Birth Story Hypnobirthing, Saint Albans (2026)

23/06/2026

HEATWAVE HYDRATION HACKS: Hydration is vital for a healthy pregnancy💧Topping up on H2O throughout pregnancy not only helps to form amniotic fluid, produce extra blood volume, flush out toxins or form new tissue but can also keep UTIs, constipation, hemorrhoids and fatigue at bay. The NHS Eatwell Guide says we should drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day🚰 However, if you find it hard guzzling glasses of water, we’ve got 5 helpful hacks to keep you cool in the heatwave & help with hydration in pregnancy…
🥒Gazpacho: Okay the idea of a cold soup isn’t for everyone but gazpacho is a super easy way to incorporate water-rich veggies such as cucumber (96% water), tomatoes & celery (95% water) and bell peppers are excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants
🫖Fresh ginger tea: A super hydrating tea if you’re feeling nauseous in pregnancy. Cut half an inch to an inch of fresh ginger root, gently compress the ginger with the base of a mug to release the juices then add to a pot of boiling water. Allow to steep, pour & enjoy.
🍉Fruity ice lollies: Who doesn’t love a frozen fancy on a hot day? Grab a mix of water-dense fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, golden kiwis, pineapple and peaches, blend down and pour into lolly moulds & freeze - healthy and hydrating!
🥛Chilled glass of milk: The NHS advises against having any unpasteurised dairy products during pregnancy. Pasturised cow’s milk is fine to drink in pregnancy, rich in calcium to help your baby’s bones and teeth develop healthily and is also a source of iodine.
🧊 Iced caffeine-free tea: Missing a brew? Try an iced caffeine-free tea. We love chilling down HotTea Mama Get Up & Glow pregnancy tea bursting with tropical flavours of pineapple, mango, grapes, hibiscus flower and rosehips
What’s your go-to drink to keep hydrated during pregnancy?

22/06/2026

Put your feet up and keep those preggo pins chilled as swelling can often be worse during heatwaves ☀️🌡 With your body holding more water than usual when you are pregnant, throughout the day the extra water tends to gather in the lowest parts of the body. So how can we alleviate hot-weather swelling in your feet and legs? Here’s our 10 swollen feet saviours in pregnancy…
🚰 DRINK UP - Sounds odd right but if your body feels it is dehydrated, it will try to retain even more fluid
🧂DITCH SALT - Minimise your salt intake, as eating salt can worsen water retention
🦶 FOOT RUBS - Massage can be great for swollen feet, promote relaxation and boost our oxytocin
🔄 CIRCULATION - Rotate each foot in a circle 8 times one way and 8 times the other way
🥝 POTASSIUM RICH FOODS - Potassium is an important mineral that helps maintain the salt to water ratio in your body, try snacking on cool celery sticks, juicy kiwis & watercress and avocado salads
🛌 LEFT SIDE LIE - Whether sleeping or resting, lying on your left side can help increase circulation in your body, which will help reduce swelling in your feet
🧊 KEEP COOL - Refresh and revitalise legs and tootsies with Spritzy Toes. Take a dip in a cool bath or pop a chilled towel or ice pack on your swollen feet
🌍 GO WITH GRAVITY- Prop your feet up often, if you can keep your feet above your heart
🧘🏽‍♀️ KEEP MOVIN - Gentle exercise like yoga or swimming is great to keep your blood and fluids circulating throughout your body so they have less of a tendency to settle in your feet
👣 BEND & STRETCH - Bend and stretch your foot up and down 30 times to reduce swelling in the ankles and prevent cramp in the calf muscles

