The Virtual Midwife

This is it my lovelies - the last episode of the podcast series on Hypnobirthing!

In this episode, we're exploring the conscious and unconscious mind – two aspects of our thinking that can have a significant impact on our childbirth experience.

The conscious mind is the part of our thinking that is aware of our surroundings and makes rational decisions based on our current circumstances. The unconscious mind, on the other hand...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we're talking about brain waves – a key aspect of the Hypnobirthing approach.

Brain waves are the electrical activity that occurs in our brains, and they can affect our mood, perception, and overall state of consciousness. By understanding brain waves and how they relate to childbirth, we can use Hypnobirthing techniques to tap into our body's natural abi...

We're nearing the end of this series so I thought I'd answer some of the most frequently asked questions that you may have about this approach to childbirth.

I'll also address other common concerns and misconceptions about Hypnobirthing, providing insights and tips to help you make informed decisions about your childbirth journey.

Remember, Hypnobirthing is not about achieving a certain type of birth – it's about em...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing!

In this episode, we'll be discussing how to use hypnotic anchors – a powerful technique for deepening your relaxation and entering a hypnotic state during childbirth.

Hypnotic anchors are a way of associating a physical sensation or object with a relaxed state of mind. By using an anchor during childbirth, you can quickly and easily enter a deep state of relaxation and tap i...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing!

In this episode, we're discussing how to strengthen your intuition during pregnancy. Intuition is a powerful tool that can help you make informed decisions and approach childbirth with confidence and clarity. By learning how to tap into your intuition, you can enhance your birthing experience and create a deeper connection with your baby.

In this episode, we'll explore:

In this episode, we're discussing how to use visualization effectively – a powerful technique for preparing your mind and body for childbirth.

Visualization is a way of creating mental images or scenarios in your mind's eye. By using visualization during Hypnobirthing, you can tap into your subconscious mind and create a positive and empowering birthing experience. Visualization can help you reduce anxiety, stay relaxed, an...

Cognitive biases are a natural aspect of the human brain, but they can sometimes lead us to make inaccurate judgments or decisions. By understanding the different types of cognitive biases, we can learn how to recognise them so that they don't get in the way of your birth preparation journey.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• What cognitive bias is and how it works
• The five types of cognitive biases and how they can imp...

Welcome back to our podcast series on Hypnobirthing! In this episode, we're discussing how your beliefs and expectations can impact your childbirth experience. Your mindset plays a crucial role in how you perceive and approach labor, and by cultivating positive beliefs and expectations, you can achieve a more comfortable and joyful birthing experience.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• How your thoughts and beliefs affe...

In the second episode in our series on Hypnobirthing , we're diving deeper into the concept of the Mind-Body Connection – a fundamental aspect of the Hypnobirthing approach.

The Mind-Body Connection refers to the relationship between the mind and body during labor and childbirth. When we're in a state of deep relaxation and using Hypnobirthing techniques, we can tap into our body's natural ability to birth our baby with...

Welcome to the first episode of our podcast series on Hypnobirthing!

In this episode, we'll be discussing the foundational principles of this incredible approach to childbirth.

Hypnobirthing is a powerful method that can help you achieve a more comfortable, positive, and even enjoyable birthing experience. By focusing on relaxation, visualization, and self-hypnosis techniques, Hypnobirthing can help you tap into your innate ab...

Congratulations! You've just found out that you're pregnant – but now what?

The journey of pregnancy can be a rollercoaster of emotions, from excitement and joy to discomfort, anxiety, and overwhelm. In this episode, we're exploring the importance of trusting your body during this transformative time.

Pregnancy is a time of incredible physical and emotional changes. It's common to experience discomforts like mornin...

It's part 2 of the Vagus Nerve and how you can "switch it on" to assist you during labor. 

In this episode you'll learn about 

• Breathing techniques to tone the vagus nerve
• Massage techniques and touch points for the vagus nerve
• Toning and sound during labor

As usual, there's lots of laughs and sex just always seems to come up but hey! that's how we roll!

The Due Date Club is a midwife led mo...

Let's take a trip into your body and learn about the longest nerve in your body and how it can guide and assist you during pregnancy, labor and birth. The vagus nerve is your body’s superpower and it’s used to counteract your fight/flight system. Now you definitely don't want to be in fight or flight when you are in labor. The vagus nerve helps you to remain calm when you are stressed and to know when you are no longer in danger. I...

Hermine Hayes (Opening Keynote)

Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an international birth rights lawyer with extensive experience advocating for the human rights of birthing people, around the U.S. and internationally. From 2007-2012, Hermine taught international law at The Hague University in The Netherlands, where she was also the Director of the Bynkershoek Institute Research Center for Reproductive Rights.

From 2012-2017, Hermine organ...

Hermine Hayes (Opening KN)

Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an international birth rights lawyer with extensive experience advocating for the human rights of birthing people, around the U.S. and internationally. From 2007-2012, Hermine taught international law at The Hague University in The Netherlands, where she was also the Director of the Bynkershoek Institute Research Center for Reproductive Rights. 

From 2012-2017, Hermine orga...

One of the routine blood tests that you’ll have done in early pregnancy is a test to determine your blood group. Unless you’ve had major surgery or needed a blood transfusion, you might not know. But in pregnancy it’s important because your baby’s blood group may be different to yours. 

In this episode you will learn 

• the different blood types
• what is the rhesus factor
• why it is important to know blood type and r...

Choosing your birth environment is more than deciding whether you will be giving birth at home, in hospital or at a  birth center. In this episode we talk about creating a safe sanctuary to welcome your baby into that goes beyond the aesthetics of your chosen place of birth and includes the preparation of your space and the people you bring into it. 

More about Charlene here 

More about Karen here 

Join the Due ...

Transition is the final phase of the first stage of labour and marks the cervix opening to its widest diameter and the descent of the baby's head. It's physically and emotionally intense and is often the time when you think you can't go on anymore. Karen talks about the 4 D's of transition - denial, despondence, defiance and desperation and they share examples of these from recent births. Charlene highlights the importance of makin...

I have a love/hate relationship with birth plans so we thought it would be a great topic to bring to our weekly chats about everything pregnancy, birth and beyond. In this episode we chat more about why birth plans became popular and the importance of using the right language when creating one so that what you are really creating is a birth day wish list. Essentially everything that you do leading up to your birth is part of your b...