Since the beginning of time there have been myths and old wives's tales surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, as well as genuine practices which we would today consider barbaric or just plain strange! So we thought it would be fun to take a look back to see how our ancestors coped.
"The better the witch, the better the midwife"
Through most of history, men have not been involved in childbirth. Instead, it has been strictly women only, with midwives, family members or neighbours assisting with your delivery. But in Medieval times, midwives were often thought to be witches as well, so a suspicious Church decreed that all midwives had to be licensed by a bishop. They also had to swear an oath that they would not use magic.
Things had moved on by the more enlightened Victorian era. Male doctors could now examine you during your pregnancy and be present at the birth. But in keeping with these modest times, he could not look at you, only touch!
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Read more... [Childbirth Through The Ages]
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No Dads Allowed
50 years ago a father was banned from the room where his baby was being born. He could go to the pub, pace up and down outside or even boil hot water in the kitchen. But he could NOT GO INTO THE ROOM.
Then a few mothers had the temerity to say they wanted their husbands with them to give them comfort, support and confidence when they gave birth. Now, it is the norm and a father is EXPECTED to be there.
But I Want My Mother...
When I teach hypnobirthing, sometimes a mother will come up to me in the break and ask if a father HAS to be there, as she would really rather have her mother with her, but she doesn't want to upset him. Or a father comes up to me and asks if he HAS to be there, as he doesn't really want to be. He's very happy to support her in the early stages, and to be close by, but he doesn't want to be at the actual birth.
The Modern Family
Traditionally, families would have lived closer together and birth would have been a frequent occurrence. Birth would not have been a strange and unknown event for the mother, and her own mother would probably live just down the road. She would have supported her throughout her pregnancy and also after the baby was born, so it would have been natural for her to be the person to support her daughter as she gave birth.
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Read more... [Help! Does The Dad Really Have To Be At The Birth?]
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You have read the survivors’ guide, listened to your mother and aunties, and seemingly half the world has given you their tips for being pregnant. Yet most Mums will tell you they would do things differently second time round. Here we have a number of tips for your pregnancy from our favourite yummy mummies.
Sleep more
Everyone tells us to do this but have you really allowed enough time to get that quality sleep? The first trimester is often the most exhausting time of any pregnancy. This can be made even more difficult because you do not even look pregnant, and many women will soldier on regardless. Give yourself a break, enjoy the sleep, make time for it, and make sure your partner really does appreciate your need for it. Many pregnant ladies feel guilty that they should be able to do more. DON’T! Your body is performing miracles and you need to rest and put your feet up.
Enjoy this special time
Are you eating the right things? Is your baby healthy? How will you cope when they are born? There are so many things to worry about when you are pregnant and forty weeks is a very long time to be worried. Practise some positive affirmations to help keep these thoughts at bay. We have some wonderful affirmations which can be emailed to you daily or listen to a relaxation audio to help put you in a positive and relaxed state of mind.
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Read more... [What to Know About Pregnancy]
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Images of Victoria Beckham weeks after the birth of one of her children looking stick thin has done very little for us real mums' confidence in our post baby figures. Here we give you some tips for you to follow to get that flat tummy back! We recommend taking a relaxed approach and don't set yourself unrealistic targets.
You will still look pregnant after your baby has been born.
Your uterus has taken over 9 months to grow, don't expect it to disappear overnight. It takes time, be patient! With the help of changing hormones your tummy will gradually shrink back to your pre-pregnancy state. On average it takes your uterus approximately 4 weeks to return to its normal size. Fluid you have retained during pregnancy will gradually dissipate through urine, sweat and vaginal secretions. After you have given birth the nurse or midwife will feel your uterus to check the position and size. They may well massage it to help it contract.
Exercise - how much or how little?
Before you embark on an exercise routine check your body is really ready for it. Have a chat with your doctor at your post-natal check up which is usually around the 6 week mark. So many changes occur during your pregnancy if you leap back into strenuous exercise you can be in danger of injuring yourself. So forget about those stomach crunches, they may well do you more harm than good.
Ask your health practitioner to recommend a post partum exercise program that will concentrate on the exercising the muscles in the correct way. There are more and more exercise classes aimed at Mum's where they can bring little one along. Look out for Baby Yoga and Pilates, ideal exercises to improve your flexibility and core strength. Get your trainers on and use this time to get some fresh air and go for gentle walks. Get a group of Mums together and you can make these occasions a real social affair.
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Read more... [How to Get a Flat Tummy after Pregnancy]
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I am a mother. I have spent my life searching for recalcitrant football boots and making sure that teenagers with hollow legs have enough food.
Then hypnobirthing came into my life and everything changed. Last month everything changed again. Out of the blue I got an email from a mother in Kuwait asking if Hypnobirthing would work for someone giving birth in hospital. Of course Hypnobirthing can work well in any situation. In fact I had an email recently from a couple who had attended one of my Hypnobirthing classes who said; “We had a wonderful birth, because we made it so.” Her husband was wonderful as a birth companion, but the hospital was very busy and the environment was not ideal, but even so Hypnobirthing made a huge difference.
I then exchanged emails with the mother in Kuwait and it transpired that her mother was in London and the suggestion was that she should come to a Hypnobirthing Course, or even possibly a Hypnobirthing Teacher Training Course, and take the information back with her for her daughter. After a few more emails the plan moved on, as plans do, and it was agreed that I would go to Kuwait to teach a Hypnobirthing Course. Then the plan evolved again so that I found myself invited to teach not only a Hypnobirthing Course but a Hypnobirthing Teacher Training Course as well.
Now I have never travelled, because mothers with large families, in general, don’t. I have been on family holidays round Europe and I’m addicted to skiing. I did a quick flip to New Zealand 6 years ago for the wedding of one of my son’s and to meet the new baby son of another son, but that was only 10 days, a large proportion of which was spent in transit. Two years ago I flew to Philadelphia to teach a Hypnobirthing Class for Catherine-Marie Charlton whose wonderfully soothing music I use on my Hypnobirthing CDs and in my courses. But I had never been to the Middle East, so this was a wonderful opportunity which appeared to just drop into my lap, and within a fortnight I was on my way.
Kuwait Hospitality
Kuwait was a very interesting country and I was treated with great warmth and hospitality. It was strange to walk out into an airport where there were very, very few women, and particularly not women alone. Kuwait is a fine modern city. Many of the skyscrapers are sculptured shapes and dramatic floodlighting at night. A woman can walk down the street on her own, but I felt conspicuous doing this. Most women cover their heads; some don’t. Some women were wearing burkhas, but the majority were not.
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Read more... [Hypnobirthing in Kuwait]
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