Pregnancy without Fear

Discussions about Maternal Mental Health and the Power of Positive Thinking in pregnancy are necessary more now than ever. 

In this episode we chat with Renee Sterling (former Vice President in Finance at Goldman Sachs, London) about her baptism of fire into motherhood as a world is gripped by a global pandemic, and how she and her husband emerged on the other side of it victoriously triumphant. 

We also discuss her training as a Mental Health First Aider and a Certified Financial Education Instructor, and how personal tragedy inspired Renee's mission to normalize the dialogue on mental health and personal finances.

We find out more about that Senator Obama photo...
and why she felt so compelled to co-create and launch her own podcast series, Race2Rise. 

In this episode we talk with Dr Orinayo Onabanjo, a UK based Chartered Counselling Psychologist, about the challenges many mothers face in relation to their perinatal mental wellbeing and the type of support available. Dr Onabanjo shares her wealth of experience delivering psychological therapy for mums experiencing a range of mental health and interpersonal challenges including helping mums cultivate stronger attachments with their babies, and addressing the impact unresolved childhood trauma can have on the journey of motherhood. May is Maternal Mental Health Month and this is a timely episode to begin the discussions. 

April was Caesarean Section Awareness Month and in this special solo-cast episode we have given a special focus to caesarean sections particularly its lasting effect when women do not fully understand the implications of giving birth in this way.

We also wanted to personally close off the month sharing with you some of what we did to observe this special month. We made the decision that we were going to join the rest of the world to actively observe Caesarean Section Awareness Month and host real discussions on c-sections. 

The importance of real discussions around the topic of c-sections cannot be over-emphasised. Therefore every Thursday throughout April on our Instagram IGTV channel we invited and spoke with birth professionals on Caesarean sections. These sessions were extremely well received providing a live forum where we fielded questions from women throughout the world and created new relationships and friends. Make sure to check out our website for show notes and links to these IGTV sessions they are packed with really good information.

Our special guest is the dynamic Dr. Shyrlena Bogard, MD a board-certified Physician, Intimacy Coach, Speaker and founder of IntaME Health. With her five must-haves of sexual wellness, Dr. Bogard has helped many clients regain the confidence and vitality to enjoy intimacy like never before.

In this episode Dr Bogard gives a special focus to pregnancy, intimacy and understanding the unique challenges a woman faces in her intimate life before, during and after pregnancy plus tips to help her overcome them.

Meet Toks Aruoture! In this week's episode we talk to mindset strategist, mum, wife, luxury nursery interior designer and founder of The Baby Cot Shop, Toks Aruoture.

In this week's episode we welcome Dolapo Oni, a UK based Real estate investor, serial property entrepreneur, investor, mentor & host of the Property Mom Podcast, to discuss her personal journey into property investing and share her tips toward financial freedom and building long term wealth. 

Dr Ruth Oshikanlu, MBE is a multi-award-winning nurse, author, midwife and health visitor. In this episode we discuss how she became a Pregnancy Mindset Expert and how her service helps support pregnant women who are scared that they may lose their babies in pregnancy. We also discuss her book, Tune In To Your Baby.

In this episode we welcome Nutritional Therapist and Wellness Coach, Claudine Thornhill, to discuss her hormone balancing programs and how they enable women to have better periods, address womb health issues and transition through perimenopause and menopause with ease.  

Dr. Omolara Thomas Uwemedimo has been a US based board certified pediatrician for over 15 years and an academic faculty for over a decade, providing coaching and mentorship programs for physicians of color. She is CEO of Strong Children Wellness, an innovative telemedicine practice that addresses both unmet health and social needs for families in New York and also the founder of Melanin, Medicine & Motherhood.

In this episode we speak on getting the best out of your paediatrician and why this is so important, why being a Superwoman doesn't mean being stressed and burnout and why women of colour must develop a culture of having support after birth.

Kimberly-Anne Evans is a UK based Psychotherapist, Counsellor and Mental Health Consultant for individuals and businesses. In this episode, drawing upon her experience of helping survivors of trauma, anxiety and depression move forward from their experiences, Kim speaks on what happens to our body when we get stressed; the body-mind connection and our connection with baby; grounding exercises; visualisations and other ways to cope with stress.

Joy Langley is a UK based coach and  Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) with over 15 years experience. She's supported hundreds of clients via private healthcare schemes and her own private practice to reduce stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Chronic stress is linked to many leading causes of death and in this fireside chat interview Joy shares a wealth of insights into understanding your unique stress profile and the tools that work for you to relax, have more positive mental shifts and help you to get back to your “Happy Place”!

Laura Hayward is a Pregnancy Massage Therapist and Doula. Since qualifying in pregnancy massage in 2002, Laura's passion has been to truly accompany mothers on the whole of their birthing journey, a passion re-enforced by becoming a Doula ten years ago. In this interview, Laura shares her experiences of working with expectant and new mothers, and how by having a continuous sense of support, skill and understanding; women can develop and discover the inner confidence, power and strength they need to carry them through the birthing process and into motherhood.

What's the truth about Pilates for Pregnancy? Is it safe? Are there benefits? Will I enjoy it? How can I find out more? 

