What is Cornwall Hypnobirthing & Doula Service all about?

Recently I've been updating my website and going through my Doula contracts, and it got me thinking about my values and mission of my business; like, what am I all about? Do people know what I stand for? Over the years my business has grown, moulded, changed and adapted, but my core values and original mission for my business has remained the same. Here is a little reminder (if you've been here a while) or an introduction (if you're new here) to what I am all about, and the driving force behind Cornwall Hypnobirthing & Doula Service!

Cornwall Hypnobirthing & Doula Service is a space for women and birthing people who know - or are beginning to realise - that they deserve more!

More information.

More respect.

More autonomy.

More support.

It’s a space for women who don’t want to be passive recipients of care, but active participants in one of the most profound experiences of their lives. This work is bespoke, human and deeply relational. There is no one-size-fits-all birth, no generic pathway, no single “right” way to do this.

What I offer is compassionate, loving, safe support - rooted in evidence, experience, and a deep respect for women’s inner knowing. This is a place where women and birthing people are allowed to want more; and are supported to claim it!

 

My Values

At the heart of my work are a small number of non-negotiable values:

Empowerment - Not empowerment as a buzzword, but real empowerment through knowledge, understanding and choice.

Kindness - Care that is gentle, human and non-judgemental. For every story. Every feeling. Every outcome.

Understanding - Birth is complex. So are women. I make space for nuance, contradiction and emotion.

Curiosity - I encourage questioning, exploration and critical thinking. “Because that’s the policy” is never enough.

Evolution - My work grows and adapts — informed by evidence, lived experience, and the people and families I support.

What I Stand For

I stand for women’s rights, human rights and birth rights.

I believe that:

• Body autonomy is absolute

• Informed consent is essential, not optional

• Choice must be real, not theoretical

• Safety includes emotional safety, not just physical outcomes

• No woman should be bullied, coerced or frightened into decisions

I stand firmly against fear-based care, coercive language, and systems that prioritise convenience over consent. And I stand with women and birthing people - especially when the system feels overwhelming, rushed or unsafe.

What I Represent

I represent transformation.

Pregnancy and birth are not just medical events - they are profound life transitions. I hold women through that transformation with steadiness, respect and belief in their capacity.

I represent a quiet but unwavering resistance to patriarchy within maternity care - not through aggression, but through:

• education

• clarity

• advocacy

• and deep trust in women’s wisdom

I am a voice that says:

You are not too much. Your questions are valid. Your instincts matter. You are allowed to take up space here.

In Practice, This Means…

Cornwall Hypnobirthing is not about “perfect births” or rigid ideals. It’s about helping women feel informed, safe and supported, whatever path their birth takes.

It’s about giving women the tools to:

• understand their bodies

• navigate the maternity system

• advocate for themselves

• feel confident in their choices

• heal when things have been hard

It’s about restoring trust — not just in birth, but in themselves.

In Short

My work exists to support women and birthing people to step into birth - and parenthood -knowing this:

You matter.

Your body matters.

Your choices matter.

And you deserve care that reflects that.

If you have been reading this and it's resonating with you - then we should chat, because there is a high chance that I am the Doula/Hypnobirthing practitioner/antenatal teacher for you. Drop me an email: info@cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk to get ball rolling with working towards a calm, safe and empowering birth that you deserve!

A New Year, A Fresh Breath — And Why Birth Education Matters More Than Ever

A new year always feels like a pause. A moment to take stock, reset, and ask: what really matters right now? So if we haven’t met yet — or if it’s been a while — this feels like the perfect time to properly reintroduce myself and the work I do.

I’m Terri, the founder of Cornwall Hypnobirthing & Doula Service. I’ve been teaching antenatal education and hypnobirthing for over 12 years, supporting women and families to approach birth with confidence, knowledge, and a deep sense of autonomy. I’m also a Birth Doula of 9 years and a Clinical Hypnotherapist, specialising in birth trauma, anxiety, stress and confidence.

