Birth Story – Holistic support for pregnancy, birth and new parenthood

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Holistic, personalised, continuous support and preparation for pregnancy, birth and new parenthood.

It’s not about one way or the other, it’s about finding the information and the people you need, knowing the options and making the right decisions for you.

About Birth Story

About Anna

Birth Preparation

Birth and Postnatal Doula

Birth Trauma Recovery

Dads and Partners

birthstoryanna

#londonbirth #birthpreparationlondon #birthstory #

#londonbirth #birthpreparationlondon #birthstory #birthknowledge #birtheducationlondon #antenatal London #birthdoula oulalondon

The most amazing mum who trusted that she could 'd

The most amazing mum who trusted that she could 'do' birth in the way that was right for her. With time spent preparing, mentally and physically, with the right support team around her - she did it, and she's 'still buzzing' 🤎

#homebirth #homebirthaftertraumaticbirth #birthtrauma #physiologicalbirth #birthsupport #birthteamlondon

Some gems here to share for anyone going into birt

Some gems here to share for anyone going into birth for the first, second, third+ time. Ask questions (outside of the box, outside of your comfort zone), do your homework, ask yourself what's important to you, find the right support people (ditch the unhelpful ones). Whatever you do, don't 'go with the flow'. What was the truth? (that I discuss with all my clients) - simply what happens on the ground, in reality, when you're having your baby. Often what is offered to clients never materialises.
Rarely will you be treated as an individual (the system is not set up for this), rarely is a birth centre 'home from home' and 'midwife led', rarely will a breech vaginal birth be supported, rarely will a postnatal ward offer an opportunity to recover, the list goes on, and on...
The problem is so many birthers are going in blind, so many birth care providers are not prepping their clients (because it's uncomfortable and not nice). Look out for fluffy-wuffy images of birthcare, and ask a LOT of questions! 💫

#birthknowledge #birthpreparation #birthchoices #birthcentre #homebirth #hospitalbirth #birthsupportteam #firstbirth #vbac #hvbac

Q: How do I support people who identify as 'differ

Q: How do I support people who identify as 'different'?
A: The. Same. As. Anybody. Else.

I'll be asking - what do you love, hate, fear, hope for, fight for. How do you want me to communicate with you, work with you, inform you, encourage you, support you at your birth. 🧡

#birthsupportlondon #differentpeople #birthworker #diversebirth #individualisedbirthsupport

Such a huge pleasure to support this family throug

Such a huge pleasure to support this family through their birth journey. Just incredible to stand alongside this woman and witness her taking control of her birth experience. What a beautiful birth it was 🫶💫🤎

#birthpreparation #homebirthaftertraumaticbirth #homebirthafterinduction #birthknowledge #inductiondamage #birthchoices #birthoptions #birthrights #birthriteofpassage #birthsupportlondon #birthdoulalondon #autonomyinbirth #birthteam

💫 There are choices. Make sure to explore the o

💫 There are choices. Make sure to explore the options around every decision in pregnancy and birth. Not all will appeal, but some you may not even be aware of, and that might be the right decision for you! You dont know if you dont explore.

💫 Challenge your own ways of thinking, conditioning and upbringing. Challenge your own fears and expectations of yourself. What do you want for yourself and your future children. Learn to ask questions - Why? What is the reason behind what you've just told me? What are the options?

💫 Take responsibility of your body and birth, do not hand it over to people 'who know best'. Remain at the steering wheel. Prepare to go against the grain. Let go of other peoples idea of birth, other people bring their own fears, what's important to you?

💫 Environment and your support people are the most important things to consider for birth. Put all your effort into that, rather than aquiring baby things. Babies dont actually need much stuff.

💫 Breastfeeding is natural but it is a learnt skill, we are mammals, go and watch other breastfeeding mums before the baby comes, and call on skilled support if needed.

