Calm Mama Club - Pregnancy, Birth & Hypnobirthing with Tara Day – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the Calm Mama Club, I share my 25-week pregnancy journey, including the symptoms I’m experiencing and how they differ from my first pregnancy. I also talk openly about the challenges of looking after a teething toddler while pregnant, and the realities of sleep deprivation and how it impacts our daily life and relationships.

If you’re a mum-to-be, a parent juggling multiple kids, or just curious about the honest ups and downs of pregnancy and motherhood, this episode is for you! I share personal tips, reflections, and practical strategies for navigating this stage of pregnancy while caring for little ones.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Common 25-week pregnancy symptoms and how they differ between first and subsequent pregnancies. 
• 24 week midwife appointment 
• Managing a teething toddler while pregnant and coping strategies for those tough moments.
• The effects of sleep deprivation on your mental health, energy, and relationship.
• Real-life weekly mum update, sharing honest experiences, tips, and reflections.
  

Tune in for an authentic look at pregnancy, parenting, and self-care, and join me as I navigate this journey with humour, honesty, and a little bit of chaos!

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club

Welcome to the Calm Mama Club podcast! I’m Tara Day, a qualified hypnotherapist, hypnobirthing enthusiast, and mum of one (soon to be two!). In this first episode, I introduce you to the podcast, share why I started it, and talk about my perspective on the current hypnobirthing landscape.

You’ll hear about my personal pregnancy journey, the realities of birth and motherhood, and what to expect from future episodes. From practical tips for managing sleep deprivation, toddler chaos, and pregnancy symptoms to honest conversations about birth preparation, mindset, relaxation, and hypnobirthing techniques.

This podcast is for mums-to-be, new mums, and anyone interested in a science-backed, realistic approach to pregnancy, labour, and postpartum life. I’ll be sharing unfiltered stories, expert advice, and simple tools you can use right away to feel more calm, supported, and confident in your journey.

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club

In this episode, I share my personal experience and insights on labor pain, and how we can reframe it in a way that’s empowering rather than frightening.

Key takeaways:
1️⃣ Why I still use the word “pain”: Unlike traditional hypnobirthing courses, I find it helpful to acknowledge the sensation. I wasn’t fully prepared in my own birth, and understanding this made a huge difference.
2️⃣ Pain as progress – Athletes experience and even embrace pain because it signals growth and strength. Labor pain works in the same way: it’s your body doing exactly what it needs to do.
3️⃣ Turn the dial – You can learn to reframe and control the intensity of sensations, like adjusting a dial, so labor feels more manageable and empowering.

If you’re preparing for birth or supporting someone who is, this episode will give you practical tips, mindset shifts, and real-life perspectives on how to move through labor with confidence.

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club

Pregnancy advice can feel like a minefield… 🫠 one person says “absolutely don’t,” the next says “totally fine!”

I’ve been digging into the actual data (thanks Emily Oster 📚✨) and making choices that feel right for me.

Here’s where I’ve landed 👇

🍣 Sushi: yes, but from good restaurants only! (01:30)
🧀 Cheese & deli meats: I’m fine with pasteurised + heated, even Stilton (04:05)
🥩 Steak: cooked well-done, saving the rare one for post-baby (07:15)

🛁 Baths & hot tubs: thermometer in hand, keeping it under 38°C (09:02)
😴 Back sleeping: I don’t stress if I wake up that way, my body moves when it needs to (12:25)

💇‍♀️ Hair dye: totally fine, just be aware colour can take differently (14:29)

Every pregnancy is different, and every choice is personal. 💛
This is simply what feels right for me, not medical advice.

What do you think? Let me know on Social Media!

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club

In this episode I share my birth story & my journey of welcoming my first baby into the world, in a story that’s both positive and realistic. From early prodromal labor at home to eventually heading to the hospital, I talk about the surprises, challenges, and some things I wish I had known!

Key takeaways for first-time mums:

• Prodromal labor is real: first-time mums can be in labor for a long time. Rest is essential.

• A positive birth isn’t defined by how it happened, but by how you FELT afterwards 💛

• Hypnobirthing is a powerful tool, and so is medication. For my next birth, I plan to focus on hypnobirthing while staying open to all options.

• Knowledge is power. The more informed you are, the more confident you feel.

• YOU GOT THIS. Trust your body and yourself 💕

Whether you’re preparing for your first birth or just curious about the realities of labor, this episode offers an honest, empowering, and relatable perspective on birth and why flexibility and self-trust matter most.

What is your definition of a positive birth? Let me know on Social Media!

#BirthStory #PositiveBirthStory #RealisticBirthStory

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club

In this episode, we’re talking all about Braxton Hicks contractions, those unexpected tightenings that can take you by surprise in pregnancy. You’ll learn what they are, why they happen, and how to tell the difference between practice contractions and the real thing.

• My experience - 31 Weeks Pregnant, 2nd pregnancy, braxton hicks and anxiety this weekend (00:56)
• Braxton Hicks - what are they? (06:45)
• How are Braxton Hicks different to labour contractions? (07:38)
• When do Braxton Hicks start and what causes them? (08:21)
• How to stop Braxton hicks? (09:09)

Think of this as your calm guide through one of pregnancy’s most common (and often misunderstood) experiences. Whether you’re feeling confused, curious, or just want reassurance, this episode will help you understand what your body’s doing and why it’s a positive sign that everything’s getting ready for birth.

