, but once she was back I was able to  hold and feed her, which was amazing.

I had hoped for a spontaneous labour and a water birth, and this was far from that, but it was a fantastic, totally empowering and incredible experience. My husband and I were supported in making the best decisions for us and our baby throughout by an amazing team, and I am totally in awe of my body for making and then delivering us our perfect little girl.

HPHB really helped me learn some of the practicalities of looking after a newborn. The breastfeeding session was very helpful, as was learning how to change a nappy and clean a baby!

I would absolutely recommend HPHB - what makes it stand out compared to other antenatal courses is that the sessions are delivered by experts (obstetrician, midwife, lactation consultant and paediatrician) which adds a lot of weight to the information given. The course resources are also really nicely put together.

Top Tips

• Prepare for birth by learning about all the different ways that babies be born - caesarean section, instrumental etc. so that you are in a good position to make the right decision about these during your labour

• Practice the breathing techniques in the weeks running up to the labour

• Harvest colostrum prior to the birth if possible, so you can feed the baby even if they are a bit too drowsy to latch well initially

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You can book your place on one of our award-winning antenatal classes here

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The HPHB course helped us prepare for labour by giving practical suggestions around birth preferences - aptly named because having a plan may not always work out! It also gave some amazing tools to use during labour, things your partner can be involved with too, for example massage, positive affirmations, meditation, breathing exercises. We aimed to practice these each night before bed in the run up to my due date which was such a nice bonding experience and helped my partner’s confidence for when I was in labour and how he could be involved.

The HPHB course allowed for a safe space to explore different scenarios that may occur during labour. I perhaps had a different preference to most others as I was keen to have pain relief and an epidural, however my labour progressed quickly and the doctor who provided the epidural was not available which meant I ended up with only gas and air! Looking back, I cannot believe I did it by myself! The course also helped me prepare for the use of a ventouse, the role of the paediatrician in the room and once baby was born and tearing versus an episiotomy; all these situations happened during my labour however I felt informed and calm and instantly flash-backed to the course and felt reassured and confident as they explained what was going to happen next.

When Ezra was born I was in disbelief at how big he was- 9lb 6oz! It was the best moment of my life so far; I couldn’t believe he was finally here and I had done it!

HPHB helped me realise the importance of accepting the situation in the early days and embracing the fourth trimester. It’s helped me be more relaxed and accepting of the unpredictability of a newborn. HPHB was also great and discussing your mental health and the role of your partner in these early days - both so important!

I would 100% recommend the HPHB course. It provides a safe, non-judgemental space to walk through all things associated with labour and having a newborn. I appreciated having different sessions with different experts - especially the paediatricians and Chloe’s session on hypnobirthing. The WhatsApp group with the other mums has also been a great resource for me, we share recommendations, tips advice and also just sanity checks to one another.

Top Tips:

• Do not have expectations of your newborn in the beginning in terms of a pattern of behaviours or routine

• Follow your baby’s lead.

• Stay as calm as possible, pass the baby to your partner when you find yourself getting frustrated (and likewise your partner give you the baby if they need a break)

• Accept how new your baby is to the world and how strange it is for them. Being new is hard work and it’s okay for everything to be up in the air! We will work towards more routine and predictability once Ezra is ready for it.

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Trigger Warning: Miscarriage

We found out I was pregnant with twins very early on, at 6 weeks and were very surprised but excited. It was a nerve-wracking first trimester as I had had a miscarriage earlier in the year, but the pregnancy progressed normally and there were no real hiccups or surprises until the third trimester when I experienced contractions and had to go to hospital a couple of times for monitoring. HPHB helped in this aspect as I knew what contractions were meant to feel like and also the risks of pre-term labour for twins. Fortunately, the babies stayed put until the booked c-section date!

I really enjoyed the session on hypnobirthing; I was a bit anxious about the pregnancy and the hypnobirthing techniques and guided meditations with my husband helped to chill me out and make me excited and not just nervous about the birth.

