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Melody Robinson's All Things Birth & Beyond
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melodyrobinson_co

Conscious Birth & Matrescence Coach, supporting women in their transition to motherhood.
Full Spectrum Doula
Infant Feeding Consultant

All Things Birth and Beyond
This is exciting!!! This is exciting!!!
On the train to GLASGOW! 🚅 My work takes me fa On the train to GLASGOW! 🚅 My work takes me far and wide What a privilege to support families All over the world 🌍 It's been a busy day connecting with peers, colleagues, mums and babies We KNOW that the right support, at the right time, can make a massive difference May we be the change we want to see ✊
Mothering the mother 💕 in 2003 when I decided Mothering the mother 💕 in 2003 when I decided I actually DIDN'T want to medically manage a person's transition into motherhood... I chose to focus on developing my skills and knowledge to facilitate them in becoming 💫Informed, supported and empowered by focusing on their practical and emotional wellbeing 🥰 My 2.5 day training as a birth and postnatal doula DID NOT equip me for this 😊 But... working tirelessly with families whilst going back to uni & learning everything I could to understand ... in no particular order... 💥identity transition aka matresence 💥birth and intergenerational trauma 💥anxiety and depression 💥physiology of labour and birth 💥hospital policy and human rights 💥changing relationships 💥the importance of the microbiome 💥chest/breastfeeding and ALL it's challenges 💥reflective practice 💥coaching & counselling skills 💥biologically normal infant development 💥grief and loss ... I feel confident in meeting mums where they're at, holding space and supporting them. I'm also very confident to signpost and refer to specialist support 🤩 The work I'm doing is comprehensive, and all encompassing - filling the need I had on my own journey... (obvs) If you want to know more about developing your skills to be fully prepared to provide skilled, informed, compassionate support to families💗 ...through 'all things birth and beyond' ... without having to do lots of courses, and for your training to be internationally accredited and recognised by insurance providers 💫 Then feel free to comment #moreplease and I'll send you some really exciting info (and the super early bird price) on my training and certification course to become an... #empoweredbirth&beyondpractitioner I am SO excited to be sharing this with the world 🙌😁🥳
This truly is a momentous occasion! 🥳 I've bee This truly is a momentous occasion! 🥳 I've been buzzing all week with great things happening...💕 I'll be sharing exciting news over the next few weeks - make sure not to miss any of it.😁 As a student nurse, in 2001, I dreamt of specialising in education 📚👩‍🏫 In 2021 I finished my degree in adult education, specialising in birth, breastfeeding and matresence 👩‍🎓 I am watching the business I set up 5 years ago SOAR ✈ I continue to faciltate opportunities for families to be informed, supported and empowered on their birth and beyond journeys 💗 And, now I get to train others to do the incredible work I do, too. Woohoo! Celebrating 🤸‍♀️
Posted @withregram • @backtobirth When you put i Posted @withregram • @backtobirth When you put it out there, clear as day, can you see how utterly ridiculous it is to be a birthworker who “claims” to be all of these things yet WON’T ADVOCATE? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Here’s the truth bomb 💣 Supporting the full spectrum of human experience in birth is not a tick box exercise. Truly meaningful support demands the applied process of ADVOCACY - the facilitation of communication that holds birthing people centrally in: 👊🏽 safety 👊🏽 their power 👊🏽 who they are 👊🏽 what they know 👊🏽 what they believe 👊🏽 what they expect 👊🏽 what they want 👊🏽 what their rights are If you’re doing “all the things” WITHOUT ADVOCACY then you’re simple NOT doing “all the things” 🔥 #doulasofinstagram #birthworkersofinstagram #doulasareadvocates #fullspectrumdoula #humanrightsinchildbirth #traumainformed #culturalcompetency #evidencebasedmaternitycare #medicalindustrialcomplex #doulatrainingindustrialcomplex
Tongue Tie Assessor Programme 🥳 I am so EXCITE Tongue Tie Assessor Programme 🥳 I am so EXCITED to be doing this course with the incredible Carmelle @gentle_births_and_beyond The number of families I support with feeding - and have to signpost for tongue function assessment and bodywork - is endless. Soon, I'll be able to offer the much needed comprehensive breastfeeding/chestfeeding support all at once, without waiting times to contend with. Watch this space 😁
Human Milk Oligosaccharides are 'the bomb' 💥 I Human Milk Oligosaccharides are 'the bomb' 💥 I'm super excited to be learning more about this and the incredible microbiome, this week. Sign up for free at breastmilkscientific.com This is great foundational knowledge for the: Internationally accredited Breastfeeding Coach Certificate that teaches you HOW to support breast/chest feeding, and troubleshoot the challenges families are facing today in reaching their feeding goals. There are just 3 spaces left 😁 I'm so excited to finally be facilitating this. DM me if you want the deets xx
