Better Birth Stories: Hypnobirthing Classes & Birth Doula

07/08/2026

THE BIRTH BAG

Okay, so I know that there are thousands of blogs online all about how to pack for your birth. This isn't really going to be one of them.

I am just going to tell you the simple things that will make the lives of your birth partner and doula much easier. And of course, if it's easier for us then I promise it'll make it LOADS easier for you!

Firstly, don't go crazy and over-pack. We need to be able to get you and your bags into the birth centre easily. Loads of different bags to hang off our shoulders while getting in and out of a cab and into the birth centre, while supporting you in labour, can be really difficult.

One bag for labour. One bag for postnatal. That is all you need. If you have a wheelie case your birth partner will also be very grateful indeed.

Pack with complete clarity. Your birth partner or doula will need to be able to find things quickly and easily, ideally without having to ask you while you are labouring. If they are rummaging around in a jumbled bag trying to find your eye mask, you will feel it. This disruption to your environment matters.

Organise your bag clearly, packaging certain items together and clearly separate from others. Your birth partner needs to be able to take things easily from the bags without turning everything into a jumbled mess and I absolutely promise you that they will do this very quickly.

Use labelled pouches or packing cubes. Pack your birth bag items separately from your postnatal items. Put the things you will need first, your birth plan, your headphones, your drink and any preferred aromatherapy oils at the very top or in a separate small bag that goes in last and comes out first.

If you are arriving for a planned caesarean (or you believe that there is a high chance that you will be moving toward caesarean such as having an induction of labour) then ensure that you have a nappy (diaper for the US ladies!) and baby hat ready to give to your midwife. Clearly whether you wish to put a hat on your baby is entirely up to you but the theatre is colder than the antenatal and postnatal wards, so it might be a good idea at least briefly.

In short, help us to help you. That transfer from home to hospital, if you are making it, can be super disruptive, so really think through what you'll need to access and make it as easy as possible. That way all of the attention from your birth partners remains on you - where it really should be.

xx

If you do need a fuller list of what else to pack then do visit the full blog article over on the betterbirthstories.com website.

06/08/2026

…YOU REALLY DON’T⠀
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Okay, so I’ll carefully caveat that with, obviously if you or your baby are ill or need extra support then it might be a really good idea to see your baby sooner rather than later….⠀
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But...⠀
If you are well, if your baby is well then you don’t NEED to be induced, you don’t HAVE to be induced. ⠀
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Induction of labour comes with short, medium and long-term RISKS to both you and your baby. Although often dressed as the ‘safer thing to do’ it really isn’t for everyone. ⠀
It doesn’t always work. It can be more painful and it CAN lead to iatrogenic harm.⠀

If you are moving toward your 38 or 40 week midwife check-up then you WILL be 'offered' induction. You may also be told that you 'need' to be booked in for your induction there and then as otherwise there might not be any appointments left. This simply isn't true or correct and it is clearly coercion.

Remember that due dates are misleading and outdated. You may even have had yours altered, even though you knew your conception dates.⠀

Are there risks in birth? Yes, birth is not risk free.
We know that the risk of stillbirth at 41 weeks is 0.2% and at 42 weeks 0.3%, it does go up but the figure remains very small. But when we are being offered induction there is rarely any balance to the conversation we have and you need to remember that everything that you are being offered comes with a risk/benefit profile that needs to be explored - whether that is doing nothing or doing everything.
⠀
The final word though is that it is YOUR choice to make, not your midwife's, or your doula's, or your mother-in-law's, or anyone else. Yours, yours, yours. It's your body and your baby.

Avoiding unnecessary interventions during pregnancy and birth really can make a huge difference to your experience of your birth. And your experiences really REALLY DO MATTER. Be prepared BEFORE your 38 or 40 week appointment so that you are not caught out without the relevant learning and information that you need.

As always I suggest visiting:
drsarawickham
dr.rachel.reed
theserenitydoula
All over on Instagram or via their own websites.

Melanie x

04/08/2026

If you are looking for excellent quality hypnobirthing tracks to listen to while pregnant or while actually in labour then look no further than my YouTube channel.
I have recently posted up a 15 minute hypnosis meditation that allows you to practice your birth breathing using my Basic Breath Technique. Listen to it each night as you go to sleep and you will find yourself breathing confidently through each and every surge of labour.

Small things can really make the biggest difference. Here is the link - don't forget to subscribe:
https://youtu.be/ETBPoVerjZ4

Melanie x

22/07/2026

Pretty photo (I was actually trying to snap a fox that was looking super gorgeous but it slunk away) and a magic photo….magic in that new life was appearing in that building just behind the windows.
Thank you team St T’s, lovely work this evening.

10/07/2026

15 minutes to find your calm. Reduce pregnancy and labour anxiety and feel better now. https://youtu.be/qEw-1BUoooA
Hope you enjoy it. Melanie x

Feeling anxious during pregnancy? This 16-minute calming hypnosis i...

02/07/2026

I don't know what pregnant mom with sore ni***es needs to hear this, but you do NOT need to harvest anything before baby is born.

What was once suggested as an option for parents anticipating immediate seperation or blood sugar issues in baby has become an expectation for ALL breastfeeding moms thanks to social media trends and syringe kits ....

If you WANT to harvest AND it doesn't hurt, go for it 🤷🏽‍♀️

But there is absolutely no reason to stress yourself, be uncomfortable, or spend money to collect colostrum when our bodies have a physiological process for lactation that begins AFTER the placenta detaches.

Your ability to collect colostrum before birth has no bearing on your ability to breastfeed.

The placenta detaching tells your body it's time to begin lactation. Baby latching tells your body there is in fact a baby demanding milk and it needs to supply.

The first day of life, we expect baby to take drips as small frequent feeds. From there, until about day 3-5, we are thinking teaspons, not ounces. Once mature milk comes in around 3-5 and until day 10 when their belly grows to the size of a chicken egg, it is still small frequent feeds.

Unless you need to or desire to pump right after birth, giving baby too much prenatally expressed colostrum can fill their belly and keep them from latching and telling your body to make more milk.

Expressed colostrum is more indicated for:

✨️Larger than average or smaller than average babies, or babies born to diabetic moms, who are more likely to have clinically significant blood sugar challenges the first day of life.

✨️Preterm babies who are too small to orally feed and latch

✨️Babies who require high oxygen support and cannot safely orally feed

✨️Medically necessary mother baby separation where one needs a higher level of intensive care that cannot be done bedside

If you want to, express away. But please never think you need to or that it increases breastfeeding.

03/06/2026

Want to know what's happening in labour? Then this blog is for you. Melanie x

A complete guide to the stages of labour from early labour to the third stage — what's happening physically, what it feels like, and exactly what to do at each stage. From birth doula and hypnobirthing teacher Melanie Bearne.

03/06/2026

So many women are scared of birth and this is completely understandable. However, if you feel that this is becoming a problem for you do go and watch this video all about pregnancy and birth anxiety and how to manage it:

Pregnancy anxiety is one of the most common and most under-supporte...

05/05/2026

Interested in labouring without an epidural? Are there things that you can be doing or preparing to make this a reality? Hopefully this video will help:

1 comment. "Managing Labour Pain Without an Epidural: What Actually Works"

24/03/2026

I have updated my 'What Is A Stretch And Sweep' blog. This is a great little resource if you have been offered or are considering a membrane sweep.
You can find it here:

A stretch and sweep is a form of Induction of Labour, therefore it is offered to stimulate the uterus and bring on labour earlier than it might otherwise spontaneously start.