X

#birthpreparation #birthwork #birthsupport

Plopping this here. Sometimes birth takes a differ

Plopping this here. Sometimes birth takes a different path than you imagined. Remember environment is key! 🧡
#birthsupport #northlondonbirth #eastlondonbirth #londonbirthworker #birthdecisions #birthpreparation

Re-intro time! 💥 Its been a while, I'm a little

Re-intro time! 💥
Its been a while, I'm a little older, wiser and greyer (embracing those hairs). Feeling healthier and more 'in my power', as they say. Being in my fifties, is so far, a very eye-opening decade.
This photo depicts me as I'm often found, in my marigolds at home. I am a homebody, I love my little garden, I love my family, and my cat....and sometimes venture out to meet friends (usually at about 9pm I start yearning to get into my bed and catch up on Netflix).
I'm positive and optimistic, also, wary and pessimistic (usually reflected in my humour).
I love having frank and honest conversations, cutting the BS and getting down to the nitty-gritty.
I'm not impressed by the current maternity system, I see the harm it does to women. I've seen it from the inside (10 years in the NHS, 1 year as a student midwife) and I see it for what it is, an institution, unable to give individualised, holistic care. This is where I come in, working with people to gently guide them to decide whether to enter into that system, knowing what it has to offer, and what it's limitations are. Then I stand with them on their journeys.
I'm a firm believer in protecting ones self and ones own boundaries. I'm not out to fix anyone or any systems.
I believe the most important and transformative work is done before birth. Physical, mental and environmental preparation.
I prefer to use the word Birthworker rather than 'doula', as I believe the mainstream notion of doulas and what they do is problematic.
I'm grateful to know and work alongside some fantastic birthworkers, it feels like community, something we all need in our lives 🤩
Anna xx

#birthworker #birthsupport #birtheducation #birthpreparation #londonbirthsupport

Part of my massive frustration with the birthworld

Part of my massive frustration with the birthworld, is that so many people haven't experienced or really get what physiological birth is. This includes doulas, midwives, and of course doctors.

I come from a place that not all have had the pleasure and privilege of inhabiting. The physiological birth place. Hands-off and unobserved birth. When you witness the most peaceful, powerful and straightforward birth there is, its easy to think that everyone else must know this. But they really dont, and I get it. I only woke up to what birth really is, around 10 years ago. And only because I started a process of unlearning, met Michel Odent, flung myself onto a midwifery course, and got left alone with labouring women on a birth centre (it's hard to imagine that happening now). It's here that I learnt that, when left in peace, with quiet support, labour unfolds, and babies are born. It was the shock of the labour ward that highlighted to me the harm that the pathologising of birth, can do. I never wanted to be a midwife, I just wanted to learn, and that I did.

Fast forward to now, and I'm lucky to work alongside an independent midwife and some fantastic homebirth midwives. But I'm so tired of hearing the hospital birthcentre 'natural birth in a home from home environment' deception spouted to parents-to-be, by doulas, by midwives, obstetricians etc.. Let's just be honest with people. Your birth will be managed in a hospital. And lets learn what physiological birth is, where it happens, and what environment it needs.

#physiologicalbirth #unobservedbirth #homebirth #birthcentre #physiologicalbirthknowledge #peacefulbirth #powerfulbirth #hospitalbirth #birthwork #maternitycare #michelodent

Hello and happy New Year! I've been a tad quiet on

Hello and happy New Year! I've been a tad quiet on here, just busy doing the birth work (3 babies in Dec/Jan) and on call for a couple of new mums-in -waiting at the moment.
So anything new? No, its all been said and sitting below on my grid 😆 👇 But here are some randomn bits of info to share...
💥 I think I've peaked with the latest soup (in pic). Good for postnatal nourishment, and feeding my family 'the best soup I've ever had' said 16yr old son. It's Potage Bonne Femme (very apt), basically leeks, potatoes, carrots and cream.
💥 I was all (and still am) 'UCLH is intervention central/the pits for physiological birth', until I heard of 3 hands-off/intervention-free birth stories from there. Someone there (who goddammit'?) knows what they're doing!
💥I was reminded that, if I take a break from intensive podcast listening/reading/keeping up with social media etc etc, that life goes on, I carry on birth working.....dare I say 'relax'?
💥I never read incredibly long captions myself, so I'm going to stop right here 😊

#birthworker #birthwork #supportingbirth #postnatalhealing #postnatalsupport #londonbirthsupport #londondoula

Small moments of beauty. A wisp of a baby's hair a

Small moments of beauty. A wisp of a baby's hair as she sleeps. A lucky, safe baby.

