Joanna Fitzsimons
RGN, RM BSc (1st Class Honors) D.A. Hyp- Diploma of Advanced Hypnotherapy
3 Step Rewind Birth Trauma Practitioner
Hello and welcome to the Wise Hippo Sussex!
I am Joanna a proud mother of twin boys; Hamish and Noah and an experienced, practising midwife, clinical hypnotherapist, hypnobirthing instructor, and antenatal educator.
Firstly let me offer my congratulations on your pregnancy. This is an exciting time for you. I feel confident that my experience and passion can make this journey a truly positive one. I feel strongly that it is a woman’s right to have a positive, pregnancy and birth experience, that both you and your partner feel empowered throughout this wonderful journey into motherhood.
I have supported hundreds of women in their pregnancies and births; those using hypnobirthing techniques and those without. Based on my experience and feedback from the women and birthing partners I have taught they have calm and positive birth experiences. Clinical research has shown that hypnosis during childbirth decreases the need for pain relief, lessens medical intervention, and increases spontaneous vaginal birth (Smith et al 2006).
This is why I trained to be a Wise Hippo instructor; I believe in empowering women and their birth partners to be aware of their choices, teach them tools and techniques to have a positive pregnancy and birth. I also believe a ‘positive birth’ is a state of mind. It’s not defined by what happens during labour and birth but how a woman and her partner feels about her baby’s (babies) birth. Because of this belief, I am able to teach tools and techniques that empowers women and partners to trust their instincts and ensure that their baby ( babies) have the right birth on the day.
I have been an antenatal educator since 2000, having taught women and their partners expecting just one baby and those expecting multiples. I am passionate that women and their partners feel confident and look forward to the birth of their baby (babies). Today, due to many influencing factors, women are often fearful of their birth experience. Due to these influences, the subconscious mind has learnt this lesson wrong.
This is where The Wise Hippo Sussex Hypnobirthing Programme and my experience comes in. I use techniques and tools in the form of hypnobirthing and birth preparation to help women to understand the connection between their mind and their body. Helping women remain emotionally in control and trusting their instincts. These are tools for life and not just for birth.
The Wise Hippo Sussex Hypnobirthing is for all women, whether you are a first time mother, had babies before or expecting more than one baby, single and same sex couples .
I have included some Frequently Asked Questions under the course details. However, if you would like more information or would like support, please go to my contact page, I look forward to hearing from you.

Qualifications and Experience
I qualified as a registered nurse in Adult Nursing in 1996 and worked in gynaecology, this is where my passion for women’s health started and I trained as a midwife in 1999. Since qualifying, I have worked in a variety of setting supporting and empowering women and their families to have a positive birth. (Including pioneering the sure start case load one to one midwifery). I am an experienced antenatal educator, providing classes for those women expecting just one baby and those expecting twins or more.
I currently work as a community midwife, antenatal educator, and as a Clinical Hypnotherapist and hypnobirthing practitioner.
I trained as a Clinical Hypnotherapist at The Kew Training Academy and qualified with a Diploma in January 2017.
I am the lead midwife for women expecting multiples at Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals and I am a Consultant Specialist Multiples Midwife for The Twins Trust;the leading UK charity for Twins , Triplets or More.
I am the founder of twinformation.co.uk – please do contact me if you are expecting multiples to learn more about this programme.
I am Fedant insurance and a member of RCM (Royal College of Midwives) and registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under the Data Protection Act 1998 and I am a fully accredited member of the following organisations:


