TELL YOUR BIRTHTALE TUESDAY
We started the feature "Tell your Birthtale Tuesday" via our Instagram feed and Facebook page. It gives us the opportunity to bring to you lots of wonderful inspiring and thought provoking BIRTHTALES. The 3 of us get so excited when we have a new tale to share. Some of them are very personal to us but most importantly they are all unique and beautiful in their own way and we sincerely hope that you can take some time to enjoy them too.
If you would like us to add your amazing BIRTHTALE to our collection we would love to hear from you, so do get in touch.
July 15, 2019
Hayley's Birthtale is not only a story but also an advert for and infomercial about hypnobirthing. We are grateful for her detail which hopefully will inspire pregnant women to consider the benefits of homebirth, independant midwives and hypnobirthing.
If you'd like to get in touch with Hayley go to www.gigiandpickle.com
Thanks Hayley
July 08, 2019
Staying strong and committed to your birth plan is sometimes really challenging. especially when faced with people who seem to want to de-rail you. It is hard for women to stick to their guns and go against what Drs are advising. The support and nurturing of a great midwife helped Ruth when she found herself in this situation and the outcome is here for you to read.....
Thanks Ruth.
May 27, 2019
Sarah Tessier is a post natal doula in south London and an NCT teacher. She coined the phrase ‘mothermoon’ which is beautiful way of referring to the self care we all need to apply in the postnatal period.
Today we are sharing the birth of her second baby which she hoped would be a restorative experience......Thanks Sarah
April 22, 2019
Charlotte Met the lovely Natasha and Kev when they attended her @bumpandbabyclub antenatal classes. Natasha was experiencing what sounded like sciatica and Charlotte recommended a local osteopath. Things sadly deteriorated quickly for Natasha and she was finally diagnosed with the thankfully very rare pregnancy induced transient osteoporosis.
This is Natasha’s very brave and honest account of how this condition effected her body and the impact it had in pregnancy, birth and beyond. Thanks Natasha
April 01, 2019
Harriet's second Birthtale is short, sharp and to the point....Like a lot of second deliveries it surprised her with it's simplicity.
What a shame women still have to face NHS staff who say the wrong thing and leave them feeling horrible just at the moment they should be empowered and made to feel fantastic. I'm sorry.
Thanks for the tale Harriet and for bringing such top girls into the world.
March 19, 2019
Anna met Ali a few years back when their daughters were at nursery together. Friendship grew to the point where Anna got to use her magic acupuncture needles on Ali's bottom (to the great amusement of her eldest daughter)!
Towards the end of 42 weeks of pregnancy the team of homebirth midwives (and Tom's) unwavering support meant Ali felt safest and happiest in her pool at home to birth Maisie.
Thank you Ali for this lovely Birthtale.
March 12, 2019
Huge thanks to Sooz for sharing the tale of her 2nd daughter. This Birthtale tells us of the challenges that face some families in the aftermath of birth. The great part is that Iris and her mum pulled through their surgeries, and are fighting fit today. Thank you to the NHS...all in a day's work.
February 26, 2019
Anna and Charlotte met Sophia through their antenatal classes for Bump and Baby Club. She also sought them out for the Birthtale drop ins in Peckham...they obviously made an impression. We are thrilled to share this lovely oxytocin fuelled tale. This mum totally nailed the idea that she needed to be flooded with that wonderful love hormone to labour and birth well.
Than you Sophia.
February 12, 2019
We all roared with laughter at Jon's account of his first born's birth and he is here again telling all about no. 2 son, the gorgeous Laurie.
Using the words of Jane Austen...... it is a truth universally acknowledged.....that second birthtales are never as long or full of detail as the first. Those poor younger siblings!!
Thank you Jon
February 05, 2019
This Birthtale is such a great example of what we always say, we learn so much about labour and birth when we go through it. But we don’t get that much needed practice run!
Charlotte met @corinne_frankiepants at the school gates a little over a year ago.
They immediately bonded over all things birth. Corinne teaches antenatal yoga @labyrinthyogapilates and was running creative birth workshops at the time. She also completed a Doula course while heavily pregnant and will make a perfect doula!
Thanks Corinne
January 29, 2019
Thanks to Max who has written down his memories of Elsa's birth. This is his second Birthtale (the perk of being married to a Birthtaler) so if you want to be reminded of his first experience you will need to scroll right down to the July 31st edition. Another comparison of Elsa'a birth can be found in Rachel's account of the same delivery, way back in Feb last year.
