Beyond Birth: A Mindful Guide to Early Parenting

Look after yourself and boost your life and parenting skills.

Raising a human is exhausting and complicated.

With no training and little education it can feel like you’re doing it wrong somehow. Created by experts, this supportive and practical guide is for all parents and parents to be.

It will show you how to reconnect and rediscover yourself; deepen your awareness, feel calm and confident in managing all the tasks and feelings that parenting brings.  

Discover the Paperback journal, eBook, online guide, plus audios will inspire, nurture, comfort and empower you during all the challenges and highs of this new time in your life. Whether this is your first baby, or you’ve done “this” before.

“The Beyond Birth Guide is a resource that I believe is an essential for any parent of a baby - regardless of whether this is their fifth baby, or their first. As parents, we yearn for information and guidance as we enter parenthood, on how to navigate this life-changing transition in bringing new life into the world. The Beyond Birth Guide is an incredibly valuable resource in providing for and facilitating the emotional, psychological, and soulful nourishment we yearn for when parenting a baby.”

Dr Sophie Brock is a Sociologist and Mother, passionate about supporting mothers and working to change our cultural understandings of Motherhood.

What’s in the Beyond Birth Guide…

This simple guide covers everything from emotions to sleep, anxiety to connection, self-care to crying babies, forgiveness and relationships. And so much more!  

You’re not alone, millions of people have been through this too, except we’re under even more pressure now. Parents are expected to inherently know how to raise a child and look after themselves. But as you know, as parents, we often don’t put ourselves first - The Beyond Birth Guide is here to help you look after you, for once. With very little effort you can feel great!

SELF-CARE IS GIVING THE WORLD THE BEST OF YOU NOT WHAT’S LEFT YOU.  

We believe in preservation, protection and prevention of our mental wellbeing and observing it. Once you have an awareness, you’ll begin to understand that wellbeing practices are normal. We want them to be part of your life as your non-negotiable.

What’s Included:

  • evidence-based information on mental wellbeing and how to manage it 
  •  simple mindfulness and visualisation audios  
  • guided relaxation and breathing techniques  
  • reflective q & a’s  
  • easy, effective, enjoyable self-care techniques  creative journaling, poetry and music  
  • an online community  
  • journaling Prompts and space to write your thoughts  
  • resources and signposting  
  • dad’s and Partners Tips Bonus: Experts tips, Q & A’s and free downloads

More about the Guide

When you sign up, you’ll have access to The Beyond Birth Guide via private link here on this site, as well as a Private Facebook Group for discussions and Q & A sessions, fresh content and a growing community of pregnant, new parents and perinatal professionals all navigating their way through the days and nights together.

The guide is divided into 6 easy to read chapters and each chapter has journaling prompts, affirmations, and audios as well as information to help guide you through and support yourself.  

The main themes are:  

  • Connections 
  • Nurture   
  • Nourish 
  • Emotions 
  • Healing & Recovery  
  • Transformation

“This is a rich and warm guide for parents. Sophie’s voice is one of kindness, knowledge and there are so many lovely tips and tools for parents to benefit from.”

Dr. Rebecca Moore - Perinatal Psychiatrist

“Beyond birth has really opened my eyes to how we can use mindfulness as a preventative measure. And how is can ease some of those challenges when we have a baby. I wish I had been able to attend these sessions when I was pregnant.”

Hannah at Belles Babies

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Mental wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing, especially during challenging times such as transitioning into parenthood. Learning simple techniques to manage mental wellbeing will help you and your baby navigate the ups and downs as you find your feet together, and for life. Your mental wellbeing affects your baby too, so if you can’t manage to do anything for yourself, think about doing it for your baby’s future.

This is absolutely for everyone. I believe in prevention and cure. This group will build resilience to the challenges you are bound to face as your navigate the first year with your baby, and onwards too.

Mental wellbeing is ways to flex your mind muscles and learn to understand your mind in a way that helps you find calm and peace, and perhaps weather the low days better than you would have. It helps us connect more to ourselves, our loved ones, our babies, and the world we live in.

Partners don’t need to be involved, but equally, having a baby does affect their mental health too, so they can benefit from taking part in the group or just reading some of the Beyond Birth Guide at home. There is a great deal for partners to gain from the guide and if they take part, you will both notice how it helps connect you all too.

Yes. Meeting others in the same boat as you, taking time for you and learning to relax will benefit you more than you know, helping you connect with other parents and your baby more deeply and for longer has positive benefits for your mental wellbeing even when you feel happy.

Sure. I get it completely. It’s important to take small micro-moments of time to rest and connect with yourself when you’re feeling so tired and there are some lovely ways to do this in the Guide and Groups. You don’t have to read through the full guide to benefit from it. I believe in bite-size chunks when you can. The more you do, the more you want to because you’ll notice how good it makes you feel.

Not at all. We work around babies' needs as they are so interchangeable. This group is for you and can be attended with babe sleeping or feeding - or even crying. It’s part and parcel of life with a baby, but also teaches you how to take time for you with your baby, that still feels like you have quality time for yourself.

You can start with the audios and then read a little of the guide on your phone when you’re feeding or resting. There’s no right o r wrong way to do this guide and many find they benefit from just popping an audio on loud speaker and listening while doing other tasks, or listening to one of the Facebook Group q & a’s like it’s a podcast. Then you can come to the guide questions later when you feel more ready: you have a whole year to use it - or even for life once you have it!

I agree, there are many partners who roll their eyes at this “stuff”. However, in my experience, if they start with the partners resources, they are often quick to know more as they see the benefits instantly. Usually, once the penny drops, they really make the most of the audios and other questions to work through. Perhaps buy them a nice notebook and pen to get them started with writing down what’s in their head! (Any excuse for some lovely stationery!)

Being tired, vulnerable and hormonal is a tricky road to navigate and often leaves nerves frayed. We feel spiky and the arguments happen easily. I’d suggest just popping on some audios on a loudspeaker and leaving out the partners resource section in the Guide for them to find. I’d also suggest finding a question or two from the guide to ask each other that may help you feel more connected again. If all else fails, hugs with intent work like magic every time. Sometimes words are best left unsaid.

Hurray! That’s great news. This is such a great way to work on the good too. It will enable you to build resilience to the challenges and connect with yourself, your baby, your partner and anyone else in the group more deeply, which is so rewarding and fulfilling.

This is such a challenge for anyone and the important thing is that you reach out to your GP/Health Visitor/Midwife and explain how you’re feeling first. Then use the Beyond Birth Guide as a bridging tool to help you get through each day and night, and connect you more with yourself, your baby and your partner. Tears are common for us all and a natural way to release emotion, so we get quite a few in our groups, and that’s to be expected. There is no judgement, only compassion and empathy, and you may find that helpful.

© 2024 Beyond Birth