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Next Group Course starts Saturday 22nd April 2023 in Wandsworth

BAREFOOT BLOG

Billie’s Story. The power of mindset and being empowered when birth plans change.

September 22nd, 2022|0 Comments

Billie's Story: The power of mindset and being empowered when birth plans change. Billie and Craig did a private course in January 2022. This is their truly incredible, inspiring, eye-opening story of power decision-making and [...]

Amy’s Story: First-time mum with baby born calmly at home, and at just the right time in lockdown!

June 16th, 2021|0 Comments

Amy’s Story: First-time mum with baby born calmly at home, and at just the right time in lockdown! I just thought you’d like to know that our baby girl Sloane was safely delivered at home [...]

Siobhan’s Story: Empowered decision-making, and feeling in control when birth is unpredictable.

June 16th, 2021|0 Comments

Siobhan's Story: Empowered decision-making, and feeling in control when birth is unpredictable. As first-time parents expecting during the pandemic, Siobhan and John made some big decisions when choosing the best birth environment for them and [...]

Carlyn’s Story: A fast second stage, and breathing baby out

June 16th, 2021|0 Comments

Carlyn’s Story: A fast second stage, and breathing baby out. In preparation for her second birth and looking for support in staying calm and in control during a possible quick second stage of labour, Carlyn [...]

Nicki’s Story: Induction, a Birthing Centre labour at 42+3, and a surprise from baby!

June 16th, 2021|0 Comments

Nicki’s Story: Induction, a Birthing Centre labour at 42+3, and a surprise from baby! Nicki and Luke did the Barefoot Birthing Private Course in September 2019 for their second baby, due in December. This is [...]

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Get In Touch

Email: rachel@barefootbirthing.com

Tel: 07742 261 498

Terms | Areas | Site by JJ

Google Rating

5.0

Based on 39 reviews

Barefoot Birthing - Hypnobirthing & Mindful Birth Preparation Classes

5.0

Stephanie Cunningham

We hired Rachel to do a hypnobirthing refresher and a post natal doula.We had used hypnobirthing in our first birth and had found it very useful so wanted a refresher. She came to our house and tailored it to our previous experience which was fab. She was clear and let us discuss particular areas of interest in more detail. She also shared lots of resources and gave us some gorgeous oils that we used in the birth. Having her on hand on WhatsApp was also fab, especially when we ended up in hospital with a haemorrhage on Christmas Day. We messaged her for some support & just knowing we had someone in our corner (even virtually) made such a difference & contributed to a positive birth against the odds.After the birth we saw Rachel as postnatal doula & honestly she provided an oasis of calm in the middle of my week. I'm chronically bad at asking for help & having people in my house, so hiring a doula was out of my comfort zone. But, after an extremely challenging postnatal period with my 1st child, a doula seemed like a good idea.Rachel made the whole house feel calm from the moment she arrived. She would do whatever I needed without judgement; cook us meals, fold washing, hold the baby, arrange baby's clothes, take the baby for a walk - all without asking "mental load" type questions (where things are, how we want things done etc) I find decision fatigue one of the hardest parts of parenting, so to have someone come in and quietly and confidently get on with daily tasks without asking a million questions (like perhaps family would!) meant so much to me. She was always warm & empathetic and I trusted her from the moment we met.Most weeks I had a very long bath and an episode of Greys Anatomy - which honestly to begin with felt like such an indulgence and I felt quite guilty. But a few weeks I realised how much better my postnatal experience was this time & the penny dropped. You have to look after yourself before things start to go downhill, not when you've hit the bottom. A lot of mums are left asking "but who looks after me" & for me that person was Rachel. 2 hours to myself every week allowed me to breathe and be in a good place to deal with rough nights or tandem toddler / newborn meltdowns!I wish every new mum would have a doula & as many as possible could have Rachel!