19/06/2026

THE ICE HOLD 🧊 Feeling anxious about contractions and how you’ll manage them in labour? The ice hold exercise is a simple yet effective coping technique to practice in pregnancy. Whilst holding ice cubes doesn’t compare to how a contraction actually feels, it does allow you to explore & hone in on your hypnobirthing techniques for managing any discomfort in labour and birth
So how does the ice hold work?
PHASE 1: Hold a couple of ice cubes in hands and set your timer for 60 seconds and observe what your response is. This 60 second time period is the average length of a surge (aka contraction) is during the active phase of labour ⏱️ Stay connected to the sensation - the chill of cubes, the feeling of discomfort, etc. Now place the ice cubes down and pause for a couple of minutes
PHASE 2: Let’s grab another couple of ice cubes and this time, over the 60 second time period, focus either on a series of slow, controlled breaths; imagining the gentle waves of the sea rolling up and down the body - now reflect on what your response was and how you handled the intensity of the cold ice cubes in your hand - a little better right? Take another pause
PHASE 3: Grab some fresh ice and this time over 60 seconds play a soft tranquil soundtrack, work with gentle swaying movements or have your partner lightly massage your back. You could even inhale a little lavender oil from a tissue while holding the ice. After 10-15 minutes, think about which tools and techniques anchored states of calm and control during the discomfort and work these methods of promoting comfort into your flexible birth plan
So why did the sensations of holding the ice cubes feel so much more comfortable in the latter phases? It’s all about disrupting the pain gateway. The Gate Control Theory of Pain says that the brain 🧠 can only pay attention to so many sensations at once. So rather than directing your brain to the discomfort of your contractions, distract the brain with your hypnobirthing techniques to minimise pain and promote a sense of calm, control & confidence with every surge.

18/06/2026

With Father’s Day just around the corner, we’ve prepared a little something for all those dads-to-be - our ultimate birth partner checklist! (Mums-to-be this is one to save & share)
I often get asked by birth partners in class how they can best support their other halves from bump to birth. Birth Story Hypnobirthing courses are a great place to start! By learning defined support roles throughout pregnancy and labour, teamed with practical tools and techniques, birth partners finish the course primed with positivity and prepped unlike ever before 👍🏻
Our birth partner checklist is the perfect starter for 10 to becoming the very best birth partner to support and shape a positive birth experience…
BIRTH PARTNER CHECKLIST
⏱️ TIME SURGES - download a contraction app to your phone and get set to track those surges (aka contractions) in labour
🫁 BOND WITH BREATHWORK - help birthing mum channel calm, control and confidence by breathing along with your partner
🥑 NOURISH & HYDRATE - you BOTH need energy for the big day, so stock up on those slow-release snacks & keep hydrated
🕯️ SET AMBIENT ANCHORS - create a safe space both at home & hospital - dim the lights, set a soothing soundtrack & diffuse calming scents
♥️ CALM & RELAXED - secure a sense of calm and relaxation for birthing mum to allow her oxytocin hormones to flow in abundance
🤚🏼 MASSAGE- boost endorphins with soothing strokes and light touch massage & ease back labour with firmer counter pressure
💬 COACHING CUES - from labour to birth, it’s all about empowering coaching cues - from facial relaxation reminders to connecting to baby, body and breath
📋 BIRTH PLAN ADVOCATE - you’re in charge of the birth plan, get to know it to confidently advocate and navigate curveballs with aplomb
🛸 U.F.O POSITIONS - Ensure mum is switching upright, forward and open positions every 20-30 minutes
🚽 BLADDER EMPTYING - check mum goes for a wee frequently to stop her bladder filling up and blocking baby’s exit
For more birth partner tools & techniques, SIGN UP for a Birth Story Hypnobirthing course by tapping ‘contact’ in our bio link

15/06/2026

NEWBORN HEAD MOLDING: If you ran your fingers gently over a newborn’s head you would find that unlike us as adults, the skull of a newborn is made up of 7 different bones. These bones slowly fuse together over the first couple of years of life, but not before serving a VERY important function during birth
As your baby’s head encounters the pressure if the pelvis and the pelvic floor during labour, the bones of their skull are able to shift and move to change the diameters of their head without minimising the space inside it. This process is called molding and it enables baby to protect their brain 🧠 whilst navigating their way gently through the birth canal
After birth, like this image shows, you can sometimes see the way their skull has moulded. We generally find that the moulding becomes more distinct the longer the head was in the pelvis. A baby born very quickly⏱️ may have little moulding compared to a baby who experienced a longer labour
Either way, it resolves super quickly and you will notice their head 👶🏽 returning to a round shape within the first day after birth. The fontanel on the back of the head usually closes by the time your baby is around 4 months old; the one on top typically doesn’t close until after your baby’s first birthday. Babies are born with more than 275 bones, but adults have only 206. That’s because many of your newborn’s bones will fuse with each other during those important growth years
✨Trust that your baby and body know what to do✨

