Tag Archives for " North Birmingham Positive Birth Group "

How are you planning your Positive Birth Experience? Interview with Worcestershire Doulas.

The Positive Birth movement is a global grass roots network of free to attend antenatal groups that aim to connect pregnant women together to encourage each other and share stories, expertise and  positivity about childbirth positivity about childbirth.  The organisation aims to challenge the epidemic of negativity and fear that surrounds modern birth, and help change birth for the better. In this interview, Kat and Florence from Worcestershire Doulas talk about the Positive Birth Movement and why they love to run groups to encourage all women to plan for a positive birth experience and why this is so important and effective.

Notes:

Find your local Positive Birth Movement Group here  and information about the North Birmingham Group here

0- 4 Introducing Kat and Florence and why they are so passionate about Birth and how they became birthworkers.  For Florence her first experience as a 'Doula' was at 6 years old! and it grew from there. Talking about the importance of women's voice and making sure women know their rights.

4.15 Introducing the Positive Birth Movement- putting a positive slant on birth and moving away from the common negative ways it is portrayed. That this positivity is possible for all kinds of birth experience.  The groups are for all women and not run by experts and this is beautiful as everyone has a voice and can ask questions and share their knowledge and experiences.

8.24 The enormous amount of goodwill and passion by the volunteers who run the groups who all want women to find their voice in birth and experience  a positive experience.

9 What is the difference between the Positive Birth Movement Groups and standard antenatal classes: No formal structure and content to get through, rather open discussions following a theme.  Following what the group needs with no agenda and a lot of flexibility.

12.14  The importance of no judgment in the groups , all are welcome. There are many places for women to meet up but these groups are very specific not just coffee mornings and supportive of all experiences.

14.20 In the groups you learn that noone fails at birth.  You can hear different perspectives that help you find postivty in your situation and find courage and feel supported.

16.23  Witnessing the transformation and seeing women come back into the groups to share their stories and how lovely that is for everyone. It is also great to have that space to share the story and for women who have questions who can ask anything without feeling stupid. They feel like the group has their back and is with them throughout their journey like cheerleaders.

17.50 Moving from passivity to empowered  and active in what happens to you. Sometimes this shows in even subtle ways like body language, how a woman sits or walks in the room.

19.50  Learning how to be empowered and stand your ground and other ways to make your positive birth happen.  Think about who is in the room with you and where you are getting your information from as you prepare. Invest in yourself and remember to inlude the postnatal period in your planning.  Fill in for the missing village! Create support around you at all stages.

25.12  Getting away from the pressure of trying to be perfect. There is no one perfect way and it comes back to empowerment again and finding what works for you.

25.52  Loving how powerful women are in birth and seeing the huge transformative process no matter how it happens and Kat speaks of how she will never grow tired of it. Florence agrees and how amazing our bodies are and the mechanics of how it works. She thinks we put obstacles in our way when nature and instinct is so amazing and powerful.

28.20  Feeling  heartbroken hearing the same stories over and over about how I wasn't allowed and the disempowering lanuguage that is used with women. Feeling frustrated after ten and more years that the same scnearios where the system is not supporting women as it should. Women should be at the centre and not made to feel doubting or themselves and so fearful ( ​If this is you have a read of this post which has practical tips on how to stand your ground and get the birth you want.
Would love to see the medical expertise used appropriately at same time as trusting in birth and women's bodies.

Focusing on numbers and measurements when that time could be spent on preparing emotionally and physicall on what a healthy pregnancy looks like and what will happen when the baby comes. So the system does not allow for these parts and they can be missed.   Infantilising of women is still happening - Thiink of Monty Python clip!

32 What really matters- it is more than 'just' a healthy baby. Women remember every birth is different and there is noone more expert than you. Parenting also different every time.  Remember  you are enough and you are going to do it no matter what and that is also enough


BirthEssence was talking to Worcestershire Doulas who comprise of Kat Galbraith and Florence Etienne-Jackson. They also have co founded the Birmingham South Positive Birth group.

Kat Galbraith is a birth and postnatal doula, a born to carry peer supporter and is actively involved in her local Maternity Voices Partnership. She is a mum of three and grandmother to two and when not working loces to walk her dog and is a keen photographer.
You can find her here

Florence is also  birth and postnatal doula, and is co-owner of Nurturing Birth providing doula preparation courses across the UK, Europe and the Middle East  as well as the international Nurturing Birth Directory to help parents find the right birth or postnatal doula.You can find her here

The Passion and Possibilities in Birth Interview Series: Welcome Page

The Whos, Hows and Whys of creating a community of support around you as you create your best birth experience.