#REPOST @milk.clinic with @get__repost__app Did a #REPOST @milk.clinic with @get__repost__app Did anyone show you what a good deep latch looked like during pregnancy? 🤔 Most of us have no idea what a deep latch looks like! Yet a few little tweaks here and there can often make a huge difference to breastfeeding in comfort and optimum milk production. ⚡️A shallow latch is also the number one cause of nipple pain, and the main reason many stop breastfeeding before they had planned. When baby has a shallow latch, we tend to see the nipple gets mashed and compressed against the hard palate and the milk flow is constricted. Pain and restricted milk removal = not a happy combo. So to get a deep latch: Baby’s mouth should be places asymmetrically over the breast whatever direction they are feeding from - with more of the areola visible above the top lip than seen below it. With a deep latch, the baby can take in a deep scoop of the breast into the mouth. This helps to holds the jaw open and the tongue and jaw work to palpate and compress the milk ducts behind the areola. This simple pneumonic can help you to check you are getting a deep latch: CLOSER AAAHH C - chin into skin L - lips flare O - open mouth wide S - soft palate E - elongated neck R - rounded cheeks A - asymmetrical A - areola visible more above top lip A - airway (nose) free H - head back H - hands free So study the diagrams above and get to know how a good latch should look (and feel!). And always, always remember: If someone tells you it looks good, but if doesn’t feel good, then it’s not good. ^^^^^ ever been told that gem while your nipple is being chomped on?! 💎 Thanks to my wonderful dear friend @kokorattray for drawing these illustrations for me on commission. #breastfeeding #breastfeedingtips #breastfeedingsupport #breastfedbaby #breastfedbabies #breastfeedinginformation #breastfeedingisbeautiful #breastlifebelike #breastfeedingadvice #breastmilk #humanmilk #pregnancy #pregnant #expecting #preggobelly #mumsofinstagram #momsofinstagram #momlife #mumlife #newborn #newbaby #newmom #gentleparenting #newparents #preggers #momhacks #repostandroid #repostw10
🎉 3 babies welcomed earth side in 36 hours! 😁 Being a birth and postnatal professional means that my diary is unpredictable, and subject to change at short notice. This past week has been pretty incredible! ✊Working as part of a team of like-minded, passionate, people has meant I've been able to do the work I love whilst feeling fully supported. 🙏Deciding to offer a shared-care model of services has meant that when I was poorly last week, @soulfulharp Emma was there to support our clients when I couldn't. 😍This week I met a new mum and baby and started our 6 month motherhood mentorship programme. Do you know what an honour it is to walk alongside someone on one of the biggest chapters in their life?? 💕I spent a night supporting a family with their goal of exclusively breastfeeding their newborn twins, whilst optimising sleep for the WHOLE family - 10 weeks in and still going strong! Finding a practitioner who aligns with your gentle, responsive, respectful approach is not easy - I'm so grateful to have met this beautiful family and for them to have found me ... 🤰I witnessed an incredibly beautiful and powerful homebirth AND supported a rock star mama to hypnobirth in hospital. There's nothing quite like honouring birthing women and people 🤱I facilitated early intervention lactation support for a bub with restricted tongue function, helped a newborn mama learn how to express colostrum for her bub in SCBU, and I provided virtual support for a family waiting to see a tongue tie practitioner. I believe that having the right support at the right time is key 🔑 😴As I climbed into bed, after a long and incredible week, I got a message that Claire, my rockstar colleague who is STILL not on the grid ... was on her way to support a family who had welcomed their little one while she was on route - a super speedy unexpected freebirth. Woohoo AWESOME FAMILY 🥳 🤔 and so, today, I'm chilling on my bed & connecting with family and friends. My ultimate self care 💫 What do you do to look after yourself when you've been looking after everyone else? I'd love to know xx
When you choose not to have a VE... There are al When you choose not to have a VE... There are always other signs that a person is in labour! Some hospital trusts still use a VE to determine intrapartum care - which makes me mad - and we need to trust the women and people who are actually birthing 🙄 #REPOST @radicalmidwives with @get__repost__app The Rhombus of Michaelis. Signs of labour progress such as this are integral to midwifery practice. To assess labour externally without relying solely on vaginal exams, but on our senses. What signs or sounds do you notice in practice? Share your thoughts. "When women are leaning forward, upright, or on their hands and knees, you will see a lump appear on their back, at and below waist level. It’s much higher up than you might think you don’t look for it near her buttocks, you look for it near her waist." . Image of mother shared from @blissful.herbs and Text by : Dr Sara Wickham @drsarawickham Photo cred of mom: @northdallasdoulas #repostandroid #repostw10
