Antenatal Classes St Albans - Midwife Holly

20/10/2026

🤰 What knickers should you buy for after birth?

It might not be the most glamorous part of preparing for your baby, but trust me, choosing the right underwear for your postnatal recovery can make a real difference to your comfort! 💛

After birth, you’ll probably want knickers that are:
✨ Soft and comfortable
✨ High-waisted, particularly if you have a caesarean birth
✨ Roomy enough to accommodate maternity pads
✨ Easy to pull on and off when you’re recovering

You don’t need to spend a fortune on special postnatal underwear. A few inexpensive pairs that you feel comfortable in can be a great place to start.

And remember, your body has done something incredible. Give yourself time, comfort and kindness while you recover. 💕

As a midwife, I love sharing the practical tips that can help you feel more prepared for birth AND the bit that comes afterwards….because the postnatal period deserves just as much attention!

📍 Midwife Holly | Antenatal classes in St Albans, Hertfordshire

My small-group Birth & Baby Preparation classes run over two Saturday mornings at The Nest Montessori, St Albans. We cover labour, birth, pain relief, interventions, feeding, newborn care and postnatal recovery, so you can feel more prepared for the whole journey.

💬 What’s one thing you wish someone had told you to buy before having your baby?

16/10/2026

🚨 Newborn sleep safety: would you know what to look for?

I spotted this Cosydream product in Boots and it really caught my eye. It’s marketed for babies aged 0–3 months, made from organic cotton, and the packaging mentions benefits such as supporting digestion and helping to prevent a flat head.

But as a midwife, one of the first things I think about when looking at products for newborns is safe sleep. 👶

The name Cosydream sounds lovely and cosy, but it’s important to remember that a product designed for babies isn’t automatically suitable for them to sleep in.

For babies under six months, the safest place to sleep is on their back, in their own clear sleep space, on a firm, flat mattress.

Soft, cushioned sides and positioning supports can pose a risk of suffocation if a baby’s face presses against them, potentially obstructing their nose and mouth and making it difficult for them to breathe. This is why it’s so important to check whether a product is actually suitable for infant sleep, rather than relying on its name, appearance or marketing.

The Lullaby Trust advises against using baby pods and nests as sleep spaces and does not recommend sleep positioners. Their advice is to place babies on their backs to sleep, on a firm, flat mattress in a clear sleep space.

As a midwife, I know how overwhelming it can feel trying to work out which newborn products you actually need, especially when so many are advertised as having benefits for your baby.

💛 You don’t need to buy everything marketed for newborns.

I share these little shopping trips to help you look beyond the packaging, understand the evidence and feel more confident making informed choices for your baby. Because sometimes, knowing what not to buy is just as helpful as knowing what you might need.

15/10/2026

Choosing a blanket for your newborn? Here’s what I’d look for as a midwife.

When shopping for baby blankets, it’s easy to get distracted by how cute they look, but there are a few practical things worth considering!

🤍 Think about the material. Natural fibres such as cotton or wool can be worth considering. Look at how breathable the fabric is, how it feels against your baby’s skin and how easy it is to wash.

🤍 Consider the thickness and weight. A thick, heavy or fluffy blanket can make it harder to regulate your baby’s temperature. Babies can overheat, so lighter layers are often more practical.

🤍 Remember safe sleep. For babies under six months, the safest place to sleep is on their back, in their own clear, flat, firm sleep space. If using a blanket, follow safe-sleep guidance: use lightweight bedding, tuck it in securely no higher than your baby’s shoulders, and keep their head uncovered. A correctly sized baby sleeping bag is another option.

You don’t need to buy everything on the baby shop shelves. Sometimes it’s about choosing a few practical things that work for your family. 💚

Save this for your next baby shopping trip, and follow Midwife Holly for evidence-informed pregnancy, birth and newborn advice.

📍 Antenatal classes in St Albans midwifeholly.co.uk

15/10/2026

📣 NEW TO ST ALBANS! ANTENATAL CLASSES WITH A LOCAL MIDWIFE 🤰🏻💛

Looking for antenatal classes in St Albans that fit around your life, help you feel genuinely prepared for birth, and give you the chance to meet other local parents?

I’ve designed my Birth & Baby Preparation classes around feedback from local families, because preparing for birth and parenthood should leave you feeling informed, confident and supported … not overwhelmed!

✨ Here’s what makes my classes a little different:

☕ Saturday mornings — no late-night classes after a long day at work.

📅 Just two sessions — no weeks of commitment to squeeze into your already busy lives.

👋 Smaller groups — time to get to know each other properly and start building your local parenting village.

💬 Plenty of time for questions — no rushing through a packed agenda or feeling silly for asking something.

📚 Evidence-based information — practical advice grounded in research and professional midwifery experience.

💛 The whole picture of birth — from labour, birth positions and pain relief to epidurals, forceps, assisted births and emergency caesareans. We’ll talk honestly about the things we hope won’t happen, too, so you can feel better prepared for different possibilities.

👶 And what happens afterwards? We dedicate time to feeding, newborn care, safe sleep and postnatal recovery for the whole family, because there’s more to preparing for a baby than just preparing for birth!

All this for £195 per couple, with a friendly local midwife and the opportunity to make connections with other expectant parents in St Albans.

My aim is for you to leave feeling more confident, empowered and ready for the journey ahead … with a few new mum and dad friends along the way. 🥰

📍 The Nest Montessori, St Albans
🗓️ Next course starts Saturday 14th November!

If you’re expecting a baby and looking for antenatal classes in St Albans, I’d absolutely love to welcome you.

