In today’s episode, I chat with listener Abbie, who shares the beautiful and inspiring story of her first birth. Abbie’s journey is a powerful reminder that positive and empowering first births do happen — and they can go exactly to plan!
Abbie and her partner immersed themselves in hypnobirthing education, listening to the podcast and taking my Essentials Course, which helped them feel informed, prepared, and calm going into birth. From navigating early labour at home with candles and baths to a peaceful water birth in the hospital, Abbie’s story highlights the power of trusting your body, listening to your instincts, and creating a supportive birth environment.
🎙️ In this episode, we discuss:
How Abbie discovered hypnobirthing and prepared with her partner
Why she chose a water birth and how it felt for her
The emotional ups and downs during early labour (including news about a family member)
How her partner and mum supported her beautifully throughout
The moment she realised she was further along than she thought
A calm, connected birth experience and meeting her baby in the water
A huge thank you to Abbie for sharing her story, I know it will inspire and reassure so many first-time parents.
To learn more about my doula packages visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/doula-services
To purchase one of my courses, please visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/courses
If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to say thanks, you can now buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thenurturenest
View my birthy book recommendations here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/influencer-e2ad919d
Follow me on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/the_nurture_nest/
Follow me on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/thenurturenesthypno
Get 10% off your birth pool here https://go.referralcandy.com/share/JKHGBJ3
Get 10% off a BabyCare TENS Machine. USE CODE 10NURTURENEST http://babycaretens.com?afmc=46
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29:57
Maddie’s Calm Caesarean: Trusting Her Instincts After a Challenging Early Labour
In this episode, Maddie shares the story of her first birth; planned as a home birth but ultimately ending in a calm and empowering caesarean.
Diagnosed with polyhydramnios during pregnancy, Maddie went into labour and experienced a week of intense contractions that weren’t progressing. After being dismissed at hospital and told it was early labour, she trusted her instincts and returned a few days later, this time insisting on further assessment.
Faced with pressure to induce, Maddie stood firm and chose a caesarean birth, which turned out to be a beautifully calm experience, one she would choose again in the future.
We discuss:
The emotional toll of prolonged early labour
Trusting your instincts when you're not being heard
Why a caesarean can be a positive and empowering choice
A powerful reminder that trusting your instincts can lead to the right birth for you.
Find out more about polyhydramnios here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polyhydramnios/
To learn more about my doula packages visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/doula-services
To purchase one of my courses, please visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/courses
If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to say thanks, you can now buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thenurturenest
View my birthy book recommendations here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/influencer-e2ad919d
Follow me on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/the_nurture_nest/
Follow me on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/thenurturenesthypno
Get 10% off your birth pool here https://go.referralcandy.com/share/JKHGBJ3
Get 10% off a BabyCare TENS Machine. USE CODE 10NURTURENEST http://babycaretens.com?afmc=46
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43:45
Meconium in the Waters: Katie’s Empowering Shift from Home Birth to Hospital
In this episode of The Hypnobirthing Podcast, I’m joined by listener Katie, a first-time mum who laboured for a long time at home but ultimately ended up giving birth in hospital due to the presence of meconium in her waters.
Katie shares her beautiful and empowering story, walking us through her mindset as she prepared for a home birth and how she navigated the unexpected changes with calm and confidence. Even though her plans changed, she felt in control and supported throughout, thanks to her hypnobirthing techniques and a strong connection with her birth team.
We talk about:
How Katie prepared mentally and physically for her home birth
The moment her plans changed and how she handled the transfer to hospital
The role of her birth partner and support network
Using hypnobirthing tools to stay grounded and calm during labour
Reflections on her experience and advice to other first-time mums
Katie’s story is a wonderful reminder that birth doesn’t have to go exactly to plan to be a positive, empowering experience.
To learn more about my doula packages visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/doula-services
To purchase one of my courses, please visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/courses
If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to say thanks, you can now buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thenurturenest
View my birthy book recommendations here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/influencer-e2ad919d
Follow me on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/the_nurture_nest/
Follow me on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/thenurturenesthypno
Get 10% off your birth pool here https://go.referralcandy.com/share/JKHGBJ3
Get 10% off a BabyCare TENS Machine. USE CODE 10NURTURENEST http://babycaretens.com?afmc=46
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1:10:20
A Positive Birth Story: Hypnobirthing Through Induction and Prenatal Depression
In today’s episode, listener Nanouk shares her journey through prenatal depression and labour induction, and how hypnobirthing helped her stay calm and confident. She discusses the emotional challenges of induction and the power of breathing and mindset to manage fear.