#REPOST @wild.pregnancy_free.birth with @get__repo #REPOST @wild.pregnancy_free.birth with @get__repost__app It's Black Breasfeeding Week! . Hear me loud and clear! We are NOT failing. We are being failed. Systemically. On purpose. . This week is about celebrating, advocating, educating, and distigmatizing lactation in the Black community. . Our babies deserve our milk, we deserve equal opportunity to successfully provide them our milk. It is proven that human milk will save Black babies' lives. . If you have been failed and your breastfeeding journey doesn't look like you hoped, I see you. I see you hurting and you have every right to be angry. . Every drop counts for us and for our children! Tell me in the comments what your journey has been like! How long did you nurse your baby/toddler/child? I'll share a little about my 4 in the comments. . . . #blackbreastfeeding #blackbreastfeedingweek #blackmothers #blackbabies #wildpregnancy #freebirth #unassistedpregnancy #unassistedbirth #breastfeeding #nursing #lactation #ibclc #repostandroid #repostw10
#REPOST @lyndsey_hookway with @get__repost__app C #REPOST @lyndsey_hookway with @get__repost__app Contact naps are lovely. You’ll never get that time back with your little one and if you want to contact nap for every single nap your child ever has, you’re normal, not alone and totally at liberty to do so. It’s only a problem if it’s a problem for you, and please rest assured - it won’t last forever.   However, if you either want or need to be able to put your little one down it can be a challenge because littles naturally want to snuggle in close to us. It’s *normal* for babies to prefer being in close contact with someone, so you’ll need to be prepared for some extra effort to help them adjust to sleeping somewhere that isn’t on you. Here are my top tips:   1.     Try when your baby is truly tired – trying to get them to sleep in a new way, when they’re not quite ready for sleep will likely backfire 2.     Try a non-contact nap at the most predictable nap of the day 3.     Slide them sideways 4.     Give them lots of practice at lying down on their back, kicking about and moving their bodies on a flat surface in the daytime 5.     Try placing them down on their back, but keep your hand on their chest to replicate the feeling of warmth and pressure they had if they were held against your shoulder 6.     Try a hybrid option to help them adjust – get them happy sleeping while lying down next to you (bedsharing or on a floor bed) before you work up to rolling away from them once they’re settled. Finally, remember that this is about learning. Your baby might not ‘get it’ straight away. You’ll need to lower your expectations and be prepared to see this as a process. This means that a non-contact nap might be shorter, it might take longer for your little one to fall asleep, or it might be a lot harder work. Your baby might have one great cot/crib nap one day, then an epic nap fail the next day depending on their mood and what else is going on in their world.   I wish I had an easy, quick, tear-free, guaranteed way to help you transition away from contact naps. The truth is – there is no magic answer here. There is just patience and empathising with your baby - this is hard for them, so go gently, and at their pace
#REPOST @tonguetie_and_infantfeeding The Infant #REPOST @tonguetie_and_infantfeeding The Infant Feeding Continuum Framework is taught using the 5 C’s and these themes run throughout the Infant Feeding Coach training program Communication, Connection, Compassion, Collaboration, and Competence. The 'continuum concept' coined by Jean Liedloff is based on the idea that in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development human beings - especially babies - require the kind of experience to which our species adapted during the long process of our evolution. Babies are born with the biological expectation of: 🧡 Constant physical contact with their primary caregiver from birth 🧡 Co-sleeping with the family in constant physical contact, until they leave of their own volition 🧡 Responsive Breastfeeding "on cue" — to satisfy the needs for food, safety and reassurance 🧡 Observing daily life: feeding and sleeping form the position of being carried most of the time in constant body contact with someone — until the infant begins creeping, then crawling on his own impulse (usually at six to eight months) 🧡 Having their cues and early communication immediately responded to: this would be without judgment, displeasure, or invalidation of their needs, yet showing no undue concern nor making them the constant centre of attention 🧡 Sensing what is expected of them and know that above all else they are welcome and worthy. 😕 However, we live in a modern world very different to that of our ancestors and our genes evolve very slowly. This means that babies are born genetically equipped for life as it was lived thousands of years ago. They aren't genetically equipped to cope with our modern age and what we ask of them in modern western culture.
