“It was great to be able to talk to practicing professionals who deal with antenatal issues and pregnancy on a daily basis; they were always happy to answer any questions you had (even if you thought they were silly!) without judgement.’ ”
Our Bristol Experts
Every Bump to Cradle class is taught by a different professional practitioner in either pregnancy, birth or antenatal care. Learn from Midwives, Women’s Health Physios, Obstetricians, Paediatricians, Feeding Consultants, Maternal Mental Health Specialists and Sleep Consultants.
Dr Aarthi Mohan
Consultant Obstetrician
Aarthi is highly experienced in both low and high risk antenatal care, looking after pregnant women with underlying medical conditions at St. Michael’s Hospital in Bristol. She graduated in London in 1999 and has been a consultant since 2014.
Aarthi lives in Bristol with her husband and her daughter, Lily.
Dr Sarah Newell
Consultant Obstetrician
Sarah graduated from London in 2009 and has been working in Obstetrics for over 10 years. She works at St. Michael's Hospital in Bristol and has a special interest in fetal medicine. She feels passionate about helping women to feel as well informed and prepared as possible to help them have a calm and positive birth experience.
She lives in South Gloucestershire with her husband and her son, Charlie.
Laura Meredith-Hobbs
Midwife + Hypnobirthing Teacher
Laura is a Midwife with a wealth of experience working in the NHS. She has a specialist interest in looking after mothers in the early postnatal period and has recently started her own business, Postnatal Care Ltd., which is a service offering postnatal support in the form of home visits to new mums in Bristol.
More expert advice from Laura in our Expert Blog here.
Gill O’Dwyer
Midwife
Gill has been a midwife for 40 years working mostly in Bristol but also London and abroad. Most recently she worked at Cossham Birth Centre supporting women and their partners through many normal births, especially water births.
Giving birth to her 3 children were the most challenging and proudest moments of her life. Gill believes education and preparation together are vital in helping couples adapt to this incredibly important life event.
Lucy Middleton
Midwife + Pregnancy Yoga Teacher
Lucy is a passionate midwife working for the NHS in Bristol. She has experience working in all areas of midwifery. Alongside being a midwife Lucy is a pregnancy yoga teacher. Lucy loves pregnancy yoga as it gives women that sacred time to have to themselves forgetting about the outside world. Lucy is enthusiastic to share her knowledge and skills to inform and empower women and their families to have positive birth experiences.
Outside of work Lucy lives in Bristol with her partner- they enjoy saving up to go on adventurous holidays - the next being a bike tour through Eastern Europe.
Sophie Wickham
Midwife
Sophie qualified as a midwife in 2013. She has worked in all areas of midwifery and currently specialises in antenatal care for women and families with high risk pregnancies. She feels that knowledge is key to a positive birth and postnatal experience and looks forward to helping others prepare for their baby’s arrival.
Sophie lives in Bristol with her partner and daughter, Lily. Before teaching on the course, Sophie and her partner attended a Bump to Cradle course themselves.
Helen Oxenham
Women's Health Physiotherapist
Helen qualified as a physiotherapist in 1994 and specialised in women’s health after the birth of her first child 20 years ago. She really enjoys doing antenatal classes and supporting women pre and post birth with their pelvic floor function, diaphragmatic breathing, posture and back care.
Liz Brown
Women’s Health Physiotherapist
Liz's physiotherapy background is in sports and private healthcare in France and as an NHS locum in the UK. In 2019 in Bristol, she started running a specialised women’s health service in Bristol at the Alma Vale Centre & The Physio Clinic Bristol, taking inspiration from high quality post-partum care offered in France.
Liz is particularly passionate about improving the quality of women’s health physiotherapy and antenatal education in the UK. ‘One third of women in the UK between 35-55 years old suffer leakage’ and few seek help. Many are suffering in silence and have leakage/pelvic floor issues branded as ‘normal’ - but there is so often a simple solution with physiotherapy exercises! Sometimes these issues can also be avoided with the right education in schools and antenatal classes. Outside of spreading the word about the pelvic floor & helping ladies return to fitness, in her spare time she loves running, surfing & dog walks.
Liz Brierley
Feeding Consultant + Paediatric Nurse
Liz is a Paediatric nurse and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over 12 years of experience working within the field of paediatrics and infant nutrition + breastfeeding. She is passionate about supporting mothers during their breastfeeding + feeding journey.
Having her first child made Liz even more determined to offer not only feeding advice to new mums, but the emotional support which is so essential during those first few months.
Get some more expert guidance and a sneaky peek at one of our resident Feeding Consultant right here.
Kate Battersby
Feeding Consultant + Midwife
Kate is a practising Midwife and an experienced Lactation Consultant who provides specialist, private, one to one breastfeeding support to women in the relaxed environment of their own home. She is married and has two grown up babies!
Kate has worked as an Infant Feeding Specialist Midwife in the NHS and qualified as a LC in 2009. Kate continues to practice as a Midwife at Southmead Hospital part time.
Kate has a wealth of breastfeeding expertise and a depth of knowledge with the necessary skills to help support mothers throughout their breastfeeding journey.
Josie Routley
Health Visitor + Midwife + Feeding Consultant
Josie is a Registered Midwife and Health Visitor and became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2020. She has 20 years of experience supporting families in Bristol’s hospitals and homes and deeply understands the whole feeding journey. Josie takes a holistic approach and loves supporting families to find the right solutions for them. She is lucky enough to be able to use her skills in the public sector as an Infant Feeding Lead, and in her private practise, The Infant feeding service.
At home, Josie has 2 children of her own and enjoys gardening and the odd epic challenge.
Dr Sarah Oram
Paediatrician
Sarah graduated in 2015 and is a Paediatrics registrar with a keen interest in neonatology. She is excited to help new parents to feel as well equipped as possible as they embark on this wonderful new stage in life.
Sarah lives in Bristol with her husband, Daniel and two children.
Dr Mel Dean
Paediatrician
Mel graduated medicine in 2017 and is a Paediatric registrar with an interest in neonatology. She is excited to help parents feel as well informed as possible to give them and their babies the best start to their new adventure.
Dr Hannah Rouquairol
Paediatrician
Hannah qualified as a doctor in 2015 and has been working in paediatrics for the last 4 years including neonatal units in both London and Bristol. She is passionate about supporting new mums and giving babies the best possible start to life.
Hannah lives with her husband and her two sons in Bristol.
Sasha Barber
Mental Health Specialist
Sasha is Perinatal Mental Health lead at North Bristol NHS Trust. Her focus includes the well-being of both mums and dads-to-be, and infant mental health. Her background as a mental health nurse and a health visitor team manager, means she brings a wealth of expertise.
Cara Luff
Mental Health Specialist
Cara is a mental health specialist, working as a humanistic & integrative counsellor privately and running peri-natal wellbeing groups for parents in the Bristol area through her own company "Rhea wellbeing". She has a psychology degree, post grad in mental health and a diploma in counselling. She previously worked within the NHS as a CBT practitioner and for the peri-natal mental health charity Bluebell as a counsellor and group leader.
She is a single mum of two and is passionate about supporting mothers through the transition into parenthood and all the emotional and relational difficulties this can bring up.
Jenna Wilson
Sleep Consultant
Jenna is a sleep consultant, working with babies and children from 4 months to 10 years old. She was a specialist children panel solicitor for 12 years before deciding to retrain in 2016 whilst pregnant. She has owned Little Dreams, and been helping families get a better night’s sleep, for over 5 years.
She lives in Bristol with her husband and three children.