a. marjan

If you want do anything to get ready for birthing and beyond I highly recommend Rachel. I hesitate in the beginning, not sure if it was worth or not. It was the best decision I have ever made!I had private hypnobirthing sessions at the comfort of my home. It can be hard to talk about your fears, expectations etc. with a stranger in the beginning. But Rachel became quickly a trustworthy person with her calm and friendly attitude she made me feel very safe and secure. The hypnobirthing session were very informative and prepared me so well for my pregnancy and birthing.I always looked forward every time Rachel would come. She was always there if I needed her or her advise. She respected our choices and advocated for our needs and wants. It was so good to have her on our side and give us guidance and help even after birth. It can be all very overwhelming to make the right decision for you and your family and after talking to Rachel I felt always so embraced and heard. It made me stronger to listen to my body and trust my intuitions.The Hypnobirthing course comes as a package of the mindful birth group and has great features. I loved my weekly pregnancy yoga and currently doing mummy and baby yoga postpartum which is included as well. They have a hub and you can ask for advise and connect with other mummies. They have amazing resources throughout your journey of pregnancy and postpartum.FYI we had a wonderful unmedicated birth and I laboured in the comfort of my own home. I could not ask for a better birth experience and I know we would not have this outcome without Rachel's help and support.

Richard Akiboye

An unbelievable doula. We were initially looking for a hypnobirthing course to help during pregnancy and labour for our first child. As we got to know Rachel, it became clear that not only was she extensively knowledgeable about hypnobirthing, pregnancy and managing pain, but also had the perfect calm and reassuring personality to provide direct support during pregnancy and labour. We pretty much immediately asked her to be our doula. Both my partner (the pregnant one) and I (the medical one) were keen to have a home birth in a calm familiar environment, rather than the impersonal and clinical hospital setting.Hypnobirthing course:Rachel came to our house for one on one sessions with myself and my partner for the course, and brought lots of resources for us to go through, both as a couple and for my partner solo. Rachel also brought some lovely small touches, like aromatherapy oils and affirmation flash cards. Rachel was always on hand to offer advice and set up a WhatsApp group for us so we could ask questions, which she answered promptly. She was instrumental in instilling the right frame of mind for us, to not be afraid of labour and to embrace it as the positive natural process it is, as well as providing all the science and resources to help keep calm. However, where Rachel really came into her own was as our doula.Doula services:I am positive that our son would not have been born without Rachel being our Doula. We had two pre-labour sessions with her (in addition to our prior hypnobirthing course). Rachel was on call for us from 38 weeks onwards. For labour itself Rachel came soon after we called her, giving us exactly what we needed (for us, this was just sitting quietly and calmly in a corner and putting cold compresses on my partners neck, topping up the birthing pool water constantly, bringing my partner things to eat and drink so I could be in the water with her all the time, etc.). Rachel also did amazing little things like monitoring the time between contractions on an app of hers so she knew how labour was progressing.As the waves became more intense Rachel actually gave my partner a very useful analogy of the pushing like a cafetière plunger and maintaining pressure to help baby come out. I believe this tiny adjustment which Rachel coached is exactly what my partner needed to help things progress smoothly, and almost immediately afterwards our son was born.After birth, Rachel called the midwife for us and protected our space so we could enjoy the magical moment as a new family. Rachel also did the practicals afterwards like clearing up all of the birthing pool (removing the water, cleaning the pool, packing it away completely, etc), and clearing up our house. By the time Rachel left our house, it was 6am and she had been there taking care of us for 16 hours.It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why Rachel was so good - it's easy to give a good review to a nice person, and Rachel is lovely. However, I think what truly set her apart is that Rachel expertly read the room and gave us *exactly* what we needed. Her experience in pregnancy, birth, labour and expert communication allowed us to be on the same page at all times and we never needed to explain or clarify anything with her. She just knew. When you are unable to say what you mean, or if you don't quite know, you need an expert in someone who understands you to translate it for you, and then give you what you need. Rachel did this amazingly well. And I believe Rachel would do the same for anyone.Put simply, Rachel is an outstanding Doula, not because of the extensive experience, knowledge, science and facts she can give on pregnancy, labour, and birth; but because she protects, empowers, listens and most importantly, cares, genuinely cares, about your journey help to ensure that you get the pregnancy, labour and birth that you want. I would unreservedly recommend her to anyone having a child in the future. Except for when my partner is pregnant again when Rachel will unfortunately be busy being a Doula for us again.

