Pregnancy is a wonderful time for many, and it can also be pretty challenging for others too.
My private practice is trauma-informed and I am here to support you through a more positive experience.
Antenatal Workshop
This is a birth physiology antenatal class that helps you understand your labouring body, where sensations of discomfort come from and why it is there for some. How the body and brain connect with the perception of pain and why it isn’t the same for everyone. Understanding these systems that work together will help you prepare for birth and work with your body. This is a truly wonderful, unique & comprehensive antenatal workshop.
It can be done standalone, or alongside a hypnobirthing course.
More information here.
Hypnosis for Birth & Postpartum
If Hypnobirthing is what you are looking for, as a certified doula, antenatal teacher and clinical hypnotherapist, you have come to the right place too!
My preference for you is one-to-one tailored hypnobirthing, but I do hypnobirthing relaxation sessions for families I am working with.
More information here.
Pregnancy, Birth or Postnatal Trauma
If you have experienced a previous traumatic event, and/or are fearful of birth and would like to move forward feeling more positive, help and hope are here.
There is no one specific ‘ideal way’ to deal with this, and we will plan for your individual circumstances, but please be assured that we can work painlessly without overanalysing why you feel this way. I have a trauma-informed practice, with sensitivity and compassion.
Full Spectrum Doula
I have been asked what a full spectrum doula is.
Let’s take it back to basics – What is a doula?
The word doula comes from the Greek word δούλα, meaning ‘female slave’ or ‘woman servant’ – which doesn’t sit at that well with me, but it is helpful to see where the word comes from.
To me, the word ‘doula’ means being a support to a person during their reproductive journey. Non-medical, hand-holding (physically or metaphorically), supportive person. In modern times with a lack of continuity and choice, I am the person that can be chosen, and I am there for the pregnant person at all kinds of stages in their reproductive journey.
What does being a Full Spectrum Doula mean?
It means that I bring my model of doula care to any aspect of your reproductive journey, which often includes the birthing period, but it also includes supporting through the journey from planning conception, to supporting during losses, supporting mums, moms, dads, poppas, label-less, misgendered, LGBTQ+, solo parents, couples, abortions, full-term pregnancies, spontaneous losses, surrogacy, adoption, fostering babies, and more that I could go on to mention, but I think that makes it clear.
Supporting people during times of need in the reproductive area of life.
If you are wondering if the support of a doula would be helpful for you, I have to say that I am biased! I would not birth without my chosen doula support!
For more details on the packages available here.
Preparing for the First Month
If like many, you have an idea of how you would prefer your ideal birth to be, and haven’t thought quite so much about immediately after birth, once home, then I would love to help you prepare.
The 4th Trimester, the time when baby is no longer in your womb, but is helpless and learning about this sometimes cold, scary and hungry place!
I specifically help parents plan for the first month. Postpartum doesn’t end then, but it’s often easier to break these things down into bitesize chunks.
We look at how to nurture emotional wellness, what is developmentally normal for a newborn, what to expect and how to best manage everyone’s needs. Tips and tricks to help you through.
For those already having birthed your baby, toddler, or child, not all is lost! The HypnoMothering workshop can really help you thrive these postpartum days. Using techniques similar to Hypnobirthing, we focus on making naps/rest as restorative as possible, when the light at the end of the tunnel feels so dim, we find ways to add extra light IN the tunnel, never mind waiting for the end.
I also facilitate 1:1 postpartum planning sessions with couples to help them forward plan for those first weeks/months once baby is here.
Click on the links to find out more about each topic, and if you have any questions, feel free to email me: hello@lenamackenzie.com