Birth is my life’s work — and it always comes back to one simple belief: Women and birthing people deserve to feel informed, respected, and powerful in their births.

 

A Quick Look Back — And a Big Milestone Ahead

Over the years, I’ve supported 93 families as their Doula, and I already have 6 Doula clients booked for this year, bringing me to 99. That means that in 2026, I’ll be celebrating my 100th Doula client — something I feel incredibly proud of.

Each one of those births has reinforced the same truth: when people are supported, informed, and believed in, birth can be a positive experience no matter what path it takes.

 

The Reality of Maternity Care Right Now

It would be impossible to write a New Year post without acknowledging what’s been dominating the news. Midwifery services across the UK are overstretched, understaffed, and exhausted. Midwives are leaving the profession in heart-breaking numbers. Those who remain are doing their absolute best in a system that is stretched far beyond safe limits.

This is not a criticism of midwives — far from it.It’s a reflection of a system under pressure, where time is limited, continuity is rare, and personalised care is often impossible.

And when systems are under strain, women are the ones who feel it most:

• rushed appointments

• limited discussions around options

• inconsistent information

• fear-based conversations

• lack of informed consent

• feeling unheard or coerced

This is exactly why antenatal education has never been more important.

Not because birth is dangerous — but because knowledge protects you when systems are struggling.

 

Why I Do What I Do

I don’t teach hypnobirthing because I think birth should be quiet, candlelit and perfect. I teach it because knowledge, preparation and confidence change outcomes — emotionally, psychologically, and often physically too. I don’t believe women and birthing people need “fixing.” I believe they need information, support, and space to trust themselves.

And that belief runs through every service I offer.

 

How I Support Families

🌿 Hypnobirthing Courses

I teach independent hypnobirthing, not a one-size-fits-all manual. My courses are full antenatal education — covering physiology of birth, mindset, comfort measures, partner support, navigating the maternity system, informed decision-making, and advocacy.

They’re factual, grounded, and real.No fluff. No fear. Just proper education.

Courses are available privately or in groups, and adapt constantly based on current evidence, local maternity services, and my real-life doula experience.

🌿 Birth Doula Support

As a Doula, I provide continuous emotional, practical and informational support through pregnancy, birth and early postpartum.

I support home births, birth centre births, hospital births, inductions and caesareans. I help families feel steady, confident, and held — especially when plans change or things feel overwhelming.

A Doula doesn’t replace your midwife.

A Doula fills the gaps the system simply can’t.

🌿 Doula in My Pocket (Virtual Support)

For those who want doula support in a more accessible way, I offer Doula in My Pocket — virtual support with unlimited WhatsApp messaging (Mon–Fri, 9–4) and on-call support during labour and birth.

It’s reassurance, guidance, advocacy tips and calm — right when you need it.

🌿 Power Hours & Birth Planning Sessions

Sometimes you don’t need a full course — you need focused, personalised support, right now, around your questions, your circumstances, and your birth.

That’s where my Power Hours and Birth Planning Sessions come in.

These are 1:1, one-hour antenatal sessions, completely tailored to you.No generic content. No set agenda. We focus on exactly what you need support with.

Birth Planning Sessions go deeper into helping you create a clear, confident, well-written birth plan — one that reflects your values, supports informed consent, and helps your care providers understand how best to support you.

These sessions are powerful because they put you back at the centre of your care. They’re practical, empowering, and often described as a “lightbulb moment” for families who leave feeling calmer, clearer and far more confident.

🌿 Hypnotherapy & Birth Trauma Support

As a Clinical Hypnotherapist, I work with pregnancy anxiety, fear of birth, tokophobia, previous trauma, stress and confidence.

Birth trauma is real — and it deserves proper, compassionate support.Healing is possible, and you don’t have to carry it alone.

