So, why am I hypnobirthingteacher? Why am I so passionate about supporting other birthers?
Well, it all started when I was pregnant with my son, Max. My first appointment ended with my midwife saying ‘if you take nothing else away from this session, please go and do hypnobirthing’. Pretty convincing, right? So, that’s what I did. I signed up to classes and from the very first session I, was, hooked!
The science behind hypnobirthing made sense. Everything clicked as to why I had felt the way I did previously about birth and the future seemed positive, I had done a complete 360 and was EXCITED about giving birth. This hypnobirthing was pretty powerful stuff.
I booked a home birth (kept this dead quiet, because I didn’t want disapproving looks or comments!) and genuinely looked forward to the entire experience.
Then, what felt like out of the blue, the #COVID19 pandemic hit. I knew once midwife appointments at home were cancelled, things were quickly changing and so would my experience of birth. It was impossible to NOT be worried at this stage. I became nervous about catching COVID and how this might affect my unborn baby, or my husband catching it and not being with me for the birth. As soon as pregnant people were told to shield we went into isolation (so before the first national lockdown began). We didn’t go to the shops for MONTHS, and friends kindly did our food shopping for us. I managed to keep calm and confident about the birth, until my local homebirth services were completely cancelled. I knew I’d have to give birth in hospital (freebirth wasn’t an option for us). I came to terms with this, but this news also came with warnings that when the time came, I may not be allowed a birth partner with me AT ALL. As you can imagine, this was incredibly hard to deal with. The only way I managed to get through this without going into a complete meltdown was hypnobirthing. I knew I had the confidence, the tools and the power to birth my baby ON MY OWN in the place I wanted to be the least (hospital) - if it had to come to that. I knew my own strength, and I know for a fact, had I not done the hypnobirthing course I would not have felt this way. I dread to think how I would’ve coped (I wouldn’t have!).
My labour began by my waters breaking, this meant a trip to hospital (alone due to COVID restrictions) a few hours later just to check everything was okay. Everything was fine and I was sent home to carry on with my day. When things started to ramp up that evening, I became incredibly excited and really embraced every surge – baby was coming really soon! My memories of labouring in my bath at home, with my favourite Jo Malone candle on are really special. This is what I had dreamt my birth to be like. Everyone deserves to feel how I did in those moments and that is exactly what I aim to achieve through my classes. I want you to feel calm, safe and supported during your labours too. It truly is magical.
I also want you to feel informed and powerful, NO MATTER WHAT unfolds during your birth. Because I know, first hand, that birth often works in mysterious ways. For me, after this stunning start to my labour – things took a turn. I noticed that my waters had changed colour and it was obvious my baby had done a poo. I knew I was now heading for the labour ward and my birth was continuing down a very different path. However, I also knew, that despite this, I could STILL handle it, take control and be strong. I navigated a difficult back-to-back labour to the best of my ability (alone in parts, due to COVID restrictions) and made informed decisions that were right for me.
Hypnobirthing had my back throughout the entire experience, and the techniques I’d learnt, and confidence I’d gained saw me a through an incredibly difficult immediate postpartum period too. For starters, with no prior warning 10 minutes after our son was born, my husband was made to leave and not return until I was ready to go home 3 days after giving birth.
Without a doubt hypnobirthing had a profound impact on my pregnancy, birth & start to parenthood. For that reason, when the opportunity arose to become a hypnobirthing teacher and be taught by the legends that taught me when I was pregnant (Jade & Alix from The Birth Uprising) I knew this was EXACTLY what I was supposed to do with my life. I am so incredibly passionate about giving YOU the very best antenatal education because I know first hand how truly important and life changing it is. I have been there, birthed my lockdown baby, retrained in something I LOVE and now I am here to support YOU.
If I sound like the right hypnobirthing teacher for you, please get in touch. I can’t wait to hear from you.
With love,
Kristina
Want to find out more about me? Have a nose here...
You can also read about my breastfeeding journey here...
Find out more about my hypnobirthing courses here...