Elizabeth Gibson

We met Rachel through a hypnobirthing course with the Mindful Birthing Group and we knew after just one session that we wanted to hire her as our Doula. Rachel embodied everything we were looking for in the support for the birth of our son -always calm, compassionate, positive, empathetic and supportive from the start, and a champion for our decisions about how we wanted to birth - at home, in our own environment, as naturally as possible.Rachel made herself available to us 24/7 after 38 weeks, and she was always quick to answer any of our questions and provide constant reassurance - she consistently checked in with us to find out how things were going and to find out how we were feeling in the lead up to my due date. Her support in the last days of pregnancy really helped calm any anxieties or nerves about my upcoming labour (including those of going over my due date), and she always had resources and knowledge to hand if we did have any particular questions. She was integral in shifting my mindset about birth from one portrayed in Hollywood movies to that of a natural, peaceful and empowering experience.We ended up having a home birth, as we planned. During labour itself, Rachel was completely invaluable, so much so that I genuinely believe that we could not have birthed in our ideal environment without her. She provided us with immense support both practically, emotionally and mentally - she ensured the birthing pool was topped up and kept to a perfect temperature, she made sure I was well hydrated and provided snacks to keep my energy levels up, she timed and monitored contractions without any intervention, she suggested movements and positions to help labour progress when things had slowed down, made cold compresses throughout the night to keep me comfortable, and she physically supported me throughout labour.Beyond this, and what really stood out, was Rachel's continual positive attitude and emotional support - she regularly checked in with me to see how I was doing, provided positive affirmations throughout to remind me that I was capable of birthing in the way I wanted, she reminded me to utilise my breathing techniques, particularly during the pushing phase, to relax my face and jaw, calmed me in my moments of anxiety and provided useful visualisations. It was these measures that really enhanced my birthing experience and enabled me to birth in the way I wanted.Most notably, Rachel's indispensable help relieved me and my partner of the practicalities surrounding birth, meaning we could work through each contraction as they came and be in the momement together. I truly believe this mentality, which was fostered and protected by Rachel, enabled us to really focus on birthing our son in the most positive way possible and in the way we planned and hoped for.Even after our son had arrived and Rachel had been supporting us for over 14 hours, she gave us the space and time to enjoy our first moments together as a family of three, a moment which will live with me forever. Her work didn't stop here however - she once again made herself indispensible by chaperoning the midwives, sustaining the calm atmosphere, and taking care of the practicals such as sorting out the birthing pool, helping me get dressed, cleaning up, and getting us ready to go into hospital.Our son was born in the back-to-back position after 28 hours of labour, utilising only hypnobirthing techniques - certainly a feat I never thought myself capable of achieving, but from Rachel's initial support and guidance and the environment she sustained throughout labour, she was essential to the strength I was able to draw upon and I know that I could not have made it through my labour without her.Rachel was beyond integral to our birth experience - she knew just what was needed and when - and there are not enough ways we can thank her. We already know that we would love Rachel to be present and support us at the birth of all our future children - we really could not have asked for more in a Doula and we will be indebted to her for life.

Marcus Godbold

We had a fantastic couple of mornings with Rachel coaching us about hypnobirthing. I felt like the role in my partner's pregnancy was very much going to be "the passenger" - both during the pregnancy and the birthing. However, I loved the balanced involvement and responsibility Rachel gave to the guy during our classes. It held me in great stead for the actual birthing day. I felt like I had a pivotal role to play on the day and it really helped me understand the mindset needed to make sure everything went smoothly for my wife. I definitely can say I was so much better equipped and found the whole day absolutely incredible - if I did not take this class, I'm sure I would have been much more of an emotional and anxious wreck! Highly recommended and encouraged for all guys considering taking this. It's also a great lesson in how to have a positive mindset which I have taken on in all walks of life, too. Something which males often take for granted!

Pippa O'Driscoll

Rachel is an incredible teacher ... we joined her for a private hypnobirthing course and she couldn't have been lovelier or more professional in giving a considered and informative overview of the birth process. We went in feeling quite daunted by the mysteries of birth but as each session passed, we felt more confident and prepared and especially enjoyed reframing some of the language around birth to be/feel more positive. Would 100% recommend this course and Rachel to lead it ... we very much look forward to seeing Rachel again for some postnatal doula support!

Lucia Ganan

Just completed hypnobirthing course with Rachel and it really has been an amazing experience. Feeling confident going into the final part of our pregnancy. Can’t recommend highly enough!

Lisa Kelly

As first time parents and feeling particularly anxious we decided to learn more about hypnobirthing.Rachel was warm and friendly and has such a calming nature, immediately we felt at ease. Armed with biscuits and a wealth of knowledge, all of our questions were answered and we walked away with all of the tools needed in preparation.I would highly recommend this course to anyone having a baby, and I’m really grateful for all of the ongoing support we have been provided with.

