Baby Ahoy

This episode is a slightly different one from all the other episodes I have released so for. Today, Karoll (CEO of Parentally)  & I are sharing  a few important bullet points for the listeners who are planning on Having a Baby in The Netherlands. Karoll is Madagascaran French living in Amsterdam with her husband Thomas and two Leopold (almost 8yo) and Basile (5).  Karoll is the CEO of an online platform called Parentally – www.parentally.nl.  Parentally was created with the desire to raise awareness around the diversity and richness of perinatal and parental care available as well as to facilitate the connection between (future) parents and trustworthy practitioners in The Netherlands. Karoll & I recently participated in Iam the Expat Fair in Amsterdam to talk about How to prepare for giving birth in The Netherlands. The workshop was housefull, and this gave us the idea to record this short informative podcast episode for anyone who is thinking about becoming pregnant or newly pregnant in The Netherlands. If you have any additional questions or information, please feel free to write to us on [email protected] or [email protected] If you are looking to change your health insurance company or package between November 12th and December 31st, 2023. It will come into effect on January 1st, 2024. You need to look into Independer or Zorgwijzer. Karoll & I met about 6 years ago while she was pregnant with her second child. She wanted to have a Vaginal Birth after a C- section so she and I worked together for her to be prepared for her second birth.  If you would like to listen to her episode then please check Episode 9 of Season 2 or click on this link  https://akriti.nl/baby-ahoy-podcast/ For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl   The post 2023-05-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 7 Karoll & Chitra’s conversation – Having a Baby in The Netherlands appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

This episode is about Joanna’s Postpartum journey. Joanna gave birth at home but had to be moved to the hospital because of the incomplete birth of the placenta & haemorrhaging.  This is Joanna’s experience of postpartum, her struggles and how she & her partner managed the choppy waters during postpartum. Joanna & I talk about how breastfeeding is hard and how she dealt with her emotional/mental health through breastfeeding journey and healing through postpartum.  She breastfed her son for sixteen months. We also speak about Postpartum blues and importance of mental health in this episode. Joanna is Polish. After living in Dublin & New York City, she currently lives in The Netherlands with her partner, Iacer & her baby, Yiannis. If you are a new mother or an expecting parent and if you have signs of depression, postpartum rage, mood swings or irritability then please do get in touch with your GP/huisarts and get a therapist for counselling as soon as possible. Please do give this episode a spin. For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl The post 2023-05-01 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 6 Joanna’s Postpartum Story appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

This episode is about Joanna’s HypnoBirthing, Home Waterbirth Story.  Her story is in two parts, the first part about her, her journey into pregnancy & her birth story. Joanna is Polish. After living in Dublin & New York City, she currently lives in The Netherlands with her partner, Iacer & her baby, Yiannis.   Joanna & I talk about living in NYC during the pandemic and how she & her partner moved back to Amsterdam, their pregnancy story, how they both prepared themselves with HypnoBirthing and how she birthed to her lovely big baby boy, Yiannis. Trigger Warning – At around 1hr15mins of the episode, Joanna talks about the birth of her baby boy and after the birth of her baby, she had placental hemorrhaging and blood loss post childbirth. We talk at length about what went on those moments and Joanna also shares her partner’s reflection as well.  This can be triggering for some please use your discretion to listen to that part of the story. The Part two of Joanna’s Postpartum journey will be released as the next episode. Please do give this episode a spin. For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl   The post 2023-04-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 5 Joanna’s Home Water Birth Story appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

This episode is about Nadia sharing her homebirth story. Nadia & I talk about her pregnancy journey, her Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy, how she managed her health around GD & her accidental home birth. Nadia was born & raised in Scotland.  Nadia talks about how she & her Dutch husband Simon prepared for the birth of their baby boy, Lucas with HypnoBirthing. Trigger Warning – At around 43mins of the episode, Nadia talks about how after the birth of her baby, Lucas, he didn’t breathe for the first three minutes as he had fluid in his lungs. Nadia & I talk at length about what went on with her at that point. This can be triggering for some please use your discretion to listen to the birth story. We not only talk about her birth story but also about Postpartum & Breastfeeding. Role of Kraamzorg (maternity nurse) in The Netherlands. Please do give it a spin. For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl   The post 2023-04-01 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 4 Nadia’s Birth Story appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