Penny Simkin, a childbirth educator and doula sinc Penny Simkin, a childbirth educator and doula since 1968, says:⁠ ⁠ ‘If the woman herself believes that she was in danger, physically or emotionally, that her baby was endangered in some way physically and if she felt out of control, helpless, abandoned or alone or disrespected… All of those things can cause a woman to be traumatised.’⁠ ⁠ Intrusive thoughts - flashbacks or nightmares⁠ ⁠ Avoidance behaviour - doesn’t want to talk about the birth as it’s too upsetting, doesn’t want to attend postpartum check-ups, doesn’t want to get together with family and friends⁠ ⁠ Blame or negative feelings about other people involved in the birth⁠ ⁠ Hyperarousal & Irritability - quick to anger⁠ ⁠ Sleep disturbances - can’t sleep even when the baby is asleep⁠ ⁠ Having a number of these symptoms that persist for more than a month can indicate PTSD brought on by Birth Trauma.⁠ ⁠ Follow the link in my bio to watch the video by Penny Simkin as she unpicks this and discusses what can be done to help women who find themselves suffering from Birth Trauma⁠ ⁠ Feel free to send me a DM or book a call to explore how you can be wholly supported in your experience. ⁠ ⁠ #connectafterbirthtrauma #BTAW21 #traumaticbirthrecovery #healandthrive #birthdoula #postnataldoula #maternalmentalhealth #inthistogether #newmum #newbaby #newfamily #birthhealing⁠
#REPOST @kemibirthjoyjohnson with @get__repost__ap #REPOST @kemibirthjoyjohnson with @get__repost__app Please go over and follow the @freebirthsociety and watch this clip of a surprise twin freebirth following a wild pregnancy. And then realise/remember the power you have!!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾❤️ #firstdonoharm #overmedicalisationofchildbirth #maternitycoercion #maternityillusionsofsafety #maternitymisogyny #reclaimyourpower #repostandroid #repostw10
2 years ago you would NEVER have seen me feeling c 2 years ago you would NEVER have seen me feeling confident and at ease... ...excited even... about meeting up with a group of women that I'd never met before, and planning on spending 3 full days with them! 18 years ago I experienced #birthtrauma 8 years ago I experienced #postnataltrauma I have commited my life's work to supporting others so that they can avoid feeling traumatised in their transition to motherhood. I didn't get the RIGHT support. And it had devestating effects on my relationship with myself, my children and my husband, let alone my community. In that last 18 months I've had the opportunity to focus on my #birthtraumarecovery In my quest to #healandthrive I am starting to discover #freedom and it feels AMAZING! #connectafterbirthtrauma #BTAW21 Pic ID: Me, travelling on the train... Plymouth to Paddington... to spend the next 3 days with some of the most INCREDIBLE people I have spent much of the last 11 months with, online #FreedomSisters 🙌🥰 Some of these beautiful people will be sorely missed, though xx
‘We are currently witnessing a future mental hea ‘We are currently witnessing a future mental health epidemic among new families, and this time, it is an epidemic we created ourselves.’⁠ ⁠ The upheaval of maternity services is already creating a “mental health epidemic” among new mothers and their partners who have been left traumatised by their distressing experiences.⁠ ⁠ The Birth Trauma Association says “Research suggests that about 4% of women who give birth go on to develop postnatal PTSD, or birth trauma. That works out at about 30,000 new cases every year in the UK. An estimated 30% experience some symptoms of PTSD, but not the full-blown condition.”⁠ ⁠ Your relationships may suffer...⁠ When experiencing PTSD, you can be extremely anxious and irritable. This leads to relationship difficulties and often you may seem like a completely different person to those around you. It’s hard to understand - for the person experiencing it, and those around them.⁠ ⁠ For years I was stuck in 'fight or flight'. ⁠ ⁠ Hypervigilant⁠ Irritable⁠ On edge⁠ ⁠ My relationships suffered MASSIVELY. I was diagnosed as having #PND and #GAD... and the support I got was more damaging than good...⁠ ⁠ Because it wasn't the right support for birth related #PTSD ⁠ ⁠ Taking an holistic approach, not just talk therapy - which had a 2 year waiting list on the NHS - has resulted in unthinkable healing.⁠ ⁠ My relationship with my partner - which even saw us separated for a time and was NOT decided lightly - has been repaired and we are more in tune than ever before.⁠ ⁠ #birthtrauma has a direct influence on #maternalmentalhealth, which has a direct impact #relationship with yourself, your children and your partner.⁠ ⁠ 50% of relationships end by the time of a child's 2nd birthday⁠ ⁠ #WHO have officiated guidelines to provide better support for maternal mental health because of the lasting impact/fall out it has on child and #familyhealth⁠ ⁠ Feel free to DM me or book a call through the link in my bio. ⁠ ⁠ You are NOT alone