Sarah Bridgland

Rachel’s course really helped me to feel better prepared for my birth. Rachel offered tailored, evidence-backed advice that was specific to my questions and situation which I found really valuable, as the world of parenting advice can be really hard to navigate when just relying on books or ready made courses. Following the course Rachel sent me a raft of free resources based on the things we had discussed, including advice on breastfeeding. Rachel is really warm, approachable and professional and clearly dedicated to helping parents have a positive birth and parenting experience. I would highly recommend.

natalie bygraves

Huge thank you for taking the time to prepare me for Willows birth. After having a difficult labour with my first child, your advice and encouragement was so valuable in preparing me for what was an incredibly positive experience in my second birth, Natalie X

Billie Dunne

Rachel gave me the confidence, knowledge and support to prepare and plan for the birth I wanted. I can’t recommend her enough. My birth of our daughter was beautiful, powerful and positive. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without Rachel. My husband was a little sceptical when I mentioned hypno birthing, but he is so pleased we worked with Rachel and learnt so much, especially about how to support me during labour.Thank you Rachel- you are amazing at your job!

The Mindful Birth Group

Rachel is such a fantastic member of The Mindful Birth Group team- she offers so much support and knowledge to fellow teachers from her extensive experience as a teacher and doula. It's always such a pleasure to spend time with her on team days/Zooms too :). She's a brilliant teacher and I would recommend her to anyone considering taking a course!

Stella Marra

Rachel's one to one classes have been extremely useful as she explained all the techniques to prepare for the birth event. The amount of knowledge and insight she has shared is impressive and I would like to recommend her to anyone who is looking for antenatal or postnatal classes.

Sarah Lambley

Rachel has been such a huge support throughout my pregnancy. Her one-on-one session with me and my partner was so useful - talking through all the possibilities, our excitements and any fears, showing us brilliant movement techniques and so much more. I have felt so empowered every time I’ve spoken to Rachel about anything to do with my pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Rachel offers the perfect amount of information, research and advice and I would highly recommend her to anyone.

Risha Patel

We were recommended Rachel from friends who had previously completed her courses and we could not be happier that she was a part of our first pregnancy and birth journey. 100% recommendation from us!The birth of our son was such a positive experience. Very smooth from start to finish. I know we will always look back so fondly on it. That was really a big aim for us, having heard a certain amount of difficulties and concerns from friends. Thanks to Rachel I feel like we were able to achieve this.We felt so much more prepared following the course. It was comprehensive and covered all that it said it would. It allowed my husband and I to discuss the pregnancy in a different way and we both learnt so much about each other’s thoughts on birth from it. The information on birth options and post-natal care was incredibly useful. Put together in the way it was, it helped relax us on the day and enjoy the experience, as did the lovely oil Rachel provided, which stayed firmly with me throughout.We would also have to say that Rachel herself is so approachable and calm that she really does make the course experience what it is. Even following the birth of our son she has checked in with us and been a huge support in our breastfeeding journey.

Jennifer Spragg

We took the Barefoot Birthing hypnobirthing course for our first pregnancy and it proved invaluable. Rachel was a fantastic teacher and coach, and we really enjoyed the course content balance covering the science as well as mindfulness. We felt really in control and went on to have a really positive birth experience and a lot of that was down to the prep we did on this course.

Charlotte Jones

My partner and I attended an online hypnobirthing class in June 2021 with Barefoot Birthing and it was without doubt the best thing we did to prepare for the birth of our baby.We found the course very beneficial and gave us the confidence to make informed choices about all aspects of the birth, including birth plans, pain relief, interventions etc. The breathing and visualisation techniques taught by Rachel helped me to stay relaxed and manage discomfort throughout my labour and enabled my partner to support me throughout.The materials used during the course and those sent to us were very helpful and understanding some of the science and statistics behind birth made us feel more confident in making decisions relating to the birth. We particularly liked using the affirmations and the partner cards!We would absolutely recommend Barefoot Birthing to any expectant parents. Rachel, we cannot thank you enough for your help in bringing our baby into the world!

Elizabeth Herridge

A very positive, friendly and insightful course that benefited both myself and my partner - it was very well managed and an enjoyable class to be a part of. I'd recommend it to any new parent, mums and dads, or birthing partners.