I had decided, along with my husband, from quite early on that a planned c-section was the best option for us and felted supported from the HPHB team with this. The information provided reinforced my decision and made me feel confident going into the surgery on the day.

The information HPHB provided was so useful and I felt prepared for everything on the day of the procedure. I think it could have been quite overwhelming being in the operating theatre had I not had the information and I felt confident going in. My husband was also fully in the loop in terms of everything that would happen so he was able to be really supportive with me as well.

The hospital team were great and especially the anesthetist was really kind, checking in with us and talking to us throughout the procedure. He was a twin himself! The procedure itself was really quick, we got to meet Skye and Jamie within a few minutes of me being laid down. Having the spinal block was definitely one of the stranger feelings I've had, especially when I could feel them pushing Jamie down from higher up in my belly. The HPHB class had told us about all this, so I was able to remain calm and enjoy the experience. 

The first time I saw my babies I was so thrilled! When Skye was held up over the curtain, it was just joy hearing her cries and was the best sound I've heard. I knew that in a c-section the babies sometimes need additional care, but hearing her screaming and seeing her moving about was incredible. Jamie came out a minute later and again his little cries were the best thing. He was shown to us with his arms stretched wide out, superman style, and he still does this little pose regularly. It makes us laugh to remember.

I stayed in the hospital for a couple of days with the twins for monitoring and over those days, the babies required some support that HPHB had prepared me for. For example, Jamie briefly needed to have the blue light treatment to prevent jaundice - I think this would have been quite scary to see had I not learned it is relatively normal from the course.

I made sure to get help from the midwives with breastfeeding whilst I was in the hospital, which was recommended from the course. I actually felt quite prepared for the breastfeeding after the session we had with the feeding specialist and I didn't find it as difficult as I've heard other friends have. 

I was lucky enough to miss the meconium nappies - my husband took care of these and getting them dressed for the first couple of times! When it was my turn to change and dress them, I felt all thumbs at first, but you quickly get the hang of it. The hospital bag check list from HPHB was very helpful for me and the babies.

We still aren't getting a lot of sleep, but hopefully will get into more of a schedule with the babies in the coming days/weeks(/years?!). The baby care session was really helpful on what to expect from newborns and how to prepare yourself for feeding them, cleaning them and all the rest that comes with an infant.

I still can't really believe that we are Skye and Jamie's mum and dad. Even with 9 months of preparation through pregnancy and 2 1/2 weeks with them now, it doesn't really feel real. We are so in love with them and it really is the best feeling knowing you get to take care of them as they grow.

I would absolutely recommend the HPHB course – in fact, I have it! I really enjoyed the variety of sessions HPHB provided and felt that I was able to be informed in all aspects of birth, even those that weren't really relevant to me (stage of labour for example, since I knew I'd be having a planned c-section). All of the course instructors were really professional and provided interesting and useful information. They were also approachable and we felt able to ask any sort of questions we had.

Top Tips:

• There is so much information out there about various things that can happen - I would say it’s important to be informed, but not worry about these 'worst case scenarios'

• Appreciate the time during the pregnancy and with your baby.

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My pregnancy was fairly straight forward. At 36 weeks a scan identified that my baby was breech. An unsuccessful ECV meant that I knew I would be having a c-section, which wasn’t what I planned, however the HPHB course taught me I could still have a personal experience with things like music in the room and delayed cord clamping.

3 days before my c-section scheduled date I woke up and thought my discharge was slightly pink. I did some yoga and then went to my pre-op assessment ahead of the section later that week. I later went to the park for a walk with a friend and around 4pm started getting pains in my back - she questioned me saying ‘it’s not contractions is it?’ but I just brushed it off as back pain.

