Baby Bumps - Hypnobirthing South London

21/06/2022

And I was one of those people a 17 odd years ago. My experiences are what lead me to work in the birth world. They mean I'm passionate about informed decision making and ensuring women and their partners know what questions to ask and where to access good quality information and support

I hear from many women who really wish they had understood the consequences of having certain tests carried out.

One of those that has the most impact is GBS or Group B Strep testing.

These days, it is all too common for women to be handed a urine pot by a GP’s receptionist without being given appropriate information.

They aren't told that they are being offered a screening test.

No-one tells them that the outcome of the test that will be carried out might have a huge impact on the options and care that will be available to (and in some areas denied to) them and their baby.

They aren't told about the long-term consequences of antibiotics. Or that the result of their test may affect their options for years to come. Even in future pregnancies.

As I often say, this isn’t about telling women what they should or shouldn’t do.

None of us can decide what’s right for someone else.

Some women really want GBS testing.

But others don't. Or wouldn't if they were given the full facts.

It’s about ensuring that everybody has all the information before they decide whether or not to have a test.

Any test.

Loads more info about GBS on www.sarawickham.com/gbse

07/05/2022

A lovely share -

Considering a home birth but not sure what to expect, the logistics of it all and how it may be? From what the care is like down to the joys of being tucked ...

07/05/2022

A short video explaining how useful cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is.

This is an 'in a nutshell' video touching upon what cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is and how the skills and techniques can be used for labour and birth.

03/05/2022

Our services exist to support people going through experiences described in the graphic here.

Our recent research into parents and carers experiences during the pandemic and beyond has shown that many people felt lonely, isolated, and often scared.

NHS waiting lists and pressures they face within the system have unfortunately left many feeling like their concerns are not taken seriously enough.

It's so important that services like PANDAS exist to bridge the gap of service so many are experiencing. Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity to highlight the experiences of so many.

If you click the our link below, you can donate to our week long campaign, which aims to raise as much as we can, to continue in our mission to ensure no parent, carer or their network feels alone ❤️

https://thinkdonate.com/c/PANDAS2

[ID - PANDAS logo with the text "I couldn’t leave the house. I spent all day in tears and felt like I couldn’t cope when my baby became upset. I wasn’t listened to in my telephone consultation with my GP and was just given a prescription with no further support or referrals offered."]

28/04/2022

Happy to help if I can ⛅️

28/04/2022

Nip feelings of overwhelm in the bud with these techniques 👇

Have you heard of grounding techniques? Grounding techniques are a great way to manage anxiety and feelings of overwhelm. They can help with flashbacks, negative thoughts, and challenging emotions. They ...

25/04/2022

I love how they all gather around and protect mum & baby 🖤🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘

Some amazing doulas right there :-)

https://fb.watch/cCuuYLAl0T/

And you can read all about just how beneficial birth doulas are here: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/

27/03/2022

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums past, present and future

17/02/2022

I thought I'd share a birth story - this one came through today

16/02/2022

Sara's decades of research are so useful if you've been offered induction. Take your time, ask questions & allow plenty of time for an appointment with the Consultant Midwife to be arranged.

Our culture has really embraced the idea of due dates.

We accept that they are a ‘thing’ even though they are totally man made.

We allow due dates to dictate many of our actions, thoughts, conventions and conversations around pregnancy.

But many women and families will tell you that they and everything that goes along with them can be a source of considerable stress.

It’s really disheartening to know your due date but to have a professional (or, worse, a machine) insist on changing it.

It’s immensely stressful to have to fight to not have an induction when you KNOW your baby isn’t ready to be born.

As I wrote in In Your Own Time, “Assigning a due date, allowing a machine to change it and then using that date to determine the end point of pregnancy sends a very clear message. It conveys the idea than medical science knows more about when a baby should be born than either the baby herself or the woman whose body has created, grown and nourished her baby.”

But, when you look closely at what we know about the length of pregnancy, you find something rather curious: you find that it isn’t based on good evidence. In fact, you find – as I have done over the two decades that I have been researching this area - that, “the policy of induction at a certain point in pregnancy is largely based on fear, tradition, fashion and some outdated, misogynistic ideas rather than sound evidence.”

If you’d like to know more, visit www.sarawickham.com/time