Barefoot Birthing - Hypnobirthing & Mindful Birth Preparation Classes

We hired Rachel to do a hypnobirthing refresher and a post natal doula. We had used hypnobirthing in our first birth and had found it very useful so wanted a refresher. She came to our house and tailored it to our previous experience which was fab. She was clear and let us discuss particular areas of interest in more detail. She also shared lots of resources and gave us some gorgeous oils that we used in the birth. Having her on hand on WhatsApp was also fab, especially when we ended up in hospital with a haemorrhage on Christmas Day. We messaged her for some support & just knowing we had someone in our corner (even virtually) made such a difference & contributed to a positive birth against the odds. After the birth we saw Rachel as postnatal doula & honestly she provided an oasis of calm in the middle of my week. I'm chronically bad at asking for help & having people in my house, so hiring a doula was out of my comfort zone. But, after an extremely challenging postnatal period with my 1st child, a doula seemed like a good idea. Rachel made the whole house feel calm from the moment she arrived. She would do whatever I needed without judgement; cook us meals, fold washing, hold the baby, arrange baby's clothes, take the baby for a walk - all without asking "mental load" type questions (where things are, how we want things done etc) I find decision fatigue one of the hardest parts of parenting, so to have someone come in and quietly and confidently get on with daily tasks without asking a million questions (like perhaps family would!) meant so much to me. She was always warm & empathetic and I trusted her from the moment we met. Most weeks I had a very long bath and an episode of Greys Anatomy - which honestly to begin with felt like such an indulgence and I felt quite guilty. But a few weeks I realised how much better my postnatal experience was this time & the penny dropped. You have to look after yourself before things start to go downhill, not when you've hit the bottom. A lot of mums are left asking "but who looks after me" & for me that person was Rachel. 2 hours to myself every week allowed me to breathe and be in a good place to deal with rough nights or tandem toddler / newborn meltdowns! I wish every new mum would have a doula & as many as possible could have Rachel!
Mar 30th, 2023

We met Rachel through a hypnobirthing course with the Mindful Birthing Group and we knew after just one session that we wanted to hire her as our Doula. Rachel embodied everything we were looking for in the support for the birth of our son - always calm, compassionate, positive, empathetic and supportive from the start, and a champion for our decisions about how we wanted to birth - at home, in our own environment, as naturally as possible. Rachel made herself available to us 24/7 after 38 weeks, and she was always quick to answer any of our questions and provide constant reassurance - she consistently checked in with us to find out how things were going and to find out how we were feeling in the lead up to my due date. Her support in the last days of pregnancy really helped calm any anxieties or nerves about my upcoming labour (including those of going over my due date), and she always had resources and knowledge to hand if we did have any particular questions. She was integral in shifting my mindset about birth from one portrayed in Hollywood movies to that of a natural, peaceful and empowering experience. We ended up having a home birth, as we planned. During labour itself, Rachel was completely invaluable, so much so that I genuinely believe that we could not have birthed in our ideal environment without her. She provided us with immense support both practically, emotionally and mentally - she ensured the birthing pool was topped up and kept to a perfect temperature, she made sure I was well hydrated and provided snacks to keep my energy levels up, she timed and monitored contractions without any intervention, she suggested movements and positions to help labour progress when things had slowed down, made cold compresses throughout the night to keep me comfortable, and she physically supported me throughout labour. Beyond this, and what really stood out, was Rachel's continual positive attitude and emotional support - she regularly checked in with me to see how I was doing, provided positive affirmations throughout to remind me that I was capable of birthing in the way I wanted, she reminded me to utilise my breathing techniques, particularly during the pushing phase, to relax my face and jaw, calmed me in my moments of anxiety and provided useful visualisations. It was these measures that really enhanced my birthing experience and enabled me to birth in the way I wanted. Most notably, Rachel's indispensable help relieved me and my partner of the practicalities surrounding birth, meaning we could work through each contraction as they came and be in the momement together. I truly believe this mentality, which was fostered and protected by Rachel, enabled us to really focus on birthing our son in the most positive way possible and in the way we planned and hoped for. Even after our son had arrived and Rachel had been supporting us for over 14 hours, she gave us the space and time to enjoy our first moments together as a family of three, a moment which will live with me forever. Her work didn't stop here however - she once again made herself indispensible by chaperoning the midwives, sustaining the calm atmosphere, and taking care of the practicals such as sorting out the birthing pool, helping me get dressed, cleaning up, and getting us ready to go into hospital. Our son was born in the back-to-back position after 28 hours of labour, utilising only hypnobirthing techniques - certainly a feat I never thought myself capable of achieving, but from Rachel's initial support and guidance and the environment she sustained throughout labour, she was essential to the strength I was able to draw upon and I know that I could not have made it through my labour without her. Rachel was beyond integral to our birth experience - she knew just what was needed and when - and there are not enough ways we can thank her. We already know that we would love Rachel to be present and support us at the birth of all our future children - we really could not have asked for more in a Doula and we will be indebted to her for life.
Mar 2nd, 2023

