My Top 5 Tips for Creating the Best Birthing Environment

Where Can I Give Birth in Grimsby?

First things first, most people reading this will be pregnant in Grimsby, Cleethorpes, or the surrounding areas.

So, let’s think about the options for where you can give birth. The most common place is Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, but did you know that you also have the option to have a home birth in Grimsby?

Whether you’re planning a hospital birth, home birth, or midwife-led birth center experience a little further afield, your birthing space plays a key role in how you feel during labour.

Why Does the Birthing Environment Matter?

No matter where you give birth, it’s a scientific fact that creating the right birth space is crucial – and here’s why…

It’s all about the magical hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin plays a vital role during labour and birth, making it essential for a smooth and positive birthing experience. It stimulates the contractions that help open up your cervix and eventually guide your baby through the birth canal.

And it doesn’t stop there! After birth, oxytocin continues to support the bond between you and your baby, even promoting breastfeeding by stimulating milk flow – I told you, it’s magical!

How to Boost Oxytocin for a Calm and Positive Birth

Oxytocin is commonly referred to as the ‘love hormone’ because it’s produced when you feel safe, relaxed, and loved. That means your birthing environment should encourage these feelings so oxytocin can flow freely.

On the flip side, if you feel anxious, stressed, or unsafe, your body will release adrenaline, which can slow down labour and make things feel more difficult.

So, how do you create the best birthing environment?

Here are my top 5 tips for a calm and positive birth:

1. Dim the Lights

Bright lights can make you feel exposed and on edge. If possible, dim the lights, close the curtains, or use soft, warm lighting like fairy lights, salt lamps, or battery-powered candles to create a relaxing birth space.

2. Choose Familiar Comforts

Bring things from home that make you feel safe and relaxed—this could be a favourite blanket, a pillow, or even a piece of clothing that smells like home. Familiarity helps you feel comfortable, which in turn boosts oxytocin production and keeps you in the right birth mindset.

3. Use Relaxing Sounds & Music

Music is a powerful tool for birth! Create a playlist of calming songs, your favourite ‘feel-good’ tracks, or hypnobirthing affirmations and relaxation audios to help you stay in the zone. If you’re using hypnobirthing techniques, listening to familiar tracks can instantly bring you back to a deep state of relaxation.

(If you want to learn more about hypnobirthing, check out my Introduction to Hypnobirthing session!)

4. Incorporate Soothing Scents

Aromatherapy during birth can be a game-changer! Essential oils like lavender, clary sage, and frankincense can promote relaxation and ease tension.

If essential oils aren’t for you, try a familiar scent like your favourite wax melt, room spray, or even your partner’s aftershave—anything that brings comfort!

When I was in labour, I made Liam wear the aftershave he used when we first met—and it gave me the same butterflies as back then!

5. Limit Distractions & Set Boundaries

Your birth space should feel calm, safe, and just right for you.

That might mean:
– Keeping visitors to a minimum
– Switching off harsh overhead lights
– Asking for a quieter room if you’re in hospital
– Requesting that the staff speak to you birth partner, rather than you

The key is to make sure your birth partner and healthcare team know what helps you feel most relaxed—because when you feel safe and supported, your body can do what it was made to do.

Your Birthing Space is Your secret super Power

Creating the best birthing environment is about making a space where you feel safe, calm, and empowered.

Whether you’re planning a hospital birth, home birth in Grimsby, or using hypnobirthing techniques, these simple adjustments can make a huge difference!

Do you want to feel fully prepared for a positive, calm birth?

Join my next Hypnobirthing group course and start feeling confident in your birth journey! 💕