A boom of antenatal classes on the South Coast
We are delighted that Spring 2012 has brought a host of antenatal teachers to the South of England, with new antenatal trainees in Portsmouth, Horsham, Lewes, Blandford and Sittingbourne. What's more many of these new teachers are either mums-to-be themselves and attending Daisy Birthing® classes in the next region, or mums who have already enjoyed our weekly antenatal class programme!
Sarah Lewis, mum of two (Antenatal Teacher in Training Portsmouth)
Sarah will be launching Daisy Birthing antenatal classes (and later couples active birth workshops) in May/June 2012 in the Portsmouth area. Sarah experienced a hopsital birth with her 1st baby and a home birth with her 2nd. She says "I'm a bit of a sucker for birth programmes on TV but having watched the new series of One Born Every Minute I was really concerned about how labour and birth were being portrayed. I was shocked at the suggestion that it would always be incredibly painful and that if you've had one traumatic birth then there was no hope for a straightforward second birth. I feel really strongly that women should be taught relaxation techniques for labour, rather than being bombarded with information on pain relief and the insinuation that they have no option but to 'grin and bear it'". We couldn't agree more Sarah, and are so delighted mums in Portsmouth will soon be able to enjoy our antenatal and active birth programme, simply steeped in relaxation techniques!
Jo Gatford, mum of two (Antenatal Teacher in Training Lewes)
Jo Gatford had her 2nd baby in October 2011 - a Daisy Birthing baby, having attending weekly daisy antenatal classes with local birth mentor Gemma Clifford in Brighton and Hove. Jo loved her classes and is so keen that mums in her own area of Lewes and surrounding, should be able to benefit from pregnancy sessions without having to travel too far! Jo trains alongside Sarah this Spring and will be launching sessions in Lewes, Newhaven and Peacehaven in early Summer 2012. Her own baby will be just 6 months old!
Rebecca Lawson, mum of one (Antenatal Teacher in Training, Horsham)
Rebecca had her little boy in 2010 and lives in Horsham. This is why our antenatal classes are so close to her heart
"I would like to congratulate you on your article in The Practical Parenting and Pregnancy magazine in the February edition! It was a very interesting read, and wonderful to see Lazy Daisy® educating pregnant women and health professionals about the importance of muscles during pregnancy. I myself suffered from extreme pelvic girdle pain, to the point I was bed ridden and house bound for the best part of six months. None of the health professionals whose care I was under seemed to have an understanding of my condition, and eventually when my baby was 12 weeks old a found a private physiotherapist who taught me about the importance of the psoas and piriformis , and how these muscles where contributing to my PGP. I can now see what all the fuss is about with Lazy Daisy®! I volunteer for the Pelvic Partnership Charity in trying to raise awareness about PGP. I like to help educate people about the condition to prevent them from becoming as severe as I did. I found your article about Birth Muscles really inspiring and close to my heart." We are so pleased to have a teacher on board who can really empathise with the huge number of mums attending our classes who suffer with SPD. Whilst we can't cure SPD, we can really help to manage the discomfort and Rebecca is spot on, the psoas muscle is key (tune into our podcast from Feb 2012 to hear more).
Rebecca's Horsham based sessions will begin in Autumn 2012.
Alex Fulton, soon to be mum of two (Antenatal Teacher in Training, Dorset)
Alex Fulton is based in Blandford, North Dorset and is currently expecting her 2nd baby (her first was born in 2009). She will be launching sessions in the Autumn 2012 too and can't wait to bring our popular weekly birthing programme to mums in her area DT11 and surrounding.
Alex says "For me the biggest benefit of Daisy Birthing® is the ‘complete package’ approach that the classes offer, all the individual components are available in our local area but individually, as a mum to be I have had to attend separate classes for yoga, active birthing and hypnotherapy and relaxation, I really like the unique approach of offering all these amazing tools as a ready packaged course. I firmly believe there is a massive demand for such a service in our area, the few pregnancy yoga teachers there are have long waiting lists and there is a real interest in natural and active birthing. Dorset has a level of home births well above the national average, and although Daisy Birthing® isn’t directly aimed at home birth I believe it clearly demonstrates the growing trend for natural birthing techniques."
Lisa Fulton, currently expecting her 2nd baby (Antenatal Teacher in Training, Sittingbourne)
Finally we welcome Lisa Fulton (no relation to Alex). Lisa is currently attending Daisy Birthing® weekly classes with Carla in Canterbury (Kent) and is in her own words 'loving it'. Lisa will be training after the birth of her baby, to launch classes in Maidstone and Sittingbourne in the Autumn of 2012. More details about Lisa will be available on line soon!
