Tutum Birthing

Tell me a little about you & your family, what your business is, and the inspiration behind getting started…

I am Claire, a mother to two lovely little girls and a wife to Dominic. I have always been in the corporate world building up businesses for other people until 18 months ago when I started my own venture, Tutum Birthing. Hypnobirthing was a huge part of my excitement and positivity towards the birth of my first daughter and then again with my second. I felt I needed to spread what can be such a positive message to other expectant mums and it can be just what they need to hear when it is their first pregnancy.

How did you make the leap from idea on paper to reality with your business idea?

It took two maternity leaves and a whole lot of belief in myself to make the leap and launch Tutum. I saw a life coach and we went through the fact that I can do this. It was nerve wracking but I have so much passion and love for all things pregnancy and birth that it ended up being a quick leap of faith and one I haven’t regretted.

How did you get your first sale or client?

I set myself up with a website and engaged in local Facebook groups. My first couple came from a Facebook post into a local area group.

What ‘lucky breaks’ or helping hands have you had along the way that have really boosted your progress?

Meeting and having a network of passionate, well-intentioned and trustworthy mums all starting our own businesses has been paramount to my feeling I can do this and I am supported.

We meet up, egg each other on and are there for each other when it gets quiet and you do start to question yourself. Networking with like minded people is so important

What do you LOVE about your business and working for yourself?

I love the feeling of helping other people. I love making other women feel they are positive, confident and that they have all they need to be able to give birth. I love that I am making a difference to their pregnancies and their outlook on labour and birth. It doesn’t matter how we birth they should feel excited and not fearful.

What’s the scariest thing you’ve had to do since setting up on your own?

Putting myself out there on social media and trying to do it in a way which doesn’t show desperation or concern.

Who is your support network that you simply couldn’t manage without?

My local network of girls. Reflexologist, birth photographer, birth doula, postnatal doula – so many of us. We come together to support each other.
My Mum often sorts my childcare if I need to take a class out of the ordinary dates.
My husband gets home early to help on the evenings I am teaching, as I work from home.

What exciting plans do you have for your business over the next 6-12 months that you’d like to share?

I would just love to help as many expectant mothers as I can with real, focussed and uncompromised advice and tools for them to use. My Tutum Birthing groups are not big, I don’t squash people in to make the most money. My clients really do get a great experience at my classes and I just hope to carry on and get stronger and more confident in my knowledge.

You can visit Claire and Tutum Birthing here, find her on Instagram and follow her on Facebook.