When Sarah Cheeseman was expecting her first child, she was absolutely terrified of the thought of giving birth. The fear of pain, the unknown, and all the ‘what ifs’ swirled in her mind, leaving her feeling anxious about the upcoming experience. But something happened that completely transformed her mindset and ultimately changed the course of her life: Hypnobirthing.
Sarah, from Fareham near Portsmouth, had always been passionate about helping others, having worked as a mental health nurse for six years. However, after moving into a new role that left her feeling unfulfilled, she found herself searching for something more rewarding. Little did she know, the birth of her own child would lead her to her true calling.
“I was petrified of giving birth, and doing hypnobirthing completely changed my mindset going into labour,” Sarah explains. “I was able to keep myself completely calm, relaxed, and happy during early labour, and by the time I got to the hospital, I was 9cm dilated and had no idea!”
Although Sarah’s birth wasn’t exactly what she had imagined – she had to go into the hospital due to meconium in her waters – she credits hypnobirthing with helping her stay calm and positive throughout the process. “How I felt toward it was 100% better with my hypnobirthing knowledge,” she says. It made such a huge difference in her experience that she knew she had to share it with others. It wasn’t just her child, Alfie, who was born that day, but the idea for her own business Birthing Your Way too.
For Sarah, hypnobirthing was more than just breathing techniques. It was about feeling informed, empowered, and in control of the birth experience. She’d heard so many horror stories of women feeling coerced or pressured during labour, so she became passionate about helping others to feel confident in their own decisions. “I’m very pro-rights and being informed to make your own call!” Sarah adds.
She decided to train with The Birth Uprising, a hypnobirthing training school making waves in the industry to help parents-to-be understand the choices they have within the maternity system. It feels like the perfect fit for Sarah, who passionately pushes for informed consent and evidence based choices.
It’s this sentiment that’s felt throughout her website and instagram account too. Multiple testimonials from recent clients paint the picture of Sarah’s courses as full of scientific facts, reassuring and empowering. For those parents overwhelmed by the amount of information out there, Sarah puts it across clearly and fairly, as one parent wrote: ‘Coming from a mental health nursing background means that Sarah offers a really unique perspective, and everything was always backed up by clear research and evidence. I found that really helpful and reassuring because it’s hard to know what to believe when there is so much information and differing opinions out there.’
Now, Sarah is on a mission to support women in having positive birth experiences, just as she did. Although Sarah’s still early in her journey as a hypnobirthing teacher, she’s incredibly excited to be learning and growing in the field. She’s on a mission to support people in having positive experiences, just as she did, regardless of their personal preferences. She loves to talk about birth and frequently publishes content on her website all about birth and babies: “It’s not a chore to sit and research a particular area to put a post or blog together. I’m amazed by how clever our bodies are!”
Sarah’s enthusiasm doesn’t stop at hypnobirthing. She’s also set her sights on becoming a breastfeeding specialist, driven by the gap in support many new mums face. “So many women give up when they don’t want to,” Sarah says, highlighting the need for better guidance and encouragement. With her plan to offer 1:1 breastfeeding support and courses in the future, she’s determined to make a difference for even more women.
Finding a new career can feel like a personal transformation – but Sarah’s new venture is having a huge impact not only on her own life but on the lives of the parents she supports. From being petrified of birth to becoming an advocate for positive, informed experiences, she’s a great example of how the right knowledge and mindset can begin to transform communities, not just individuals.
As Sarah continues her journey, she’s ready to help more and more expectant parents feel confident, calm, and empowered in their own birth stories – and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
Local to Fareham, Portsmouth or South East Hampshire? You can check out Sarah’s guide to giving birth in these areas here: Sign Up
Fancy an introduction to hypnobirthing? Sarah’s got you covered HERE.
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