 

🌿 Online Shop & Digital Resources

NEW FOR 2026 - I’ve created a growing library of instant-download resources — workbooks, guides, MP3s and tools designed to make antenatal education more accessible and affordable.

They’re ideal if you want to learn in your own time, deepen your understanding, or supplement your care with solid, evidence-based information.

Watch this space for the launch date (eek!)

Looking Ahead

This year, my intention is simple: to continue supporting women to feel educated, powerful, and centred in their choices, even in a system that often makes that hard.

Birth isn’t something to fear.

But it is something worth preparing for.

And investing in antenatal education isn’t indulgent — it’s protective.

If this is your year to meet your baby, I’d be honoured to support you along the way.

Here’s to informed choices.

Here’s to strong women.

Here’s to calmer, safer, more respectful births — one family at a time.

For more information on my services please visit www.cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk and take a look around.

When Should You Start a Hypnobirthing Course?

What's a good time to start a Hypnobirthing Antenatal Education course...

One of the most common questions I get asked is: “When’s the best time to do a Hypnobirthing course?”

The short answer? It’s never too early — and it’s definitely not too late.

Hypnobirthing is all about giving you the knowledge, tools, and confidence to feel calm, in control, and ready for birth. Those benefits aren’t reserved for one magic window of pregnancy — they can support you at any stage. But there are some ideal timings, depending on your circumstances.

So let’s break it down…

The sweet spot: Around 20–30 weeks pregnant

If I had to choose, I’d say this is a brilliant time to start. You’re far enough along to be thinking about birth and making plans, but early enough that you’ve got months to practise your breathing techniques, relaxation, positive mindset work and really get to grips with all the knowledge you've gained on the course.

You can take your time, revisit the content, and really let those tools become second nature. And because Hypnobirthing is as much about the birth partner as the birthing person, they’ve also got time to get involved, learn their role, and feel prepared.

Starting earlier: First trimester or early second trimester

Some people love starting early — and I get it. If you’re feeling anxious about pregnancy or birth, or you just want to feel prepared from the get-go, Hypnobirthing can be a game-changer in reducing fear and building confidence.

The bonus of starting early is that you can use the relaxation tools to support you throughout your pregnancy — not just for birth. Many people tell me it helps with sleep, stress, and staying connected to their baby. Learning antenatal education early also helps you to build that confidence and positive anticipation, and actually enjoy your pregnancy journey; rather than spending the majority of your pregnancy overwhelmed, fearful or in full blown denial of the fact that baby's gotta come out your vagina!

Starting later: Third trimester and beyond

Maybe you’ve only just heard of Hypnobirthing. Maybe life’s been busy, or maybe you didn’t think you needed it until now.

Here’s the truth — even if you’re just weeks away from meeting your baby, there’s still so much you can gain from a course. You can learn quick, effective tools for relaxation, ways to work with your body, and strategies to advocate for yourself — all of which can have a big impact on your birth experience.

While you’ll have less time to practise, I’ve seen plenty of people take a course at 36+ weeks and go on to have incredible, positive births.

Why timing matters (but not as much as you think)

The beauty of Hypnobirthing is that it's useful, quality antenatal education whenever you start. Yes, starting earlier gives you more time to practise, but what really matters is the quality of what you learn and how you use it.

It’s not about ticking boxes — it’s about feeling informed, confident, and supported.

My recommendation?

If you can, aim to start between 20–30 weeks. That gives you a nice balance of time to absorb the information, practise the techniques, and make any birth choices that feel right for you.

But if you’re earlier or later — don’t wait. You deserve to feel calm, powerful, and in control, no matter how far along you are.

At Cornwall Hypnobirthing, my courses are tailored to you — rigid script or 'taught from a manual' content here! Whether you join a group or have private sessions, you’ll get practical, evidence-based tools, a deep understanding of your rights and choices, and the confidence to approach your birth without fear.

Ready to get started? Check upcoming group course dates or book your private sessions here: www.cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk