Spoil Your Baby Ep 38 – Boosting Confidence Through Nurtured Presence feat. Amanda Hadfield

Introduction and Amandau2019s background 0:00

maybe they'll be the only moms that want to come along. I only need two moms to certify." And I had eight moms in the end. And can't tell you the impact it's had. That first block have all continued to meet up every week. Recently, they organized like a mini first aid. person come to do like a weaning talk with them all together because they were all going on that journey, they go on pram walks and buggy walks all the time. They're a really, really tight-knit group that that's just been like the cherry on top for me that they've really found each other.

The reviews as well, I've got loads of reviews from the class on my website which speak for themselves but there was one mum who said, you know, this was my space each week for ME to be nurtured. She had a lot of birth trauma and she even found a Hello, welcome to Spoil Your Baby podcast. I'm here today with my co-host Rocio Zunini, and we are so excited to welcome Amanda here. She is the world's first nurtured neuroscience practitioner, the first person to certify in our certification. So welcome, Amanda.

We're so happy you're here! Thank you so much. It's just a lot more comfortable. I love it. And I need to do the same. It used to have one at my desk in university and now I think that is a great call. Yeah, I just did consult today and I did it for the first time and there's no going back. This is great. So if I'm bouncing, sorry. Amazing. You are our first practitioner. Why don't you let us know, let's start with how did you come to our program and tell us a little bit more about you so we can get to know you.

Yes. So I'm Amanda. My business is North Star Nurture, which was inspired from a line in your book. And I was a veterinary nurse beforehand, so complete career change. I sort of knew while I pregnant, I am working in veternity nursing that I looking for something else, maybe possibly after maternity leave.

Discovering the program and certification journey 2:06

self-discovery and, you know, really manifest and like let the universe kind of show me which way to go. And I've never really done anything like that before. I came across your book when my girl was about eight months, nine months. It was at the breastfeeding group that I used to to every week. One of the mums had said, have you read this book? And I hadn't, and I'd sort of been going to the group every week to sing, I'm feeling so conflicted. If everything I am doing feels so right, but I've been under so much pressure from family, friends, health visitor.

And everyone's telling me I was doing this so wrong and it feels right. She said, you have to read this book, The Natural Revolution, by Dr. Ketchipa. I can't help it. Oh, so happy that you keep in contact with them because that's the whole goal, right? We need to help moms in that place, yeah. Exactly. And it was such a supportive group, but that book changed everything for me, which I've told you as well. I didn't know at the time of reading it and listening to it how much it would change my life that I'd be here now.

Then when I got the email that you were bringing out a certification program because I was signed up to you. newsletters, I was like, that is it. I 100% have to have, to get on that. And I remember like dancing around my garden with my daughter, like manifesting like I'm gonna get in, and I've never done any like manifestation before. But I have never had more of a doubt in my mind that this is the path for me. And yeah, that's how I am here today. I'm so happy that you did. And, yeah. You were looking for something to fill your heart, and now you've also really made it happen in real life, too.

Certifying super quickly, but also, really, you already reached so many mothers, right? Yeah, it's been quite a quick journey, but yeah, absolutely. It's sort of taken off a little bit more than I thought it would initially, which has been great, yeah. Overwhelming at times. Oh, my goodness. Will you tell us a bit about that, about starting up your circle? And then I want to know, the thing I wanna know the most is the impact it is having on you and also the people in your groups. But let's start at the beginning.

How did you get it all going? So I started a group in March this year, 2025, and two of my best friends, who I met at that same breastfeeding group that recommended the book,

Launching the first motheru2019s circle 4:34

had just had babies. So, I was like, okay, cool. I'll have at least two mums. Like, maybe they'll be the only mumps that want to come along. And I only need two moms to certify. and I had eight mumbs in the end and can't tell you the impact it's had. That first block have all continued to meet up every week. Recently, they organized like a mini first aid. person come to do like a weaning talk with them all together because they were all going on that journey. They go on pram walks and buggy walks all the time.

Um, they're a really, really tight-knit group that that's just been like the cherry on top for me that they've really found each other. And the reviews as well, I've got loads of reviews from the class on my website, which speak for themselves, but there was one mum who said, you know, this was my space each week for to be nurtured. She had a lot of birth trauma, and she even found a little healing in that. And I would never pretend that I'm a therapist. It's not a therapists' space, it's about holding space for people.

But it just brought her so much healing, even with birth-trauma, which just is so profound. Absolutely so profoundly. One mom in particular had really hard time bonding with her baby. and she found the connection with baby exercises in particular really, really boosted her bond with her baby. And she was actually reading your book at the same time. She came across the book as she saw my circle. So we're sort of listening to your books at each chapter as well. Sort of really following along for like the whole holistic experience.