The sensations continued and at 5.30pm my partner Rich made me call the labour ward they told me to monitor things. I went to the toilet and saw the mucus plug, so I called the hospital and was told to go straight in. Still convinced it was Braxton Hicks we ran round packing a bag and then drove to the hospital. At 7pm I was given a bed and hooked up to a machine to check the baby’s heartbeat and to monitor my contractions. At 9pm it was confirmed that I was definitely in labour and a vaginal examination stated I was 4cm dilated and at 10pm we were walking to theatre.

In theatre I had gas and air to help manage the contractions and we were talked through what would happen and asked our preferences. Rich did most of the talking at this point, as I focused on contractions. I had the epidural and whilst on the table and my waters broke. I had a lot of adrenaline running through me due to the shock of how things had unfolded. Rich kept encouraging me to focus on him rather than what was happening.

10.49pm Ernest Fox Lawlor-Rowe was born and at 11pm he was finally in my arms, which was amazing. At midnight we were in recovery room and I could finally relax with my baby boy.

The first time I saw Ernest it was amazing - I was so happy.

I would recommend the Happy Parents Happy Baby course - I thought it was a great and covered a lot. The course ensured you could make your birth personal, whatever happens.

Top Tips:

• Really plan for the unexpected. I know we all have our birthing preferences, however they are very likely to change - these babies have other ideas!

• Breastfeeding in the first two weeks is hard,  but stick with it - it does get easier

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My pregnancy was quite text book and without complications. First trimester was classic with a lot of fatigue and some nausea, however I did not throw up once! Whoever coined the phrase "morning sickness" though must have been a man or a woman who has not been pregnant, it came all times of day! I attended the HPHB course quite late in my pregnancy and it was great getting together with other women and men who were also pregnant around the same duration as us. 

I had my mind set on an all natural birth since I really wanted to have the full experience of what my body as a child bearing woman was capable of. During my pregnancy I took every measure to ensure this would happen, and the HPHB course was definitely part in this preparation. The hypnobirthing session was very inspiring and came to good use during my delivery. Following my water breaking at 40+3, 2 am in the morning, I spent the first 7-8 hours of labour at home on my ball with my noise cancelling headphones on, pummeling Daft Punk, Queen and Marilyn Manson! When the surges kept coming closer and more regularly, we went in to the birth centre. It turned out that I was 4 cm dilated, however the midwife believed I might progress quite quickly from there so they admitted us. My baby’s position was a bit off, head tilted a bit to the left and facing backwards, hence labour work turned out to be quite long, 18 hours in total! Thanks however to my preparations with HPHB, yoga, mindfulness and a very supportive partner, I managed to get through it as I had wished with only gas and air and no other intervention. It was quite a close call at one point; 17.5 hours in my midwife told me that if I couldn't get her out in the next two pushes, we would have to go up to the hospital ward and intervene with forceps or other. This really got me going and with two massive pushes and a long, screaming warrior cry, she came out!   

I think one of the best things with the HPHB course was that the birthing partners are attending. The fact that my husband had been through the course with me made him super prepared for the intense, long work that a delivery entails. Thanks to this he was incredibly supportive and did everything right!

Meeting my baby for the first time was the most surreal moment and a massive feeling of relief after that long labour. When she looked up at me with her big eyes I just felt out of this world, and completely in awe over what we had just been through together.

We were discharged from the birth centre the day after, hence were home quite quickly, which was very nice. The first couple of days were really quite a haze, with a lot of sleeping and eating for all of us! Thanks to the breast-feeding session in HPHB and to some very helpful midwives, we got the feeding going straight away. This was something I was quite stressed about prior to giving birth; worrying that this would prove a problem once she was here, however it went like a charm. The HPHB course also helped prepare with processes such as "topping and tailing", umbilical cord care, nappies, etc.. things first time parents would be clueless about otherwise.

I would definitely recommend the HPHB antenatal course. It is a great way of meeting other parents and also it covers such a broad and thorough range of areas for having a baby - it is really a one stop shop! Also Hannah was lovely and very knowledgeable.