Welcome to all of our new South of England recruits! We are delighted Lazy Daisy® and the Daisy Birthing® antenatal programme will be available to even more mums to be!
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What a busy Antenatal Week
It has been such a busy week for Lazy Daisy® with a host of new teachers ... we are so pleased to welcome antenatal teachers in training
- Kate Flint, who will be delivering weekly antenatal classes in Nottingham NG2 (City Centre Nottingham City Centre, Sneinton, The Meadows, West Bridgford),
- Yvonne Bailey, who will be delivering weekly antenatal classes in Nottingham NG9 (Beeston, Stapleford, Lenton Abbey, Chilwell, Trowell) and is already well known to local Nottingham mums through her work as a doula
- Iona Wallace, who will be delivering our weekly antenatal classes in Dartford DA2 / 3 / 4
All three ladies now have live profiles under our SEARCH FOR A CLASS pages
Watch out for further teacher announcements for Poole, Wimborne and Blandford areas shortly!
Don't forget too, to welcome our new featured writers Penny and Uju, who will be regularly contributing to our developing blog area .... Pod casts also coming soon!
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Daisy Birthing® Antenatal Sessions in Solihull
We are delighted to welcome mum of two and HypnoBirthing teacher Liz to our Daisy Birthing® team. Liz will be launching our popular weekly antenatal classes which embrace principals of active birth, alongside birth relaxation, throughout Solihull B91 and B93 in late Spring 2012. In our opinion, she is an excellent addition to our antenatal teaching team.
In Liz's own words:- " I have a passion for pregnancy and birth and a desire to support and help women through the most amazing and life changing experience of their lives. I became pregnant with my first child at the age of 27 and was so terrified of what lay ahead of me for the next 9 months (and beyond) that I began reading all I could about pregnancy and birth. I tried to empowered myself with knowledge and felt more in control. I had a fear that the pain of childbirth would be so great that I would not cope and would need all the drugs going. This was not an avenue I was willing to pursue so I scoured the internet and came across hypnosis for birth and immersed myself in the philosophy and technique. My beautiful daughter was born on the 31st August 2007 and although I did require intervention and she was delivered with forceps, I fulfilled my desire not to have drugs and felt relatively in control for most of the labour. The moral of the story is that despite the complications, I knew it was possible to birth easily and safely and that I would achieve it next time round!
On 9th December 2009 I gave birth to my gorgeous son with whom I achieved the most wonderful calm, drug free, intervention free birth I had desired! As with my daughter the support from my Birthing Companion (my husband) was the foundation of my success. I was home from hospital the same day and felt fantastic.
These two experiences and my continued interest in pregnancy, labour, birth and babies inspired me to train as a HypnoBirthing Practitioner in April 2011. In essence, I believe that natural, drug free birth is possible for every healthy, low risk woman if that is what she truly desires. However, all women should be allowed to birth in the manner that she wants. Women need to be supported in their choices and feel empowered by the knowledge/information they receive from their peers or antenatal educators. I want to be part of something that is accessible to all pregnant women, so that women from all walks of life can achieve the birth that they want. I believe Daisy Birthing® can really make a difference to women and how they perceive pregnancy, labour and birth. The attitudes, concepts and techniques involved in Daisy Birthing® along with the low costs (to pregnant women) are the factors that make it accessible to all pregnant women. This sets it apart from other programmes."
Weekly antenatal classes will begin with Liz circa May 2012. However, it is never too soon to pre-register your interest and you can view Liz's profile here. |
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Update on our Bedford Antenatal Classes
Meet Bedford Teacher and trained midwife Susie
Bedford mums-to-be can now experience Daisy Birthing® antenatal classes which uniquely combine traditional antenatal education with movement, breathing and relaxation techniques (including the unique Daisy relaxed - active birth approach). Learning through movement helps to build “muscle memory” with no need for notes or handouts – like riding a bike, the learning becomes instinctive and is therefore easily recalled in labour. In addition the moves are specifically designed to benefit the more hidden but vital birthing muscles (some of you may had already read the fantastic article in Practical Parenting and Pregnancy, Feb 2011).
Bedford Daisy Birthing® teacher and mum-of-one, Susie Birchall, knows herself that birth can seem a frightening experience. She had a less than ideal birth despite having trained as a Midwife some years before. Motivated by this and knowing that there are ways to make birth more confident and finding herself tired of the corporate life after 15 years in medical sales, she decided to train as a Daisy Birthing Educator, as well as returning someway to her roots and becoming a Doula and Breast Feeding Supporter. She now offers these services under the umbrella of Mae Bee Baby which she has named after her daughter. Susie was impressed with the Daisy Birthing® format and its FEDANT accreditation and says “I loved the Daisy Birthing® concept of empowering mums-to-be to trust their body’s birthing ability and instincts. Birth is an amazing experience but we seem to have forgotten how to ‘have a baby’. Once Mums understand how nature works, they can make the experience so much easier for themselves by relaxing, releasing fears and anxieties, and working with nature. All too often, pregnant women are fed such negative and frightening ideas about labour and birth from TV programmes or well-meaning friends, so I really want to help women realise that birth can be a positive experience. I am really excited about bringing Daisy classes to Bedford”. 
