Labour and Active Birth Workshop

Session 4

The last one of these!

I can;t believe we have come to the end of the course now, it has been such a pleasure working with you. I hope you’ve enjoyed the course and are starting to feel more confident and relaxed about the arrival of our little one. The time you have spent learning all about your body and labour will undoubtedly stand you in good stead to navigate the many decisions and choices you may face along your journey. However if at any time you wish to speak with me again about anything, or if you need some support after your baby has arrived then do not hesitate to get in touch.

As a perinatal educator I also support women and families with elements of emotional health and wellbeing, as well as infant sleep and baby care.

But for now, below are loads of fantastic links and further information for you around birth planning, the birth partner and recovery.

If you need anything else from me, do not hesitate to get in touch. And of you feel like the course has been helpful and enjoyable then I am always hugely grateful of any review you felt able to leave on my trust pilot page.

Wishing you all the very best for the weeks to come, and please keep in touch and let me know how you get on. My phone is such a source of delight when pictures of beautiful new babies and families come through too, so please share the joy!

Nicola

x

We talked a lot about the Golden Hour after birth, and the benefits of skin to skin for both mother and baby, and your baby’s developing microbiome. We also discussed the positive impact of breastfeeding in those early hours, days and weeks after birth as the oligosaccharides in your milk will help develop your baby’s good gut flora.

Below is an image to help with hand expressing, and if you wanted to have a go at harvesting some colostrum before your baby arrives then there are also lots of helpful videos on the web. Below are a few:

• How to Harvest Colostrum

• Collecting Milk before the birth of your baby

We went over a few of the elements of postnatal recovery for women who birth vaginally. Below are the infographics for you, as well as a link to some further great reading to support you.

• Your Guide to Postpartum Recovery

• Your Body After Birth

• What To Expect- Postpartum Health & Care

• What To Expect- The First Year with Your Baby

So now you are all ready for the big day in terms of education, it’s time to make sure you’ve got all of your bags packed and nursery in order! Just remember, half of the things you see advertised for babies are non-essential. I always advise parents to get the minimum in for clothes, nappies, muslins, bedding and feeding bottles if planning to bottle feed. Other than that- you can always pick things up as you go along. Just check the EU safety of anything purchased online, and avoid things such as baby cushions or fashion accessories like headbands as these can be suffocation risks (and should not be sold in my opinion, but that’s a soapbox stand for another day).

For more helpful information about what you need for babies around safe sleeping, check out The Lullaby Trust website.

But for now, below are some short lists to help you get that hospital bag sorted!