Cheers Max xx
January 15, 2019
Natalie sent us two Birthtales at once so we decided to run them back to back. It's incredible for women that every birth is SO different and conjures up different emotions when we recall them.
Love for our children is always equal but our relationships with them differ greatly and that all starts from their womb life and their journey Earthside.
Thanks Natalie
December 18, 2018
Anna had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Cat towards the end of her pregnancy @levelsix and during their acupuncture sessions. They apparently never stopped talking about birth!
It’s really special that Cat and Ali’s watery birth of their first born Daughter Maija on Armistice Day closes our unique and beautiful @birthtale Tuesdays for 2018
With gratitude Cat
November 27, 2018
Alison told us about the arrival of Rachel earlier in the year. That was 50 years ago, and now she is back with her very first Birthtale in 1963. Apparently her memories are sketchy but the details she gives are so hard to fathom now, in an age where women are so openly encouraged to have their partners with them every step of the way.
Thank you Alison.
November 06, 2018
Six weeks ago we read about how Sara's first daughters birth left her traumatised and feeling utterly unsupported. We finished reading with heavy hearts, hoping that next time around she would be empowered and surrounded with kindness, understanding and respect.
Since then Vera has arrived and a whole new tale has emerged. Does Sara feel healed, and how did the birth pan out?.....read on
Thank you Sara.
October 30, 2018
Tammy came to Rachel's first Bump and Baby Club antenatal classes, engaged with Birthtale on Instagram. She had enjoyed reading other Birthtales but was worried that hers was too full on. She was however happy to write about her birth in the hope that it may help to prepare other people in the future. Tammy, Ben and little Dylan certainly had a time of it but they are happy and content now and Dylan is an absolute delight.
Thanks Tammy
October 22, 2018
In celebration of National Adoption week, which has just passed, we have the story of how Anne and Ivy became mother and daughter. It is a particularly moving and special Birthtale for Rachel as Ivy is her God daughter. Her arrival was long awaited and much celebrated.
Anne's words are incredibly moving and beautiful, prepare to have a tear in your eye as you read on.....
Thank you Anne
October 15, 2018
This beautifully written Birthtale comes from Laura, aka the_holistic_doula, who is super positive about all things labour and birth. She was obviously well informed and confident in her innate ability to birth her baby. She made strong and powerful choices and had the birth she wanted as a result. Enjoy reading.
Thanks Laura
October 08, 2018
How lucky are we today, we have not one Birthtale but two!! Thank you to Camilla for writing the story of both her children’s births. I always feel slightly sad for second children as the Birthtales never seem to be quite so full of detail even though it’s certain that each birth has its own special magic.
October 01, 2018
RacheI and Liz sing in a choir together and can often be found chatting in the back row at their rehearsals! Usually they are finding out about the antics of each others children....well Liz's youngest is 22 so their antics are quite different from Rachel's. Her 3 boys all left home and have now returned which I know she is very happy about.
I have to tell you Liz doesn't look any older now than she did 22 years ago when this picture was taken.
This Birthtale made me chuckle when I read it. What was her husband having for his dinner? And just wait for the ending!
Thanks Liz
September 24, 2018
As you read this Birthtale Sara the protagonist could very well be in labour with her second baby. We have been really moved by this account and are saddened that Sara had an experience first time which left her dealing with such grief. Kindness, understanding and respect which were lacking in this Birthtale shoud be the cornerstone of all care given.
Lets hope that this time Sara is greeted with all three of these in abundance and that she can have the healing birth she deserves.
Thank you and good luck Sara
September 17, 2018
For those of you reading this who know Ginny you know what a phenomenally courageous, strong and beautiful woman she is. No surprise she applied these qualities to birth.
This is a story highlighting the importance of continuity of care and the joys of staying at home.
It also shows how plans can go off track at any point but the right support and preparation can help to keep you calm.
Three cheers for team Pickles
September 03, 2018
Today it's all about the boys again, so here is Jon's Birthtale. It is a truly great one and well worth taking the time to read. It is fascinating reading a different version of a tale you already know. Remind yourself about Charlotte's version of Rollo's birth which was on our very first Tell you Birthtale Tuesday.
Thank you Jon
August 20, 2018
Debbie’s Birthtale is fantastic in that it shows how things don’t always go to plan but with the right preparation (hugely topical right now!) you can make it easier to cope with the unknown.