The first term of weekly antenatal classes here in Bedford has already seen some great feedback from Mums who have had their babies after attending her sessions:
“I just wanted to let you know that our little boy was born safe and well. I managed to have him in the pool and along with your breathing exercises; I managed to stay calm and focused! We stayed at home until the early hours and I was already 7cm dilated by the time we got to hospital! Just wanted to say thanks for your advice and reassurance!” “By about 5pm, I was 7cms! Had done all this with what you had taught me. I just concentrated on my breathing and the position to take weight off by kneeling down was great.” Bedford Mum, Nov 2011
The weekly antenatal classes aim to help mums-to-be relax and feel more comfortable during pregnancy and more confident during labour and birth. Workshops for couples will follow soon. Classes are popular with both first-time mums who are looking for something different to traditional antenatal classes, but also second, third or even fourth time mums, who often don’t want to go through the same “classroom style” education again but enjoy the benefits of the practical nature of the class. They are suitable from 14 weeks pregnant and many mums who attend later in pregnancy say they wish they had started them earlier. Susie will also be starting to run Daisy Baby™ baby bonding and calming classes, which are designed for babies from 6 weeks of age and aim to help calm baby, and provide informative 'parent to parent' hints and tips. Through learning techniques such as baby yoga, positive touch, meeting other mums and sharing knowledge with experienced teachers, mums (or dads) can confidently make the most of the first 4-6 months with baby. For more information about Susie and how she can help, you can visit her profile here on this site or her Mae Bee Baby face book page.
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Daisy Birthing® Antenatal Classes in Cardiff West and Vale of Glamorgan
Having launched Daisy Birthing antenatal classes® in August 2011, Jude is already running 2 busy weekly pregnancy classes and loving every minute of it ! “Having had a difficult pregnancy suffering with pelvic girdle pain yet managing a calm and relaxed birth, I really enjoying sharing my experience with mums-to-be during these popular antenatal classes and showing that by using Daisy Birthing’s relaxed - active birth principles it is possible to feel more comfortable and confident through pregnancy and birth”.
Jude is proud to be celebrating 10 wonderful Daisy births arising from her antenatal classes and workshops so far in Cardiff and Vale, with some amazing feedback
- Karen, Mum to little Jacob “I noticed I was using the escalator breath without even thinking about it!”
- Debbie, Savannah’s yummy mummy, “I used the out breathand a midwife with 20yrs experience told me that it was one of the best 2nd stages she had ever seen!”
- Emma, Baby Pietro born 3rd Dec. “the basic birthing breath was my best friend!”.
Cardiff based Jude says: “For me a combination of yoga, hypnosis and relaxation was invaluable in my accepting the fact that I was going to give birth and kept me relaxed through the birth of my daughter. When I looked into training in antenatal education I was thrilled to find Daisy Birthing®, and antenatal classes which bring together all the elements I used in one accessible and affordable class.”
With high demand for Daisy Baby™ bonding and baby development classes in the Cardiff area too, Jude will be launching these classes in early April.
To find out more about Daisy Birthing® antenatal classes in Cardiff or couples birth workshops or to register your interest in Daisy Baby, call Jude on 07980 286271 or visit her profile page
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Daisy Birthing® antenatal classes are now up and running in Redditch and Bromsgrove!
Helen, our Daisy Birthing® antenatal teacher for the Redditch and Bromsgrove area is currently offering a special discount just for bookings made in January 2012 . Join in January and introduce a friend and both you and your friend receive a 10% discount on Helen's current student rate - both you and your friend pay £36 instead of £40 if you both book in January!
Remember these classes run over a 6 week period to allow plenty of time for the birthing muscle memory to build and mums-to-be can join our antenatal sessions from 14 weeks pregnant and continue the classes right up until their baby arrives. Because our antenatal movement is so gentle, even mums with SPD can join!
