So, why did I choose to teach Hypnobirthing?
Hi, I'm Donna,
Founder of The Birth Shed
Based in Derbyshire
I became a mum to my son in 2022. Hypnobirthing is the reason I am not traumatised by my son’s birth experience. I am evidence that Hypnobirthing can benefit ANY birth.
My son’s birth was not what I had imagined AT ALL. My plan was a spontaneous labour and pool birth and instead I had an induction and a Caesarean birth. This was because of a medical condition that was outside of my control. I teach people how to plan for their Birth Plan A but then also have the skills to know how to adapt to a change of circumstances that may be outside of their control. How powerful is that skill!?
My full birth story is further down this page, should you want to read it. The main takeaway - I could still use all of my Hypnobirthing methods!
What’s even better, is that I have learned SO MUCH more about Hypnobirthing now, that if I was ever lucky enough to have another baby, I would absolutely use.
Now I want to be honest. I hear so much of people being terrified when they go into labour, or even when they just think of labour and birth, whilst they are pregnant!
This is the reason I teach Hypnobirthing. To prevent this. To normalise positive birth. I want the norm to be when you ask a friend of their experience, not for them to say, oh it was horrific, but to say, IT WAS AMAZING. I LOVED BIRTH. And I want the same for you.
What makes me different?
My courses are different from others out there because of my journey and circumstances that led me to this moment - teaching Hypnobirthing.
If it was me paying for a course, I would really like to know where my money is going. I know it's hard through a screen, I'd love to be able to see each of you in person and sit down with a cuppa, but I think it's only fair you know more about me, for you to decide if you would like to spend your special time with me, learning Hypnobirthing.
My son is my biggest motivation and inspiration and I talk about his birth a bit further down. But for right now I want to discuss what else brought me to my own Hypnobirthing business.
I am a Registered Nurse by background, specifically in the field of Learning Disabilities. I am also a Qualified Social Worker. I have been helping people one way or another for 14 years now! I have a massive drive inside of me that fights for others rights and to help people feel happier. I have such proud moments in my career, like achieving the Florence Nightingale Award. At the beginning of 2022 my passion for Hypnobirthing was sparked.
Fast forward to 2023 and I am now the founder of The Birth Shed and teaching Hypnobirthing classes across Derbyshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, North Leicestershire and online. (I'll share the reasoning behind my business name later if you're intrigued!)
The Birth Shed’s mission is to normalise positive birth, by shedding fear and building confidence. Birth isn’t designed to be scary by nature. The Birth Shed’s courses are designed to remove the fear, and replace with feelings of calm, positivity, contentment and even excitement!
What else you need to know about me:
I have always been extremely empathetic. I can become emotionally moved by others stories, experiences, situations. It's almost like I can, on some level, feel what it would feel like to be in their shoes. That’s why on my courses, I ensure I support people in between sessions too and in the lead up to the birth of your baby, in case you have any wobbles!
My values are embedded into The Birth Shed’s and is what makes what I can offer you different to anyone else out there.
Our courses are friendly, supportive and relatable
We care very much about how you feel and will always aim for you to feel comfortable, listened to and valued
We understand how this time in your life is sensitive, amazing, maybe scary, maybe mixed emotions. We never judge how you feel, only support you!
Our courses are interactive, friendly and fun, and will leave you feeling EMPOWERED AND READY for your beautiful birth. How exciting!
The Birth of my Son
In December 2022, I gave birth to my wonderful son. He is the absolute light of my life. The love I feel for him I cannot put into words.
His birth went very differently to how I had 'planned' or imagined it to.
I have always thought the idea of giving birth is absolutely mind-blowing. In an utterly amazing way. Even though it's how we all got here right? It blows my mind. I was excited, for if I was ever lucky enough to get pregnant, to experience the birth of my baby. How empowering it must be?
With that said, when the rush of excitement of pregnancy had levelled, I started to think again about birth. 'He's got to come out some how?!' I realised I had some niggling thoughts that would come and go. Looking back now, these were underlying fears that my mind had built up over the years. Such as:
- how would I cope in hospital? I'd never even stayed a night in hospital ever in my life and didn't really like being in them
- how would my body cope? I worried about my 'pain threshold' and knew I didn't like taking medication. I'm sensitive to side effects. I also didn't want to be 'out of it' when meeting my baby. I wanted to be fully present.... But I didn't want to assume I wouldn't need medication as everyone had told me how painful labour is, right?! What would I do?