Back when I was first pregnant I was a fairly typical first time mother to be; anxious and excited in equal meassures yet simultaneiously overwhelmed with all the changes to my body and new information to absorb.  I did pretty well, discovering hypnobirthing, and pregnancy yoga and utilising my skills as a therpaist to release fears and old cellular memories.

Still with the wisdom of hindsight I thought it could have been so much easier if I had known more what to even look for and include as self care and birth prepraration.  Time is precious and I wasted plenty of it on fruitless, frustrating searches in googleland.

In a bid to help you avoid wasting those hours,  I have gathered together 11 different birth professionals to chat and share their wisdom.  It is my hope that you will feel inspired and confident to ask for what you need to create your best birth experience. I hope that listening to these passionate voices you will find your own voice and joy as you become a mother.   

Positive Birth Meet Up in Sutton Coldfield: Sharing positive pregnancy and birth stories in the sun.

Discussing everything from massage as pain relief for birth through the challenges of working in pregnancy and how to rest with restless children to entertain the Positive Birth Movement North Birmingham decamped to Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield to inspire and support each other with positivity around birth.  In this article I provide some background about the growing Positive Birth Movement and how you may get involved.

The story of the birth of their children is often the one memory that stays vivid until the end of  a woman’s life.   These birth stories matter so much to women and need to be told.   At the same time the stories most often shared via media are drama fuelled and often less than positive.  Fear is sticky.   Misinformation from televised dramas can be sticky too. How many people instantly think of a woman on her back screaming for mercy when they think of birth? Far too many I would hazard a guess.  Yet this is far from the reality of how birth happens and from how it can be,  Yet still, all too often people gather and share horror stories about what went wrong with their next door neighbour’s sister in law. As a pregnant woman it can be hard to avoid this kind of unintended reinforcement of negativity. It is an example of just what you do not need more of in pregnancy when emotions often run high skipping along with the pregnancy hormones. But where to go when you want to air your hopes and dreams in an atmosphere of encouragement and support without being regaled with the latest cautionary tale?

 

In steps the  Positive Birth Movement and its rapidly swelling numbers of Free Positive Birth Groups.  The movement aims to challenge and change the epidemic of negativity around childbirth and groups meet monthly all around the world to encourage the spread of positivity and support and empower women to approach birth differently.Positive Birth Meet Up august 2
In the words of Milli Hill, the founder of the Positive Birth Movement,’these groups are a place for ALL pregnant women – regardless of their background, experience or choices – to come together and share experiences, thoughts, feelings and insight about childbirth. There is often also tea and cake! Positive Birth Groups aim to be a helpful part of your pregnancy; a warm and welcoming place to hear stories and ideas, to consider what you really want from your childbirth experience, and to challenge any fears or negative expectations you might have.’
Following the birth of my first son I began to realise that it was not so common to reply with positive delight and a big grin when describing labour.   A strong desire arose to make a difference to other women and support them to enjoy their birth experience.  As part of this mission I set up the Positive Birth Movement North Birmingham Group. Usually run from my home in Erdington we decided to take a leap of faith with the weather and opted for the park this month.

 

It was a great option.  The British Summer might be a bit hit and miss at times but it was kind to us as we took the Positive Birth Movement North Birmingham out to play in the park.  Letting the children run wild round the playground as we got on with the serious business of three hours of nattering and laughing was the perfect solution to the childcare dilemma in the summer holidays. Both children and women had a fantastic time.    We started with the theme of the month : Pain and let the discussion unfold from there. We were so lucky this month to have Kim come along.   With her gentle candid honesty and inspiring passion for birth she shared elements of the birth stories of her four children.  It was equally inspiring to hear about her volunteer work as a Doula with Bethel Doulas, supporting vulnerable women many of them asylum seekers on their journey to motherhood.

With the biscuits demolished, chips and ice-creams following, still we were all reluctant to leave…  All in all it was a great morning and we are planning the next one for early September, hoping for equally favourable weather for a picnic.  If you are local to Birmingham, and interested in Positive Birth do check out the links below and come along. We will be delighted to see you there.
If you live further afield there is probably a group local to you. Check out the listings on the main page and support this wonderful venture.

 

For more information about the Positive Birth Movement and to find your local group click here or see their facebook page or  join them on Twitter.

To follow the Positive Birth Movement North Birmingham Group and come along to our group click here.

For more information about the Bethel Doula Service and the work they do with supporting refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable and isolated women in Birmingham  and to donate click here

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