Top Tips:

• Realise that a newborn "eats all the time" and that you will have to be up every hour - two hours at night, always having them eating, the first few weeks. I think with this mindset you are not overwhelmed or shocked by the lack of sleep and neediness the baby displays, it is just the way nature made it out to be! Be responsive in your feeding to get the flow going, and listen to your instincts and your baby.

• The first few weeks are intense but they will never come back, hence enjoy that baby, smell their head, snuggle them, they will be 18 and annoying before you know it!

• Also, if you have a mindset of what you want your delivery to look like, be informed and determined of that mindset. You know your own body best and delivery is not a medicinal but a natural occurrence.

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The first 20 weeks of my pregnancy were really tough. I suffered with severe sickness and nausea and was bed bound and on antiemetics. Once I reached 20 weeks the sickness eased and I began to enjoy being pregnant - I had no other health problems and I kept quite active. I took the HPHB course in my 8th month of pregnancy and it helped prepare me for the months ahead. The course addressed a lot of practicalities, offering sessions with a range of professionals for all areas of birth as well as the early stages of parenting. This helped eased fears and equipped me with knowledge of what to expect and how to plan, whilst remaining flexible and open to what might unfold. There is a lot of information out there but it was so useful for this to be distilled and presented in a manageable and friendly way to expecting parents. It was also so great at this point to meet other expecting parents and share our concerns and ideas about the birth and parenting.

My birth was not as zen as I'd hoped but it was still an amazing experience. I was low risk and had hoped for an active birth in water in the birthing centre. However, I had a very long early labour with very intense contractions and after 3 days I was still not dilated enough to go to hospital. I was exhausted and concerned about how I would cope with the second stage of labour. I was used to using breathing techniques as they advise in Hypnoborthing - which did help in the first day or 2 however by day 3 I was exhausted and also became worried that I wasn’t feeling my baby move as much. I went into triage at the hospital, they monitored the movements and the heartbeat and everything was fine, however whilst there we decided that we would accelerate the birth. I was given an epidural, something really hadn’t wanted, the team broke my waters and gave me a hormone drip to accelerate the contractions and help with dilation. This opportunity to rest allowed my body to relax and I responded very quickly. Fortunately, I managed to push her out without any help and she came out within the hour. It really helped in the latter stages of this to feel her crowning, it was real motivation to keep pushing. The midwives were really amazing, there were a couple of other complications on the way but they were always so on it, constantly monitoring me and my baby, and responding when help was needed. It is such team work and I felt 100% in safe hands whilst also feeling like I had control of the labour. Because we had talked about forms of pain relief and the possible options during labour in the HPHB course I felt pretty clear on our course of action despite it being different from my birth plan. This was incredibly reassuring.

I couldn't believe it when I first saw Elisa, I really couldn't believe I had pushed her out after all this time. I was exhausted but so elated that she was here, safe and healthy. As much as I believe in natural birth, I really was so grateful at this point for modern medicine and care. It is very surreal to finally hold your baby after all these months of pregnancy. I kept having to look at her and hold her to believe she was real! It was incredibly special and euphoric in fact particularly as she arrived on New Year’s Day and it just felt perfect to welcome her into the world and into the New Year.

The HPHB course was really good at covering what might happen in the labour and how this might affect you post birth. Many parts of your body can be affected by the birth and the beginning of breastfeeding and this can be overwhelming yet I knew what to expect and this helped massively in my recovery. The breastfeeding advice was also super useful. It is a very personal journey but there are lots of practical tips that really helped me. The first few days I was still high from the birth and I coped in a flurry of high emotion. We were learning a lot, very quickly but having taken the HPHB course stood us in good stead in terms of our approach feeding and caring for our baby, with some knowledge behind you and also where to go for support.