- would I lose control? I had heard scary stories from others that made me worry about how I would be able to go through potential hours and hours, if not days of labour.. would that be me?
- what if i needed a Casearean? That's major surgery right? How would I cope with that? I've never even broken a bone in my body!
I had heard about Hypnobirthing and decided to learn more about it. I have gained more and more knowledge since then too, and I want to pass on this message to others, everyone should know about this.
...
At 38 weeks + 4 I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. I was strongly advised to stay in hospital to be induced. We chose to listen to this advice - It was time to meet our baby! My partner and I looked at each other, all we had was a bottle of water and my hand bag with about 3 things in it - all pretty useless items too. (Does anyone else carry random useless things around with them for no reason - can't just be me?)
Anyway, I hadn't spent the past week or two organising my hospital bag (suitcase) into packing cubes for nothing so off Adam raced to fetch it (oh and to quickly get our car seat installed into the car ). Meanwhile off I went to a ward for a cup of tea and biscuits.. this felt very surreal and very unexpected. I was filled with so many emotions. I remember looking out at the hospital carpark that evening thinking the next time I walk across that carpark I will have my son here with me.
In the early hours of the next morning I was told to pack my things up as there was now room on the labour ward for me to go down. I made the call to Adam to come in. This was it! I was excited to get started! I was induced that morning and at 22.35 that evening my son was born by Caesarean birth. The best day of my life.
This was not the birth I had expected..
- I was able to remain in control
- I didn't feel scared about what was going on in my body during labour. I completely understood what was happening
- I was able to use other techniques instead of medication to manage my pain (I did try gas and air a couple of times but it made me sick so stopped using it)
- I was able to make informed decisions that was right for me and my baby throughout my labour
- I used knowledge of how to release hormones needed for birth and how to remain calm to my advantage
- I used tools to be able to gather information from health professionals to ensure I was fully aware of all my options
- I was able to accept the 'plot twist' that my birth story took and chose to have a Caesarean birth. If you told me at the beginning of pregnancy how the birth of my son went I wouldn't know how I would have done it.
But I did it.
Now don't get me wrong I had a few wobbles, and on reflection I can highlight that these wobbles happened when I stopped using my Hypnobirthing and the fears started to creep back in. (Adam said he thought I remained calm and in control the whole time, so maybe I’m being hard on myself).
Luckily I had my incredible birth partners, my husband-to-be, Adam, and my amazing sister, Samantha, to get me back on track.
Without Hypnobirthing, my experience of the birth of my son could have looked and felt very different. It could have been a different story. My main reflection is that I was able to make all of the decisions that felt right FOR ME and my baby, at that time, with the knowledge I had. I felt like I was in the driver’s seat, and I believe this is what made me feel so much more positive about my birth not going to how I had initially thought.
Hypnobirthing is so powerful.
My story proves Hypnobirthing is for ALL births.
It isn't just for birthing at home in a pool. (Although it could be and I am planning this for my second birth!)
I have heard so many scary stories and I want to change the narrative.
I want to teach others how to remove the fear.
I want to teach others how to have a positive birth.
You and your baby deserve this.
But why ‘THE BIRTH SHED?’
This bit won’t be for everyone, but explains my WHY around my business name - THE BIRTH SHED.
Firstly, if you’ve ever had to name your own business, or baby, or plant, or pet goldfish, then you’ll empathise how hard it can be right? When I tell you it took me WEEKS! I thought pregnancy insomnia was enough, THIS kept me up at night!
Ok so THE BIRTH SHED - I wanted something with the word THE in, so this narrowed in down to a few billion possible business names.
Next, fun fact, my last name is actually ‘Woodhouse’. I’m getting married in November and will be changing my name. I feel a SHED is pretty close to a WOOD HOUSE and was one way to comically incorporate my last name into something very important in my life! (Spot all of the sheds on my COURSES page?)
Also, the word SHED. My mission? To SHED light on fear around birth. SO PERFECTLY FITTING?
Next up - I always go on about how Hypnobirthing can enable birth anywhere, any place don’t I? A Shed?? Maybe I won’t encourage that bit too much but hey maybe you were out tending to your tomatoes when your baby decides to come into the world! Who knows.
Lastly, I kind of just like the phrase, and that can be enough can’t it.. plus many a google search leads me to believe I’m the only Birth Shed out there hurray!
I think the BIRTH bit is self explanatory, if you’re here I’m assuming BIRTH is on your radar one way or the other.
So here it is, THE BIRTH SHED.