Wow. Yeah, a lot of healing for these mums. Finding connection in the local community and friendships. And it honestly every month that it was the highlight of their week. It was actually my birthday this week on Wednesdays when I teach my class. Thank you. But the whole time I was just thinking I'm so I wish it like every birthday I could teach this class like this is where I want to be. it's just the most magical thing in person. And I do want to explore maybe an online class as well, but nothing really beats that.

Coming together every week in-person, I just can't really explain the magic of every class. I really, really can. Yeah, yeah. Like, when women gather, magic happens. It's inevitable it is going to happen, no matter what. And that was a huge inspiration. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Wow, how incredible. And I love to hear how quickly people kind of caught on to what you were doing. Your first group had eight mothers, and I was getting like full body goosebumps there when you were saying that they've continued these friendships.

Impact on mothers and community connection 7:10

Because that's so much of the point, right? We want to hold mothers. Boost their confidence, boost their self-love, just oxytocin in that room, which is probably why they were staying. That's the best part of their week. And then give them that lifelong support, those like friendships and that connection with themselves, their baby and then their greater community. So, wow. Congratulations, such a success. Thank you. And I just have to highlight one of the things I was reflecting on in preparation for this podcast is it's incredible to see how much of a shared experience it is.

When we do like a welcome in or release ceremony, it's really common for most of the moms to say, I want to let go of guilt and I wanna bring in patients, for example. But then you go to different weeks where we're talking about intuition and interoception and you can go around a room of eight moms and the way that they feel a yes in their body is different for all eight mums or the they they a no is completely different. So it just this lovely like parallel of such a share experience and people saying, yes, feel that way.

But then, so much of it is so unique and vulnerable, and it's just the most lovely mix of both of those worlds kind of colliding. SHANNON It's incredible. Incredible. So, probably a hard question to answer. Which practices, maybe the top one or two, do you think had the biggest impact? Which were your favorite? I think the nurtured presence, the four questions. And when you ask, mums to sort of say the answers to them. So they say to their babies, you know, I see you. You know, you are enough. That one is always, I'm on the third block now.

I had nurtured presence last week. And that one's always really emotive, but in a really lovely way. Um, and I would say the intuition, actually, which really, really took me by surprise. Because myself, it's probably been the biggest area for me that I've had to work on as well. When we learned it in lecture, we realized very quickly I was not very in touch with my interoception. And so I was a bit nervous that first week thinking, you know, what if everyone says like, I'm not really understanding this.

And it's been so powerful, the two times I've run that class, and people have been really in touch with their yes and their no in very, very different ways. That one's has been a really, really profound one. Vivalence as well is holding the 2 rocks. We do that in class where we really feel those two emotions at the same time. I've had one mum say, she texts me saying, I'm out near the reservoir and I found two rocks and was practicing ambivalence, you know, and thinking about class. So, yeah, all the classes.

And I had a consult very recently. Um, And i think the whole theme of it was those questions, who is essentially a family saying We have a baby who needs a lot of help for sleep, a lotta help, for everything, and we just wish it, we want, like, give us tips to make it not so. Like, how can we make this baby easy and everything easygoing, right? And almost all of the learning there was tuning in to, baby, We need our baby for everybody's well-being and peace and health.

Favorite practices and shared experiences 10:33

To get a yes answer, to get it yes that they are enough with those needs, with that help they need. We needed to just shift that for people, right? So, it's such a big lesson to learn. I'm so happy to hear that's really going well. in the groups. And I've had actually a surprising amount of second time moms who are there with their babies and that feeling of sort of splitting yourself in half when you have an older child, maybe a toddler at home and a baby. I had quite a lot of moms say when we're going over those four nurtured presence questions is they almost feel like they want their toddler to be better in some way.

Yeah. that it's just that like splitting yourself in half and really balancing the four nurture questions across two, two little ones who might be under the age of three. And that brings up so many feelings of guilt and overwhelm. But then other moms will say, I feel exactly the same. I've got a three year old at home as well. and that I love when that happens and every, you know, the conversation goes that way and people chime in and saying, i feel the exactly same and I'm so glad someone said it.

Yeah, that really helps that. camaraderie, like, me too, right? It feels so good to be in that presence. That's what you want, yeah. Yeah. And also, we always like talk about the lack, We don't ever need to perfect in any of that, even with the questions, Right? We're gonna think sometimes, oh, I wish my child was easier this way or, you know, that way, whatever it is, and then just be able to return to them. is kind of the skill, right? It's just so important for us. Absolutely. And just the inner child work, I think, that comes with that class as well.

It obviously comes up a lot in most weeks. There's the part of class where we ask them to hold their baby, but imagine it's baby them and answer the questions for your inner-child. It chokes me up every time I do it, and it's so beautiful. It's one of my favorite parts of the whole course. I love it. So that was your first circle, the circle of eight. And tell us how it has evolved, how have you continued? So over the summer, it's sort of been, I thought it would be a lot more of an intake of first time mums.