Hayley

My husband and I attended an in person session in June 2021, Rachel was so welcoming and friendly over the duration of the two days. We were encouraged to ask questions and Rachel was on hand via phone and email if we needed her. Without a doubt the tools and tips we learnt on this course helped make our birthing experience so amazing!Thank you so much, you made the last few months of my pregnancy so calm and I gained the confidence to vocalise my needs and preferences to loved ones and medical professionals.Would recommend you and your classes to everyone!Hayley

Zoe Coutinho

When I got pregnant, I was extremely anxious about the birth of our baby. My sister had a very difficult birth with her first child and I had no other real frame of reference other than TV etc. My husband and I read the Katherine Graves hypnobirthing book and found it really helpful so we decided to sign up for Rachel’s course to learn more about it.We really enjoyed the course, and found it really informative. Everything Rachel said was backed up by science and made complete sense. The techniques we learned really helped us to stay calm and relaxed through the birth of our son, even when things didn’t go entirely to plan. My husband found the course helped him to prepare for the birth and he was a fantastic birth partner, able to focus on protecting my oxytocin and ensuring we had all the information to make informed decisions throughout my labour.We’d highly recommend the course to all expectant parents. Thank you Rachel 🥰

James Campbell

To say the Barefoot Birthing course was an investment is an understatement.My initial thoughts on giving birth were close to petrified. My knowledge was clouded by media, film, and horror stories of others, and I couldn’t see how I’d be able to change my mind set. However, the shift was apparent from the first session with Rachel. She provided information that was backed by science and taught in a clear, calm, and well-paced manner that meant I was relaxed and reassured. It wasn’t long until I went from scared to excited and I put this all down to the tools Rachael equipped us with for the birth, tools that would apply to any scenario that we might encounter during birth.I’d highly recommend a barefoot birthing course. Rachel’s knowledge and support really put us in good stead for the birth of our baby, and she went above and beyond to ensure we had all of the information we needed for a calm and positive birth plan.The little touches such as bringing snacks along to the session were also well received too!If you’re not sure whether this is the course for you, go along to a taster session and be reassured this will help you on your birthing journey.

Katie Welford

Rachel was super friendly from the first email and made us feel very relaxed. Her resources are very practical and her delivery is calm, warm and personable. My husband and I have been left feeling much more positive about the birth of our second baby, and armed with resources to cope with different situations. I would really recommend Barefoot Birthing to any parents to be!

Hannah Cunningham

As first time parents, we were really keen to explore and learn more about hypnobirthing. We attended a taster course with Rachel, and knew straight away that her course was right for us. From the beginning Rachel was so welcoming and supportive, sharing all her knowledge and made sure that all our questions were answered.With Rachel’s support we had planned and prepared for a calm, natural water birth. At 34 weeks we found out our baby was breech, and whilst we did what we could at home our baby was comfy and did not turn. We therefore had a planned abdominal birth booked for 39 weeks. All the tools and techniques we learned with Rachel, we were still able to use and we ended up having the most magical, calm and incredible abdominal birth 2 weeks ago. I would recommend Rachel’s course to any parents to be - skills for life, not just birth!

Sophie

Barefoot Birthing was fantastic for us as our not knowing to what expect in our first pregnancy we found it so engaging, insightful and informative. It gave us so much to think about along with tools to give us a better pregnancy. We also feel more prepared for a more positive birth too. Rachel was amazing and couldn't do enough for us. We had ummed and ahhed as to whether to sign up for an online course and we are so glad that we did, it still felt very personal and was definitely worth the money, especially given all the resources that you have access too during and after. I am looking forward to attending one of the in person meet ups that Rachel arranges when possible too! Can't recommend highly enough.

We cannot recommend Rachel highly enough. After a complex journey to extend our family, we decided to try hyppnobirthing with a view to creating a more positive experience than we had had with a previous birth. Rachel went above and beyond to tailor a course for us as individuals, taking into account previous trauma and loss. She supported us as a couple and made us feel confident, heard and supported. She guided us through a birth after a miscarriage, during a pandemic with absolute confidence.She is a thoroughly compassionate person and a great listener. I would highly recommend Rachel for supporting any type of birth, ours ended up as a planned section but we were still able to use all of the techniques etc to make it a beautiful experience. Certainly a person that’s found their true calling in life!

Jack & Jen

We couldn’t recommend Rach and her Barefoot birthing course more!After a difficult labour with our son, we wanted to try a different approach in preparation for baby number 2, so Rach offered to deliver a bespoke course for us.The course was brilliant, Rach was informative, knowledgeable, friendly and warm, and didn’t shy away from the difficult parts.I learnt so much, even though I have already given birth and feel much more prepared and in control this time round.I am genuinely looking forward to my first surge, and I can’t thank Rach enough for that!

