We spoke to Sarah Lewis at The Daisy Foundation Portsmouth, Southsea and Havant about why postive birth matters, why she does what she does and why she loves it!
Our Birthing Experience Matters.
When I was pregnant with my eldest son, 8 years ago, I had the same expectation as most women when it came to labour – it would hurt but it would be worth it.
My husband and I attended traditional antenatal classes and learnt the textbook information on labour and birth, what to expect in different scenarios, some breathing techniques, and felt prepared.
The reality was, while I’d learnt about labour, I hadn’t learnt about my body and how it works.
I ended up being transferred from a midwife-led unit to the labour ward at a different hospital and gave birth on my back, resulting in a third degree tear (which I was then taken to surgery to have repaired very soon after my baby had been born).
This wasn’t the birth I had planned or hoped for but accepted it as ‘something that happens’ and moved on.
Two years later I was pregnant again.
This time I was determined my birth experience would be different. Having been high on gas and air for much of my first labour I remembered very little and the memories I did have weren’t very positive.
I wanted to remember giving birth.
I wanted to spend those precious first moments with my baby.
I wanted to be informed, empowered, knowledgeable.
Knowing What to Expect When Expecting can be Empowering.
I started to do some research and, much to my surprise, I started to consider homebirth. It wasn’t something I’d ever considered before – homebirth was for hippies, surely? But then I came across a local home and natural birth group full of lovely supportive mamas.
The more I chatted to them, and the more I read, the more I realised that this was something that I wanted to do.
My husband and I attended Hypnobirthing classes with Lyn Cole and suddenly my eyes were opened.
I learnt so much about how my body would work during my labour and the importance of my breathing and my husband learnt how to support me in a really practical way. And he did!
My second son was born at home, in a pool, having only used my breathing to get me through. I spent the first hour snuggled on the sofa, despite a tear, and got those memories I had longed for.
My second birth experience, and what I had learned during my pregnancy, left me feeling really cross whenever I watched programmes such as One Born Every Minute, where mums were shown giving birth on their backs in dramatic scenarios.
It Doesn’t have to be like on T.V.
This was the image of birth being portrayed as ‘normal’. These were the images that would influence how mums-to-be gave birth, because this is how they would believe they, too, should have their babies.
After another evening ranting at the TV my husband simply said to me “well do something about it then”. Those six words changed my life – literally.
They lit a fire in me and I felt determined to find a way to let mums know their birth experiences mattered.
That they could be positive and that they didn’t have to be the same as those they saw on TV. I did some googling and came across The Daisy Foundation.
A couple of emails later and I was signed up to train as a teacher.
I have now been teaching for five years and I absolutely love everything about Daisy Birthing!
Everyone’s Birth is Different and Personal.
The classes are movement – based, easing the aches and pains of pregnancy, encouraging baby in to a good position for birth, and building muscle memory in preparation for labour. Mums learn how their bodies work and how to work with their bodies during labour so they can make things easier, not harder.
They learn breathing techniques that are practical and allow them to focus.
Mums aren’t told how to give birth.
There is no right or wrong way to have a baby and every mum is different.
I love that Daisy Birthing supports this.
The mums in classes range from those planning drug-free home births to those planning scheduled Cesarean births and everything in between. We give mums knowledge and empower them to make informed decisions during their labour. We prepare them for positive birth experiences.
We support them through their pregnancies, listen to them when they need to talk, signpost them to the information they need, and leave them feeling excited about their labour.
Mums also have the option to attend workshops with their birth partners (usually Dad but I’ve had mums and sisters too) so they can prepare together.
A Change for the Positive.
I teach Daisy Birthing because I want to change the way birth is perceived.
I want women to be excited about their upcoming labours, not scared. I want them to know that they have options and that their birth experience is important.
If we can change the way this generation feels about labour and birth, it can only have a positive impact on the generations to come.
Sarah teaches Daisy Birthing classes in Drayton on Tuesday evenings, 7.30-9pm. You can contact her at [email protected] or on Facebook here.
Not in Portsmouth? You can find your local Daisy Birthing class here.
For Hypnobirthing classes with Lyn Cole look here.
Have you taken a class with Sarah? Or The Daisy Foundation? Has hypnobirthing had a positive effect one your birthing experience? We’d love to hear from you. Please comment and let us know!
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