💌 Send me a message to find out more or book your place and please share this with any local friends who are expecting!

10/10/2026

09/10/2026

🛒🤰🏼 PREGNANT? COME FOOD SHOPPING WITH A MIDWIFE… LET’S FILL YOUR BASKET!

After my foods-to-avoid video, let’s talk about all the things you CAN eat! ❤️

🥦 FRUIT & VEG
Fresh, frozen and tinned all count! Frozen fruit and veg are super convenient and highly nutritious. Wash fresh fruit, veg and salad thoroughly before eating.

🥣 WHOLEGRAINS & STARCHY FOODS
Oats, potatoes, wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta provide energy and fibre.

🥚 PROTEIN
Eggs, beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds are brilliant options. Meat, poultry and fish can all be part of a balanced pregnancy diet.

Cook meat and poultry thoroughly, with no pink meat or blood. Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it.

🥚 EGGS
Want runny eggs? Choose British Lion or Laid in Britain eggs, within their use-by date. Otherwise, cook eggs thoroughly.

🐟 FISH
Aim for 2 portions a week, including 1 of oily fish, such as salmon or sardines. Limit oily fish to 2 portions weekly and tuna to 4 medium cans or 2 steaks. Avoid shark, swordfish, marlin, raw fish and raw shellfish.

🥛 DAIRY
Milk, yoghurt and cheese provide calcium and other nutrients. Choose pasteurised dairy, and cook certain soft mould-ripened and blue cheeses until steaming hot.

🧊 CHILLED FOOD & LEFTOVERS
Check use-by dates, follow storage instructions and keep chilled foods refrigerated. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout.

🥜 EASY SNACKS
Fruit, nuts, nut butter and yoghurt are handy options for those “I’m starving AGAIN!” moments. Peanuts don’t need to be avoided unless you’re allergic or advised otherwise.

❤️ REMEMBER: you don’t need to eat perfectly or cook everything from scratch. Aim for variety, balance and a few extra food-safety precautions.

Less panic. More food!

Save this for your next food shop 🛒

Midwife Holly x

02/10/2026

🤰🏼 PREGNANT? BEFORE YOU ADD THIS TO YOUR POSTPARTUM BASKET…

You’ll see SO many perineal sprays, spritzes and foams marketed for after birth.

But personally? I wouldn’t rush out and buy one.

After a vaginal birth, particularly if you have stitches, the skin around your perineum can be a little sore, swollen and sensitive.

And I’ve found that some of these products can actually sting and irritate the area, which is the last thing you want when you’re already uncomfortable.

The good news? You don’t need lots of products to keep your stitches clean.

💧 The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advice for perineal tears is to clean the area with water, and they advise not using products on the area.

So rather than spending money on lots of sprays and foams “just in case”, I’d keep things simple and see what you actually need after your baby arrives.

And if you do have a product you’re considering using, particularly if you have stitches, it’s worth checking with your midwife or maternity team first.

You don’t need to buy the whole postpartum aisle! 😂

Save this for your postpartum shopping list ❤️

Midwife Holly x

30/09/2026

🤰🏼 PREGNANT? LET’S TALK BABY BLANKETS…

Because there are SO many gorgeous blankets out there, but they’re not all something I’d be putting in a newborn’s cot.

When I’m looking at a baby blanket, I’m thinking about how heavy, thick and breathable it is.

I personally wouldn’t go for those really thick, heavy polyester blankets for a newborn’s sleep space.

Instead, I’d be looking for something lightweight and loosely knitted, and I tend to prefer natural fibres such as cotton or wool.

The important thing here is that your baby doesn’t need to be wrapped up like a little burrito!

Babies can overheat, and the specifically recommends lightweight bedding and advises avoiding thick, fleecy, padded or bulky blankets.

And remember…one blanket folded in half counts as two blankets, so adding more layers can quickly make things warmer than you realise.

If you’re using a blanket for sleep, it should be firmly tucked in and no higher than your baby’s shoulders.

And if you’re wondering whether your baby is too hot, check their chest or the back of their neck rather than their hands and feet. If they’re hot or sweaty, remove a layer.

So when you’re standing in the baby aisle thinking “Which blanket do I actually need?”…

Think lightweight, not bulky, and don’t overdo the layers.

And for more really useful safer-sleep information, I always recommend checking out The Lullaby Trust, they have excellent guidance on bedding, room temperature and dressing your baby for sleep.

Save this for your baby shopping trip 🛒👶🏼

Midwife Holly x

29/09/2026

🤰🏼 PREGNANT? PUT THIS ONE ON YOUR “JUST IN CASE” LIST…

There are SO many postpartum recovery products out there that it can feel like you need an entire bathroom cabinet before your baby even arrives! 😂

But this is one you might want to know about…

💧 A peri bottle

If you have a vaginal birth, particularly if you have stitches or your perineum is feeling sore, a peri bottle can be really useful.

You fill it with warm water and gently rinse the area while you’re on the toilet or in the shower. It can feel much more comfortable than wiping, and the water can also help dilute your urine if it’s stinging when you wee.

But here’s the bit I want you to remember…

You don’t necessarily need to buy one before your baby arrives.

You might have a completely different birth and recovery to what you expected, and there are plenty of things you can easily get afterwards if you decide you want them.

So save this video, put it on your “just in case” list and send it to your bestie! 😂

Then if you have a vaginal birth and think it would make life a little more comfortable, they can pop out and get you one.

Know your options. Don’t feel like you need to buy everything just in case. ❤️

Midwife Holly x