BIRTH TRAUMA AWARENESS WEEK 2021 - 19-25TH JULY⁠ BIRTH TRAUMA AWARENESS WEEK 2021 - 19-25TH JULY⁠ ⁠ Birth Trauma Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of birth related trauma amongst individuals, families and health care professionals.⁠ ⁠ This year’s theme is CONNECTION⁠ ⁠ You might be wondering why connection is so important⁠ ⁠ “...connecting with others is more important than you might think. Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems. By neglecting our need to connect, we put our health at risk.” (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2019)⁠ ⁠ Despite 1 in 3 women identifying their birth experience as traumatic there is little awareness and understanding of birth-related trauma.⁠ ⁠ The birth-related trauma I have experienced with my eldest daughter's birth has haunted us for years. It wasn't until I addressed the root cause of our struggle to connect - and maintain connection - that our relationship dramatically improved.⁠ ⁠ Don't wait. If you have experienced trauma relating to pregnancy, birth and beyond, reach out. Engage in healing on all levels. You do not have to fix it on your own.⁠ ⁠ If you want to talk about how you're feeling, I'm always available for a cuppa and chat. ⁠ ⁠ Feel free to DM me, or book a call via the link in my bio xx⁠ ⁠ #BTAW21⁠ #connectafterbirthtrauma⁠ #birthtrauma #birthtraumaawareness #expecting2021 #pregnant #newbaby #newmum #york #yorkdoula #birth #birthdoula #postnataldoula #maternalmentalhealth #wellbeing #breastfeedingtrauma #healandthrive #tbr
I’ve spoken about the ‘other side’ of mother I’ve spoken about the ‘other side’ of motherhood... the more uncomfortable side. ⁠ ⁠ And the thing is that because these emotions don't feel good, because we have been led to believe that we should all be elated new mothers, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM!⁠ ⁠ Often we don’t even talk about them to our partners. We feel ashamed and so we put on a brave face and hide that anything else is less than. ⁠ ⁠ Let’s reframe this…⁠ ⁠ If your child was feeling low and anxious, you would encourage them to share their feelings with you so you could help. You might say something like ‘I need you to tell me how you are feeling, so that I can help you feel better’ or ‘We can work this out together’. You wouldn’t expect your child to muddle through all these emotions alone and hope they found a way to figure it out, right?⁠ ⁠ But it can be so much more difficult when it’s OUR emotions we need to share, when we need to ask for help ourselves. Sharing how you are feeling about your pregnancy or new role as a mother with anyone that you feel comfortable with - your partner, a close friend, a health visitor - is the first step in getting the support you need to work through these emotions.⁠ ⁠ Sometimes we don’t even know how to put our feelings into words. That’s ok! I have tools to support your emotional health in birth and beyond.⁠ ⁠ Join me, on my FREE masterclass to find out more. Link in the bio, or leave a comment and I’ll share the link xx⁠ ⁠ ⁠
When we are preparing to become mothers, we hear a When we are preparing to become mothers, we hear about all the good stuff...⁠ ⁠ ... that instant connection with your child,⁠ ... the missing puzzle piece that completes your family,⁠ ... the joy of watching them grow and develop…⁠ ⁠ But it’s not the whole story! ⁠ ⁠ We don’t talk about the other side of motherhood, the side where uncomfortable and confusing feelings live.⁠ ⁠ And the thing is, it’s much more common than we realise to have these feelings⁠ ⁠ 💥Sad and low⁠ 💥Hostile or indifferent⁠ 💥Anxious⁠ 💥Guilty⁠ 💥Worthless⁠ ⁠ Your EMOTIONAL Health! ⁠ ⁠ There, I’ve said it! Whether you are expecting or already a new mum, if these feelings sound familiar, know that you are NOT ALONE. ⁠ ⁠ So many of us have felt this way and it’s time that we open Pandora’s box and talk about the not-so-pretty emotions motherhood can bring!⁠ ⁠ I’ll be busting some myths and mistakes and sharing how to support your emotional health in birth & beyond in my FREE masterclass.⁠ ⁠ Link in my bio, or comment and I’ll share the link xx
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