This episode is my conversation with a HypnoBirthing dad, Rudolf who shares his journey into Parenthood.  Rudolf was born in South Africa, met his Brazilian partner/wife, Fernanda in The Netherlands. He shares his story of how he prepared himself for the pregnancy by attending the HypnoBirthing course and by 9 books to the frequency of 1 book a month during his wife’s pregnancy to make sure that he can be well prepared. Rudolf & I talk about everything about preparation during pregnancy, Fernanda’s labor & birth and Rudolf’s presence in the laboring room. Rudolf also shares some intimate details of what went on with him while his wife was giving birth. The sleep deprivation that comes during postpartum and how they have been steering illnesses from the daycare that their toddler brings home. We recorded this podcast late last year so we talk about birthing in the pandemic and easing of the omicron virus protocols.  This episode will make you smile, grin, laugh and enjoy a father’s/partner’s perspective immensely.  Can I just mention that Rudolf’s partner, Fernanda, gave birth to her baby the day after we recorded the podcast? Yes!  Now they are a happy family of four and I can’t wait to bring him back on this podcast again to talk more about raising two small children. Enjoy the episode ! For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl The post 2023-03-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 3 Rudolf’s Journey into Parenthood appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

This episode is about Nerys sharing her Birth & Parenting journey with us.  Born in Wales, Nerys met her Italian partner, Giuliano in the UK in 2008, and moved to The Netherlands with her partner in 2009. After completing a Masters degree, Nerys began her PhD. They welcomed their daughter, Sofia in 2015 following an induction with epidural at the Wilhelmina Kinder Ziekenhuis at Utrecht. Nerys got in touch with me for her second pregnancy for the birth of their second daughter, Mia, who was born in 2018 at St Antonius Ziekenhuis, Ledische Rijn, Utrecht. Nerys & Giuliano did the HypnoBirthing course with me to have a better birthing experience second time around.  Nerys gave birth to Mia in the water according to their Birth Wishes.  Nerys & I discuss not only her birth journey but also issues with tongue-tie and breastfeeding for both babies, and life as working parents during the pandemic. Enjoy the episode For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl The post 2023-03-01 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 2 Nerys’s Birth & Parenting Journey appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

2023-02-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 1 Maya’s VBAC Journey   This episode is about Maya sharing her birth stories. Her first Surgical (C-Section) Birth in India and her second Vaginal Birth after C- Section (VBAC) at the hospital in The Netherlands.   Maya was born & raised in India. She now calls The Netherlands her home and lives with her partner, Gaurav and her two daughters, Naina & Diya.  In this episode, Maya & I talk about her first surgical birth, her second vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC), how she &  her husband Gaurav have adapted their role as  parents of  two small children, sleep deprivation,  how Maya has slowly transitioned back into work, struggles & challenges that comes with Breastfeeding & Postpartum. In our conversation Maya talks about her first birthing experience in India because her first daughter was breach and had to have a surgical birth.  We then talk about VBAC which is Vaginal Birth After C-section. At 4min into the conversation, Maya mentions about turning the baby. The procedure is called External Cephalic Version (ECV). External cephalic version (ECV) is a procedure that tries to turn a breech baby into a head-down position so you can have a normal vaginal birth. To know more about ECV, please speak to your care provider. VBAC resources – If you are interested in knowing more about VBAC births then refer to the following links   https://vbacfacts.com/   Caesarean.org.uk – offers information and support on many aspects of cesarean and vaginal birth after cesarean, including articles, photos of C-section scars and a C-section birth plan, A Woman’s Guide to VBAC offers support for decision-making about VBAC versus repeat cesarean section, based on guidance from the National Institutes of Health.   International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) provides information about C-section in the name of preventing unnecessary cesareans, providing support for cesarean recovery and promoting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)   VBAC.com provides childbearing women and maternity care professionals access to research-based information, resources, continuing education and support for VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)   Evidence Based Birth – https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ebb-113-the-evidence-on-vbac/ For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl   The post 2023-02-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 3 – Episode 1 Maya’s VBAC Journey appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

This episode is about Karoll sharing her birth stories. Her first Surgical (C-Section) Birth in the US and her second Vaginal Birth after C- Section (VBAC) at the hospital in The Netherlands. Karoll was born in 1984 in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar to Madagascan parents. She left her home country with her family when she was five years old to move to France so that she and her  two brothers could study and grow up there. Her childhood was spent in a small town in the south-west of France until she left home after high school to pursue her studies. She moved to Bordeaux at the age of 16 to start studying at a business school, travelling every semester between France and Germany to obtain her double diploma. During her studies is when she met her now husband, Thomas. After graduation, she and her husband moved in together in Paris to start their professional careers – She in Marketing for the Travel & Tourism industry and him – a career in Procurement that later brought them a stint New York & then a move to Amsterdam. Her job as a marketing consultant for the Travel & Tourism companies stopped abruptly when Covid hit. This disaster turned into an opportunity that she decided to start a platform called Parentally – www.parentally.nl Parentally was created with the desire to raise awareness around the diversity and richness of perinatal and parental care available as well as to facilitate the connection between (future) parents and trustworthy practitioners. Do check it out.Karoll has been living in Amsterdam for 7 years now with her husband Thomas and two Leopold (almost 8yo) and Basile (5). In our conversation Karoll talks about her first birthing experience in the US which was pain centric, unplanned c-section birth after laboring for 37 hours. We then talk about VBAC which is Vaginal Birth After C-section. VBAC resources – If you are interested in knowing more about VBAC births then refer to the following links   https://vbacfacts.com/  Caesarean.org.uk – offers information and support on many aspects of cesarean and vaginal birth after cesarean, including articles, photos of C-section scars and a C-section birth planA Woman’s Guide to VBAC offers support for decision-making about VBAC versus repeat cesarean section, based on guidance from the National Institutes of Health. International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) provides information about C-section in the name of preventing unnecessary cesareans, providing support for cesarean recovery and promoting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) VBAC.com provides childbearing women and maternity care professionals access to research-based information, resources, continuing education and support for VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) Evidence Based Birth – https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ebb-113-the-evidence-on-vbac/ For more information about my work, Please go to www.akriti.nl Disclaimer & Privacy Policy – Refer www.akriti.nl   The post 2022-04-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 2 – Episode 9 Karoll’s VBAC Journey   appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

