How to pro-actively manage your emotional well-being
Managing your emotions in times of stress and life change can be challenging. Often the very things that we know help us are the first to be forgotten.
When I work with clients we start with the basics and here are my top tips for managing your emotional wellbeing.
Free Meditations
Meditation is widely appreciated as a healthy beneficial practice. Guided meditations can help focus your awareness and develop your own practice.
I create free meditations to help you cultivate your practice - from breathing meditation to build focus and concentration to meditations for new parents. I mark the wheel of the year such as solstices and equinoxes with specially created meditations.
You can find them all free of charge in my shop here.
What is hypnosis? - A free chapter
“You should change the name” – if ONLY I had a £1 for every time I heard someone suggest that hypnobirthing change it’s name…. I’d be a VERY rich woman!
The resistance and scepticism that comes with the word “hypnobirthing” is usually because of a misunderstanding as to what hypnosis is. Once explained in relation to what helps birth EVERYONE gets it so let’s clear this up right now.
In this free chapter from “Why Hypnobirthing Matters” I explain the science of hypnosis and why we use it as an invaluable tool for birth preparation.
There is particular focus on the neuroscience which helps demystify the process and bust myths and misunderstandings commonly held. Although specifically related to birth reading this chapter will help everyone understand what hypnosis is and (sometimes more importantly) isn't.
Free Resources For Hypno-birthers
Over the years I’ve collated lots of articles and information and been inspired by so many great writers, researchers, midwives and fellow therapists. There are some areas on which I often get asked for my thoughts, so here I’ve finally been able to consolidate the reading and people that have helped further my understanding.
Please bear in mind these are not “fact” sheets but a sharing of that which I hope you’ll find helpful. Please feel free to share with others too.
Getting raised eyebrows when you mention HypnoBirthing?
Here's a helpful document you can download and send to family and friends which explains what HypnoBirthing is and how then can best support you in your birth choices.
If you like this...
It’s fascinating learning about pregnancy and childbirth, right? Here's some suggestions for further reading, websites and blogs that I, and millions of others, have found inspiring.
Are you considering home birth?
The latest guidelines from NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence), published in December 2014, confirmed that many more women should be encouraged to give birth out of hospital – either in a Midwife-Led Unit or in their own home - as the rate of intervention is lower. If you’re considering home birth or wondering whether you should, please read this.
Packing a bag for birth away from home?
Even if you’re planning a home birth it’s wise to have a bag packed too, just in case baby has other ideas. Here's what you might consider packing.
“Haven’t you had that baby yet?”
The pressure (often unknowingly) placed on a mum-to-be by those around her who assume your "due date" is when the baby is actually supposed to show up can be enormous! Given that only 4% of babies arrive on their due date and that science clearly tells us babies arrive anywhere within a five week window (generally) it’s wise to think more vaguely as to when your little one will deem is their time to be born. This is a collection of thoughts around “due dates” and suggestions as to what you might like to consider doing if you’re “overdue”.
Supporting an induced labour
Induction is a topic we cover extensively in my hypnobirthing course. There is a great deal of concern at the high levels of induced labours and yet the risks of induction are rarely fully explained to expectant parents. There are occasions however when parents make an informed decision that induction is the best option for them. This document offers support for those inducing labour with links to positive birth stories and resources.
Healing after a caesarean birth
Some babies need to be born by caesarean section and special consideration is needed for reccovery - this outlines lots of tips women I've worked with have found to be helpful in the healing process along with affirmations to help keep mind and body working together.
Baby's here, now what?!
HypnoBirthing isn't just about the birth, it informs you as a person how to calm your body and your mind and approach life confidently and positively. These are just the qualities you need in this new chapter of life too and this sheet has links to practical suggestions for healing, dealing with a newborn and local contacts for support with breastfeeding, talking over your birth experience and what to do locally with a baby.
Positive Birth Stories
Since time immemorial, stories have been a way of transmitting cultural values, experience and wisdom. Sharing positive birth stories is so very important in our society where women who have enjoyed birthing feel unable to say so. Inspirational aswell as informational, reading others' experiences with hypnobirthing will touch you deeply.
I'm privileged to have had hundreds of couples over the years share with me their experience so I in turn can share with you.
Inspirational Films
Check out my YouTube playlists for interesting watching.
There's my hypnobirthing playlist which includes wonderful births, powerful talks and insightful videos to inspire and inform.
There's my emotional well-being playlist which includes TED talks, animations and film resources which help inform my approach as a therapist.
Kat on Podcasts
The Eve Event - conversations with disobedient women. We had a LOT of fun with this one!
Hear me and Chloe Straw from Birth Stories discuss my top 5 tips for birth preparation.
Listen to me and two top midwives discuss openly the myths and pitfalls of hypnobirthing for mums and midwives. Click here
Kat's snack corner
The home-made snacks I make for my group hypnobirthing classes are always a BIG hit.
Packed with long lasting energy and nutrients to help in pregnancy and birth they are easy to make, much cheaper than those in health food stores and you can make batches for the fridge and freezer to ensure you maintain energy and a sense of being grounded through nutrition. Here's a selection of the most popular snacks you'll find in my classes.
There's also interesting thoughts about how eating dates is beneficial for pregnancy and birth - read all about that here.
Click on those that tempt you to be directed to the recipe!