As part of our focus on Relaxation during the month of March we invited Pilates Instructor Nikki Williams-Quamina to chat with us and share some insights about Pregnancy Pilates. Nikki runs her own business, Devolin-Mai Pilates, teaching Pilates to women both during pregnancy and post-childbirth period. 

However, one of the hidden bonuses contained within this interview is that Nikki is also an experienced Midwife and in the course of the interview shares some really valuable information. Don't miss!

Maria Yasnova is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and a member of the Lactation Consultants of Great Britain with over a decade's worth of experience successfully supporting mothers in building and nurturing satisfying breastfeeding relationships with their baby or babies. In this interview Maria shares valuable insights and evidence based information, especially for mothers-to-be, toward establishing breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding can be challenging but with the right information and approach things can change for the better.

When a baby is put to the breast there is a connection that is not seen but can only be felt by mother and baby. With a baby moving around and crying it can be become distressing. Here are some tips to help you get into a space of understanding and patience because that is what breastfeeding needs.

What is shared:

• It is not breastfeeding to a new born
• Comfort is the first priority, then feeding
• Why babies cry
• It takes time to understand the language of your baby
• Breastfeeding is totally new with each child
• Repeating helps to raise confidence. It's all training

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Did you know that a new born (until they can see) does not know they are being fed by the breast? There is much more to just putting baby to the breast. The brain is the powerhouse to the body. Hormones were there for conception, pregnancy, labour and birth. The hormones continue breastfeeding too. When mother puts baby to the breast there is an invisible connection that only a mother and baby knows. We can see the physical connection, but the connection spoken of here goes much deeper than the physical. What is shared here is to help you view this in a different way, to build your confidence. 

VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section) mothers deserve lots of praise and support. This episode is dedicated to empowering, uplifting and educating VBAC mothers including those who would like to know more about how they can provide proper support. In this episode we cover:

• The negative feelings behind the previous birth experience
• The effects of the previous birth on this pregnancy
• The obstetric history - its impact on this pregnancy
• The support and information
• Preparing for labour

VBAC mothers are fighters from beginning to end. Let's support them. VIVA VBAC!!

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Hormones are mentioned in quite a flippant way. They are not regarded as having any power. Hormones however, have a great affect on the physical and mental realm of the female. Seeing the hormones as instruments in an orchestra, do they have a 'tone'?  

We are 'a feeling soul'. We function on feelings. To many it is seen as 'hocus pocus'. There are 10 hormonal phases to the female. We affect our environment in the way we feel.  Let's look into this further. This is a time of self discovery. 

In this episode we focus on the untapped inner power and strength of the female, not so much her physical strength, but her unique mental strength. There is a power within the female that has to be harnessed in such a way that you understand how you function. Knowing how you function you slowly get to know yourself. And by knowing yourself, once conception is a reality you know how to shape the being in your womb.

In this episode we chat with Tracy Awere, an experienced hypnobirthing teacher and founder of Sankofa Hynobirthing. Tracy discusses hypnobirthing and how it serves as a complete birth preparation programme for pregnant women and their birth partners; how she used her own pregnancy over 10 years ago as the catalyst toward developing her own hypnobirthing philosophy and the inspiration for her work today and how she has found great success in her holistic mind, body, and soul approach while using evidence-based self-hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques in helping expectant parents to release anxieties and relax in any situation. 

Jaye Wilson is the Founding President of Melinated Moms, a global women’s empowerment organization for moms and women of color. She has progressed from her career as a community health nurse, to a social entrepreneur of change. Curating and hosting over 30 events in the last 2 years, Jaye’s main for us is to build a community of sustainable development and growth with her members.

Continuing on from Mindfulness in Pregnancy (part 1).  You will now be going to the core of you. 

Did you know:

- that your thoughts and feelings can have an affect on the development of your baby and be the foundation to your baby's development?

- that you can be aware of how you think and feel and get to the root of it?

- that You are the Environment of your baby? You can be negative or positive, it is your choice.

It's time to think about how you are when pregnant. And how to connect to give baby the best of you. Realising that once you know you have conceived, you start creating a relationship with your baby. We don't have to wait until the first scan or that first flutter. 

In this episode I will be sharing how Mindfulness plays an important role in pregnancy and the benefits of it to mums-to-be, knowing how to recognize negative and positive environments and how to be and create your perfect environment for your pregnancy.  

This episode continues the journey of being First Time Parents. Helping you to understand the heaviness of your thoughts, and how they can be lightened. How to see through those months by empowering you to accept the different stages of growth. Accepting the physical and psychological development at each stage in a balanced way.  That the outside elements, such as work, hospital appointments and getting a bigger place, are inevitable and should not be overwhelming, as they are part of the change.  

Becoming first-time parents causes lots of mixed feelings. In this episode, the first in my series on Relationships, I will be exploring the natural fears and anxieties that first-time parents experience and why it's important to find the right balance early on.

It can be hard to think positively about your birth when others around you don't think that way. However, there are ways to combat that and move on toward achieving your childbirth dream. Perspectives make a difference therefore not everything said to you has to be viewed as a judgement of you. You know what you want and by having those around you who believe what you believe your dream stays alive.