The horrors of war are deeply disturbing.

#smallmomentsofbeauty #peacefulmoments #peaceonearthbeginswithbirth #birthwork #humanity #peace

Fear gets passed on from generation to generation.

Fear gets passed on from generation to generation. Fear of our bodies, our powers, our capabilities, our births, our hormones, our emotions, our menopause, and our deaths.

Patterns of behaviour get passed on to us in our formative years, and we can get stuck. Then, sometimes, as a huge life event happens, such as birth, new parenthood, or menopause, we are suddenly faced with our raw and fragile selves.

How can we help to release these fears and patterns before we reach these transitions?

Knowledge and acknowledgement, acceptance, and most importantly, letting go. Letting go of what has been and what is forecast for us. Letting go, because being 'fixed' is unatainable.

I'm going to be weaving some of this knowledge into my work, as I'm moving towards supporting all of lifes big transitions, from pre-birth, to birth, to menopause and death.

#generationalfears #generationalpaterns #generationaltrauma #lifetransitions #birth #menopause #death #lettinggooffear #hormones #emotions #lifechanges #lifetransitions #birthandmenopause #birthcoach #menopausecoach #menopausalmum

Some of my faves on my bookshelf. I have a squilli

Some of my faves on my bookshelf. I have a squillion more but thats for another time 🙂

#birthbooks #childbirthbooks #inspirationalbooks #whensurvivorsgivebirth #birthpartner #pennysimkin #heartinthewomb #dramalilokugamage #inamaygaskin #thefarm #homebirth #oxytocin #birthmatters #preparingforbirth #reclaimingchildbirthasariteofpassage #rachelreed

I'm about to enter into an intensive period of pos

I'm about to enter into an intensive period of postnatal care. It made me think of how delicate this time is. Like birth, there is nuance. Women experience becoming a mother very differently. Everyone brings their own personality, life experiences, fears, and hopes into motherhood. Some people fly, and some people spiral downwards. But the common thread for all, is the need to be cared for. That is it. It's so simple ⭐️

Some women really embrace this need, and others struggle with the idea of needing it. I definitely see more new mum turmoil going on with the latter.

When care is sought, that looks different to different people. For one, it's a spiritual ritual, for another, it's a hug and to be fed. Everyone needs to be cared for, or cared about, it's human nature, it keeps us alive. But a newborn mum, like her newborn baby, is extra delicate. She is entering into a new world, unsure, finding her way, with delicate skin, easily bruised, like a peach 🍑 Take care of her.

What was the thing that made you feel cared for in your newborn mum phase? Mine was definitely being fed and watered.

#newbornmum #newborn #postnatalcare #careformothers #motheringthemother #postnatalsupport #postpartum #fourthtrimester #mothernurture #matrescence #motherhood #mothernuance #postnatalnuance

I've written recently about the AWE experienced wh

I've written recently about the AWE experienced when witnessing physiological undisturbed birth.

I've also experienced AWE from standing alongside women during many different types of birth. From a woman having a medical termination, to having an elective caesarean, to choosing medical interventions, all whilst having information, knowing their options, and owning their decisions.

AWE is CONNECTION to our fellow humans. Connection is what makes us well, mentally and physically. Connection boosts OXYTOCIN. Oxytocin helps us to birth, mother/parent, and live life to the fullest.

You can see why birth workers are somewhat addicted to oxytocin talk/boosting :).

#physiologicalbirth #undisturbedbirth #birthworker #supportingbirth #medicalbirth #hospital birth #homebirth #caesareanbirth #birthundisturbed #awe #birthpower #owningbirth #humanconnection #birthconnection #oxytocin #connectionandoxytocin #oxytocinboost #wellbeing #healingbirth #mammalbirth #mammalbehaviour

UNDISTURBED = no-one timing, prodding, faffing, ma

UNDISTURBED = no-one timing, prodding, faffing, managing, coaching, assessing, watching.

PHYSIOLOGICAL = due to the above, mammal body systems work optimally to birth a baby in the way that nature has designed it to, without any interference.

When we witness this type of birth, as a birthworker, parent, partner, friend, or family member, some very special things happen.