We had a fantastic couple of mornings with Rachel coaching us about hypnobirthing. I felt like the role in my partner's pregnancy was very much going to be "the passenger" - both during the pregnancy and the birthing. However, I loved the balanced involvement and responsibility Rachel gave to the guy during our classes. It held me in great stead for the actual birthing day. I felt like I had a pivotal role to play on the day and it really helped me understand the mindset needed to make sure everything went smoothly for my wife. I definitely can say I was so much better equipped and found the whole day absolutely incredible - if I did not take this class, I'm sure I would have been much more of an emotional and anxious wreck! Highly recommended and encouraged for all guys considering taking this. It's also a great lesson in how to have a positive mindset which I have taken on in all walks of life, too. Something which males often take for granted!
Feb 21st, 2023

If you want do anything to get ready for birthing and beyond I highly recommend Rachel. I hesitate in the beginning, not sure if it was worth or not. It was the best decision I have ever made! I had private hypnobirthing sessions at the comfort of my home. It can be hard to talk about your fears, expectations etc. with a stranger in the beginning. But Rachel became quickly a trustworthy person with her calm and friendly attitude she made me feel very safe and secure. The hypnobirthing session were very informative and prepared me so well for my pregnancy and birthing. I always looked forward every time Rachel would come. She was always there if I needed her or her advise. She respected our choices and advocated for our needs and wants. It was so good to have her on our side and give us guidance and help even after birth. It can be all very overwhelming to make the right decision for you and your family and after talking to Rachel I felt always so embraced and heard. It made me stronger to listen to my body and trust my intuitions. The Hypnobirthing course comes as a package of the mindful birth group and has great features. I loved my weekly pregnancy yoga and currently doing mummy and baby yoga postpartum which is included as well. They have a hub and you can ask for advise and connect with other mummies. They have amazing resources throughout your journey of pregnancy and postpartum. FYI we had a wonderful unmedicated birth and I laboured in the comfort of my own home. I could not ask for a better birth experience and I know we would not have this outcome without Rachel's help and support.
Feb 19th, 2023

An unbelievable doula. We were initially looking for a hypnobirthing course to help during pregnancy and labour for our first child. As we got to know Rachel, it became clear that not only was she extensively knowledgeable about hypnobirthing, pregnancy and managing pain, but also had the perfect calm and reassuring personality to provide direct support during pregnancy and labour. We pretty much immediately asked her to be our doula. Both my partner (the pregnant one) and I (the medical one) were keen to have a home birth in a calm familiar environment, rather than the impersonal and clinical hospital setting. Hypnobirthing course: Rachel came to our house for one on one sessions with myself and my partner for the course, and brought lots of resources for us to go through, both as a couple and for my partner solo. Rachel also brought some lovely small touches, like aromatherapy oils and affirmation flash cards. Rachel was always on hand to offer advice and set up a WhatsApp group for us so we could ask questions, which she answered promptly. She was instrumental in instilling the right frame of mind for us, to not be afraid of labour and to embrace it as the positive natural process it is, as well as providing all the science and resources to help keep calm. However, where Rachel really came into her own was as our doula. Doula services: I am positive that our son would not have been born without Rachel being our Doula. We had two pre-labour sessions with her (in addition to our prior hypnobirthing course). Rachel was on call for us from 38 weeks onwards. For labour itself Rachel came soon after we called her, giving us exactly what we needed (for us, this was just sitting quietly and calmly in a corner and putting cold compresses on my partners neck, topping up the birthing pool water constantly, bringing my partner things to eat and drink so I could be in the water with her all the time, etc.). Rachel also did amazing little things like monitoring the time between contractions on an app of hers so she knew how labour was progressing. As the waves became more intense Rachel actually gave my partner a very useful analogy of the pushing like a cafetire plunger and maintaining pressure to help baby come out. I believe this tiny adjustment which Rachel coached is exactly what my partner needed to help things progress smoothly, and almost immediately afterwards our son was born. After birth, Rachel called the midwife for us and protected our space so we could enjoy the magical moment as a new family. Rachel also did the practicals afterwards like clearing up all of the birthing pool (removing the water, cleaning the pool, packing it away completely, etc), and clearing up our house. By the time Rachel left our house, it was 6am and she had been there taking care of us for 16 hours. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why Rachel was so good - it's easy to give a good review to a nice person, and Rachel is lovely. However, I think what truly set her apart is that Rachel expertly read the room and gave us *exactly* what we needed. Her experience in pregnancy, birth, labour and expert communication allowed us to be on the same page at all times and we never needed to explain or clarify anything with her. She just knew. When you are unable to say what you mean, or if you don't quite know, you need an expert in someone who understands you to translate it for you, and then give you what you need. Rachel did this amazingly well. And I believe Rachel would do the same for anyone. Put simply, Rachel is an outstanding Doula, not because of the extensive experience, knowledge, science and facts she can give on pregnancy, labour, and birth; but because she protects, empowers, listens and most importantly, cares, genuinely cares, about your journey help to ensure that you get the pregnancy, labour and birth that you want. I would unreservedly recommend her to anyone having a child in the future. Except for when my partner is pregnant again when Rachel will unfortunately be busy being a Doula for us again.
Feb 19th, 2023