Vasia is a Greek expat living in Luven, Belgium for the last 9 years. Vasia is a researcher at the University of Luven. She is a mother of two young boys, Nikolas and Vyron, and a wife to compassionate lovely man, Koen. Today’s episode is a continuation of the previous episode. We talk about Vasia’s second pregnancy, how she helped herself understand her body better by preparing for her second birth with HypnoBirthing tools, having a supportive birth team with midwife, doula and her partner Koen. She had a beautiful Home birth second time after the first traumatic birth.  Her second birth was what she really wanted. An empowering, comfortable,healing, comfortable home birth with the people she wanted to be with.At 1 odd minute of the conversation –  Vasia mentions gaslighting. Gaslighting happens when someone tries to control a victim by twisting their sense of reality. This part of the conversation can be triggering for some so please use your discretion before you listen to the conversation. Trigger Warning – At 2.30 to 2.45 seconds,  Vasia talks about her miscarriage. We don’t go into detail about miscarriage but it can still be triggering for someone listening so please use your discretion  Trigger Warning – At 5:50 seconds, Vasia mentions about a mini panic attack. This can also be triggering for someone listening to please use your discretion At 15.30 seconds, Vasia mentions Swimming pool but what she meant was an inflatable birth pool that she used to labour in at her own home to give birth to her second baby boy, Vyron. If you would like to know more about my HypnoBirthing or ACCESS Childbirth Preparation courses in The Netherlands then please do get in touch through my website www.akriti.nl or write to me on [email protected]     The post 2022-03-15 | Baby Ahoy Season 2 – Vasia’s Second Pregnancy & Birth Journey – Part 2 appeared first on Hypnobirthing.

Vasia is a Greek expat living in Luven, Belgium for the last 9 years. Vasia is a researcher at the University of Luven. She is a mother of two young boys, Nikolas and Vyron, and a wife to compassionate lovely man, Koen.Trigger Warning – Today’s episode is Vasia’s first pregnancy and a difficult, traumatic birth story. She and I met online in 2020 while she was pregnant with her second baby. She was so traumatised with her first birthing experience that she wanted to prepare herself better to change the narrative of her second birth. For her second birth, she wanted to birth at home as it would provide the empowerment, validation, support, and healing that she wanted in her second birth experience. Her second birthing experience will be released as the next episode on the 15th of March. At 10.15 of the conversation, Vasia talks about Belgian Midwives and at 10.45 of the conversation and after, we talk about home births in Belgium and how the Belgium maternity system has been set up. At12.30 Vasia mentions a link on Belgium Midwives. Here’s the link if you would like to engage a midwife at Belgium for your birth or any other services: https://www.vroedvrouwen.be/zoek-een-vroedvrouw At 18.35 We talk about episiotomy which can be triggering for someone who has experienced episiotomy or vaginal tearing. At 23.15 We talk about coercion for a vaginal examination from one hospital staff which changes the course of birth for Vasia.  It is important to note then Consent is very important. No one can touch you as a Birthing mother/person and coerce you into a vaginal examination. You always have the right to say no or right to ask for time so that you can make an informed decision. Informed Refusal and Informed Consent is an important part of Informed Decision-making process. At 36 odd minutes Vasia mentions gaslighting. Gaslighting happens when someone tries to control a victim by twisting their sense of reality. This part of the conversation can be triggering for some so please use your discretion before you listen to the conversation.If you would like to know more about my HypnoBirthing or ACCESS Childbirth Preparation courses in The Netherlands then please do get in touch through my website www.akriti.nl or write to me on [email protected]   The post 2022-03-01 | Baby Ahoy Season 2 – Vasia’s Pregnancy & Birth Journey – Part 1 appeared first on Hypnobirthing.