We all focus on what to pack for baby .....

We merrily tick off baby vests, body suits, baby groes (aren't they all the same?), baby socks, hats, mits, nappies ...

But what about you?

Taking some time to chose some special pieces for our labour kit, can really make your day extra special!

Chill out and relax ..... and boost that oxytocin!

Welcome to week 3 of our broadcasts - it's great to hear so many of you are enjoying these broadcasts and using them to help support your weekly classes and practise at home!

This week is all about relaxing and chilling out. Something which are a week of VAT returns, I really need to do!

Are you sleeping?

Nope, well mother nature is definitely a sneaky gal and tries to get us ready for interrupted sleep post baby, by doing her best to interrupt it pre baby.  So most mums to be feel a real need to chill out and let go from time to time!

In this week's broadcast, you can experience techniques to help you relax but more over understand why relaxation is so important for you, for your hormones, for your baby and for Optimum Foetal Position!

Finding your Pregnancy Symmetry

In our Daisy Radio antenatal podcast Daisy Radio - 2 of 6 Episodes (Series 1) last week, we considered the importance of balance to the uterus (womb).  This is something we work on a huge amount in our weekly antenatal classes.

Think of a hammock tied to two trees and how important it is that the ropes attaching it are even, in order to allow you to lay in the hammock without falling out.

Now think of baby in the womb - a symmetrical womb will allow baby to turn more easily into their optimum position - in short OFP is all about balance!

Balance and Bolly .... creating the ideal hammock for your bump!

This is the second in a series of Daisy podcasts designed to help existing Daisy Birthing® class mums practise their newly acquired birthing skills but also to allow mums-to-be who are new to us, to give us a try!

In our first episode which went live on 19th January, Daisy Radio is here!, we worked on the importance of breathing and how to link the breath to a birth visualisation.

Here in this second episode, we think about one of the fundamentals underpinning our Lazy Daisy classes - bringing symmetry and balance to your uterus and your pelvic floor.  Why?  Well to help your baby move more easily into the ideal position for birth (torsions in the uterus can prevent this and hold baby posterior or breech) and to help you feel more comfortable in your back and abdominal area!

Some of you may have read about our ethos and the hidden birth muscles, like the psoas and the piriformis, in February 2012 edition of Practical Parenting & Pregnancy magazine.  This broadcast will really help you understand why we talk so much about using movements to lengthen the psoas muscles and to work on the piriformis, and why these muscles are so relevant to labour.

Jess's Birth Journey - Episode 2 of 7

Piles and Bump Painting!

Following the success of Episode 1 ODBBEM - One Daisy Baby Born Every Minute! (which has had over 600 views already), Jess could have found herself a little tongue-tied at the thought of chatting to you all!

But no, a whole 8minutes this week from this amazing lady (now 35 weeks pregnant), who is proving to be one of Lazy Daisy's most popular contributors.  This week Jess takes you through her experience of piles,  braxton hicks and even bump painting!

Take a deep breath and listen .... confident birth is closer than you think!

This is the first in a series of Daisy podcasts designed to help existing Daisy Birthing® class mums practise their newly acquired birthing skills but also to allow mums-to-be who are new to us, to give us a try!  In this first episode, we work on the importance of breathing and how to link the breath to a birth visualisation.

Breathing is so key for labour, as really does provide a focus and an anchor - in Daisy Birthing® we refer to it as a life buoy;  when the waves of labour get big, and sometimes they will really roll and become very intense even momentarily knocking us under, our breathing helps us get right back to the surface! To stay confident and calm!

Breathing will also ensure your birthing muscles receive vital oxygen, so that the muscle fibres can slide easily against each other, without a build up of sticky lactic acid;  Remember if the muscle works more easily, it will be more efficient (and work more comfortably).

In addition, good breathing will also help you to release from the navel and the area surrounding the origin of a really important muscle, the psoas - lengthening this muscle will help your pelvic and hip mobility and allow baby to descend more easily!