10/06/2026

Do you want to know the secret behind making informed and confident decisions for ANY kind of birth? Use your B.R.A.I.N 🧠 and H.E.A.R.T ❤️
Be it shaping birth or postnatal preferences; exploring induction to internal examinations or navigating curveballs or challenges on the your birth day, tapping into the B.R.A.I.N & H.E.A.R.T decision making tools can help minimise shock hypnosis and sustain a calm level of control
B.R.A.I.N is a simple acronym to help you and your birth partner gather essential information, retain control and make informed decisions throughout labour and birth and H.E.A.R.T is all about harnessing the art of negotiation and balance ⚖️ to assert your choices should they be challenged by your care providers
Let’s break B.R.A.I.N 🧠 down for those decision making moments…
B - BENEFITS: How will this help me? How will this help my baby? What will it achieve?
R - RISKS: What are the immediate risks and specific medical indications involved?
A - ALTERNATIVES: What are my other options right now? What can I try instead?
I - INSTINCT: Follow your instincts - it is about what feels right for you personally
N - NOTHING: Never rush. Buying time can make the difference between intervention or not
S - SMILE: Feel empowered and positive with your decision
Once you’ve used B.R.A.I.N and confidently let your care providers know you’ve made a decision. Should there be any push-back from your team on your chosen next steps, diffuse any tension and assert your decision with your H.E.A.R.T ❤️…
H - HEAR: “I hear what you’re saying and I understand why you recommended this...”
E - EMPATHISE: “...and I know you want the best for me and my baby...”
A - AFFIRM: “...but I intend to wait a while longer before considering x, y, or z” or “...I would rather try this alternative”
R - REASSURE: “I will let you know if anything changes.”
T - THANKS: “Thanks for your time and for taking good care of us”
Remember, B.R.A.I.N & H.E.A.R.T are tools not only for birth but for life ✨

08/06/2026

BIRTH ORBS: You may be familiar with birth combs as a tool to promote comfort in labour but have you heard of birth orbs? These spiky wooden orbs are pocket-sized natural pain relief heroes - simply squeeze or roll the orbs in the palm of your hand during a contraction (or surges as we call them) and release as you rest in between. But how can holding spiky wooden balls really work magic in labour and birth…
HOW DO BIRTH ORBS WORK?
It’s all about The Gate Control Theory of Pain. The Gate Control Theory says that the brain 🧠 can only pay attention so many sensations at once. As the nerve endings are closer on your hands they reach your brain faster 💫 When pressure is applied on the nerve pathways of the hand via the spikes of the birth orb, you quickly close the gate on pain signals from your uterus and distract your brain from focussing on the sensations of your surges. Comfort, calm and a sense of empowerment instead is awakened
WHAT BENEFITS DO BIRTH ORBS BRING?
✨ BOOSTS ENDORPHINS: Working with acupressure points on the hand, every time you squeeze or roll the orb, this pressure stimulates the release of our endorphins. Endorphins are said to be 20-40 times more potent than morphine when it comes to reducing sensations and our perception of pain!
🥰 BIRTH PARTNER SUPPORT: Have your partner roll your birth orb along your lower back or hips to ease back labour surges. Or between surges, deepen relaxation by having your partner roll the ball over shoulders, arms legs or feet to reset your nervous system and greet your next surge feeling rested and ready
🧿 FOCUS & FLOW: Minimise moments of panic and anxiety and instead channel focus and flow. Rolling the birth orb in a gentle rhythmic fashion can help create focus and work in tandem with your hypnobirth breathwork
🤱🏽 POSTNATAL PAIN RELIEF: Whilst super effective in labour and birth, these handy orbs can be used postnatally to promote comfort. They can be squeezed to help ground and distract from uterine cramps, perineal tear discomfort or ease uncomfortable moments after a gentle c-section birth
DM us ‘ORB’ to add birth orbs to your hospital bag

