Sarah Espenhahn Pregnancy and Parenthood

Thank you for a lovely stretch at yesterday’s yoga class . I could have floated home!

Posted • We’re really excited to be launching or first peer led infant feeding support group on Thursday 27th February.

Join us any time from 10.30-12 at St. Richard’s Church, Hanworth during their free coffee morning and look out for our peer supporters in their green t-shirts.

You can come for infant feeding support, or simply to meet and chat with other families in the area. There will be lots of toys to play with!

Lead by NCT Peer Supporters, we offer evidence-based, parent-centred and non-judgemental support with feeding your baby.

St Richard’s Church
Forge Lane
Hanworth
TW13 6UN

A familiar face at childbirth makes a difference

Most animals, including other primates, give birth alone, but humans require assistance during childbirth due to the physiological complexities of the process.

A new study from Dartmouth University (USA) finds that pregnant individuals who were unable to have their desired emotional support persons present during childbirth were more likely to have higher levels of perceived childbirth stress than those who were not missing their support people.

The researchers found that the higher level of perceived childbirth stress was comparable to the increase in stress associated with a Cesarean section delivery.

The findings are published in Evolution, Medicine, & Public Health.

“For most of our history, humans have been supported in childbirth by people, usually women, whom they knew and trusted,” says lead author Zaneta Thayer ’08, an associate professor of anthropology at Dartmouth. “Our study highlights the stress that results when people do not have access to that type of support.”

Research has shown the benefits of emotional support during childbirth, including shorter labor, less use of medication during labor, and better outcomes such as lower C-section rates.

“Some of these benefits may stem from lower stress hormones and increased oxytocin levels when people feel emotionally supported in labor,” says Thayer.

Oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates contractions, can also have calming and pain-relieving effects. It also plays an important role in breastfeeding and helping parents bond with their infants after birth.

"We know that making people feel safe, secure, and supported during labor improves maternal and child outcomes"
ZANE THAYER ’08, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY

The team utilized data from their COVID-19 and Reproductive Effects Study in 2020, an online survey of 1,100 pregnant persons that examined how COVID-19 affected the well-being and health care experiences. None of those surveyed indicated that they wanted to give birth alone.

Due to hospital restrictions in place in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, many people went on to give birth alone or could only have one birth assistant present.

Approximately 30% of survey participants indicated that at least one support person that they wanted to be present for their child’s birth was unable to attend, and 93% of those participants indicated that this was due to hospital restrictions. Some of the individuals indicated that they had hoped to have their partner, doula, and/or mother present during labor.

Fourteen percent of participants surveyed indicated that their health care providers seemed busy, distracted, or unavailable, which was found to be associated with higher levels of perceived birth stress.

And persons with higher levels of education had significantly higher levels of childbirth stress.

The majority of those surveyed were white participants, so the sample was not nationally representative of the population. But having more support is likely to be even more important for people who experience discrimination or mistreatment within the medical system, according to the study.

“We know that making people feel safe, secure, and supported during labor improves maternal and child outcomes,” says Thayer. “So, maintaining access to emotional support during labor and delivery should always be a priority when possible, including in the case of public health or other emergencies.”

Zaneta M Thayer, Anna Samsonov, Charlotte V Farewell, Theresa E Gildner. Evolutionary mismatch in emotional support during childbirth: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 2024; 12 (1): 277 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoae033
https://academic.oup.com/emph/article/12/1/277/7925676