Emma Clayton

We decided to have private hypnobirthing sessions with Rachel instead of online NCT classes and it was the best decision we could have made. The course is so practical, and much more scientific than we originally expected it to be. My husband was asking so many questions throughout as he was really interested in all of the things we were learning.Although I wasn’t feeling nervous before, as I was still in my second trimester so I guess it was a little further away, I’m now feeling excited and so well informed. We have been listening to affirmations each evening which has been helping with my sleep pattern, something I was struggling with before.Rachel shares so much information and lots of helpful relaxation tracks and videos to ensure that we don’t forget anything that we have learnt. Such a lovely goody bag too! She has such a calming nature I just couldn’t help but think I can do this and I’m ready. I would recommend hypnobirthing to anyone that is expecting and it’s so nice to do something as a couple, especially given we have to attend appointments on our own now.

Anish Thakrar

We could not recommend the Barefoot Birthing Course enough! My husband and I felt we needed a course which not only covered hypnobirthing but also gave us a solid foundation in antenatal education. After doing a taster session with Rachel, we knew she was the right fit and immediately booked a private course. The Barefoot Birthing course is thorough, considered and easily digestible. We finished our private course feeling so much more empowered to make the right choices for us and our baby.Half way through our course we were given medical news which affected our birth plans. Rachel immediately tailored the last two sessions for our needs and also helped give us the tools we needed to discuss our options with the doctors and make informed decisions about our care going forward, I really couldn't speak more highly of Rachel and the course - it is easily the best investment we have made during this pregnancy!Shas and Anish x

Amy Nolan

My partner and I are expecting our first baby in February and were researching antenatal classes in our area. We signed up to the hypnobirthing course with Rachel after doing a taster session back in October. We knew right away we’d made a great choice! Rachel was so warm and welcoming, and a complete wealth of knowledge around hypnobirthing. We came away after our four sessions feeling so well informed and having gained so many fantastic skills to prepare for our baby’s birth and the weeks after birth also.Rachel was so generous with lots of resources for us to read through on our own, some great relaxation tracks and a truly delightful goodie bag complete with affirmations and tips for partners during labour!Can’t recommend this course and Rachel enough!

Stephen Morgan

Rachel was amazing, the course was stunning. Coming at this from a point of not really knowing what to expect or how it would work I am now in a position that I have recommended to ALL my friends that are currently having a baby (there are a few at the moment too!). Not only is this course amazing to give you the skills and practices for both mum and dad to feel empowered but it truly explains the reality behind birth, all aspects of it. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I feel like I am MUCH more prepared for the journey ahead, not only the best case scenario but all scenarios, further preparing mum and dad for babies arrival. We can only recommend this course and encourage anyone to at least have a conversation with Rachel find out more about it and then make your own decision, you will not be disappointed. If I were to describe the course in 3 words of I would say, empowering, illuminating and dare I say it necessary! This course will give you the tools or at least show you the tools that you can use to have a birth and birthing plan that lives up to your expectations. THANK YOU RACHEL. We feel prepared for the next chapter! - Oh not to mention the amazing pack that you get, not only for mum but some VERY useful cards for dad too!

Hannah

Barefoot Birthing gave me the tools to have the birth beyond my dreams 💓 My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the 1to1 class with Rachel. She is a passionate font of positive birthing knowledge! We learnt so much over the 2 days with her; all about what hypnobirthing is, the tools we can use together in preparation (Hubby was happy to learn he’d have a pivotal role on the day too!), as well as relaxation techniques and affirmations. All the teaching materials were beautifully put together, and easy to refer back to. After the class, we felt completely at ease and EXCITED for the big day - whatever our birth had in store, we had so much more confidence, and understood we had *options* and could make decisions that were right for us and our baby. We felt so empowered by everything we learnt, we switched from a planned hospital to a home birth - best decision ever! The birth of our daughter was the most magical, positive experience. With hypnobirthing, we welcomed our daughter into the world in the most calm, confident and comfortable way imaginable. Get in touch with Barefoot Birthing, you won’t regret it.

