'That bump... that bump... that lovely baby bump...'

Look being pregnant is amazing. The simple fact that a tiny sperm managed to find a tiny egg is actually fascinating in itself. Some people fall pregnant without meaning to, some people plan out their pregnancy to the minute and some people need science's help to get things moving. Some people try for years to make a baby and some people just have to think about falling pregnant and it happens. The journey to become pregnant can be extremely different for different people, much like the actual 40 or so weeks of being pregnant.

 

For me my journey was exciting, then it was scary, then it was exciting, then it was sickening, then it was painful then it was tiering, then it was exciting again, then painful again..anyway you get my point. I had dreamt about being pregnant and having a baby my whole life. I am a teacher by trade and I have loved children since a very young age. I could take or leave getting married but my deal breaker was always 'he must want children'. Some women look at bikini models wishing for a body like that but I would look at women with their beautiful baby bellies and think one day that will be me. No matter what romcom movie I watched I could never make it through a birth scene without crying imagining the magical moment my baby would come in to the world and we would embrace and connect on a level so deep that it was unlike anything I had felt before.

Needless to say the whole pregnancy and birth thing were NOTHING like hollywood made it seem. 

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I had what was classified as a low risk 'easy' pregnancy but for me it felt like anything but. Crippling morning sickness, rampant anxiety and agonising bone and ligament pain quickly had my perfect pregnancy bubble well and truly bursting (just like the waist of all of my skinny jeans). What made things worse was my dear old frenemy google. Every ache and pain could be googled in an instant with my wildest fears becoming the possible answers. This made for an extremely long and tiring (mentally and physically) 40 weeks. Every nurse and doctor I met (although good) were dealing with babies and pregnant women all day so information was kept  short, sharp and shiny. But I needed more. More reassuring, sensitive and comforting information and I didn't know where to get it. 

 

I found I had little to no idea what was coming and when, and ended up just holding on for dear life the whole journey. Despite my best efforts my pregnancy journey was much like my appetite at the time, well and truly out of my control. All I could do was cross my fingers and hope for the best. I was scared, tiered, sick and going through the most crazy body transformations that our human bodies can go through and I was beating myself up for not appreciating it, enjoying it and being in the moment more. I didn't need better doctors or nurses I needed friends, women who were going through what I was going through who I could complain with without feeling judged, who I could cry with without feeling ungrateful and who I could voice my fears with without being told I'm crazy, but most of all I wanted people I could laugh with about my new and weird and sometimes scary body . I needed this program, hence why I decided to do it myself. 

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I am one of the lucky ones. Both me and my baby got through the whole experience alive and well. I am not complaining about the outcome more just knowing the process and experience could have been a little richer and a lot better supported. My fear and lack of control got in the way. I would have loved to go through the journey with others. I would have loved another source of information that wasn't the internet. I would have loved to have enjoyed being pregnant more. Hence the creation of Bump and Beyond Pregnancy Group. 

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 WHAT DOES OUR PREGNANCY GROUP LOOK LIKE?

Our pregnancy group sessions are two hours long and will be held every week on a designated afternoon. Your session will have nine other new expecting mums. You will have a group leader who will facilitate each session who will hopefully become a great support for you over the course of your sessions and beyond. Each week the session will start with a 45minute- hour long information session on one of the important topics that you might find useful during your pregnancy and in the beginning weeks of your babies life.

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These sessions include topics like

-Pre natal care options ,

-Child birth support options (hypnobirthing, private doula services, midwife),

-Dietitian advice,

-Physio advice,

-Early childcare,

-Childbirth and first few days after,

-After birth physical and emotional care,

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Our guest speakers are leaders/professionals in the area they are speaking about. This not only provides you with accurate and focused information but it will connect you with services which you may want to seek further support with in the future.

 

After the hour information session is complete it is a time to relax and chat with the group in a very informal way. Coffee, tea and nibbles will be provided each week (included as part of the program) and you will have the chance to chat to each other and your group leader about your own lives, things that you have found helpful, things you need help with or just chit chat about life. You can stay for as long or little of the social hour as you want/need. 

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If you enjoy your pregnancy group you can then go on to join one of our mothers group. After experiencing sessions with us during your pregnancy, you will hopefully feel relaxed and excited to come back with your newborn in tow. 

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WHY JOIN A PREGNANCY GROUP?

We understand that every pregnancy, mother and family is unique. Being pregnant is much more than giving birth and taking care of your newborn. It’s about birthing and raising parents too. We know being pregnant although amazing, mind blowing and empowering.. it can also sometimes be scary, isolating, painful and just all round annoying and that’s where we want to step in.

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Bump and Beyond is a hub for all parents to be. Through our holistic prenatal and postnatal services we will:

• Help you work through the multitude of feelings, expectations and transformations that naturally come with this new experience.

• Empower you as caregivers with the skills, support networks, strategies and resources to gently navigate through this new experience of parenting.

• Increase your insight and conscious connection with yourself, your partner, and your growing bubs.

• Assist in identifying your key priorities and needs for your pregnancy and as you become new parents

• Provide you with local agencies and businesses who can offer services to support you through your pregnancy and beyond.

• Provide a supportive network of mothers to be that can understand exactly what you are going through.

 

PRICING

Our 2 hour sessions are $25 each. This includes a local venue hire, session facilitator, coffee, tea and nibbles each session and an hour information session with a leading professional in each focused area. 

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