24/05/2026

HEATWAVE HACKS IN PREGNANCY ☀️ Keeping cool with a blossoming bump can be difficult when temperatures rise 🌡 With hormonal changes, increased blood flow and extra heat produced by the placenta, in pregnancy your core body temperature can climb a little higher than normal. Check out our 6 heatwave hacks and handy hints…
💧 H2OHHH! From paddling pool or sprinkler spritz to a soothing soak in the bath (temperature shouldn’t be above 32°C), water is a wonder to keep cool. Heading out? Grab our fave One Hot Mama face and body mist for an on-the-go cool down delight
🥥 HYDRATION HELP: Keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink at least 1.5-2 litres a day. Replace electrolytes that are sweated away with a simple homemade electrolyte drink - 500ml coconut water⁠, 250ml water⁠, juice from 1 lemon and 1 lime⁠, 1 tbsp honey⁠ and 1/4 tsp unrefined salt⁠
😎 SHADY LADY: Shade can make the temperature feel 10-15 degrees cooler than direct sun exposure. Seek shade if you’re outside and avoid being out in the hottest part of the day (11am-3pm). Slap on the SPF, style it out with a hat and sunnies and pop a handheld fan in your bag
🦶SOOTHE SWOLLEN FEET: Swollen legs and feet are common in pregnancy - elevate those tootsies to minimise swelling, wear comfy shoes and avoid standing for long periods. Increase your intake of watercress and citrus fruits which act as natural diuretics. Try Lighter Legs to soothe and refresh
❄️ ICE ICE BABY: Keep your freezer stocked up with frozen fancies. If you’re over 32 weeks, try a batch of raspberry leaf tea lollies - steep 300g raspberries, 3 raspberry leaf tea bags, 1 tbsp maple syrup for 10 mins in boiling water, add juice of 1 lime, decant into lolly moulds and freeze!
🧊DIY A/C: Ditch that duvet and invest in this home air-con hack. A great way to cool you down at night is to have a fan circulating cold air around your room, plus pop a two-litre bottle of frozen water in front of it, et voila… instant air-conditioning
How do you keep cool in heatwave when pregnant?

20/05/2026

LABOUR-AID LOLLIES 🍋 I often get asked in class which snacks and drinks are great to consume during labour, these zesty Labour-Aid Lollies are a winner and particular handy with a heatwave pending! ☀️
These easy to make ice lollies are great for labour as they not only hydrate but also offer a much-needed hit of electrolytes. Electrolytes help our body to work more efficiently during labour and are required for muscle contractions. Without them muscles become weak and surges of the uterus can be less effective in labour. Electrolytes also regulate our nerve function, hydration, pH levels and blood pressure.
Prep a stash of lollies ahead of time and your birth partner can pop to the freezer 🧊 to keep your cool, calm and refreshed throughout your labour whilst also maintaining your energy & endurance. Here’s how to make your very own Labour-Aid Lollies…
INGREDIENTS
🥥 2 cups coconut water⁠ 🚰 1 cup water⁠ 🍋 Juice from 1 lemon ⁠ 🍯 1 tbsp honey⁠ 🧂 1/4 tsp unrefined salt⁠
METHOD: Fill a jug with half of the coconut water (1 cup), add the lemon juice, salt and honey 🥄 Stir the ingredients together. Pour the remaining half of the coconut water and water & keep stirring until the honey has dissolved. Pour your labour-aid into lolly moulds and place in the freezer to set. Slip out of the moulds once frozen and savour as you work through your surges

13/05/2026

WATER BIRTH FAQS: From warmth of water to what to wear, baby’s first breath to birth partner etiquette - we’ve collated the most common questions we get asked about birthing in water in class and compiled a handy FAQ just for you…
💧 Q: Does the water stay warm? A: The water temperature is usually between 34-37ºC during the first stage of labour. For your baby’s birth, the water needs to be about 37ºC
💧Q: How will be monitored? A: Your midwife will use an underwater hand held doppler every 15-30 minutes during active 1st stage of labour and every 5 in 2nd stage. Your blood pressure, temperature and pulse will also be regularly checked. A birthing mirror can also be used to monitor baby crowning
💧 Q. What pain relief can I have in water?
A. Water is a wonderful method of promoting comfort but if you need a little extra, you can use gas and air (entonox) or squeeze a birth comb during intense surges. You can’t have any opiates (pethidine) for about 2-3 hours before you get into the pool & you can’t use a TENS machine as there is a danger of electrocution
💧Q: What if a pool is unavailable in hospital?
A: If you have access to a shower at hospital, you can kneel, sit or with the support of your birth partner, use the shower to stimulate your endorphins
💧Q. What should I wear in the pool?
A. The choice is yours as long as you’re comfortable - you can go naked or pop on a bikini top
💧Q. Can my birth partner get in the pool?
A. Absolutely - make this wish clear on your birth plan & pack swimwear
💧Q. Can I deliver my placenta in a pool?
A. A physiological third stage is common in water. You can have an active third stage in water - the oxytocin injection be administered in the pool, then you’ll transfer to dry land to deliver the placenta to better monitor blood loss
💧Q. Will my baby breathe when it’s under water?
A. When babies are born in water, their body behaves as if it’s still in the womb until their first breath, at which point their lungs open. As a baby comes from water (womb) into water (pool) the lungs are not open and no water can get in. Your baby won’t take a breath until they’re out of the water

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