Kelly Richardson

An enormous thank you to Rachel having recently completed her online course via Zoom. The course really was everything we were hoping for, and a lot more. Doing the course together with my husband has really meant we are on the same page and in it together, and he has really taken the hypnobirthing principles to heart and we practice the relaxation techniques daily together, and he has already prepped the sign for the birthing room door! We are especially enjoying working through the 4th trimester material. Rachel has a wonderfully inclusive manner, and really makes you feel comfortable and able to ask anything. We never felt rushed or under pressure, and her passion for the topics was really infectious. We highly recommend Rachel and Barefoot Birthing, and are truly excited to put everything we have learned into action on the day.

HANNAH LAMBERT

Rachel was amazing and our hypnobirthing course experience was a lot more informative than we could have imagined. As first time parents in a pandemic, it was so great to get so much support and knowledge, which has left us feeling so confident and reassured about our future adventure. We would highly recommend and will also be in touch with Rachel, I am sure, for any additional guidance we might need in the future! Thank you Rachel xx

Jenny Patel

I came across Barefoot Birthing through word of mouth. When I found out I was pregnant, I wasn’t too worried thinking about labour itself but as time went on and I entered my third trimester the thought of labour kept consuming my daily thoughts. I was watching all the TV shows I could find about giving birth and I thought I was preparing myself for birth but in fact in the back of my mind it was causing fear and anxiety. Watching all the women go through that pain made me feel very uneasy and I didn’t want to go through it. In addition, there were so many changes due to COVID-19 which were making feel anxious. I had heard good things about hypnobirthing from other mums and their experience but wasn’t really sure what it was about. I joined the taster session and met Rachel on Zoom. Myself and my husband joined up straightaway to the group sessions which ended up being private sessions. This was great!The course content by Rachel was so informative. I was starting to feel more empowered and in control of my birth journey. Even after the first session, I just felt so much more relaxed and eager to learn more. There is a lot to learn and by the end I really felt “knowledge is power”. My husband is going to be my birth partner and he felt like he has learnt so much about the role of a birth partner and how best to support me. We learnt about topics and questions to ask that we didn’t even think of and how to prepare a birth plan or even plans depending on different situations. We spoke about breathing techniques, visualisations and the different environments to give birth in.Rachel is really friendly, encouraging and knowledgeable that it made the course even more enjoyable. We recently completed the course and we both feel so much more confident. I do not have the same fears as I did before the course and look forward to giving birth to my baby and now feel able to make informed decisions.Rachel also spends the last session talking in detail about the “fourth” trimester and when the baby is actually here. This was also valuable. The materials provided in the course have really helped me prepare such as the positive affirmation cards.Thank you so much Rachel for changing our perspectives and we hope to update you very soon with our birth journey!

Carlyn Algar

Had a personal 2 hour refresher session for the birth of our second child. Rachel tailored the class to our needs and when I brought up concerns or hesitations from my experience with our first delivery, she addressed them not only with empathy but with solutions on how to handle should they arise again.My delivery was smooth and I felt confident going into it as a result of my consultation with Rachel. Highly recommend!

Suzanne Arter

After going through one pregnancy, very straightforward, you kind of just expect pregnancy number 2 to be the same. Only for me to learn at my 34 week midwife appointment baby was positioned back to back. This instantly caused panic within me as you hear of stories of back to back labours being longer and more painful. Ive known Rach for a few years now, I met her through one of my longest friends and when I told her baby was back to back she instantly wanted to help me... either by using methods to encourage baby to spin or to just simply put my mind at ease and prepare me mentally for what may or may not happen during labour. Just talking me through the position of a back to back baby and why she might be in that position for a very good reason was a useful tool in itself. After putting my mind at ease and breaking things down and talking about how in the scheme of things - at the end of it all I get to meet my baby and that’s the most important part. So for me, accepting that labour “may” be more uncomfortable and longer has helped me feel mentally more prepared. Once we had gone through all of that, we moved on to physically trying to spin the baby using a traditional Mexican method called “Rebozo”. We went through a couple of moves but the one that I feel benefited me the most was the one called “sifting”, whereby I am on all fours and my tummy is being supported by the material (and partner/friend) and then literally a sifting motion is carried out. A. This felt lovely as it took all the baby weight off of me - probably a bit of a work out for the person carrying out the movement but that’s not a bad thing. And B. Baby was moving loads during this movement..... which I hoped would encourage her to spin and be in that optimal position for the best way to birth baby. I am a positive person and I was confident baby would turn. All in all, having spent a 2 hour session with Rach, I feel I am ready now to go into labour and have the tools and the knowledge I need to be able to birth my baby confidently and to trust my body and my baby.Rach will put your fears and worries at ease and make you realise how blooming amazing a woman’s body is and this is what we are made to do! She’s amazing!UPDATE - Having seen Rach on the Wednesday evening, I decided to book in for a private scan 5 days later just to see if baby had turned.... and.... she turned. Ready when you are baby!!

