Kate's positive birth experience following IVF

I felt incredibly fortunate to have the birth I had hoped for and it meant that my recovery has been very quick and that both my wife and I were able to live off the high of the experience of the birth

First Baby, Birth Centre, IVF, Positive First BirthZoe DonkinFebruary 2, 2024Birth Pool, IVF

Rebecca's empowered birth at Kings

We headed to Kings as I felt a shift in the surges and an urge to push. Two midwives and a doctor said they didn't believe I was in active labour as I was so calm and relaxed, so after some persuasion on my part, they examined me and I was 9cm!

First Baby, Positive First BirthZoe DonkinMay 14, 2021Confidence, Caesarean, KingsComment

Laura's positive birth experience at Kings

“I have always firmly been of the belief that every labor is unique and to be open minded towards it, so I found the thinking behind hypnobirthing ideal in keeping this mindset.”

First Baby, Positive First BirthZoe DonkinMay 7, 2021Smooth Birth, KingsComment

Marie's positive birth story (an almost unplanned home birth!)

“Throughout everything, even at home when I thought we were going to have to deliver a baby in our hallway, I never felt afraid”

Positive First Birth, First BabyZoe DonkinFebruary 23, 2021Comment

Hannah's positive breech birth - elective caesarean

“I kept up with the hypnobirthing - I just switched to a caesarean visualisation. Once I had got my head around everything, I planned a woman centred caesarean”

First Baby, Positive First BirthZoe DonkinFebruary 23, 2021Caesarean, BreechComment

Lauren's induction birth story during lockdown

Certainly a very strange time to give birth and not ideal but I felt mentally prepared, calm and positive for the birth and in control.

Induction, First BabyZoe DonkinJuly 13, 2020Birth during CoronavirusComment

Tallie's water birth in the birth centre - her first birth

"Having a water birth was the most fantastic experience ever. It allowed me to focus deeply on my breathing.. this relieved me of pain and gave me something to focus on."

First Baby, Positive First Birth, Birth CentreZoe DonkinMarch 9, 2020Birth PoolComment

JESS'S SMOOTH BIRTH

"We were the talk of the midwife station - the couple who walked in fully dilated, had no pain relief and gave birth to a baby in her waters!"

First Baby, Positive First BirthZoe DonkinFebruary 17, 2020Smooth Birth, Birth Pool, Confidence

Hypnobirthing and Birth pool for Susannah

“Because I was so calm I didn't panic and was able to let my body do what it was built to do.”

First Baby, Birth Centre, Positive First BirthZoe DonkinFebruary 7, 2020Birth Pool, St ThomasComment

Laura's calm first birth

I felt in control of the process and not scared of my body, labour and birth.

First BabyZoe DonkinMarch 12, 2019Smooth Birth, Sense of controlComment

M's helpful 'Taxi Persona'

I put the tracks from you on my iPhone, plugged my headphones in, turned up the volume, wore sunglasses and put on a white scarf covered in lavender and clary sage.

First BabyZoe DonkinJanuary 31, 2019UCLH, Episiotomy, Trust, Car journey, Cord around neckComment

A THERAPIST’S VIEW

"As a Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist... I can appreciate that Zoe is highly skilled and uses her work in amazingly subtle and powerful ways."

First Baby, Father's PerspectiveZoe DonkinJanuary 29, 2019IVF, Confidence, Trust, Testimonial, PregnancyComment

BEN, ON HYPNOBIRTHING AND BIRTH

"This is a whole world of knowledge and advice. The more we learned, the safer we felt. We did NCT and there was nowhere near as much useful information there."

First Baby, Father's PerspectiveZoe DonkinJanuary 29, 2019Confidence, Pregnancy, TestimonialComment

LU'S UNCONVENTIONAL BIRTH

"I have learnt a way to dispel my fears, believe in myself and my body and above all, to honestly look forward to the birth of my baby. I'd highly recommend the course"

First BabyZoe DonkinJanuary 29, 2019Confidence, Car journey, Pregnancy, Birth Pool, Sense of controlComment

JADE'S POSITIVE INDUCTION

"Despite being induced, all was as good as it possibly could have been and I firmly believe that was because of all the work we did with you."

First Baby, Positive InductionZoe DonkinJanuary 29, 2019Pessary, Syntocinon, Perineal MassageComment

LIZZIE'S 'BIG' BABY

A positive birth story about giving birth naturally to a 10lb 2oz big baby. "The hypnobirthing made me believe and trust in my body... So so amazing".

First Baby, Big BabyZoe DonkinJanuary 29, 2019Kings, Birth Pool, Smooth Birth, Trust, Oxytocin, Confidence, Gas and Air

ELLIE'S CALM FIRST BIRTH

"It's really incredible how a different mindset can affect the big event. The midwives said it was one of the quickest, calmest births they'd seen."

First BabyZoe DonkinJanuary 29, 2019Birth Pool, Smooth Birth, Gas and Air, Pregnancy

WHAT MUMS AND DADS SAY

WITH THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR TESTIMONIALS AND HYPNOBIRTHING BIRTH STORIES

BELOW IS A COLLECTION OF POSITIVE BIRTH STORIES, TESTIMONIALS AND HOW HYPNOBIRTHING HELPS EVEN WHEN THINGS DON'T GO TO PLAN...

“I kept up with the hypnobirthing - I just switched to a caesarean visualisation. Once I had got my head around everything, I planned a woman centred caesarean”

Certainly a very strange time to give birth and not ideal but I felt mentally prepared, calm and positive for the birth and in control.

"Having a water birth was the most fantastic experience ever. It allowed me to focus deeply on my breathing.. this relieved me of pain and gave me something to focus on."

"We were the talk of the midwife station - the couple who walked in fully dilated, had no pain relief and gave birth to a baby in her waters!"

“Because I was so calm I didn't panic and was able to let my body do what it was built to do.”

I felt in control of the process and not scared of my body, labour and birth.

I put the tracks from you on my iPhone, plugged my headphones in, turned up the volume, wore sunglasses and put on a white scarf covered in lavender and clary sage.

"As a Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist... I can appreciate that Zoe is highly skilled and uses her work in amazingly subtle and powerful ways."

"This is a whole world of knowledge and advice. The more we learned, the safer we felt. We did NCT and there was nowhere near as much useful information there."

"I have learnt a way to dispel my fears, believe in myself and my body and above all, to honestly look forward to the birth of my baby. I'd highly recommend the course"

"Despite being induced, all was as good as it possibly could have been and I firmly believe that was because of all the work we did with you."

A positive birth story about giving birth naturally to a 10lb 2oz big baby. "The hypnobirthing made me believe and trust in my body... So so amazing".

"It's really incredible how a different mindset can affect the big event. The midwives said it was one of the quickest, calmest births they'd seen."