Debbie confesses to have been ‘terrified of birth’ so enlisted help early on...and it worked. Their doula massaged her throughout labour and gave amazing support while Debbie and Anna practiced hypnobirthing techniques.
All this meant baby Patti arrived calmly despite the unexpected changes along the way.
August 13, 2018
Harriet and Rachel forged a great friendship whilst they were both pregnant. Rachel with her 2nd baby and Harriet her first. The men in their lives were old friends too...
We breast fed together, weaned together, went to singing, swimming, baby gym & play groups together. The constant support we gave each other was utterly fantastic. Now those baby girls are going off to high school and are still as thick as theives. We know they will be friends forever which makes us very happy, or as the young people say they are BFF!!!
Here is Olive's birthtale...Thanks Harriet. x
July 30, 2018
Our first Dad has come to the party to tell his side of the story. Max is Rachel's husband and shares his honest account of how he saw the birth of their child Linus. If you want to recap by reading Rachel's Birthtale scroll down. I know for a fact he was very emotional while he was writing this down. It is hard for dads so we salute you all. Thank you Max.
July 23, 2018
Leanne's Birthtale arrived via the Instagram shout out! We are so happy to share her story with you and super thrilled that she feels that we are a positive outlet for her to speak about her experience of childbirth. It sounds as though she was empowered by the birth of her gorgeous son Eliot. What a strong woman you are Leanne. Thanks
July 16, 2018
Charlotte and Anna met Jenna last year when learning the rewind technique. She was still carrying a great deal of trauma from her experience of giving birth to her first child.
Jenna felt immediate benefits after Rewind the same day and reports big improvements in her anxiety levels since undergoing the Rewind technique again.
Jenna, we can’t thank you enough for sharing this difficult Birthtale. Through telling your story it is so encouraging to know that you can heal from birth trauma.
July 09, 2018
Charlotte and Jane have known each other for donkeys... they have shared some pretty special times together including this weekends hen party where Charlotte convinced Jane it was time she shared Betsy’s Birthtale
Jane is a professional photographer and was Birthtale's first choice when it came to some shots for the website.
Thanks Jane for the photos and sharing your Birthtale.
June 04, 2018
We have the lovely Kirstie to thank for today's Birthtale. She is a truly marvellous lady, an inspiring midwife and a strong, dedicated and loving mum. The three of us at Birthtale HQ are blessed to have her as our friend. Her story catalogues so many emotions from the very early, often lonely days of her pregnancy until the time of B's arrival earthside. Bethan has had more than her fair share of hard days but Kirstie has been a rock of a woman throughout it all. Read on .......
May 28, 2018
Kat is one of Charlotte oldest and bestest👌
They’ve randomly ended up living just round the corner from each other and their children all go to school together (or will do eventually). And they share a childminder. From hand me down school uniforms to afternoon birthday party’s that roll on in the evening it’s fab having you there Kat.
Read Kat and Mae’s Birthtale to find out more about the power of preparation and hypnobirthing. Kat describes her labour as pain free and empowering. Even with a little PPH thrown in for good measure.
May 21, 2018
Alison, who is an old school friend of Charlotte's is part of a small group of women who suffer tocophobia. A significant fear or phobia of vaginal birth. Some studies suggest this effects up to 14% if women and a lot of those will opt for an elective Caesarean birth.
Alison did not, and this is her account of her labour. Unfortunately she had a difficult labour and birth and went on to suffer birth trauma. She talks about this and her tocophobia in an article published in The Guardian in 2010.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/04/i-have-phobia-of-pregnancy
We wish we’d been here for you then Alison and are so grateful for all you have done for Birthtale .
May 14, 2018
There is a lot more to Lisa's Birthtale than just her birth! In fact considering she is an amazing twin mama she doesn't talk much about her natural delivery of two incredible humans! Read on. We salute her and thank her for sharing her emotions from that time back in Australia...I (Rachel) am just glad she is in London now or the last 8 years would have been a lot less fun and definitely less sober!
May 07, 2018
Rachel knew Katia was pregnant from very early on and they shared lots of happy long days working together at St Thomas’ and thinking about the exciting times she had ahead of her...yes she’s another midwife!
She was so easy going in her pregnancy, just took it all in her stride. There were no complaints, just joy. It seems from reading her Birthtale that she had the same attitude to her birth which is great. Now as Ari’s Mum she is just as relaxed and content which is fantastic news. Happy Mum, happy baby 👶
April 30, 2018
Lisi was the very first person to enquire about Birthtale services when the website went live last autumn. We were so chuffed when that email came to our inbox. Rachel saw Lisi and Rich antenatally and we are thrilled that she has come back to share her awesome Birthtale with us. She is a strong and powerful woman who was born to birth. Thanks Lisi.