⭐️ we open up to the innate power and beauty of human birth and of those who birth.

⭐️ we feel love, connection, and life

⭐️ we feel grounded, where everything in the moment makes sense, life makes sense.

⭐️ Those who birth in this way transform, for the better - self belief, healing, growth, power

As a birthworker, once this has been witnessed, observing other types of birth can become very challenging. We change when we know what is possible. Personally, I support people through all kinds of birth. Physiological birth isn't possible for everyone. But the experience and understanding of physiological birth is incredibly special.

What would you add to this?

📷: @kpphotoinc

#physiologicalbirth #undisturbedbirth #birthworker #supportingbirth #birthundisturbed

At the last birth I attended as a birth companion,

At the last birth I attended as a birth companion, a homebirth, mum was clear who she needed around her, and that she may need support during the transition phase. Most importantly, she wanted 'not to be bothered'.

We had built a relationship over months, so that I was in the best place to understand her needs, and she, to communicate them to me. We did work to move on from previous birth trauma. She stated her intentions, free from the shackles of previous mis-treatment during her first birth.

Her birth was fast, powerful, and incredibly straightforward. I knew my role, and so did the midwives. None of us interfered, or stepped unwanted into her personal birth space, it was only when she invited us in or when intuition told us that she needed our support and presence, that we stepped closer, offering a hand to hold, and reassurance.

There was no running commentary, no coaching, no chit-chat, no photos, no gizmos, no egos, just everyone taking their place in this extraordinary and simple event 🧡

#homebirth #birthwithouttrauma #physiologicalbirth #birthteam #birthsupport #birthcompanion #birthdoula #birthkeeper #naturalbirth #healingbirth #birthaftertrauma #birthwithoutintervention @homebirth_homerton

I.V.F I often have clients, who've had IVF or ass

I.V.F
I often have clients, who've had IVF or assisted conception to have their baby. Most of them choose to reject the idea that their pregnancy and birth must then automatically be given a 'high risk' label. They are usually healthy with healthy pregnancies.

This morning, my postnatal client told me how she gave birth to her first baby physiologically because that's how she wanted it, and that's what she did.

I also have clients who choose a very medically managed birth after IVF or assisted conception. This is also totally fine and their choice. As long as they know that the alternative is also an option for them.

The Birth Rebellion episode on IVF/ART is a good listen with great information
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-51-art-ivf-in-pregnancy-and-birth/id1639430316?i=1000628167129

#IVF #assistedconception #physiologicalbirth #highriskbirth #lowriskbirth #birthchoices #birthrights #medicalbirth #naturalbirth #hospitalbirth #homebirth #birthaftercaesarean #vbac #firstbirth #secondbirth

Urgh, time and time again. Through listening to bi

Urgh, time and time again. Through listening to birth stories, it all comes down to the same thing - physiological birth rarely works in a hospital setting. The system is not set up to support this. Hospital is not the safest place to be, unless there is a medical reason to be there.

📷: @alexhurstphoto

#birthsupport #homebirth #hospitalbirth #physiologicalbirth #medicallymanagedbirth
#birthwork #birthdoula #birthpreparation #antenatal

Choose wisely. If birthing at home, know that any

Choose wisely.

If birthing at home, know that any whisper or rustle from an 'other' can potentially throw you off-course (partners, midwives, doulas, children, dogs etc..) or can introduce anxiety or make you feel unsafe. You may need to shut off to focus on your labour. Or, you may want the hubbub of family life to be going on around you, to feel safe and supported. The choice is yours, no one-elses.

If birthing in a hospital, it's a completely different ball game. You are in someone else's territory, so their rules and frameworks apply. Yes, you can state your wishes and hope that someone has taken note of these. But really, honestly, I think it helps to know ahead, that hospital, is someone else's patch, you are a visitor, and they get to call the shots (this may also be your choice, in order for you to feel safe and supported).

Choose wisely.

Words: me
Photo: @thesoulful.story

#homebirth #hospitalbirth #freebirth #autonomyinbirth #birthchoices #birthplace #birthsupport #birthpartner #birthdoula #midwife #studentmidwife #unobservedbirth #birthhormones #labourflow

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