Postnatal Yoga for Baby⁠ continues on Wednesday afternoons at Whitton Community Centre.⁠
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It’s time for you to tune in to your postnatal body, in a relaxed and friendly environment, while spending time with your baby.⁠
🧘🏽‍♀️🙏❤️💚💙🖤🤎💛⁠
Yoga gives you time for yourself, helps to gently restore your body after birth and cope with the discomforts of life with a small baby, and helps you sleep well. It’s also a way to return to exercise, and works alongside more strenuous exercise for those who are further along their postnatal journey. No yoga experience necessary.⁠
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Face to face classes can be booked as single tickets (£12.50) or using a flexible class pass (£66 for 6). And I’m offering a 10% discount on class passes, with the code NEWYEAR2025⁠
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https://bookwhen.com/sarahespenhahn⁠
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No Yoga for Pregnancy tonight, but then classes are every Monday evening at from 10th February.⁠
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It’s time for you to tune in to your changing body and your growing baby, to relax and stretch and prepare for birth.⁠
🧘🏽‍♀️🙏❤️💚💙🖤🤎💛⁠
Yoga gives you time for yourself, helps with the discomforts of pregnancy, and helps you sleep well. Join me for these small, friendly classes, no experience necessary.⁠
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Face to face classes can be booked as single tickets (£12) or using a flexible class pass (£66 for 6). And I’m offering a 10% discount on class passes, with the code NEWYEAR2025⁠
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https://bookwhen.com/sarahespenhahn⁠
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I was delighted to run an MNVP workshop with a few days ago 💕

Posted • We always knew that Prenatal Yoga offered much more benefit than walking as a form of exercise during pregnancy. Now it’s been scientifically proven*!

A study published February 2024 under MDPI looked at the “Effect of Prenatal Yoga versus Moderate-Intensity Walking on Cardiorespiratory Adaptation to Acute Psychological Stress”

Findings were that “regular prenatal yoga practice was associated with a significantly reduced sympathetic response to mental challenge and quicker recovery after acute psychological stress. These effects persisted throughout pregnancy with regular practice”

You can access the complete study via our bio.

With great thanks to the researchers.

*Lucovnik, Miha & Lackner, Helmut & Žebeljan, Ivan & Mörtl, Manfred & Dinevski, Izidora & Mahlmann, Adrian & Dinevski, Dejan. (2024). Effect of Prenatal Yoga versus Moderate-Intensity Walking on Cardiorespiratory Adaptation to Acute Psychological Stress: Insights from Non-Invasive Beat-to-Beat Monitoring. Sensors. 24. 1596. 10.3390/s24051596.

Posted • Perinatal mental illness can affect anyone during pregnancy and/or after birth. Knowing the signs is the first step to getting the support you need, or helping someone you love who is going through it.

Please share our post this to help raise awareness. Together, we can make sure no parent is left struggling in silence.

Yoga for Pregnancy continues on Monday evenings at from 20th January.⁠
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It’s time for you to tune in to your changing body and your growing baby, to relax and stretch and prepare for birth.⁠
🧘🏽‍♀️🙏❤️💚💙🖤🤎💛⁠
Yoga gives you time for yourself, helps with the discomforts of pregnancy, and helps you sleep well. Join me for these small, friendly classes, no experience necessary.⁠
⁠
Face to face classes can be booked as single tickets (£12) or using a flexible class pass (£66 for 6). And I’m offering a 10% discount on class passes, with the code NEWYEAR2025⁠
⁠
https://bookwhen.com/sarahespenhahn⁠
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Out and about today!

Posted • On my way to spend time with today at a workshop bringing together the service user leads, community champions, Healthwatch, commissioner and trust staff. Can’t wait to see you all!

.maternity

Posted • Are you pregnant and in the UK?

Lowri is another of our PhD students looking at how the cost of living crisis is affecting diet and wellbeing during pregnancy.

She has two surveys running at the moment - this one looks at experiences during pregnancy.

If you’re currently pregnant we’d be very grateful if you could complete her survey exploring your views of how financial pressures and the cost of food might be impacting your diet, food choices and wellbeing.

We’re interested in knowing how the cost of living crisis might be affecting women’s diet but also how families might make decisions around that, especially when there are other children.

We’d really value responses from families across all different incomes so we are able to make comparisons - whether you feel the cost of food is affecting you or not.