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: ⁠www.taradayhypnotherapy.com⁠
📱 Instagram: ⁠@calm_mama_club_⁠
📱 TikTok: ⁠@calm_mama_club⁠

What Really Makes a Positive Birth Experience: Feeling Informed, Supported and Calm. 

When you picture a “positive birth,” do you think of a peaceful water birth at home? You’re not alone, but the truth is, a positive birth can happen anywhere.

In this episode, I dive into the real ingredients of a positive birth experience: being informed, supported, and calm. Drawing on my own birth story of starting with a home birth and transferring to hospital, I share how empowerment and mindset matter far more than the setting itself.

You’ll hear:
✨ Why being informed (knowing your options, risks, and benefits) gives you confidence (04:00)
🤍 How feeling supported by your partner, midwife, or doula transforms your birth experience (05:30)
🌿 What it really means to stay calm: and how relaxation tools like hypnobirthing help you trust your body and reduce fear (08:08)

I also open up about how this experience inspired me to create my own approach to hypnobirthing, one that’s realistic, grounded, and designed to help every woman feel informed, supported and calm.

If you’re pregnant, planning a birth, or want to redefine what “positive birth” truly means, this episode will help you feel ready, reassured, and confident in your body’s power.

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: ⁠www.taradayhypnotherapy.com⁠

📱 Instagram: ⁠@calm_mama_club_⁠

📱 TikTok: ⁠@calm_mama_club⁠

41 Pregnancy Symptoms - Is It Normal? Yes, Probably! 

In this episode I talk all about the weird and wonderful symptoms I’ve had in both pregnancies - what have I missed?!

1. Bleeding gums (01:04)
2. Lightning crotch (01:38)
3. Pelvic girdle pain (02:11)
4. Round ligament pain (02:11)
5. Hip pain (02:11)
6. Back pain and Sciatica (02:11)
7. Insomnia (05:12)
8. Vivid dreams (06:16)
9. Charlie horses - leg cramps! (06:43)
10. Restless legs  (07:30)
11. Sickness (08:19)
12. Cramping (09:42)
13. Increased sense of smell (10:32)
14. Blood pressure changes (11:59)
15. Mood swings (13:28)
16. Blood sugar changes (14:03) 
17. Exhaustion (15:12)
18. Hair density changes (16:17)
19. Food aversions / cravings (17:10)
20. Bigger, darker nipples  (18:34)
21. Sore breasts (19:33)
22. Constipation - haemorrhoids (19:57)
23. Body odour (20:58)
24. Frequent urination (21:52)
25. Brain fog (22:05)
26. Swollen feet and ankles (22:15)
27. Carpel tunnel (22:30)
28. Heartburn (22:54)
29. Increased thirst (23:27)
30. Spider veins (24:15)
31. Stretch marks (24:24)
32. Metallic taste in mouth (24:30) 
33. Stuffy nose (24:49)
34. Skin tags (25:12)
35. Belly hair (25:52)
36. Linea Nigra - belly line (26:06)
37. Sun spots (26:47)
38. Numb legs (27:00)
39. Heart palpitations (27:52)
40. Nose bleeds (28:07)
41. Discharge (28:15)

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: ⁠www.taradayhypnotherapy.com⁠

📱 Instagram: ⁠@calm_mama_club_⁠

📱 TikTok: ⁠@calm_mama_club⁠

This week on the podcast!
👶 My 28-week midwife appointment (01:10)
🤰 29-week pregnancy symptoms – sciatica, hip pain and peeing myself (03:00)
🍼 Toddler updates from Toddler Land – teething, eggy sick incident, and our latest adventures in tile shopping! (05:32)

Join me for all the honest, real-life pregnancy and parenthood updates  🎧

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club

We just got back from 3 days in Copenhagen (our baby moon!) - and it really hit me how completely life has changed since becoming a mum.
This episode is a reflection on how motherhood has transformed everything for me - the messy, chaotic, beautiful reality of it all.

Here’s what I talk about 👇

1️⃣ The Secret Club of Motherhood (01:10) – a new level of respect and empathy for women everywhere.
2️⃣ How Time Has Changed (03:48) - goodbye Tara time!
3️⃣ Lack of Spontaneity (07:14) - the days of “just popping out” are gone.
4️⃣ Changing Friendships (07:45) - you can’t just jump in the car anymore...
5️⃣ Identity Shift (09:39) – your body, your sense of self… it takes time. I didn’t feel like me again for 12 months.
6️⃣ Career Shift (11:04) – priorities change; flexibility suddenly matters more than promotion.

These are just my reflections but I’d love to know how becoming a parent has changed YOU. Let me know on Social Media! 💬

#parenthoodpodcast #motherhoodpodcast #pregnancypodcast #motherhood #parenthood

Thanks so much for listening 💛

🌐 Website: www.taradayhypnotherapy.com
📱 Instagram: @calm_mama_club_
📱 TikTok: @calm_mama_club