But it has kind of, been sort drips and drabs. I had three people for the first five weeks, and then six people, for second five week, with illness and things, you know, what happens with teething and illness, bad nights, etc. And then this third block, seven mumps. just now. So, yeah, and it's a lovely internet group. And we've got a new cafe in my venue as well. It's lovely after each session when I come out after tidying up with all the moms are there having a coffee and cake and continuing that.

Um, so yeah. it is just going from strength to strength. Incredible, incredible. Tell us a little bit about what it has been like for you. How has this experience been for becoming a facilitator and being able to influence so many people? I don't know if you guys remember, but like I before the first class, I was terrified, like petrified. I can't explain how scared I. And honestly, within five minutes of the class it was. I felt so, so calm. Obviously, we do grounding exercises, which is perfect for someone who's a bit nervous.

And it's honestly been probably one of the biggest privileges of my life doing this class.

Growing confidence as a facilitator 13:55

It's one my favorite things. Part of me is like, I want to do this for free for everybody. But obviously, it is a business because it just so it so enjoyable for me as well. I'm just holding space each week for moms and being that safe space where people can come every week. and I do every single Wednesday as I've not been taking breaks because I just want care, you know, it could be a holiday or half term or, Halloween, Easter, whatever it is, but people still have challenges and newborns and want that support.

So I try and keep it consistent every single Wednesday as well. But it's honestly it has been the biggest privilege of my whole life. with no exaggeration, it's definitely the highlight of my week. I love it. The amount of personal growth that's come for you is incredible. You really stepped into it! Yeah, I'm proud of myself. It's hard to say that. And I actually ran my first infant sleep workshop in August, and I was getting ready, all the people were coming in, there was 14 mums, And I wasn't nervous and I was like, I wonder if the circles have sort of just given me that confidence and, you know, every single week talking in front of an audience and yeah, the personal growth has been amazing.

I Wasn't expecting that at all. incredible, incredible. So happy to hear that you're doing speaking as well. Um, and also sleep consulting. Yes, yes. Amazing. That's really been picking up recently in particular. Yeah. Incredible, Incredible. Rocio, any, anything else you want to know about Amanda? Oh, my goodness. I just, there's so many things. But it's just amazing, the transformation, because I know, Amanda, you was at me, so I'm so anxious. And to hear that now you're this, your transformed too, just by doing the circles.

like it's just, it just amazing to give out worship. The feedback and all the testimonials and conversations having with mums is just the biggest confidence boost in the world because it kind of like, you know, the proof is in a pudding like there it is, this is the impact it having. That's the big motivation. in your calling, you're doing your call and you know, it's just working wonderful. I'm almost speechless today because I just like so moved, so excited and just have goosebumps the whole time that you are talking.

There's such an inspiration. It's so incredible. Well, I owe it all to you guys as well. Obviously, everybody in the practitioner program, we still have the Go collab and we all talk. We've got a UK Nurture Neuroscience Practitioners group as we're constantly giving each other support and asking questions. Yeah, it's just the most supportive group that's come out of this practitioner programme. I love it. There is another thing too that we should highlight here is that the practitioners, They are in a sisterhood sort of.

We want to continue this. As it grows, the movement, we want it to keep you all together and there's no competition.

Community support, future plans, and closing 16:58

It's about you know, the ripple effects, having your circles and supporting each other and like being in that community forever. Shout out to Sophie because we WhatsApp message all the time. We're always voicing about like clients and cases and giving each others ideas and boosts. So yeah, big shout out Sophie. She helps a lot. I love it. For all of our listeners, if they want to find you for one of your Circles or some of you're consultations, where can they find? So my circles, I host them currently in person.

I am thinking about doing an online class soon. But for in-person, it's in middle of the Scotland, a lot of community center called the Glencore Center. And it is every Wednesday at 9.30 in the morning. For my sleep consultancy, you can find me at my website, northstarnurture.com and I'm on Instagram as well, just north.star.nurcher. Yeah, and also looking at teaming up with Gabrielle as for some parental regulation support as well. I won't share too many details, but there's gonna be a whole different way to support parents through their parental regulations journey and hopefully coming soon with another.

Neuroscience Practitioner Gabrielle. So exciting, so exciting. Well, thank you again for being here with us. And we can't wait to see all of these new ways you're going to share with the world. Thanks, Amanda. Thank you so much. I will say if anybody is thinking of becoming a Neuro Science Practioner, honestly, we all were messaging the night before the last lecture of that first cohort. like actually crying, being like, I'm so sad that this is over. And that's like for lectures and learning and, you know, having to do case studies.

We're all like devastated, like I just want to keep doing this. I want join again and again, if you could just let me into it. Because we will think of some ways to get going because we are hearing this from many, many people. So I love that idea. All right. I'll talk to you soon. Thank you so much. Bye.