We hope that the findings will help build the case for more support for families during pregnancy.

Survey is in the link in my bio or in my stories. Thank you.

Posted • Lowri is another of our PhD students looking at how the cost of living crisis is affecting diet and wellbeing during pregnancy.

She has two surveys running at the moment - this one looks at the experiences of people providing antenatal care in the UK (midwives, health visitors, doctors, dieticians, doulas, antenatal teachers and more)

If you are in one of those roles we’d be very grateful if you could complete her survey exploring your views of how financial pressures are affecting women and families particularly in terms of affording food, perhaps struggling to eat a balanced diet and the anxiety and impacts upon wellbeing that can have.

We’re hoping the findings will add to the evidence showing a need for more support and investment for those on a low income during pregnancy (and also how many families who theoretically might not be seen to be on a ‘low’ income might be struggling)

Survey is in the link in my bio and I’ll add to stories - we’d be grateful for any shares. (There’s another post for those who are currently pregnant exploring your experiences). Thank you ❤️

Posted • This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week - part of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month!

Everyone who has a cervix, age 25 and 64, should have cervical screening (smear test). But, understandably, some find it daunting. You may find it helpful to talk to your GP or screening clinic before your appointment.

You can also find some useful information about cervical screening on website.

www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cervical-cancer/getting-diagnosed/screening

[ID: Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Did you know? Anyone with a cervix, age 25 and 64, should have cervical screening. You can still have a cervical smear test, even if you’re breastfeeding. You need to wait until 12 weeks after giving birth before you have a smear test. 20th-26th January.]

Posted • .count Thousands of working families with babies in neonatal care will be entitled to additional time off as a day one right, the government has confirmed.

Currently, many working families across the UK are having to return to work while their babies are sick in hospital, and these measures aim to address some of the difficulties that thousands of parents face when their baby is in neonatal care.

Neonatal Care Leave will apply to parents of babies who are admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old and who have a continuous stay in hospital of 7 full days or longer. These measures will allow eligible parents to take up to 12 weeks of leave (and, if eligible, pay) on top of any other leave they may be entitled to, including maternity and paternity leave.

The government has today laid regulations to implement the change, which subject to Parliamentary approval, will take effect from 6 April 2025 and follows the passing of the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act in 2023.

So lovely to have run my first class for a little while, at St Philip & St James church hall.

It was great getting to know new class members, focussing on our breathing, then doing some gentle yoga including pelvic floor exercises, before rounding off with a relaxation.

The view from the window as we wrapped up the last meeting of the day!

Many of us know all too well that babies like to p**p! 💩 That’s why it’s so important to use a 100% waterproof cover over any mattress a baby sleeps on. This keeps the mattress protected from accidents and prevents a build up of bacteria inside.

For more information, visit 👉 https://bit.ly/4gV9w2v

🧘‍♀️💙💜🖤💛💚❣️January Yoga

Yoga for Pregnancy and Postnatal Yoga with Baby are starting again so join me for time to yourself. These small and friendly classes – no yoga experience needed – provide an excuse to leave the house, join a welcoming group to lift your spirits and enjoy some gentle yoga, so come and join me 😊.

Yoga for pregnancy is on Monday evenings, 7.30-9.00 at St Philip and St James Church, Whitton
Postnatal yoga with baby is on Wednesday afternoons, 1.00-2.15

You can book single classes, or a class pass (6 classes booked as and when you like) at https://bookwhen.com/sarahespenhahn or get in touch to find out more!⁠

And I’m very pleased to offer 10% off class passes with the code NEWYEAR2025

#2025

Birth and Beyond Collective Whitton Village NCT Twickenham, Hounslow and District Branch NCT Richmond Sunbury Shepperton & Chertsey NCT Love Whitton Twick Mums - Family Hub Twickenham Community Baby Sensory Isleworth & Surrounds Bump and Baby Massage The Richmond Doula Twickermum