The Village Midwife: Antenatal and Postnatal Courses

19/06/2026

I always feel grateful to do the work I do, but I’m especially grateful now that I get to attend births with my wife 😘 Robyn is a doula and so we bring different toolkits, skills and experiences to births which is amazing, and so valuable!

Recent clients have said how useful it is that we communicate without talking and intuitively know what the other one needs, and have commented on how much it helped in their care - which is so, so lovely to hear. Plus, there is SO much oxytocin in the room at a birth and getting to experience that with my other half is really, really special 😘

Thank you to Inge and Muddit for allowing me to share your words and the gorgeous photo taken by Robyn, just after you met your little one calmly at home ❤️

17/06/2026

Thank you so, so much to everyone who voted for The Village Midwife in the awards - we won ‘Best Wellbeing Specialist’ in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire and I’m so chuffed about it! Thank you ❤️❤️

29/05/2026

Our brilliant midwife Lisa in Worcester!

It’s been a while since I last introduced myself, so here we go!

I had my first two children very young, which inspired me to start my journey into midwifery! After several years working in care and studying for the entry requirements, I began my degree, and I qualified in January 2011! I have worked in all areas of the hospital and in different trusts, so I am very aware of how different it can be giving birth in different areas of the Country.

After 10 years as a hospital midwife based predominantly on delivery suite, I spent 4 years as a community midwife where I attended many home births alongside providing antenatal and postnatal care. I’m now based at the Meadow Birth Centre at Worcester Hospital, supporting physiological birth in a low-risk setting and working across all other areas when needed.

I have been teaching The Village Midwife antenatal and postnatal courses for over 3 years and absolutely love it! The ethos of the course is fantastic, based on realistic preparation for all types of birth and choices. The course differs from the usual antenatal classes as it is delivered by a midwife with up-to-date knowledge of the local trust, covers preparation for the postnatal period, includes ongoing support and offers a postnatal course to return to after the birth!

When I first started teaching The Village Midwife courses, I was looking for a local sling consultant to offer training and support on my courses, but when I discovered that there weren’t any operating nearby, I decided to invest the time and money in myself to set up my own sling library and consultancy services. Since setting up my sling library, I have also trained extensively in other areas, including holistic infant sleep, starting solids, first aid, biomechanics and peanut balls, aromatherapy and massage, hypnobirthing and counselling.

In my personal life, I am a wife to a very understanding and supportive husband! I have a lovely 8-year-old son, I’ve even gotten into kicking a football around and wrestling! My two daughters have grown up and left home, but remain my best friends, and I’m ever proud of both of them!

24/05/2026

I’m currently on call for a baby due in May and then I have a break from being on call until the end of June!

Some of you may know, I’ve solidly been on call since October last year - and I’ve been incredibly lucky to be at some beautiful births and supported lots of families well into the fourth trimester.

Saying that, it will be nice to have a period of time without my phone on loud at night and to be able to make plans without worrying how far they are away from my clients’ houses! (So much google mapping!) Plus to be able to swim without worrying that my phone has gone off while I’m doing lengths - I might even leave it in a locker rather than by the edge of a pool!!

22/05/2026

A few reminders in the heat:

☀️ Babywearing is fine (a common question) as long as you remember that it counts as a layer

☀️ If it’s your first summer on SSRIs - just remember that they can mean you’re more prone to heatstroke so be extra careful to stay out of the sun and keep well hydrated

☀️ Bonus naps for all the family are a good idea

☀️ Think about hydrating foods as well as lots of fluids eg fruit and cucumber (and ice lollies… right??)

☀️ if preparing for labour - take a fan if you’re having a hospital birth! You can also take water vapour spray plus I like a nice cooling peppermint oil to put on a cool flannel on your neck/forehead

☀️ it can be hot when cuddling a new baby aka hot water bottle - ask whoever is supporting you for a cool bowl of water to put your feet in (even if there’s a toddler also splashing in it with a toy boat etc)

Any other tips you’d like to share?

20/05/2026

Did you know we run antenatal courses in lots of different places across the UK?

Led by our brilliant team of passionate, experienced midwives - we make sure parents are prepared not just for giving birth and all of the options they’ll be choosing between, but for life with a newborn

We cover:

✅ Your options in all different settings in the NHS
✅ Birth preferences for vaginal & caesarean births
✅ Biomechanics of the pelvis and active birth
✅ Optimising induction of labour & what happens
✅ Feeding your baby and what your options are
✅ Postnatal recovery after different births
✅ Safe use of slings and carriers
✅ Looking after a newborn in the first few weeks

Plus, meet visiting experts such as a pelvic health physiotherapist and get ongoing support with any questions from the midwife teaching your course even after your baby has arrived.

Meeting a group of local friends at an antenatal course should be a given; you deserve high quality, nuanced antenatal education that prepares you for the reality of having a baby too!

Head to our website to find your closest antenatal course

07/05/2026

Some of the lovely answers to this question - thanks for sharing your experiences on international day of the midwife! ❤️

05/05/2026

I feel so proud of our inclusive and welcoming community of parents in Bucks which has been growing for 8 years now! ❤️

If you’re expecting a baby 👉 join one of our 5 star rated antenatal courses which prepare you for life with a baby in an honest, realistic way as well as all of your options for giving birth! We have antenatal courses in Wendover, High Wycombe, Gerrards Cross, Berkhamsted and Thame to name a few!

If you’ve just had a baby 👉 whether you’ve joined us on an antenatal course or not, you’d be super welcome on one of our supportive postnatal courses with 10 sessions from a wide range of postnatal experts

If you’re expecting your 2nd/3rd or 4th baby 👉 we have antenatal courses specifically for those who want a refresher, plus postnatal courses for mums who want a group who just ‘get it’ when it comes to juggling an older one and a newborn

If you’re wanting to explore Hypnobirthing on top of our antenatal course 👉 you can do our group Hypnobirthing workshops which are all about relaxation and creating a positive mindset for birth

If your baby is approaching 6 months 👉 join one of our introducing solids workshops which look at all approaches and focus on nutrition

Already have a toddler? 👉 You’d be welcome on one of our new toddler workshops, taught by an early years expert all about toddler behaviour and how to navigate the challenges that can come up at this age!

Do you want help with your carrier or want to borrow one of ours? 👉 come along to our not-for-profit sling library in Wendover!

Thinking about a home birth? 👉 book onto our home birth group where you can ask questions of local birth workers and other parents who have had a HB locally!

If you feel like group classes aren’t the right fit for you 👉 we offer birth debriefs, antenatal courses, postnatal support, feeding support, sling/carrier support and chats about your birth options all 1-1 at your home

05/05/2026

Happy International Day of the Midwife everyone ❤️

05/05/2026

We have a few spaces left on our Postnatal course starting next month.

If you've been thinking about joining, now's the time to secure your spot before it fills up.

Come along for expert support, a welcoming community and a little time just for you.

DM us or book now to grab your space before it's gone!

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thevillagemidwife/1645292