Key Points:
Coping with prenatal depression
Navigating labour induction
Using hypnobirthing to stay relaxed and trust your body
If you’re experiencing prenatal depression, remember you’re not alone — help is available. Here are some UK organisations offering support:
💙 Mind – Mental health support: mind.org.uk
💙 Tommy’s – Pregnancy and baby support: tommys.org
💙 Birth Trauma Association – Emotional support after birth: birthtraumaassociation.org.uk
💙 NHS Perinatal Mental Health Services – Find local support via your GP or nhs.uk
Worldwide:
🌍 Postpartum Support International (PSI) – postpartum.net
🌍 Motherhood Collective – motherhoodcollective.org
🌍 March of Dimes – marchofdimes.org
🌍 World Health Organization (WHO) – Mental Health in Pregnancy – who.int
The book Nanouk talks about by Lucy Jones can be found here https://tinyurl.com/23xb9cxu
To learn more about my doula packages visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/doula-services
To purchase one of my courses, please visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/courses
If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to say thanks, you can now buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thenurturenest
View my birthy book recommendations here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/influencer-e2ad919d
Follow me on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/the_nurture_nest/
Follow me on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/thenurturenesthypno
Get 10% off your birth pool here https://go.referralcandy.com/share/JKHGBJ3
Get 10% off a BabyCare TENS Machine. USE CODE 10NURTURENEST http://babycaretens.com?afmc=46
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1:08:01
From Fear to Trust: Katie’s Empowering Birth Story
In this episode of The Hypnobirthing Podcast, I speak with Katie, a listener and first-time mum, who shares her remarkable journey from planning an elective cesarean due to intense fear of childbirth to ultimately having a spontaneous, physiological birth in a birth center. Katie candidly discusses how hypnobirthing techniques, daily podcast listening, and mindset shifts helped her overcome fear, cancel her cesarean, and trust her body’s incredible capabilities.
This uplifting story is a perfect reminder of how powerful preparation, education, and belief in your body can be when it comes to birth. If you’re feeling anxious or uncertain about your own upcoming birth, Katie’s story might just be the confidence boost you need.
👶 In This Episode:
Why Katie initially planned a cesarean and how fear shaped her early pregnancy mindset
The pivotal role of hypnobirthing and podcast episodes in helping her regain confidence
Her decision to cancel the cesarean at 39 weeks and decline sweeps/interventions
Going into spontaneous labour just after her sister’s wedding (where she was Maid of Honour!)
A fast, empowering birth centre experience and how it changed her perspective on birth
Plans for the future, including potential home birth considerations
If you found Katie’s story helpful or inspiring, please consider sharing this episode with someone you know who’s pregnant or leave a review—it really helps others find the show!
Thank you to Wild Nutrition for sponsoring this episode. For 50% off for three months, visit www.wildnutrition.com/hypnobirthing
To learn more about my doula packages visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/doula-services
To purchase one of my courses, please visit https://www.thenurturenest.co.uk/courses
If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to say thanks, you can now buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thenurturenest
View my birthy book recommendations here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/influencer-e2ad919d
Follow me on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/the_nurture_nest/
Follow me on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/thenurturenesthypno
Get 10% off your birth pool here https://go.referralcandy.com/share/JKHGBJ3
Get 10% off a BabyCare TENS Machine. USE CODE 10NURTURENEST http://babycaretens.com?afmc=46
This series is all about hypnobirthing and positivity around birth. I am a hypnobirthing teacher and a mum of two and am aware how much negativity there is around birth and it can be scary and daunting for parents to be. This series is a safe space for everything positive and will include some useful chat, inspiring guests and amazing positive birth stories.
If you are interested in hypnobirthing or you are pregnant and needing a positive space to visit - this is the podcast for you!
For more information on hypnobirthing please visit my website www.thenurturenest.co.uk or my Instagram page @the_nurture_nest.
Music: Sunshine (version 2) by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4438-sunshine-version-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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