Braidwood NSW is all set to become the newest Babymoon destination; Is This the Ultimate Experience for pregnant couples?

BRAIDWOOD, NSW - Sept. 24, 2017 – Catherine Bell, Australia’s only Birth Cartographer, is launching her new Birth Cartography Workshops.   It is well known that parents who are informed and supported will have better experiences with pregnancy, birth and the early weeks.  Catherine has created a workshop unlike any other birth education class.  Birth Cartography is a new way of thinking about Birth Planning.  Held in Historic Braidwood, an easy day trip from Canberra, Goulburn or the NSW South Coast, and designed to prepare you for birth AND BEYOND, these workshops aim to build a community of support.  

But why limit yourself to just a day, when you can treat yourself to a whole weekend.  Braidwood is the perfect destination for a Babymoon: a pre-baby holiday  to inform, relax and pamper the parents-in-waiting.  Braidwood offers historic B&Bs and beautiful private homestays, diverse dining options and pampering treatments.  You can also add a photography session with Angela Hunter AND a belly-painting session with the fabulous and fun Frances.

First time mum Sarah, who worked one on one with Catherine in 2016, said:

“The midwives said it was The Best Birth Plan they had ever seen, and wished more people would do this”.  What Sarah had, was in fact not a birth plan, but a Birth Map.  The process of creating the Birth Map gave her and her partner confidence and enabled them to make informed decisions.

There is growing number of people seeking to better understand the options they have in birth and to increase their knowledge of what to expect.  This better enables them to communicate with their care providers and make informed decisions.

This drive to be better prepared has seen an increase in the number of birth plans being written.  Frustratingly though, the ‘birth plan’ seems to be falling short of expectation and need.  Care providers often view them warily and parents feel let down by them.  Often birth plans only focus on the ideal, which means that deviations are stressful and it is difficult to make informed decisions.

This is where Birth Cartography comes in

A Birth Map is a document that contains pre-made informed decisions for various ‘what if’ situations.  This provides the birth partner with an “if this, then that” set of instructions based on understanding. This avoids stressful on-the-spot decisions made with limited time and information. In the event that a birth deviates from ideal, the Birth Map allows for a calm approach, reminding the parents and care providers of the options and allowing for informed decisions.
During Birth Cartography workshops participants can discuss their options and lay the foundations of their Birth Map.  Partners attending workshops will gain insight from an experienced Partner, and have the opportunity to ask questions.  The workshops also help to prepare couples for the Early Weeks of parenting.  Catherine continues to work one on one with parents after the workshop as they develop their Birth Maps in conjunction with their Care Providers.  Couples also have the option of Catherine mentoring them through their early weeks (known as the Fourth Trimester) and even onto their Baby’s first birthday.
 

​Parents deserve to be fully informed and supported as they transition through  this most important of life events. 

Catherine, captured by Angela Hunter