Holly Richardson, a 33-year-old mother from Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, has turned her traumatic birth experience into a business that helps expectant parents prepare for childbirth. After the birth of her first daughter Indigo, now four, she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), struggling with flashbacks, anxiety, and overwhelming feelings.
Traumatic birth experience
Richardson, who works as a mental health therapist, said her pregnancy was difficult. Her waters broke two weeks early, and she did not fully understand what was happening leading up to the birth at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington. She had complications during birth, leaving her unable to sit up or walk, requiring surgery two days after delivery.
Despite her professional background in supporting others with anxiety and trauma, Richardson said nothing prepared her for the impact on her own mental health. "It completely knocked me. I'd spent years helping other people manage their mental health and understood anxiety and trauma professionally, but nothing prepared me for how I felt after my own birth experience," she said.
Launching Birth Then Baby
While speaking to other pregnant women and new parents, Richardson found many were researching birth, scrolling social media, and listening to others' experiences but still felt anxious and unprepared. This inspired her to launch Birth Then Baby, a business that helps people prepare for birth with confidence.
Richardson, who also has a 23-month-old daughter Orla, said: "I found myself replaying what had happened over and over again and questioning whether things could have been different. It was exhausting." She noted that sensory triggers, like the smell of bleach, would bring back flashbacks of the hospital.
Combining mental health expertise with birth education
Richardson has combined her background in mental health with evidence-based birth education. She believes many parents are overwhelmed by the amount of information available during pregnancy but lack the confidence to apply it. "I think people don't even know where to start when it comes to preparing for birth. Sometimes they come away from appointments more confused than they went in," she said.
For her second birth, Richardson had a home birth and received excellent care from community midwives. Although the birth was classified as an emergency due to shoulder dystocia, she felt calm because she had planned what questions to ask. "Knowing something logically and feeling calm enough to use that knowledge are two very different things. My goal isn't to tell people how they should give birth. Every family is different," she explained.
Courses and pricing
Richardson offers one-day birth preparation courses at House Seven in Tynemouth for £290, as well as private one-to-one sessions across North Tyneside and Northumberland for £450. The courses aim to help expectant parents understand how labour works, explore their options, make informed decisions, and learn practical techniques to manage fear and uncertainty.
