In celebration of pride month, The Positive Birth Company have launched their #ProudParent campaign

Every June we celebrate pride month, a time to honour the Stonewall uprising that took place in June 1969 in Manhattan, a huge moment for the gay liberation movement. This year, The Positive Birth Company is celebrating by highlighting the incredible LGBTQIA+ parents in their community.

Seeking to support and empower those embarking on their journey to parenthood, The Positive Birth Company offer resources including online courses, an app and their bestselling book. With hypnobirthing and inclusivity at the core of everything they do, the company is on a mission to make this approach more accessible.

Hypnobirthing aims to create a more positive birthing experience, however your baby is born. Using techniques like breathing exercises and affirmations, and arming you with knowledge about the birthing experience, hypnobirthing can help you feel more confident, calmer and in control.  

Extending from their existing #BirthingThe Future campaign (celebrating different pathways to parenthood through the pandemic), their #ProudParent campaign shines a light on the often untold stories of parents in the LGBTQIA+ community.

One couple sharing their story are Steph and Alex. Steph is intersex and Alex is trans and they’re currently 25 weeks pregnant. Keen to dismantle the myth that you can’t have children if you’re intersex or transgender, the couple are sharing their journey to becoming parents.

“Like many LGBTQIA+ parents, our journey to becoming parents hasn't been an easy one. Firstly, my hormone issues (my body produces too much testosterone) meant going onto hormones to force cycles through, so that I'd have a chance to become pregnant via sperm donor.

“Alex said very early on when we talked about children that he wouldn't even contemplate being the one to carry, so we always knew it would be me who would be doing the hard work!” Steph explains.

Following repeated miscarriages and poor treatment by professionals, the couple understandably became guarded, “particularly after one miscarriage in 2019, where a remark was made about me being intersex and trying to have a baby.”

This year though, the couple will become parents and, thankfully, their local hospital has created a welcoming and inclusive environment. They hope more hospitals will follow this example in time, ensuring other LGBTQIA+ parents-to-be have positive experiences.

Read more #ProudParent stories and explore The Positive Birth Company’s offerings.

Header image of Steph and Alex by portrait artist Rachel Sherlock for the #ProudParent campaign.

To explore hypnotherapy in more detail and to find a hypnotherapist, visit Hypnotherapy Directory.