Pregnancy Massage Links

These links relate to pregnancy, the post and the postnatal period. They contain mainly local information and are “work in progress”. If you find anything useful, please let me know, either by phoning 0115 8457113, or using the contact form.

If possible I have given you the website of a person or organisation. If they didn't have one, I have used the email address, but I have inserted a space on either side of the @ for spam protection. In order to email them, you need to copy the address and manually remove the spaces. Thank you.

Home Birth Support Group

The Home birth support group meets at the Iona School every third Friday of the month from 9.30-11 am. Andrea Lee and Nicky Grace organise the home birth support group.

The Toddler Group also meets at the Iona school, usually on Tuesday mornings. Please phone the school for more information.

Yoga for pregnant and post-natal women

Fortunately we have a number of yoga teachers in Nottingham, who specialize in pregnancy yoga and post-natal yoga.

The Yogahome offers yoga classes for pregnant women. For the postnatal yoga you can bring your baby along.

Wendy Coe offers pregnancy yoga in Beeston. She is also a doula.

Arti is a qualified pregnancy yoga teacher.

At the moment there are no independent midwifes practicing in Nottingham

Doulas

A "Doula" (pronounced "doola") is a Greek word meaning "woman servant or caregiver". It refers to an experienced woman who offers emotional and practical support to a woman (or couple) before, during and after childbirth. A doula believes in “mothering the mother” - enabling a woman to have the most satisfying and empowered time that she can during pregnancy, birth and the early days as a new mum. This type of support also helps the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience.

At the moment a group of local doulas are in the process of securing funding so that every pregnant women can experience the support of a doula. To find out more, contact Michaela Heselton via email at blissfulbirth @ hotmail.co.uk.

Yvonne Bailey is a doula in Nottingham, both for the birth and the time after. Holly Bambury offers lots of birth related support, being a doula and doing a photo album of your pregnancy and birth journey are just two of the may services available.  I had a doula supporting me during the births of both of my children, I can highly recommend this. To find more local doulas, please have a look on the Doula UK website.

Cranio-sacral Therapy

You could try cranio-sacral therapy if your newborn is generally not very happy. Paticia Hughes is a very experienced practitioner.

Birthing Kit

At Miracle Birthing Kits you can get all the things you need for and just after your birth. I've seen them exhibiting at the First Nottingham Birth Conference (a fantastic event), and their stuff looks just lovely.

Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy

Pelvic joint pain related to pregnancy is known as Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) and was formerly known as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). PGP is very treatable and the Pelvic Partnership aims to provide you with information about how to find the right management and treatment for your condition and your pain.

Breast feeding

There is specialist support out there to help with breastfeeding. Don't give up just yet. You can call on the La Leche League, local NHS midwives or NCT breastfeeding consultants (National Childbirth Trust). Denise Pemberton is a Lactation Consultant, specializing in supporting breastfeeding. If you are struggling with breastfeeding, don't suffer alone. Get help and support!

I recently discovered a fanatstic video on breast feeding on youtube. It is called  "Apple Dumplings by Virginia Howes". I have tried to add the link but miserably failed.The web adress is "http://www.youtube.com/user/MissAppleDumplings?feature=mhee"

Birth preparation

Of course there are many things you will do to prepare for the birth.

You may have read on the pregnancy massage page about the partner session. Here I will teach you and your partner about a number of points you can press to nudge the birth along. These points don't work like a button: press it and out pops the baby (if this was the case not many pregnancies would go to term). These "bring the energy down" and if both mum and baby are ready, they will support the birth process.

WiseBirthing is a new concept in childbirth preparation which encourages the innate ability of each woman to birth her baby. The classes look at all aspects of birthing and preparing for parenthood. They will not only look at what will happen to your body but also look at your beliefs about birth and what you believe will, should or may happen over the critical weeks in the run up to birth and postnatally.

Debra Betts is an acupuncturist in New Zealand. Her website illustrates acupressure points which might be helpful during labour.

Well Mother has lots of useful advice on her Website. She has also published a number of books. Suzanne Yates is a fountain of knowledge on all things related to pregnancy, childbirth and the post-natal period with regard to bodywork and exercise.

Hypnobirthing

Mia Scotland, Sophie Fletcher and Sandra Bailey offer HypnoBirthing within the Nottingham area.

Post natal depression

If you suffer under post natal depression, you might find this website useful: www.overcomingpnd.com

Artwork

The drawings for pregnancy massage are by Bethan Mathews (bethanmatthews @ aol.com - the gaps are there for spam protection). She now lives in Devon. She does take commissions.