mentoring, our work

A New Chapter: Heart of Birthing

The past year and more has been a journey of personal growth and discovery as Supriya and I followed the Birthing from Within mentor training programme, ‘Birth as an Heroic Journey’.

Now that we have become certified, a new chapter has opened up in our work together.

For me, the course surpassed my expectations in all ways. I hadn’t realised what a steep learning curve I would have to climb and what deep processing would unfold as a result. What I loved about the course was its focus on the internal preparation required to become a mentor and the multi-faceted practices we now have to support parents on the rollercoaster journey of family life.

The training invited us to question the assumptions and narratives that we have adopted in our own lives as adults, mothers and birth workers, and to look at the ways in which we are sometimes held back by these stories.

I came to realise that, in order to support people fully through the full spectrum of birthing and parenting experiences, I needed to let go of some of my attachments to certain approaches and birth outcomes.

As a reflection of our broadening perspective on our work and the acknowledgement that there are more layers of complexity to birth preparation than simply trusting in one’s body and the process, we have decided to change the name of our partnership.

The name ‘Heart of Birthing’ brings together many elements. It recognises that, as mentors, we dive with our clients into the depths of their experience; and that parenthood requires us to be compassionate both with ourselves and one another.
It also hints at the fact that navigating the unpredictable path of parenthood is, indeed, an art; as well as the important role of artwork in our exploratory processes.

So, if you are somewhere along this pathway; whether you are standing at the gateway of pregnancy, about to cross the threshold of birth; or finding your feet as a new parent; and you need support or to gain insight; get in touch to talk about how we, as mentors, can accompany you.

mentoring, motherhood, parenting, postpartum, pregnancy

Free Mentoring Support Line for Parents

photo credit

Pregnancy and the early months and years with a new child provide ongoing opportunities to navigate unknown terrain and face emotional and physical challenges. 

This time of the covid-19 pandemic can create heightened anxiety and fear as we find ourselves teetering on the brink of yet another unknown. It is also proving to be a time of slowing down, simplifying our lives and finding new resources within ourselves to cope with what is unfolding around us. 

If you are pregnant or parenting a baby or young child/ren and you would benefit from the support of a compassionate mentor in this period of added uncertainty, we are offering free online mentoring sessions over the coming period

This is a chance to connect with yourself and to honour the rite of passage you are moving through at a time when the strange mix of news, social media and physical isolation may be adding stress or confusion to your daily life. 

As mentors, we offer a heart-centred approach that allows you to process what is arising for you and find your own meaningful and achievable solutions. 

We use tools such as empathic listening, meditation and visualisation, mindfulness practices, affirmations, journaling, creative writing and artwork.

For more information, read about our prenatal and parent mentoring services. 

You can speak with us via voice or (ideally) video call for up to 1 hour at a time.
Please message us to book a slot in advance, this way you will not be kept waiting and we can maximise the time we have. 

We will be available at the following times (GMT or, after 28th March, GMT+1)

Roshnii: Thursdays ~ 2-3pm, 3.30-4.30pm, 5-6pm
Supriya: Saturdays ~ 2-3pm, 3.30-4.30pm, 5-6pm 
     

Donations are welcome but not required. We do not want lack of money to be an obstacle.      
If you find it hard to reach out and ask for help, know that we too have been there and encourage you to push through the block that is holding you back. We all need one another during this testing time and this is a chance to receive some well-deserved support. 

If you have any questions, get in touch.

We look forward to connecting with you. 
Roshnii and Supriya

birth, our work, pregnancy

Call out to pregnant mamas

Clay birth power symbols sculpted by the group

I’ve had the pleasure of running an intimate pregnant mamas’ circle over the last 6 months with Roshnii. It feels like we have all been on quite a journey witnessing tiny bellies grow into full voluptuous curves. We are now on the verge of welcoming several of these mamas over the threshold into new motherhood. What an exciting time.

There have been tears, growth, realisations and much laughter shared. As well as teaching yoga for pregnancy our focus when working with pregnant women is to encourage and facilitate them to dive deeper into their subconscious and unconscious, to explore and uncover more of themselves. 

I feel such gratitude to be able to walk this path beside pregnant mamas witnessing the infinite transformations that occur as the miracle of pregnancy unfolds. These last few months we have enjoyed making labyrinths as a tool for childbirth, moulding clay into birth power symbols, experimenting with the power of the breath in its myriad forms and used drawing and visualisation as a way to access deeper parts of ourselves.

This cycle of women is slowly coming to a close over the next couple of months. We would love to continue the group so if you are pregnant yourself or know someone you think would enjoy a nourishing nurturing space to prepare body and mind for birth please shout out. We would love to hear from you.

Contact us for more information.

birth, labour, pregnancy, reflections

Why trust in birth?

Diving into Pam England’s latest book, Ancient Map for Modern Birth, I was faced with a section on the notion of trust in the realm of pregnancy, birth and post-partum, which urged me to unpick the phrase ‘I Trust in Birth’ – the name for our doula service.

The words ‘I Trust in Birth’ surfaced, as an affirmation for myself as an embryonic doula, in a session with a pregnant couple preparing for the arrival of their first child. The phrase encapsulated the faith in myself and other women to be able to give birth in their own natural way, given the right preparation and environment. My friend, who was my doula at my first two births, had embodied that unswerving trust in my ability to birth and I found it contagious. In both births, the staunch belief that she held in me helped me navigate some tricky twists and turns in events where I otherwise might have faltered. Continue reading “Why trust in birth?”