April 23, 2018
It’s a lovely Birthtale today, that of Anna's friend Shellani, who shed a few tears writing it. She is a Mother of three beautiful daughters . She struggled during her pregnancy 🤰 to decide what was best for her and her family when it came to how she would give birth.
She finally chose an elective caesarean birth to welcome Avani. Anna remembers visiting after all her three births and when Avani arrived she was truly ecstatic! The fear and worry about birth replaced by pure happiness. She felt supported in her choice, it was the right decision for her and a healing, powerful birthing experience. Thanks Shellani
April 16, 2018
This month is Global Caesarean Awareness Month and today my beautiful friend Sophie tells her Birthtale of the long awaited birth of her Son, Woody.
I had the privilege of meeting Sophie when our firstborns were toddlers. She was funny, gregarious, dynamic and a breath of fresh air when I had not met any Mum friends. Enjoy Sophie’s Birthtale an upbeat, joyful beginning of life with her son.... in a cupboard?!
April 02, 2018
Meet Beccy, midwife, mum of 2 and general wonder woman... She cropped up in a previous Birthtale as midwife to Rachel & Elsa!
This is her tale and what a story it is. Hold on to your hats and brace yourselves for a read you won't forget. I laughed out loud even though I knew the details before she sent it over to Birthtale HQ.
March 26, 2018
Lydia became interested in hypnobirthing when pregnant with Bax, following a difficult first birth. Using the techniques she learnt she managed to have a completely different experience second time round and was so convinced by it she decided to have complete career change! She is now teaching hypnobirthing. What a gorgeous image. Thanks Lydia.
March 20, 2018
Meet Reuben, who is a great friend of Rachel's daughter. He is the most engaging and hilarious boy, who brings enormous joy to those who know him. This is Sharon's Birthtale and is brought to you on the eve of World Down Syndrome Day. She is honest and open about the experience she and her husband Nick had when Reuben was born and they discovered that their precious boy had Down's, read on.....
March 13, 2018
Today we have a Birthtale from a school playground in NW London. Karen, a friend of Rachel's has agreed to tell the story of Stan's birth. It's not been an easy one for her to share, so we applaud her for "going there". Emotions can remain raw for many years which can make the act of recall difficult. Respect to Karen.
February 27, 2018
I met Alexis AKA candid midwife through our teaching for Bump and Baby Club. As well as teaching for Bump and Baby she teaches hypno-birthing, runs the hugely successful Mother Box with Beccy Hands and is also a mum of three. There is also rumour of a book...... how does she do it all?
What we as midwives always say about not being able to plan these things, certainly rings true!
Thanks Alexis!
February 20, 2018
The gorgeous human being that is Anna has written her second Birthtale for us today. I know we talk a lot on Instagram about the beauty that is in Anna but that's because she is a true gem. We thank Anna for her honesty which helps to fuel a dialogue around the difficult issue of antenatal anxiety and depression.
February 13, 2018
If you read Rachel's 1st Birthtale then you will remember how she struggled with a pretty heavy duty emergency caesarean section and more than her fair share of postnatal complications. Remember though, no two births are the same and there is always the chance that second time around things will be different....
February 06, 2018
It is Charlotte's turn to tell you her 2nd Birthtale today. She has been incredibly honest when posting stuff about her pregnancy, the difficulties she had with antenatal depression and her deep rooted anxiety about birth the second time around. We are really proud of how she has opened up about this personal stuff in order to raise awareness of these often unspoken troubles...you are amazing Charlotte.
January 30, 2018
Rachel was my son's teacher in year 6, but from the beginning of the year it was obvious to me that she wouldn't be with the class all year!! I saw her pregnancy develop on a daily basis so it was wonderful to be there for her on D day, a real privilege. Thanks for sharing this with us Rachel.
January 23, 2018
One of the best bits of antenatal teaching is meeting so many parents to be at this special time in their lives. Charlotte met Alice and Mark last year. Today Alice tells her home Birthtale and the arrival of little Alma Bloom. And it’s a beauty. Particularly relevant for anyone considering hypnobirthing. Over to Alice.....
January 09, 2018
Thank you to the lovely Helen from Fix London for sharing her story so soon after her birth.