Luke Hedges

Rachel has been so supportive of my husband and I during and after our Hypnobirthing course. After a tough first labour, we were really keen to learn about hypnobirthing and were willing to learn as much as possible from Rachel to prevent a repeat experience. Rachel is so knowledgable and anything she didn’t feel comfortable answering, she quickly found the answer for us.We worked together in going through my first birth and talked through why certain things may not have gone to plan and she has left me feeling confident and even excited about my upcoming labour.We both now feel we are equipped with the tools to navigate anything that might come our way this time around.Rachel is an awesome teacher and will put you at ease the moment she says hello to you. We can not recommend her highly enough!Nicki and Luke xxx

Chantelle Dunne

As soon as I found out I was pregnant my fears quickly turned to the birth so I started to google ‘how to make birth less painful’ and although hypnobirthing didn’t promise this it sounded like this was exactly what I needed.We opted for the private session so that I would feel more relaxed at home, but also my mum as well as my partner could attend (they were both my birth partners so it was important to me that they were both on board with it, which they both were, my mum going as far as saying had she have had the benefit of hypnobirthing when she was pregnant with me and my sisters, her birthing experiences could have been very different).The course content was brilliant and I’d go as far as saying I learnt so much more across the five sessions with Rachel than the antenatal classes we attended. Rachel also made the classes personal to me and my situation (at one point I had a low lying placenta and suspected gestational diabetes, so an elected c-section was on the cards).To not give too much away, at the start of the course you go through and write down everything that you don’t want your birth to be and then learn how these things can be beneficial to you and your baby in certain situations, which for me was the most beneficial part of the course because it gave me the knowledge to make informed decisions throughout my pregnancy and during my labour.My initial dreams of a water birth at home quickly fell away when my waters broke at 38+5. As my labour didn’t progress I eventually ended up being induced, which was the one thing I had wanted to avoid throughout. Things spiralled from there... but tooled with all the knowledge Rachel gave us, we were able to make the best decisions for me and the baby, but most importantly stay in control.Although by birth plan did not go to plan, I now look back and know that I was able to use the skills I learned from the hypnobirthing sessions with Rachel to get me through the 37 hour labour and some pretty hard decisions.For me, I went into Hypnobirthing thinking it would give me the tools to make my labour less painful but what it actually gave me was the power that I needed when things didn’t go to plan. I’d go as far as saying it saved me and got me to a position that I can now look back at my birth and feel empowered by everything.Thank you Rachel - I will be forever grateful 💙

Jen Locke

I love how passionate, knowledgeable and enthusiastic Rach is about all things hypnobirthing. I always come out of every conversation with her (and we have had many, about many birthing topics) feeling calm, informed and that everything will be ok!

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Barefoot Birthing is based in Morden, UK. Courses cover South London and Surrey. Including but not limited to; Morden, Cheam, Worcester Park, Sutton, Carshalton, Wallington, Mitcham, Merton, Wimbledon, South Wimbledon, Wimbledon Village, Colliers Wood, Earlsfield, Wandsworth, Tooting, Balham, Clapham Raynes Park, Ewell, Epsom, Banstead, Coulsdon, Purley, Dulwich. I travel up to 30 minutes for private courses, and beyond depending on circumstances.

Typically supporting women registered at the following hospitals: St Helier Hospital, Epsom Hospital, St George’s Hospital, Croydon University Hospital, Kingston Hospital, King’s College Hospital, St Thomas’, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital.

BAREFOOT BLOG

Billie’s Story. The power of mindset and being empowered when birth plans change.

Amy’s Story: First-time mum with baby born calmly at home, and at just the right time in lockdown!

Siobhan’s Story: Empowered decision-making, and feeling in control when birth is unpredictable.

Carlyn’s Story: A fast second stage, and breathing baby out

Nicki’s Story: Induction, a Birthing Centre labour at 42+3, and a surprise from baby!

From the Barefoot Instagram feed

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