It’s important couples know I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share this incredible knowledge.

I am a mother of three (4, 2 and 10 months). Parenting remains my most challenging yet profoundly fulfilling role. I am lucky to be married to a supportive husband who has consistently been an outstanding birthing partner. He advocates for hypnobirthing, having witnessed the impact it has and the significant role he played in the birth of our daughters.

Expectant mothers often approach pregnancy with apprehension and this is mainly influenced by societal narratives, horror stories and media portrayals. I also found myself grappling with misconceptions and fear-driven assumptions about childbirth, fuelled by sensationalised stories and modern media dramatisations. I was apprehensive but I hadn’t appreciated how little I knew about labour and birth.

My perspective changed during a serendipitous encounter on a train in Sri Lanka while 16 weeks pregnant. Amidst the chaos of a broken down train, I ended up chatting with another passenger who was an experienced midwife from Surrey. She gave me only one piece of advice: “Learn hypnobirthing and have her at home”. Nothing else. She said it's as clear as day to her if someone has practiced hypnobirthing and I’ve since learnt this to be true. So I embraced hypnobirthing and its intelligent and evidence-based approach, grounded in scientific principles. It was not an alternative ideology, or a load of “woo”, as I’d originally assumed. Through mindfulness and positive affirmations, I learned to confront and eliminate my fears.

My first birth involved navigating the intricacies of the maternity system but I felt empowered to advocate for myself. It was not easy first time around but understanding the system's risk-averse nature and the need for self advocacy was so important in achieving the best birth for me and my daughter. Due to Covid all home births were cancelled so I had accepted I was having my baby in hospital potentially without my husband present.

Amidst the first lockdown, I welcomed my little girl into the world calmly, swiftly and comfortably with a sense of empowerment and in total awe of the incredible capability of the female body. Afterwards I decided to train as a hypnobirthing teacher under the guidance of the remarkable Katherine Graves, known for her kindness and incredible teachings. My second and third were delivered at home with my husband present. It was swift, serene and euphoric. The lovely home birth team joined us afterwards. It was powerful, birth is always powerful, but it was never painful.

With each pregnancy, I revisit and relearn hypnobirthing—it is a practice that always brings joy and serenity. Prior to learning hypnobirthing, a genuine sense of calmness was almost impossible for me. I was never able to focus on the present moment for any length of time. Hypnobirthing practices are still something I use daily. I am now able to isolate parts of my life and manage any anxiety much better. Hypnobirthing has helped me achieve so much more than just two wonderful births.

Beyond hypnobirthing, I have a passion for trail running, cycling, gardening, and practicing yoga. I also love to make things whether that’s candles, soap or dried flower art - anything.

Nature is my sanctuary as it always offers healing and rejuvenation. I feel so lucky to have beautiful green open spaces on my doorstep. You'll often find me immersed in the great outdoors, with one child either hitching a ride on my front/back or napping in the XC running buggy.