It is invaluable and there is so much to learn once your baby arrives. It was also so nice to have the group to talk to and share our news and concerns. Once the first few days passed and the euphoria wears off I was still overjoyed to have Elisa despite the drop in hormones and the reality of long nights with interrupted sleep and constant breast feeding kicks in. I absolutely wanted to do all of this and didn't begrudge it at all but it takes a lot out of you and it is good to find ways to cope quite quickly. When to sleep, how to keep calm, how to ask for help and really allowing your partner to support you when they can. All of this we were prepared for. And then to just take one day (or night) at a time and be there for your baby as this time is precious and will in fact go quickly. It is then also that some advice really kicks in and you begin to understand what this unique experience encompasses. 

The HPHB antenatal course was not only well organised and informative but also really accessible and friendly. It was super digestible despite all the information and helped demystify a lot of what is involved in birth and the early days of parenthood. The course brings a brilliant range of professionals to advise you and this also gives confidence to the information imparted. I found it invaluable in preparing me for the labour and early days, equipping me with a solid base of knowledge and community to tap into for help. It also encourages you to be proactive and to own your experience which is hugely important.  

Top Tips:

• Inform yourself - absolutely do a HPHB antenatal course.

• Talk to people, read books but also trust your instincts, your body and your baby.

• Remain flexible with your birthing plan and accept what unfolds.

• Listen to what is best for you and your baby and this might mean intervention - the most important thing is that you and your baby remain healthy at all stages.

• Be in the present, take one day at at time and don’t plan too much ahead of time.

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I was very lucky throughout my pregnancy and had next to no symptoms. The birth was something I put out of sight for a while, but HPHB encouraged me think more positively about it and helped me adopt a calmer approach. It helped us to better prepare and know what to expect for all scenarios. I was so skeptical about hypnobirthing but the masterclass session with HPHB I found really useful and surprisingly relaxing. Although I could have practiced more, the breathing exercises certainly stuck in my mind and really did help during labour; my partner Alex was also able to remind me to breathe. All of the HPHB resources were so useful - acting as a reminder and often served as reassurance if we were ever in doubt. What has and will continue to be one of the biggest benefits of the course is the fact we've been introduced to a great bunch of expectant parents and we've all been able to share tips and continue to support and cheer each other on.

We approached the labour quite practically in that we were comfortable with intervention if necessary, as long as we understood the reasons why. The course also helped us not to fear the 'what if' and understand the different kinds of pain relief available.

When labour started, I paced out contractions at home until I needed some more support. We checked into the hospital at 1am and Noah arrived through forceps delivery at 12.54pm. I was thrilled to be at 4cm upon arrival. As soon as I stood up after the initial examination my waters broke - there was meconium in them and we were informed Noah would need to be born within a time limit and so I was put on a drip to intensify contractions and aid pushing. We then discovered that he was no longer head down and was now facing up and so a decision was made for a forceps delivery and if that didn't work they wanted to also prep for a c section. I was exhausted and disappointed that it came to this, however as soon as the local anaesthetic kicked in it provided some much needed respite from the pain! And I had so much determination to get baby out safely with forceps that thankfully it wasn't long before he was here and in my arms.

The first moment I saw Noah I felt both relief and absolute elation. I was overcome with emotion. And we both were just so incredibly happy and in love as soon as we heard him cry!

The early days at home were easier than we thought. Although the first night at home was completely unsettling and Noah really worried us that he wasn't feeding properly however the midwife instantly reassured us the next day and helped with breastfeeding. One of the best tips from HPHB is to not ignore a newborn’s cry and we recalled the breastfeeding techniques the feeding specialist had talked to us about - Alex was better than I was at enforcing these!

We would absolutely recommend the HPHB antenatal course. It’s a great way to meet people and so much is covered - learning more about birth, introduction to hypnobirthing, post-natal care and first aid for your baby.

