Hi, Iβm Stephanie.
And even though Iβve spent much of my life writing, this page was one of the hardest to startβ¦
See, I didnβt come to hypnobirthing like the vast majority of pregnant women.
Iβll start at the beginning. For most of my professional career I was an expert copywriter (i.e the person that writes the words behind marketing campaigns, email blasts and social media captions). My company wrote for some of the UK and USAβs leading wellness coaches. Many of them were qualified in hypnotherapy - wow, I thought. These people really believe in this stuff!
I was fascinated. On the side of my marketing business, I decided to train as a hypnotherapist, to see what it was all aboutβ¦
Then⦠everything changed.
Right after I qualified and started using my new techniques with coaching clients, I became very ill. I was in and out of hospital for months, undergoing various tests and eventually having an operation. The operation solved the current issueβ¦ but left me with an incurable (and extremely painful) liver condition that meant I could never take pain relief (other than paracetamol) for the rest of my lifeβ¦
Iβm already in so much pain! How will I ever give birth? I thought.
I started researching alternative ways to cope with pain. Again and again, the same things kept coming up. Hypnotherapy, getting in control of your mind, learning to relaxβ¦
By practising breathing exercises during liver attacks, I was able to dramatically shorten them⦠and decrease the pain I experienced.
Ok, so this really does work!
When I got pregnant with my daughter, I was already sold on hypnobirthing. Iβd got through the most painful experiences of my life by simply breathing and controlling my mind - I could get through birth.
And I was right. In factβ¦ giving birth wasnβt painful. Intense? Yes. Powerful? Absolutely!
But with the power of hypnobirthing, I was able to have a beautiful homebirth, advocate for all my choices and do it all without a drop of pain relief (which I wouldnβt have needed, even if it had been available!)
So now, itβs your turn!
I wholeheartedly believe that all women are entitled to a positive birth experience and that theyβre capable of getting it.
My job? Helping you see, believe and prepare for it.