The mums-to-be in Helen's current classes are loving the programme. They all tell her they have the best night's sleep after her class and the movements are really helping with common pregnancy issues like prolonged 'morning' sickness, heartburn, swollen feet and hands. She has a mix of first time and second time mums in her classes all learning how to best prepare for their birth journey - she even has a second time mum expecting twins who is choosing to birth her babies naturally and is using all the techniques to help prepare for their arrival. When asked why the women love the format, they really felt the positive was that you learn as you move so there’s no need to reach for that sheet of paper with your active birth positions on it! They also love the deep pregnancy relaxation session to help remove the stress of daily life, helping them bond with their baby and prepare emotionally for their baby's arrival.
Daisy Birthing® are running two antenatal classes in Redditch on Sundays at Webheath Village Hall, Redditch (at 6.30pm) and Tuesdays at Arrow Vale Sports Centre, Redditch at (7.30pm).
Pregnancy classes in Bromsgrove will begin in Early 2012 - venues to be confirmed. Register your interest now.
If you're expecting your baby in 2012 call Helen now for more details on 07920 514903. |
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Weekly Antenatal Sessions In Nottingham NG31, 32, 33 and 34 Begin Soon
A huge welcome to Nicole Deleon who will be launching our popular weekly antenatal classes and relaxed - active birth sessions to mums to be in the Grantham and Sleaford areas. Nicole is currently 5 months pregnant with her 2nd child and so fully appreciates the needs of local mums to be, living only 10 miles away from Grantham Maternity Unit. She is really drawn to the idea of an active birth style programme but one which is accessible for all mums to be and loves the idea of incorporating antenatal education and birth affirmations alongside.
Weekly antenatal classes and couples birth workshops will be rolled out in Grantham and Sleaford throughout Spring 2011, following Nicole completing her training in Corby.
If you haven't heard about our classes in the past, do pick up a copy of this month's (February 2012) Practical Parenting and Pregnancy magazine, which has a full 2-pages inspired by us and our work with the hidden birth muscles!
Don't forget classes in Grantham and Sleaford will fill fast, so if you are expecting a baby in 2012 and will be between 12 weeks and 36 weeks pregnant in April/May 2012, these sessions could be ideal for you!
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Lazy Daisy Scotland is Working Hard
Our wonderful Scotish teacher and trainer Sian aka www.lazydaisyscotland.co.uk is truly working hard with not one but two new weekly antenatal teachers making their appearance in the Forth Bridge area. Midwives and mummies Sarah S. and Jacq will be introducing our much loved weekly antenatal classes to Stirling, Dunblane, Linlithgow and Falkirk in the new year and can't wait to get started!
Sarah was inspired to become a midwife after the care she received during the traumatic birth of her 2nd child, and decided that she wanted to help other mums through pregnancy and birth. Sarah has supported many women in their journey to motherhood, in her roles as midwife, breastfeeding supporter, and as a volunteer for a well known birthing charity. Sarah’s passion lies in providing women with support, friendship, and the tools to believe in their own birthing abilities. She has chosen to become a Daisy Birthing® teacher to help equip mums with the tools and knowledge to stay in control of their labour, to help them find the perfect balance of movement and relaxation, and to allow them the space to take some time of out of their busy lives to enjoy their changing body and growing baby.
Jacqueline is a mum of 4 with a wonderfully varied birthing history! After a long career in Administration, Jacqueline had always wanted to be a midwife and finally retrained in 2008. Jacqueline brings a wealth of experience to her Daisy Birthing® teaching, with the many births she has assisted with and mums to be she has supported. Jacqueline’s passions lay in supporting women in the ante and postnatal periods, and knows that women really benefit from being prepared, fit and having baby in the best possible position.
Jacqueline has seen first-hand the difference it makes to a baby’s birth when the mummy is calm and confident and believes Daisy Birthing® allows women to prepare for their babies births in exactly this way.
Our FEDANT approved weekly antenatal classes and couples birthing workshops will be introduced into the Forth Bridge area in Spring 2012.
Don't forget to watch out on www.oneworldbirth.net to see if we have been successful in receiving a birth hero award (results out next week) and pick up a copy of February Practical Parenting and Pregnancy (out now) to read the great article on the Psoas, inspired by Lazy Daisy® and the editors visit to our CPD day in September this year.
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Antenatal Programme arrives in Windsor
Ferhana, mum of one, is so passionate about peer to peer birthing support that having trained and launched Daisy Birthing® weekly classes in Slough just a few months ago, she has already expanded and is about to launch sessions in Windsor (with Maidenhead to follow). Windsor mums-to-be will be able to find details of Daisy Birthing® unique relaxed-active birth programme (as featured again this month in the February edition of Practical Parenting magazine) on Ferhana's profile page very shortly. Mums will be able to choose between weekly antenatal sessions (over a traditional 6-week course) and following soon, couples active birth workshops.
With so many wonderful birthing stories, many of which can be found on our Facebook pages plus you can also see Ferhana in action in our video segments.
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