Top Tips:

• Don't worry about the unknown and don't hope for the perfect birth

• Don’t let any changes that feel less positive overwhelm you

• It really is best not to Google

• If something doesn't feel right call your Midwife, no matter how small because that reassurance is all you need

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You can book your place on one of our award-winning antenatal classes here

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I had an uncomplicated pregnancy and felt well and healthy throughout. I educated myself as much as possible about both the physical elements of birth and also what might happen if things didn’t go to plan. I love a lot of information and the HPHB course really helped with that.

My birth was very quick, which left few options for pain relief. I had my first contraction at 8:30AM and Arlo was born just after 4PM! I arrived at Newham Birthing Unit at 11AM and was 2cm dilated, however they kept me in as my contractions were strong and close - by 1pm I was fully dilated. I found the pain quite overwhelming and unfortunately the gas and air made me feel disoriented. The breathing techniques taught during the course were really helpful as Rich was able to talk me through them and remind me. I also found the HPHB different professional sessions so helpful as I had a really clear idea of what was happening to my body throughout the birth.

The first time that I saw Arlo I was just amazed that there was actually a baby! I’m not sure how real it all felt until he was here and safe and I was holding him.

During the early days with Arlo I felt really informed which was great, so I knew how my body would respond post birth and I had a good idea about breastfeeding and baby care. I had a lot of support from friends and family as well who have small children or babies which was fantastic as well as breastfeeding support from my midwife.

I would recommend the HPHB antenatal course - we loved the individual professionals brought in for the different areas and feel reassured that there is a support network there if we need it

Top Tip:

Be informed, be aware of all your options and possibilities but don’t be too married to any one scenario - you don’t know how your birth or baby will be so try to go with the flow.

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My pregnancy was fairly ‘smooth’. I didn’t have much morning sickness and enjoyed most of it. During the last few months I had a really sore back and it was difficult to sleep however I found that yoga helped a lot. I had been very anxious about giving birth for years - so this was my main focus and I read up on all my options. Having a planned Caesarean section was something I wanted to explore.

After choosing to have a planned section I felt a lot of relief but also wanted to hear stories and prepare myself for what it was actually going to be like. We had a date booked in, which is very strange but also quite exciting! We had our birth plan notes and speaker for music and these things really helped calm me down.

Everything then happened very quickly - within 10/15 minutes my baby was born and I could hear him crying, it was amazing. They took him to be cleaned which felt like a really long time but may have only been minutes. In our birth plan we had asked for skin to skin immediately and to cut the cord however nobody asked us at the time and so looking back we should have been more vocal about that. But once he was on my chest looking at me it didn’t matter. He was perfect! It was so magical. The team were really great and when I found the next bit painful or uncomfortable - they gave me pain relief to help.

My husband took some videos and photos which we have to look back on which I’m so grateful for. 

All in all, it went very well and I’m so pleased that I decided to do it my way.

The first time I saw Bodie I was uncontrollably crying and felt ecstatic! It was truly magical.

The first night was a little tough, but then there is something quite natural that happens which enables you to adapt. It’s definitely tough but you soon realise that every day it gets a little easier. Recovery from my C section was slightly frustrating as I couldn’t do much and was very reliant on my husband. He did a lot at night time in the first week or so - changing nappies and helping pass the baby to me. It’s remarkable how the toughest moments were shadowed by the love for our baby - looking at his face all day really helped - luckily he’s a cutie!

I would really recommend the HPHB antenatal course. We definitely wanted to meet other parents who lived nearby and having a WhatsApp group provides lots of additional support. The course is really manageable and covers a lot.

Top Tips:

• Don’t buy any clothes! You’ll be gifted so many.

• Enjoy your time alone with partner beforehand.

• Don’t worry about pressure around ‘natural’ births or breastfeeding - just do what feels right to you.

• Don’t try to plan too far ahead, take each day as it comes.

You can get FREE resources tailored to each stage of your pregnancy by subscribing to our newsletter here

You can book your place on one of our award-winning antenatal classes here

Follow us on Instagram for all our latest news and FREE hypnobirthing relaxation sessions